The Jewish Messiah

Messiah in the Prophets

Most of the textual requirements concerning the messiah, what he will do, and what will be done during his reign are located within the Book of Isaiah, although requirements are mentioned in other prophets as well.

1. The Sanhedrin will be re-established (Isaiah 1:26)
2. Once he is King, leaders of other nations will look to him for guidance. (Isaiah 2:4)
3. The whole world will worship the One God of Israel (Isaiah 2:17)
4. He will be descended from King David (Isaiah 11:1) via King Solomon (1 Chron. 22:8-10)
5. The Moshiach will be a man of this world, an observant Jew with "fear of God" (Isaiah 11:2)
6. Evil and tyranny will not be able to stand before his leadership (Isaiah 11:4)
7. Knowledge of God will fill the world (Isaiah 11:9)
8. He will include and attract people from all cultures and nations (Isaiah 11:10)
9. All Israelites will be returned to their homeland (Isaiah 11:12)
10. Death will be swallowed up forever (Isaiah 25:8)
11. There will be no more hunger or illness, and death will cease (Isaiah 25:8)
12. All of the dead will rise again (Isaiah 26:19)
13. The Jewish people will experience eternal joy and gladness (Isaiah 51:11)
14. He will be a messenger of peace (Isaiah 52:7)
15. Nations will end up recognizing the wrongs they did to Israel (Isaiah 52:13-53:5)
16. For My House shall be called a house of prayer for all nations (Isaiah 56:3-7)
17. The peoples of the world will turn to the Jews for spiritual guidance (Zechariah 8:23)
18. The ruined cities of Israel will be restored (Ezekiel 16:55)
19. Weapons of war will be destroyed (Ezekiel 39:9)
20. The Temple will be rebuilt (Ezekiel 40) resuming many of the suspended mitzvot
21. He will then perfect the entire world to serve God together (Zephaniah 3:9)
22. Jews will know the Torah without Study (Jeremiah 31:33)
23. He will give you all the desires of your heart (Psalms 37:4)
24. He will take the barren land and make it abundant and fruitful (Isaiah 51:3, Amos 9:13-15, Ezekiel 36:29-30, Isaiah 11:6-9)

I want to look briefly at the subject of the Jewish concept of the Messiah as noted above. I am using the Wikipedia reference above, but trying to simplify it below for a quick blog overview:

1. The Jewish Messiah will be a Jewish king of the lineage of David who will rule in the "Messianic Age."
2. Jewish denominations disagree on the particulars, mostly over whether the Messiah is a single person or more of a symbol for an era of peace in the future.
3. The Talmud teaches two phases of a Messianic Era still future:
A first period into which Jews will be led by their Messiah to an era of peace and the construction of the Third Temple, which will be built supernaturally by God. The second period will be one of a supernatural existence where everyone will know God in a physical and visual sense.

I believe with full faith in the coming of the Messiah. And even though he tarries, with all that, I await his arrival with every day. ~ Orthodox requirement.

Hasidic Jews believe they can hasten the Messiah's arrival by their devotions and actions.
Conservative Judaism believes they must live in a way that will usher in the Messianic Age, but do not know whether the Messiah will be an actual person or whether he is a symbol of redemption.
Reform Jews believe all Jews must work toward a kind of Messianic Utopia, but they don't generally believe in a Messiah.
Some Jews embrace the ideas of Maimonides that their Messiah will stand up and restore the ancient Davidic Kingdom with its temple, laws, offerings, Sabbatical years and Jubilees. He also mentions that in the Torah Balaam prophesied of the "two anointed ones": the original King David and his final successor who saves Israel in the end. This second David will rebuild the destroyed Temple.
To Maimonides, Jesus and Mohammed were impostor Messiahs intended to pave the way for the true King of Israel who will reveal all the secret meanings to the Jews.