I have been writing lately a great deal about the idea of the Messiah – Yeshua. There is a huge move of a message and narrative in the believing world today about living in the Kingdom and what it looks like versus religion, the local church, and our general behavior and attitudes as Believers, as well as, thought processes in relationship to and with the Father. While there is so much which has been brought to light by those such as Dr. Miles Munroe and others over the last several years, I want to focus on the idea of Messiah. Why haven’t the nations embraced this concept, because so much of Scripture deals with not just the idea of a King – but a Messiah. In my opinion, the Kingdom message sets as its ideal – a Western monarchial paradigm, instead of a Suzerain/Eastern Kingdom idea. While the kingdom message is powerful and truthful, because of our culture, even those who live, say under a British Monarchy, while much is in parallel to any kingdom, there is still a cultural difference between eastern and western kingdoms. In Isaiah we begin to see the emergence of this Let’s look at his example…
Isaiah was one of the most influential prophets of ancient Israel, and his book is considered one of the greatest works of Hebrew literature. He lived during a difficult time in the history of Israel, witnessing the fall of the northern kingdom of Israel to Assyria and the threat of invasion from the Babylonians. Isaiah was a prophet who spoke both to his people and the nations, offering a message of hope and warning of impending disaster.
Isaiah lived in Jerusalem during the reigns of the four kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. He was married and had at least two sons, one of whom was named Shear-Jashub. According to tradition, Isaiah was martyred during the reign of Manasseh, one of the most wicked kings of Judah.
The book of Isaiah can be divided into two parts: chapters 1-39, which focus on the history of Israel and its relationship with God as well as the nations, and chapters 40-66, which are concerned with the restoration of Israel and the coming of a messianic figure. Throughout his prophecy, Isaiah emphasizes the importance of repentance and obedience to God, warning of the consequences of disobedience and the ultimate destruction of Israel if it does not turn back to God. In chapters three and four, he gives warnings to Judah and the Nations respectively…Interesting that right after He talks about the Messiah, he speaks to BOTH Judah AND the nations.
In Chapter Two, Isaiah veils his intention which he reveals in chapters three and four – Amara Adonai, Verses 1-3 of chapter two say this: “Titz’u ve’yar’u mik’tze ha’aretz, veroshachem b’kitzim hashamayim, ki-chatzir yavesh chatzir naveil, tzemed u’pri-ya’ef amru vayachzekehu Adonai. Vehalchu amim rabim ve’amru, lechu venaleh el har Adonai, el beit Elohei Ya’akov, venayrenu midrachav, venelecha.
“The word of the Lord that Isaiah son of Amoz SAW concerning Judah and Jerusalem: “In the days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills. All the nations shall stream to it.” Many peoples shall come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.”
Now, this is dealing with the Millennial age. The Hebrew word here for established means “cemented” or “placed into a permanent form”. The word here for highest has nothing to do with altitude, but preeminence. If you have been to Israel, their mountains are not that big at all. The idea here is that the nations and Israel – those who have paced believing loyalty to the God of Israel, through willful obedience, will be called up to the mountain of the lord, because of where the Messiah will be.
In chapter three – Isaiah’s message is directed to Judah; being one of warning and hope. He speaks out against the sins of the people, including idolatry, injustice, and moral decay. He warns of the impending invasion of Assyria and the destruction of Jerusalem, urging the people to repent and turn back to God. At the same time, he offers hope, promising that God will not abandon his people and that a remnant will be saved.
In chapter four – Isaiah’s prophecy is not limited to Judah but extends to the nations of the world. He prophesies the downfall of nations such as Assyria and Babylon, which he sees as instruments of God’s judgment on the nations. He also offers hope to the nations, promising that God will establish a kingdom of peace and justice, where all nations will come to worship the one true God. By this, he gives anyone a way to the Hebrew God and subsequently HIS Messiah (Son)
So here we have Isaiah dealing with Judah and the nations as they relate – or not so much to the Messiah. From this foundation, he begins to describe the TWO ROLES of the Messiah.
In chapter five, the most remarkable feature of Isaiah’s prophecy is the presence of four “servant songs” (Isaiah 42:1-9; 49:1-7; 50:4-11; 52:13-53:12). These songs describe a figure known as the “servant of the Lord,” who suffers on behalf of the people and brings about their salvation. The identity of the servant is a matter of debate, with some seeing the servant as an individual figure, such as Isaiah or a future messianic figure, while others see the servant as a collective figure, representing the faithful remnant of Israel. This is what Israel believes to be Messiah ben Josef (Son of Joseph) – or the “Suffering Messiah” – one who will take upon him the burden and sin of the people. Overlapping with this idea is in chapter six: Isaiah’s prophecy there contains a strong messianic hope, with the promise of a coming king who will establish a kingdom of peace and justice. This messianic figure is described as a descendant of Jesse, the father of King David, and is seen as the fulfillment of God’s promises to David. The messianic figure is also described as a suffering servant who will bear the sins of his people and bring about their salvation. This is the Messiah ben David (Son of David) – or the Ruling, Warring, King Messiah who will reign forevermore.
While we know that Yeshua/Jesus is this king – It is He who comes twice and fulfills both roles – in Judaism, they believe in two overlapping individuals who will fulfill each role respectively. However, a Messiah is more than a King. A king must have agents of every sort to determine his power, authority, adherence to borders, judgments, etc. A king cannot simply do all of these tasks and fulfill all of these roles by himself. A messiah CAN do all of those things – alone. Jesus did do that – when he resurrected – He single-handedly destroyed the authority of another kingdom BY HIMSELF. No king can do that. Here’s the cool part – when He returns – you and I will have assignments – roles to play in the Kingdom – not because He needs us – but because He WANTS to share it with us. Any other king NEEDS agents to keep his authority – this King does not need any of His creation to do so. THAT my friends is what makes the difference between a Messiah and a King.
So when hearing the kingdom message – I have heard the role of the Messiah downplayed to “just a Jewish title”. Please realize it is a title for the coming of the ages. Jesus is the Messiah, King, Lord of Lords, Savior, Redeemer, and Friend. While the church likes almost all of the terms mentioned – They do not mention Messiah very often, probably due to a non- or mis-understanding. He ultimately is Messiah – and from that place is where His authority – AND LOVE flow. The other titles are subservient to Messiah. Let us all learn to know Him more as Messiah – maybe that might change the way we see ourselves and the Body of Messiah at large.
Blessings
