True Prophets

A SPECIAL PROPHET
Since the concept of “Messiah” is an important feature of both Judaism and Christianity, and since a Messiah is generally regarded as a prophet of the highest order, it is instructive to look at a genuine Messiah as a model of a true prophet.

STUDY TIP: See Messiahs and Messianic Prophecy for more understanding of Messiahs.

Many scriptures supply the clues needed to establish the identity of a Messiah. But they are not as easy to interpret as we might hope or expect. Generations of Jewish scholars have interpreted these scriptures to create the following expectations about the signs that would qualify a real Messiah:

  • Bring about the political and spiritual redemption of the Jewish people
  • Bring Jews back to physical Israel.
  • Restore the physical city of Jerusalem.
  • Establish a government in physical Israel that will be the center of all world government, both for Jews and gentiles.
  • Rebuild the physical Temple and re-establish its worship.
  • Restore the religious court system of Israel.
  • Establish Jewish law as the law of the land.

Based on these scriptures and their literal interpretations, Jews expect that the Messiah will have these qualities:

  • He will be a great political leader descended from King David.
  • He will be well-versed in Jewish law, and observant of its commandments.
  • He will be a charismatic leader, inspiring others to follow his example.
  • He will be a great military leader, who will win battles for Israel.
  • He will be a great judge, who makes righteous decisions.
  • He will be a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being.

Beyond Old Testament prophecies that predict the birth of the Messiah, the only real attention Christianity  pays to prophecy is to eschatological theories regarding the so-called “end times” and the “second coming” of the Messiah. In Judaism, on the other hand, the prophecies Jews consider focus on scriptures that they say anticipate the first coming of the Messiah.

For both religions this attention is misplaced because the doctrinal theories derived from prophetic scriptures are wrongly based on literal interpretations of the Bible. They are not based on spiritual understanding of parables, Symbols, Signs, Types, Copies, Shadows and Patterns and mystery, which are the substance of most of the Bible.

They are also wrong because they do not understand God’s view of time.

STUDY TIP: See Time: Hours, Days, Weeks and Ages for more about how to interpret Biblical references to time.

Having made these errors in understanding scripture, it is no surprise that these two religions come to different doctrinal conclusions by reading the same scriptures. This is a clue that literal interpretations cause both religions interpret the scriptures wrongly.

The major consequence of such literal interpretations is that Jews and Christians both stumble in their anticipation of a unique, singular messiah. They do not allow for the possibility that all true prophets are messiahs who are spiritually equipped to teach (ie.e. prophesy) God’s behalf.

STUDY TIP: See Messiahs, Messianic Prophecy, and Model Warriors.

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