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Messianism
Messianism is the belief
in a messiah, a savior or
redeemer. Many religions have a messiah concept, including the Jewish Messiah, the
Christian Christ, the Muslim Mahdi and Isa (Islamic name for Christian Jesus), the Buddhist Maitreya, the Hindu Kalki and the Zoroastrian Saoshyant. The state of the
world is seen as hopelessly flawed beyond normal human powers of correction,
and divine intervention through a specially selected and supported human is
seen as necessary.
Masih (pronounced [ˈmɑsiːħ]) is the Arabic word for Messiah. In modern Arabic
it is used as one of the many titles of Isa (عيسى `Īsā),
who is known to Christians as Jesus. Masih is used by Arab Christiansas well as Muslims, and is written as Yasu'
al-Masih (يسوع المسيح ) or Isa al-Masih.
The word Masih literally means "The anointed
one"[citation
needed] and in Islam, Isa
al-Masih is believed to have
been anointed from birth by Alläh with the specific task of being a prophet and a king.[citation
needed] The Israelites, to whom Isa was
sent, had a traditional practice of anointing their kings with oil. An Imam Bukhari Hadith describes Jesus as having wet hair that looked as if water
was dripping from it, possibly meaning he was naturally anointed [1]. Muslims believe that
this is just one of the many signs that prove that Jesus is the Messiah.
In Islam, Isa is believed to hold the task of killing the
false messiah (al-Dajjal, a figure
similar to the Antichrist in Christianity), who will emerge shortly before him during Qiyamah (Armageddon
in Islamic belief). After he has destroyed al-Dajjal, his final task will be to
become leader of the Muslims. Isa will unify the Muslim Ummah (the followers of Islam) under the common purpose of worshipping
Allah alone in pure Islam, thereby ending divisions and deviations by
adherents. Mainstream Muslims believe that at that time Isa will dispel
Christian and Jewish claims about him.
Abdul Masih, "servant of the Messiah", is used as a given
name by Arabic-speaking Christians. Masih is also a surname among Pakistani,
Iranian and Indian Christians.
(Hebrew: מָשִׁיחַ,Modern Mashiaẖ Tiberian Māšîăḥ; Greek: Μεσσίας; Aramaic: משיחא, Məšīḥaʼ;Arabic language مسيح, Masih;
all meaning "anointed one") generallytransliterated as Mashiach, designating a
king or High Priest, who were traditionally anointed with holy anointing oil as described in Exodus 30:22-25 (the term was not applied
exclusively to Jewish kings; the Hebrew Bible refers to
Cyrus the great, king of Persia, as a messiah). Following the death of Simon bar Kokhba, who ruled
Judea from 132-135 until defeated by the Romans and who was considered by some
to be the last messiah, the term came to refer to a Jewish king who would rule
at the end of history. In later Jewish messianic tradition
and eschatology, messiah refers to a leader anointed by God, and in some
cases, a future King of Israel, physically
descended from the Davidic line, who will rule
the united tribes of Israel[1] and herald
the Messianic Age[2] of global
peace.
Today, their beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement
of the state of humanity or the world,[3] in other words the Messianic Age of the World to Come.
The translation of the Hebrew word Mašíaḥ as Χριστός (Khristós)
in the GreekSeptuagint[4] became the
accepted Christian designation and title of Jesus of Nazareth, indicative of the principal character and function
of his ministry. Christians believe that prophecies in the Hebrew Bible (especially
Isaiah) refer to a spiritual savior and believe Jesus to be that Messiah (Christ).
Islamic tradition holds the view that Isa (cf. Islamic views of Jesus), son of Maryam (cf. Islamic views of Mary) was indeed the promised nabi (Prophet) and masih (Messiah) sent to the Israelites, and that he will again
return to Earth in the end times, along with al-Mahdi, and they will defeat Masih ad-Dajjal (lit.
"false Messiah"; cf. antichrist).[5]
Judaism
Messiah (Hebrew: משיח; mashiah, moshiah, mashiach,
or moshiach, ("anointed [one]") is a term used in the Hebrew
Bible to describe
priests and kings, who were traditionally anointed. For example, Cyrus
the Great, the king of Persia, is referred to as "God's anointed" (Messiah) in the
Bible.
In Jewish messianic tradition and eschatology, the term came to refer to a future Jewish King from the Davidic
line, who will be
"anointed" with holy anointing oil and rule the Jewish people during the Messianic
Age. In Standard Hebrew,
The Messiah is often referred to as מלך המשיח, Méleḫ ha-Mašíaḥ (in the Tiberian vocalization pronounced Méleḵ hamMāšîªḥ), literally meaning "the Anointed
King."
Traditional
Rabbinic teachings and current Orthodox thought has held that the Messiah will be
an anointed one (messiah), descended from his father through the Davidic line
of King
David, who will gather the
Jews back into the Land
of Israel and usher in an
era of peace.
Other denominations, such as Reform
Judaism, perceive a Messianic
Age when the world will be at peace, but do not agree that there will be a
Messiah as the leader of this era.
The Jewish Messiah was the source of the development of
later, similar messianic concepts in Christianity (originally a Jewish sect) and Islam.
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Main articles: Christ, Second
Coming, Christian eschatology, and List of people who have
claimed to be Jesus
In Christianity, the Second Coming is the anticipated return of Jesus from the heavens to the earth (Zechariah
14:3-4, Acts 1:11, Revelation 19:11-20:6), an event that will fulfill aspects
of Messianic prophecy, such as the resurrection of the dead, the last
judgment of the dead and
the living and the establishment of the Kingdom
of God on earth,
including the Messianic Age. Views about the nature of this return vary among Christian denominations. Jesus is understood as having fulfilled
the laws set forth by Moses
(such as sacrificial offerings) with the supposition that those laws
represented Jesus in the first place, being the shadow of
the true substance which would be this new fulfillment, see also New
Covenant. Therefore, this new
fulfillment of the law is believed to now have potentiality in being upheld by
each individual instinctively, as Jesus Spirit is believed to be abiding in
each Christian. This includes the allowance and explanation of calling God
"Father", because God
recognizes the new Christian as a son, since that person has Jesus own Spirit within them. However,
Christianity has a unique attribute of a tri-part
God. The "Son" is
believed to be one with the "Father", and also with the
"Spirit". Therefore there is an overall understanding of oneness, and
each identity of the Christian God is fully separate, and power is authoritatively different
while at the same time retaining equality among the Godhead, as being all three aspects to one God. Granted, this explanation
only roughly describes the triune God within the Christian Religion. Therefore,
God himself is the Messiah, King of All the Earth, in the person of Christ
Jesus.
In Islamic eschatology the Mahdi (مهدي Mahdī, also Mehdi; "Guided One") is the
prophesied redeemer of Islam who
will stay on earth seven, nine, or nineteen years (depending on the
interpretation[1]) before the coming of Yaum
al-Qiyamah (literally
"Day of the Resurrection" or "Day of the Standing").[2] Muslims believe the Mahdi will rid the world
of error, injustice and tyranny alongside Jesus.[3]The concept of Mahdi is not mentioned in the Qur'an nor in the Sunni hadith collection called Sahih
al-Bukhari.[4][5] Hadith about the Mahdi are present in
other Sunni hadith collections, although some orthodox Sunnī theologians
question do Mahdist beliefs.[5] Such beliefs do form a necessary part of
Shīʿī doctrine.[4]
The idea of the Mahdi has been described as important to Sufi Muslims, and a "powerful and central
religious idea" for Shia Muslims
who believe the Mahdi is the Twelfth Imam, Muhammad
al-Mahdi who will return
from occultation. However, among Sunni, it "never became a formal doctrine"
and is neither endorsed, nor condemned "by the consensus of Sunni
Ulama." It has "gained a strong hold on the imagination of many
ordinary" self-described orthodox Sunni though, thanks to Sufi preaching.[6] Another source distinguishes between Sunni
and Shia beliefs on the Mahdi saying the Sunni believe the Mahdi will be a
descendant of the Prophet named Muhammad who will revive the faith, but not
necessarily be connected with the end of the world, Jesus or perfection.[7]
The word Masih literally means "The anointed
one" and in Islam, Isa
son of Mariam, al-Masih (The Messiah Jesus son of Virgin Mary) is
believed to have been anointed from birth by Allah with the specific task of being a prophet
and a king. In orthodox Islam, Isa is believed to hold the task of killing the
false messiah al-Dajjal (similar to the Antichrist in Christianity), who will emerge shortly
before him during Qiyamah. After he has destroyed al-Dajjal, his final task will be to
become leader of the Muslims. Isa will unify the Muslim Umma hunder the common purpose of worshipping Allah
alone in pure Islam, thereby ending divisions and deviations by adherents.
Mainstream Muslims believe that at that time Isa will dispel Christian and
Jewish claims about him.
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Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is to appear on Earth, achieve
complete enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma. According to scriptures, Maitreya will be a
successor of the historic Śākyamuni
Buddha, the founder of
Buddhism. The prophecy of the arrival of Maitreya is found in the canonical
literature of all Buddhist sects (Theravāda, Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna) and is accepted by most Buddhists as a
statement about an actual event that will take place in the distant future.
Around the 3rd century CA religious Taoism developed eschatological ideas. A number
of scriptures predict the end of the world cycle, the deluge, epidemics, and
coming of the saviour Li Hong 李弘 (not to be confused with the Tang
personalities).
In Hinduism, Kalki (Devanagari: कल्कि; also rendered by some as Kalkin and Kalaki)
is the tenth and final Maha Avatara (great incarnation) of Vishnu who will come to end the present age of
darkness and destruction known as Kali
Yuga. The name Kalki is
often a metaphor for eternity or time.
The origins of the name probably lie in the Sanskrit word "kalka" which refers
to dirt, filth, or foulness and hence denotes the "destroyer of
foulness," "destroyer of confusion," "destroyer of
darkness," or "annihilator of ignorance."[8]
Beliefs: Kalki Avatara The Symptoms of Kali-yuga or Age of Hypocrisy... SB 12:2... Predicted over 5,000 years ago... Please, Be the Judge friends...
Religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, tolerance, mercy, duration of life, physical strength and memory will all diminish day by day because of the powerful influence of the Age of Kali. SB 12:2:1
In Kali-yuga, wealth alone will be considered the sign of a person’s good birth, proper behavior and fine qualities. And law and justice will be applied only on the basis of one’s power. SB 12:2:2
A person will be judged unholy if he does not have money, and hypocrisy will be accepted as virtue. Marriage will be arranged simply by verbal agreement, and a person will think he is fit to appear in public if he has merely taken a bath. SB 12:2:5
As the earth thus becomes crowded with a corrupt population, whoever among any of the social classes shows himself/herself to be the strongest will gain political power. SB 12:2:7
Losing their wives or husbands and properties to such avaricious and merciless rulers, who will behave no better than ordinary thieves, the citizens will flee to the mountains and forests. SB 12:2:8
Harassed by famine and excessive taxes, people will resort to eating leaves, roots, flesh, wild honey, fruits, flowers and seeds. Struck by drought, they will become completely ruined. SB 12:2:9
The citizens will suffer greatly from cold, wind, heat, rain and snow. They will be further tormented by quarrels, hunger, thirst, disease and severe anxiety. SB 12:2:10
Lord Kalki will appear in the most eminent brāhmaṇa or priest or great soul HOME. SB 12:2:18
Lord Kalki, the Lord of the universe, will mount His swift White-horse Devadatta and, Sword in hand, travel over the earth exhibiting His eight mystic opulences and eight special qualities of Godhead. Displaying His unequaled effulgence and riding with great speed, He will kill by the millions those thieves who have dared dress as kings, presidents, emperors, etc. SB 12:2:19-20
After all the impostor kings and bad-individuals have been killed, the residents of the cities and towns will feel the breezes carrying the most sacred fragrance of the sandalwood paste and other decorations of Lord Kalki, and their minds will thereby become transcendentally pure. SB 12:2:21
When Lord Kalki, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears in their hearts in His transcendental form of goodness, the remaining citizens will abundantly repopulate the earth. SB 12:2:22
When the Supreme Lord has appeared on earth as Kalki, the maintainer of religion, Satya-yuga will begin, and human society will bring forth progeny in the mode of goodness. 12:2:23
Beliefs: Kalki Avatara The Symptoms of Kali-yuga or Age of Hypocrisy... SB 12:2... Predicted over 5,000 years ago... Please, Be the Judge friends...
Religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, tolerance, mercy, duration of life, physical strength and memory will all diminish day by day because of the powerful influence of the Age of Kali. SB 12:2:1
In Kali-yuga, wealth alone will be considered the sign of a person’s good birth, proper behavior and fine qualities. And law and justice will be applied only on the basis of one’s power. SB 12:2:2
A person will be judged unholy if he does not have money, and hypocrisy will be accepted as virtue. Marriage will be arranged simply by verbal agreement, and a person will think he is fit to appear in public if he has merely taken a bath. SB 12:2:5
As the earth thus becomes crowded with a corrupt population, whoever among any of the social classes shows himself/herself to be the strongest will gain political power. SB 12:2:7
Losing their wives or husbands and properties to such avaricious and merciless rulers, who will behave no better than ordinary thieves, the citizens will flee to the mountains and forests. SB 12:2:8
Harassed by famine and excessive taxes, people will resort to eating leaves, roots, flesh, wild honey, fruits, flowers and seeds. Struck by drought, they will become completely ruined. SB 12:2:9
The citizens will suffer greatly from cold, wind, heat, rain and snow. They will be further tormented by quarrels, hunger, thirst, disease and severe anxiety. SB 12:2:10
Lord Kalki will appear in the most eminent brāhmaṇa or priest or great soul HOME. SB 12:2:18
Lord Kalki, the Lord of the universe, will mount His swift White-horse Devadatta and, Sword in hand, travel over the earth exhibiting His eight mystic opulences and eight special qualities of Godhead. Displaying His unequaled effulgence and riding with great speed, He will kill by the millions those thieves who have dared dress as kings, presidents, emperors, etc. SB 12:2:19-20
After all the impostor kings and bad-individuals have been killed, the residents of the cities and towns will feel the breezes carrying the most sacred fragrance of the sandalwood paste and other decorations of Lord Kalki, and their minds will thereby become transcendentally pure. SB 12:2:21
When Lord Kalki, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears in their hearts in His transcendental form of goodness, the remaining citizens will abundantly repopulate the earth. SB 12:2:22
When the Supreme Lord has appeared on earth as Kalki, the maintainer of religion, Satya-yuga will begin, and human society will bring forth progeny in the mode of goodness. 12:2:23
According to Zoroastrian philosophy, redacted in the Zand-i
Vohuman Yasht, "at the end of thy tenth hundredth winter [...] the sun
is more unseen and more spotted; the year, month, and day are shorter; and the
earth is more barren; and the crop will not yield the seed; and men [...]
become more deceitful and more given to vile practices. They have no gratitude.
Honorable wealth will all proceed to those of perverted faith
[...] and a dark cloud makes the whole sky night [...] and it will rain more
noxious creatures than winter."
Saoshyant, the Man of Peace, battles the forces of evil.[citation needed] The events of the final renovation are described in the Bundahishn
(30.1ff): In the final battle with evil, the yazatas Airyaman and Atar will "melt the metal in the hills and
mountains, and it will be upon the earth like a river" (Bundahishn 34.18), but the righteous (ashavan) will not be harmed.
Eventually, Ahura
Mazda will triumph, and
his agent Saoshyant will resurrect the dead, whose bodies will be restored to
eternal perfection, and whose souls will be cleansed and reunited with God. Time
will then end, and truth/righteousness (asha) and immortality will thereafter be
everlasting.
Religious
Zionists are the Jewish
religious minority of the
basically secular Zionist movement who justified, on the basis of Judaism, secular Zionist efforts to build a Jewish
state in the land
of Israel. In their belief, the Jewish
state is "the
commencement of the growth of our redemption" (Hebrew: ראשית צמיחת גאולתנו reshit
tzmichat ge'ulateinu), and that state may be brought about by human action,
without waiting for the Messiah to gather the Jews back into the Land
of Israel. This view ran contrary
to the view of Ultra-Orthodox Judaism which rejected any secular, human effort to preempt the
ingathering of the exiles by God and his chosen one, the Messiah. Religious
Zionists explained in terms acceptable to the Halakha, the secular, mainly socialist, existentialist Zionist vision where material needs of the
people are addressed through practical and realistic solutions, reflected by
secular philosophers such as Ahad
Ha'am.
In 1862, German Orthodox Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Kalischer published his tractate Derishat Zion, positing
that the salvation of the Jews, promised by the Prophets, can come about only
by self-help.[9]
The main ideologue of modern religious Zionism was Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, who justified Zionism according Jewish
law and urged young
religious Jews to support efforts to settle the land, and the mainsteam,
majority, secular and socialist Labour
Zionists to give more
consideration to Judaism.
Rav Kook saw Zionism as a part of a divine scheme which would
result in the resettlement of the Jewish people in its homeland. This would
bring salvation (Geula) to Jews, and then to the entire world. After
world harmony is achieved by the refoundation of the Jewish homeland, the Messiah will come.
The apparent contradiction arising from the fact that political
and practical Zionism were overwhelmingly secular, socialist and even atheist
schools of thought, was resolved by the concept of "the Messiah's
donkey" (Hebrew: חמורו
של משיח khamoro shel mashiakh) whereby majority secular
Zionism was seen as a temporary divine measure for the achievement of Jewish
salvation.
Since the Six
Day War, Religious Zionism,
speared by mass-movements such as Gush
Emunim, has been the leading
force behindJewish settlement in the non-consensual areas of Judea and Samaria, bringing about the main schism dividing Israeli
politics for the past 40
years.
Rastafarianism believes that Emperor Haile
Selassie was not killed by
the Derg in Ethiopia's civil war, but will return
to save Earth, and in particular, people of African descent. This is a
particularly interesting case, as Selassie is identified as the Second
Coming of Jesus, so the
Rastafarian prophecy is effectively a second coming of the second coming.
This cargo cult believes in a messiah figure called John
Frum. When David Attenborough asked one of its adherents if it was rational for them to be
still waiting for Frum to re-appear after 50 years, he was told that
Christianity had been waiting 2,000 years, so waiting for Frum was much more
rational than that.
Romantic Slavic messianism held that the Slavs, especially
the Russians, suffer in order that other European nations,
and eventually all of humanity, may be redeemed.[10] This theme had a profound impact in the development
of Russian and Soviet imperialism; it also appears in works by the Polish Romantic poets Zygmunt Krasiński and Adam
Mickiewicz, including the latter's
familiar expression, "Polska Chrystusem narodów" ("Poland
is the Christ of the nations").[11]
Judaism
The literal translation of the Hebrew word moshiach (messiah)
is “anointed,” which refers to a ritual of consecrating someone or something by
putting holy oil upon it.[1
Sam. 10:1-2] It is used throughout the Hebrew
Bible in reference to a
wide variety of individuals and objects; for example, a Jewish king,[1
Kings 1:39] Jewish priests,[Lev. 4:3] and prophets,[Isa. 61:1] the Jewish Temple and its utensils,[Ex. 40:9-11] unleavened bread,[Num. 6:15] and a non-Jewish king (Cyrus
king of Persia).[Isa. 45:1]
The Torah describes
the advent of a messiah in the portion of Balak, couched in poetic prophetic prose: "I see
him, but not now. I perceive him, but he is not near. There shall step forth a
star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel... From Jacob shall
issue out and destroy the remnant of the city",[6] which
Jewish Biblical scholars expound refers to the king's victory over Israel's
enemies.[7]
Modern Jewish movements are based on Pharisaic
Judaism was embodied in
the Talmud. The Talmud is replete with references and
anecdotes about the Messiah and the Messianic era. It states in tractate Sanhedrin "The Jews are destined to eat [their fill] in the days
of the Messiah", "The world was created only...for the sake of the
Messiah."[8] and "All the prophets prophesied [all
the good things] only in respect of the Messianic era."[9] It also provides exegesis of scriptural verses which illustrate the
events that will occur at that time. For example, resurrection of the dead, which is exegetically supported by a verse in
Exodus 15: "Az Yashir Moshe..." - "Then [Moses] will
sing...", from which is derived that "then" (in the Messianic
Era) Moses will arise and once again sing as he did at the time of the Exodus.[10] (Some Jewish texts also refer to a "Messiah ben Joseph" or "Messiah ben Ephraim", a military leader
descended from the biblical Ephraim, who will successfully lead the army of Israel
in many battles before being killed by Armilus, when Israel is defeated by Gog
and Magog. His body will
subsequently lie unburied in the Jerusalem streets for forty days, and he will be the
first person resurrected by the Messiah descended from King
David).[11][12]
In Jewish eschatology, the term came to refer to a future Jewish King from the Davidic
line, who will be
"anointed" with holy anointing oiland rule the Jewish people during the Messianic
Age. Belief in the eventual
coming of a future messiah is a fundamental part of Judaism, and is one
of Maimonides' 13 Principles of Faith.[13] In Judaism, the Messiah is not considered to be God or a Son
of God.
And at that time there will be no hunger or war, no jealousy or
rivalry. For the good will be plentiful, and all delicacies available as dust.
The entire occupation of the world will be only to know God... the people
Israel will be of great wisdom; they will perceive the esoteric truths and
comprehend their Creator's wisdom as is the capacity of man. As it is written
(Isaiah 11:9): "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God,
as the waters cover the sea." "[14]
Maimonides describes the identity of the Messiah in the following
terms:
And if a king shall arise from among the House of David, studying
Torah and occupied with commandments like his father David, according to the
written and oral Torah, and he will impel all of Israel to follow it and to
strengthen breaches in its observance, and will fight Hashem's [God's] wars,
this one is to be treated as if he were the anointed one. If he succeeded and
built the Holy Temple in its proper place and gathered the dispersed ones of
Israel together, this is indeed the anointed one for certain, and he will mend
the entire world to worship the Lord together, as it is stated: "For then
I shall turn for the nations a clear tongue, so that they will all procalim the
Name of the Lord, and to worship Him with a united resolve (Zephaniah
3:9)."[15]
A prominent Judaism Web site states:
Belief in the eventual coming of the mashiach is a basic and
fundamental part of traditional Judaism. It is part of Rambam's 13 Principles
of Faith, the minimum requirements of Jewish belief. In the Shemoneh Esrei
prayer, recited three times daily, we pray for all of the elements of the
coming of the Moshiach: gathering of the exiles; restoration of the religious
courts of justice; an end of wickedness, sin, and heresy; reward to the
righteous; rebuilding of Jerusalem; restoration of the line of King David; and
restoration of Temple service.[16]
A common modern rabbinic interpretation is that there is a potential messiah
in every generation. The Talmud, which often uses stories to make a moral point
(aggadah), tells of a highly respected rabbi who found the Messiah at the gates of Rome and asked him, "When will you finally
come?" He was quite surprised when he was told, "Today."
Overjoyed and full of anticipation, the man waited all day. The next day he
returned, disappointed and puzzled, and asked, "You said messiah would
come 'today' but he didn't come! What happened?" The Messiah replied,
"Scripture says, 'Today, 'if you will but hearken to His voice.'"[Ps. 95:7]
Related: http://www.jewfaq.org/mashiach.htm
Ancient claimants: JEWISH
[edit]Christianity
Christianity emerged early in the first century AD as a movement among Jews (Jewish
Christians) and their Gentile converts (sometimes called Godfearers) who believed that Jesus is the Christ or Messiah. The Greek
translation for 'Messiah' is khristos (χριστος), anglicized
as Christ. Christians commonly refer to Jesus as either the
"Christ" or the "Messiah." In Christian theology the two words are synonymous.
Christians believe Jesus to be the Messiah that Jews were
expecting:
The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the
Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.[Jn. 1:41-42]
The Christian concept of the Christ/Messiah as "the Word made
Flesh" (see also Logos)
is fundamentally different from the Jewish andIslamic. The majority of historical and mainline
Christian theologies, as seen within the Nicene
Creed, consider Jesus to be
God or God the Son.
Christians believe that Daniel (Hebrew: דָּנִיֵּאל, or Daniyyel) was a
prophet and gave an indication of when the Messiah, the princemashiyach
nagiyd, would come in the Prophecy of Seventy Weeks.[Dan. 9:25-26] Daniel's prophecies refer to him as a descendant of King
David, a Son of Man, who will rebuild the nation of Israel, destroy the wicked, and
ultimately judge the whole world.
In Christian theology, the Christ/Messiah serves a number of
roles. The Nicene Creed of 325 and 381 A.D. provides a convenient framework:[17][Full citation needed]
§ He was raised from the dead on the third day after He was crucified to prove that He has
defeated death and the power of Satan, thus enabling those that receive Him as their
Savior to live under God's grace. [Galatians 2:16]
§ He ascended to heaven [Acts 1:9-10] where He
currently reigns over the world
at God's right hand[Romans 8:34][Ephesians 1:20][Colossians 3:1] and from where he will return [Acts 1:10][1Thessalonians 4:16]
§ When he returns he will judge
the world [2Corinthians 5:10] and reign over a new creation[Revelation 21:1]. Christian believers are invited to spend
eternity in this new
world.[Revelation 21:22-27] (The exact order of these things differs according to the
preferred theological framework of Millennialism used to interpret the passages)
§ He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and he
came to earth as a human. John 1:1-2,14a: In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was
God. He was in the beginning with God. 14a And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. John 8:58: Most assuredly, I say to you, before
Abraham was, I AM.
In the New
Testament, Jesus often referred
to himself as 'Son of Man'[Mk. 14:61-62] [Lk. 22:66-70], a clear reference to the first century apocrophal book of Enoch [20]
""He was chosen and hidden with God before the world was
created, and will remain in His presence forevermore ... He will judge all
hidden things, and no one will be able to make vain excuses to him"
"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. 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."[Daniel 7:7,13]
Because Christians believe that Jesus is the Messiah and that he
claimed to be the Son of Man referred to by Daniel, Christianity
interprets Daniel 7:13-14 as a statement of the Messiah's authority
and that the Messiah will have an everlasting kingdom in theMessianic
Age. Jesus' use of this
title is seen as a direct claim to be the Messiah.[21]
Some identified Jesus as the Messiah,[Mk. 8:29] his opponents accused him of such a claim,[Lk. 23:2] and he is recorded at least twice as asserting it himself
directly.[Mk. 14:60-62] [Jn. 4:25-26]
Christianity interprets a wide range of biblical passages in the
Old Testament (Hebrew scripture) as predicting the coming of the Messiah
(see Christianity and
Biblical prophecy for examples), and
believes that they are fulfilled in Jesus' own explicit life and teaching:
§ He said to them..."Then he said unto them,
O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought
not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And
beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning
himself."[Lk. 24:25-27]
§ "Then opened he their understanding, that
they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written,
and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among
all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."[Lk. 24:45-47]
Christians believe the Messianic prophecies were fulfilled in the
mission, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and seeks to spread
throughout the world its interpretation
that the Messiah (Jesus) is the only God, and that Jesus will return to fulfill the rest of Messianic prophecy.
The Qur'an states
Jesus the Son of Mary (Arabic: Isa ibn Maryum) is the Messiah or
"Prophet" sent to the Jews,[Quran 3:45] and Muslims believe Jesus is alive in Heaven and will return
to Earth to defeat the Antichrist (Arabic: Dajjal).[5]
Narrated Abu
Hurayrah: The Prophet said:
There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus. He will descend (to the
earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish hair,
wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from
his head though it will not be wet. He will fight for the cause of Islam. He
will break the cross, kill the swine, and put an end to war (in another
Tradition, there is the word Jizyah instead of Harb (war),
meaning that he will abolish jizyah); God will perish all religions except
Islam. He [Jesus] will destroy the Antichrist who will live on the earth for
forty days and then he will die. The Muslims will pray behind him.
Both Sunni and Shia Muslims agree[citation needed] al-Mahdi will arrive first, and after him, Jesus.
Jesus will proclaim that the true leader is al-Mahdi. A war, literally Jihad
(Jihade Asghar) will be fought—the Dajjal (evil) against al-Mahdi and Jesus
(good). This war will mark the approach of the coming of the Last Day. After
Jesus slays al-Dajjāl at the Gate of Lud [disambiguation
needed 
], he will bear witness and reveal that Islam is indeed the true and last word from God
to humanity as Yusuf Ali's translation reads: "And there is none of the
People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of
Judgment He will be a witness against them.[Quran 4:159]" He will live for several years, marry, have children and
will be buried in Medina[citation needed].
], he will bear witness and reveal that Islam is indeed the true and last word from God
to humanity as Yusuf Ali's translation reads: "And there is none of the
People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of
Judgment He will be a witness against them.[Quran 4:159]" He will live for several years, marry, have children and
will be buried in Medina[citation needed].
Allah's Apostle said "How will you be when the son of Mary
descends amongst you and your Imam is from amongst you."
Very few scholars outside of mainstream Islam[citation needed] reject all the quotes (Hadith) attributed to Prophet
Muhammad that mention the second return of Jesus, the Dajjal and Imam
Mahdi, believing that they
have no Qur'anic basis. However, Quran emphatically rejects the implication of
termination of Jesus’ life when he was allegedly crucified. Yusuf Ali’s
translation reads "That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus
the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";― but they killed him not, nor
crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them and those who differ
therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to
follow, for of a surety they killed him not.― (157) Nay, Allah raised him up
unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. (158) Verses[Quran 4:157] imply that Jesus was not killed physically but it was made
to appear so. Verse [Quran 19:33] "So Peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I
die and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"! implies that
Jesus will die someday. The unified opinion of Islam maintains that the bodily
death of Jesus will happen after his second coming.[citation needed]
Many classical commentators[citation needed] such as Ibn Kathir, At-Tabari, al-Qurtubi, Suyuti,
al-Undlusi (Bahr al-Muhit), Abu al-Fadl al-Alusi (Ruh al-Maani) clearly mention
that verse [Quran 43:61] of the Qur'an refers to the descent of Jesus before the Day
of Resurrection, indicating that Jesus would be the Sign that the Hour is
close.
And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of
Judgment): therefore have no doubt about the (Hour)... [Quran 43:61]
Those that reject[citation needed] the second
coming of Jesus argue that the knowledge of the Hour is only with God, and that
the Hour will come suddenly. They maintain[citation needed] that if
the second coming of Jesus were true, whenever it happens, billions of people
would then be certain the Hour is about to come. The response given to this is
that signs that the Last Hour is near have been foretold and given, including
that of the second coming of Jesus, as signs indicating the Last Hour is near.
They[citation needed] will not
clarify when it is to come in any specific sense, and hence do not reveal it.
Ahmadiyya
In Ahmadiyya, the terms "Messiah" and "Mahdi"
are synonymous terms for one and the same person.[22] The term "Mahdi" means guided by
God, thus implying a direct ordainment by God of a divinely chosen individual.[citation needed] According to
Ahmadiyya thought, Messiahship is a phenomenon through which a special emphasis
is given on the transformation of a people by way of offering suffering for the
sake of God instead of giving suffering (i.e. refraining from revenge).[citation needed] Ahmadis believe
that this special emphasis was given through the person of Jesus and Mirza Ghulam Ahmad[23] among others.
Ahmadis hold that the prophesied eschatological figures of
Christianity and Islam, the Messiah and Mahdi, were in fact to be fulfilled in
one person who was to represent all previous prophets.[24] The prophecies concerning the Mahdi or the Second Coming of Jesusare seen by Ahmadis as metaphorical and subject
to interpretation. It is argued that one was to be born and rise within the
dispensation of Muhammad, who by virtue of his similarity and affinity
with Jesus, and the similarity in nature, temperament and disposition of the
people of Jesus' time and the people of the time of the promised one (the
Mahdi) is called by the same name.[citation needed]
Numerous hadith are presented by the Ahmadis in support of their
view, such as one from Sunan Ibn Majah which says, There is No Mahdi but
Jesus son of Mary.[25]
Ahmadis believe that the prophecies concerning the Mahdi and the
second coming of Jesus have been fulfilled in Mirza Ghulam Ahmad(1835–1908), the founder of the Ahmadiyya
Movement. Contrary to mainstream Islam, the Ahmadis do not believe that Jesus
is alive in heaven, but that he survived the crucifixion and migrated towards
the east where he died a natural death and that Ghulam Ahmad was only the
promised spiritual second coming and likeness of Jesus, the promised Messiah
and Mahdi.[citation needed]
§ Bahá'u'lláh, founder of the Bahá'í Faith, claimed to be the figure prophesied in the scriptures
of the world's religions.[26]
§ Maitreya (Theosophy), a being that Theosophists believe will physically manifest sometime in the 21st
century and who will be the Messiah expected by various religions.
§ Emperor
Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia is
regarded to be the Messiah by followers of the Rastafari movement.[27]
Kalki
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In Hinduism, Kalki (Devanagari: कल्कि;
also rendered by some as Kalki and Kalaki)
is the tenth and final Maha Avatar (great incarnation) of Vishnu who will bring to an end the present
age of darkness and destruction known as Kali Yuga. He will
establish a new era based on truth, righteousness, humanism and goodness,
called Satya Yuga. The name Kalki
is often a metaphor for eternity or time. The origins of the name probably lie in the Sanskrit word
"kalka" which refers to mud, dirt, filth, or foulness and hence
denotes the "destroyer of foulness," "destroyer of
confusion," "destroyer of darkness," or "annihilator of
ignorance."[1] Other similar
and divergent interpretations based on varying etymological derivations from
Sanskrit - including one simply meaning "White Horse" - have been made.[2]
In the Buddhist Kalachakra tradition,
some 25 rulers of the legendary ShambhalaKingdom have the
title of Kalki, Kulika or Kalki-king.[3]
Li Hong (Taoist eschatology)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Li Hong (Chinese: 李弘) is a messianic figure in religious Taoism prophesied to appear at the end of the world cycle to
rescue the chosen people, who would be distinguished by certain talismans,
practices and virtues. Myths surrounding Li Hong took shape in literature
during the Han dynasty. He is depicted
in the Daoist scripture Spirit
Spells of the Abyss as an
ideal leader who would reappear to set right heaven (tian) and earth (dì) at a time of upheaval and chaos.[1] Li Hong is
sometimes considered to be an avatar or reincarnation of Laozi, with whom he shares the surname Li.[2] Prophesies
concerning Li Hong's appearance have been used to legitimize numerous
rebellions and insurgencies, all of which rallied around a Li Hong.[3] These were
particularly prevalent during the fifth century, and continues to appear until
the Song dynasty. [4]
Maitreya
Maitreya (Sanskrit), Metteyya (Pāli), or Jampa (Tibetan), is foretold as a
future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. In some Buddhist literature, such as the Amitabha Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, he or she is
referred to as Ajita Bodhisattva.
Maitreya is a bodhisattva who in the Buddhist tradition is
to appear on Earth, achieve complete enlightenment, and teach the pure dharma. According to
scriptures, Maitreya will be a successor of the historic Śākyamuni Buddha. The
prophecy of the arrival of Maitreya references a time when the Dharma will have
been forgotten on Jambudvipa. It is found in the canonical literature of all Buddhist
sects (Theravāda,Mahāyāna, Vajrayāna), and is accepted
by most Buddhists as a statement about an event that will take place when the
Dharma will have been forgotten on Earth.
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