Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Harold Holmyard <hholmyard AT ont.com>]

Dear Shoshanna,

> You mentioned only a few of the functions of Mashiach.  If someone 
> only performed those three jobs, it wouldn't be enough to consider 
> them Mashiach.  Cyrus, for instance, would not be able to correct 
> Torah observance and cause all of Israel to keep Torah completely.
>  


HH: We are talking about real history. Cyrus really existed and 
performed certain actions. God prophesied them before they happened and 
compared Cyrus with the Davidic servant of prophecy, the true Messiah. 
Cyrus did enough things like those the ultimate Messiah will do to be a 
type, a foreshadowing, of the Messiah. He was God's servant, His 
anointed person, to accomplish the restoration of the exiled nation, the 
defeat of its enemies, and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple.

HH: The servant of Isaiah is pictured as instituting law in the same way 
that the Lord is prophesied doing. He does it not just for Israel but 
for the whole world. First, here is Isaiah talking about the Lord doing 
this:

Is. 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to 
the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will 
teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion 
shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Is. 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many 
people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their 
spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, 
neither shall they learn war any more.

HH: Now here is the servant doing this:

Is. 42:1   “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I 
delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the 
nations.
Is. 42:2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.
Is. 42:3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will 
not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
Is. 42:4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes 
justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.”

HH: The OT prophecies of the Messianic kingdom show a time when the law 
is upheld. People observe the sabbaths. They observe the holy festivals. 
Jerusalem itself is holy.

Yours,
Harold Holmyard