1. TIMING OF THE MESSIAH – PART 2

2. Sanhedrin 97a-b
‘The world will exist 6000 years.  2000 years of desolation (meaning from Adam to Abraham), 2000 years of the Torah (meaning from Abraham to somewhere around the beginning of the common era), and 2000 years of the Messianic era (roughly the last 2000 years); but because our iniquities were many all this has been lost (i.e. the Messiah did not come at the expected time).’  

3. MESSIAH SHOULD HAVE COME!
RASHI gives an explanation for the non appearance of Messiah by saying:  ’After 2000 years of Torah it was God’s decree that the Messiah would come and the wicked generation would come to an end and the subjugation of Israel would be destroyed. But because our iniquities were many, all this has been lost.’
So according to Rashi, Messiah should have come but did not because of Israel’s sins.

4. Messiah has come
Daniel 9.26 – after 69th week of 70 weeks prophecy, before fall of Temple and Jerusalem in AD 70
Malachi 3.1 – Messenger of the covenant to come suddenly to Temple
Haggai 2.9 – Bring greater glory to this Temple
Genesis – Shiloh / Messiah to come before ‘sceptre departs from Judah.’

5. At the right time
For when we were still without strength, in due time (at the right time) Christ / Messiah died for the ungodly.  … God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
Romans 5.6-9

6. Suffering Servant prophecy fulfilled
Behold My Servant ….He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities… All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all…. He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. … When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days.’ Isaiah 52-3.

7. Messiah to go away and come again
I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. John
He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.  Therefore He said: ‘A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.’ Luke

8. Future prophecy of Messiah
Prophecy of Reigning King Messiah to be fulfilled after Second Coming:
‘For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.’ Isaiah 2

9. Question – which is correct?
There is one coming of one Messiah
There is one coming of two Messiahs
There are two comings of one Messiah

10. Answer - Judaism
There is one Messiah who must complete the Messianic programme (Isaiah 2.1-4) in one go. If he dies before completing it he is not the Messiah. Christian idea of 2nd coming is an attempt to explain the fact that Jesus did not complete Messianic programme when He came first time and needs to have another go. This idea in Judaism deletes the concept of Suffering Servant Messiah of Isaiah 53 from the agenda.

11. Second Answer – Judaism
There are two Messiahs – Messiah Ben Joseph who suffers and dies as Isaiah 53, Zechariah indicate.
He is followed by Messiah ben David who rules and reigns as David did fulfilling Isaiah 2.1-4

12. Christian answer
Much of the church has more or less deleted the second coming from the agenda. Therefore many Christians look to the first coming of Jesus as the completion of His work and ignore the second coming prophecies.
Some are saying Jesus may have been Messiah for his time but now we need a new Messiah / Saviour figure for our time. New Age Messiah.

13. Biblical answer
Jesus is the Messiah who came in fulfilment of prophecy around 2000 years ago. He completed the task of redemption and returned to heaven from where He will come back to fulfil the prophecies of the Reigning King Messiah.
Both set of prophecies to be fulfilled literally on this earth and in God’s time.

14. Sir Isaac Newton
‘About the time of the end, a body of men will be raised up who will turn their attention to the Prophecies, and insist upon their literal interpretation, in the midst of much clamour and opposition.’

15. Questions about Second Coming
How?
Why?
When?
Where?

16. What would happen after departure?
POSITIVE
Pentecost / Holy Spirit to come to indwell believers. John , Acts 2.
True Church to take message of Gospel to ends of earth. Matthew
Church to remember the Lord’s death until He comes again. 1 Corinthians
Jews and Gentiles to find salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus the Messiah. Ephesians 2

17. What would happen after departure?
NEGATIVE
Opposition to Gospel and persecution John Matthew 24.9
False prophets and false christs. Matthew Will lead to a false church. Revelation 17
Wars and rumours of wars. Matthew 24.6
Dispersion of Jewish people, Jerusalem ‘trodden down of the Gentiles’ ………… UNTIL! Luke , Daniel 9.26

18. How long will this period last?
But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only Matthew 24.36
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”  And He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. Acts 1.6-7

19. The times of restoration
That He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,  whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began Acts

20. Signs of His Coming Gospel to the ends of the earth. Matthew 28
Restoration of Israel / sign of the fig tree. Isaiah 11, 43, Ezekiel 36, Jeremiah 31.10, Luke , Matthew
Jerusalem in the frame of world attention. Zechariah , Luke
Distress of nations in perplexity Luke 21.25
As days of Noah and Lot Luke

21. How will He come?
The Rapture. Suddenly to take His own people to Himself. Only believers see this coming. John , 1 Thessalonians
The Second Coming. Publicly to judge the world in righteousness. Everyone alive sees this coming. Matthew , Revelation 6, 19.
Because of the difference between these two events many have come to pre tribulation interpretation that the Lord comes first for the believing church before the final seven year tribulation and then comes with the believing church at the end of the tribulation.

22. Why will He come? The Rapture.
To take the saints to be with Himself. ‘And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also’ John 14.
Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians
Saints to be saved from the time of wrath. 1 Thess I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world. Rev 3.10.

23. Why will He come? The Second Coming.
To judge the world in righteousness (Acts 17.31)
To bring an end to the tribulation / war / reign of antichrist (Rev 6, 19)
To save Israel (Zechariah 12-14, Isaiah , Romans )
To set up the Millennial kingdom (Isaiah 2, Zech 14, Rev 20).

24. Where will He come to?
The Rapture. ‘In the air’ (1 Thess 4.17) to take believers out of the earth to be with Himself.
The Second Coming. To the earth with the saints. To Jerusalem at last battle (Joel 3, Zechariah 14). To stand on Mount of Olives. Zech
Rule the nations from restored Jerusalem. Isaiah 2, Zechariah 14, Revelation 20

25. When will He come?
The Rapture. At an unknown date. Imminent. This could happen at any time Matthew , 1 Thessalonians
The Second Coming. At the end of the seven year tribulation. This cannot happen until the events of the tribulation have taken place. Therefore not imminent Matthew , Revelation 19
Second Coming. When Israel calls upon Him. Hosea 5.15, Zechariah 12.10, Matthew

26. So be ready!
Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24.44
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6.2.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Acts 16.31