The Messiah

Judaism and Christianity both believe in the doctrine of the Messiah (Hebrew) or Christ (Greek). This is the central point of the entire message of the Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments. Christians believe he came in the person of Jesus Christ, while Jews are still waiting for him to appear.

(Psalms 40:7)
Then said I, Lo, I come:
in the volume of the book it is written of me.

Both Jews and Christians use the same Bible verses to reach their conclusion. This page will only focus on understanding what the Old Testament says about the Jewish Messiah.
To learn about how Jesus fulfilled those prophecies in the New Testament, see The Deity of Jesus Christ 101, the 2nd tenet of the Christian faith.

This isn't an exhaustive study as there are about 190 passages in the Old Testament of Messianic prophecies, and several characters in the narrative that foreshadow his character. This page is a study of a limited selection of them to explain the doctrine, and the mindset of the Jewish people.

The first mention of the Messiah in the Bible is way back in Genesis 3 when God cursed Adam and Eve for eating the forbidden fruit.
In regards to the serpent and Eve he said:

(Genesis 3:15)
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Adam and Eve thought God was referring to one of their existing sons, the righteous Abel. Imagine their dismay when, later on, they lost both of their sons when Cain killed Abel and was punished by God and sent away from his presence.

Eve expressed her joy when giving birth to her next son and revealed how she thought he was surely the Messiah:

(Genesis 4:25)
And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

The important thing to note here is that Adam and Eve knew what life was like before they sinned, they wanted to return to the garden. God promised a deliverer to "bruise the head" of the serpent, in other words: to defeat him and restore them to their previous state of sinless life, and walking together with God in paradise. They believed what God told them would happen soon.
Not thousands of years later.

But God's schedule is not the same as ours.
In fact, Moses said it would also happen, but still a long time after him:

(Deuteronomy 18:15)
The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken

But notice back in Genesis how God said that the enmity would be between the serpent and the woman's seed. No mention at all of the man, Adam:

(Genesis 3:15)
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Although Adam and Eve didn't understand it at the time, that subtle wording indicated the Messiah would not have a human man as his Earthly father. Instead God would be the Father, and Eve the mother.

According to ancient traditions, the 1st born son held the same authority as the father. Therefore as the 1st born Son of God, also born of a woman, he would be fully God and fully human - the 2nd person of the Trinity.

But how could that be? It would be a fantastic thing for a woman to bear a child without having her seed fertilized by a human man!
But God always repeats important things to make it clear:

(Isaiah 7:14)
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Notice how God said that his Son would be named "Immanuel". This is another example of him making the point clear to us by continually repeating an important message, in this case it's that the Messiah would be God in human flesh.

The Hebrew word "Immanuel" literally translates as "God with our people", so he is saying that the Messiah would literally be God with the people.

God didn't just leave it at those explanations. It's such an important point that he repeated it over and over again:

(Jeremiah 23:5,6)
5 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE Lord OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

(Isaiah 9:6,7)
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

(Isaiah 40:9,10)
9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
10 Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.

(Psalms 45:6,7)
6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

(Psalms 110:1)
The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

The Jews had no confusion in regards to the meanings of the passages above. They knew that terms such as "Messiah" and "Son of God", and even "Son of Man", clearly meant that God would once again walk beside men as he did in the Garden of Eden, and would crush the head of the serpent.

In the above passages another aspect of the Messiah is mentioned: that of a ruling conqueror.
The vast amount of scripture stating this created huge expectations in the Jews for their deliverer. And given their history one should have no doubt of how reasonable that expectation is! Here are a couple more passages to illustrate this:

(Numbers 24:17-19)
17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.
19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

This next one introduces the title "Son of Man" for the Messiah. Daniel noticed he didn't look like any of the Angels but instead had a human appearance:

(Daniel 7:13,14)
13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

The last example I will cite is the entire Psalm 2, which again describes the Messiah as being both the Son of God and a conqueror.

(Psalm 2:1-12)
1 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed, saying,
3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.
4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.
6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.
7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.
8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
11 Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

With all of the focus being on the lost intimacy with God, the need to defeat the serpent and sin, and the Messiah being a conquering king, the Jews missed another aspect of the Messiah.
They, along with the Devil, were distracted. They overlooked him being described as a gentle lamb and servant.

Psalm 22 is the opposite of Psalm 2. Whereas Psalm 2 shows how the Messiah will be the conqueror, Psalm 22 shows him as the suffering servant. I wont quote the entire thing here because it's so long, but here are some highlights:

(Psalm 22:1,6-8,12-18)
1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8 He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
12 Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13 They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

In all honesty, nobody could have predicted Psalm 22 was talking about the Messiah. It was authored by David when he was in the depths of despair. It is only after the crucifixion of Jesus that we see it was a prophecy of the Messiah.

But there are more passages showing him as humble and meek that should have impacted their expectations:

(Isaiah 42:1-3)
1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

(Isaiah 52:13,14)
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
14 As many were astonished at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men.

(Isaiah 53:1-3)
1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

From what we have seen so far it looks like two completely different people being presented as the Messiah. Or is it? How could it be the same person? How could a valiant conqueror be so meek and mild?

The answer is in his two-fold ministry. He first came as the loving meek and mild Passover Lamb that defeated sin and reunited us with God:

(Zechariah 9:9)
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.

(Isaiah 52:13,14)
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Then he returns as the angry conquering hero that defeats the physical enemies of Israel:

(Isaiah 63:1-4,6,8)
1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.
2 Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?
3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.
4 For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.
6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.
8 For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.

The outline for this understanding of the Messiah is not a work of fiction, it is written in the Bible. The timetable God gave Israel in the Book of Daniel, which is the only place where the word "Messiah" is used, and it shows clearly the order of events:

(Daniel 9:24-27)
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

In closing, if you only look at the Old Testament as the Jews have done, the story of the Messiah is pretty well laid out. However it was obscured just enough so that the Jews and the devil both would be deluded and not recognize him when he came as the suffering servant.

If it was written any clearer, perhaps the Jews would've recognized the Messiah in Jesus of Nazareth, then maybe the crucifixion would never have happened.

I praise God for what he has done, and his marvelous word that we can read every day of fulfilled prophecies, thereby giving us confidence and hope for future ones.