What To Expect When Mashiah Comes
by HaRav Ariel Bar Tzadok
Copyright © 2009 by Ariel Bar Tzadok. All rights reserved.
The nature of Mashiah is often misunderstood. Granted, Mashiah is supposed to come as a savior, to step into the middle of a very nasty war between Israel and its enemies and to destroy those enemies with an overwhelming show of force. Then once Israel is safe and its enemies no more, we are all supposed to live happily ever after. Everyone is supposed to love one another; we expect all to live carefree lives, and life will be blissful and utopian. This is what the majority expect the Mashiah is to accomplish. There is however one simple problem with all this; this utopian fantasy is not what the Biblical prophets prophesied.
The same prophets of the Bible who informed us that there would be a future intervention of superior force to overwhelm and destroy the enemies of Israel also tells us that what follows is no “kumbaya” love fest, similar to a gathering of 60's-style hippies. On the contrary, Mashiah is expected to overwhelm and destroy a lot more than the military enemies of Israel, he is prophesied to also destroy entire segments of human civilization that have not lived up to certain expectations.
Mashiah comes to rule as a king and dictator. Nowhere in any Biblical or later Torah literature does it state, suggest or even insinuate that Mashiah will rule by force of love. The hippies aren't going to make it; neither will the “kumbaya” crowd. Mashiah is not going to be very open to variables or questions to his rule, authority and power. The future King will rule with a rod of iron, not one of rosebuds. Symbolically our Sages referred to this when they said that in present times Torah Law follows the lenient views of House Hillel and when Mashiah comes Torah Law will follow the strict views of House Shamai. Of course this is a metaphor, not to be understood literally, nonetheless, the intent is clear. When Mashiah comes, there will be “no more Mr. Nice Guy.”
King Mashiah will not be known for his sweetness, but rather for his swift and quick judgment, which the prophecy states, he will execute by literally smelling the litigants. No trials, no testimony, no deliberations. One sniff and he'll know whether you're guilty or innocent. Mashiah will know all hidden truths and judge telepathically. Some today might not consider this to be the proper liberal way. Then again, where throughout all of Biblical literature is Mashiah ever referred to as a liberal?
Biblical prophecy and later Torah literature all describe the coming of Mashiah as an event of global if not galactic proportion. The consequences of his intervention in human history will certainly not be limited to the nation of Israel. It is prophesied that Mashiah comes with an army of angels from out of the sky. In other words, they literally come from out of this world. And this signifies that not only will Mashiah's invention be global but its influence and affect will reach far beyond the reaches of our planet, and possibly beyond the confines of our presently known universe. After all, where did this “angelic” army really come from? The term Heaven is mythical. It obviously refers to some real place; yet where this place is, in our universe or in another is not clearly understood.
The prophet Zechariah clearly states that Mashiah marches on Earth backed by an army of angels. It amazes me how so many are oblivious as to what this prophecy seems to suggest especially in light of modern technological knowledge. Angels are clearly described in the Bible, some are humanoid entities that seem to glow with some kind of energy; others are clearly described as having multiple faces, animal-like features and other traits that we can only describe as un- earthly. So, when Mashiah appears in the skies over Jerusalem with an army of these entities, I do not believe that such an advent will be recognized in the religious context. I do not believe that those witnessing this event either live or on world-wide television, will be saying, “look, up in the sky, Mashiah has come!” I think they will use words very different from “angel” or “angelic” to describe the invading Messianic army.
Rather than call out “Hooray! Here comes Mashiah,” I believe those witnessing this event will rather call out “Aaahh! Invasion from Outer Space!” Yes, you guessed it, the world will call the coming of Mashiah as an invasion from outer space. In light of today's loss of Biblical religiosity and the embrace of secular science as the new world religion, the world will interpret the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy in light of modern myths. Therefore, Mashiah's coming will indeed be interpreted as an invasion from outer space. And who amongst us can say what is science and what is spirituality, and what exactly is the difference between the two?
Judging from how prophecy describes the way Mashiah and his army is supposed to act, extraterrestrial invasion might be the proper way to understand the coming event. After all, Mashiah's army will display a superiority over all the world's technology and weapons. With the greatest of ease, the Messianic army will completely demolish the forces opposing it, just like what we would expect from an invasion from outer space.
Just like in our worst-case scenario science fiction movies, where the evil aliens come, smash the Earth and take over, so in reality, according to Biblical prophecy, Mashiah comes, wipes out a massive army of resistance and then takes over the world. Once he does this, he is not transformed into a loving sweet grandfatherly-type of guy. Nowhere is Mashiah prophesied to go around singing, dancing and hugging everyone in the streets.
Mashiah is not going to be personally accessible to the general public any more than any other present political leader today. No one is going to be able to travel to his seat of government, walk in on him and just say hello. If today one were to attempt to approach a President, Prime Minister or King without permission and clearance such an endeavor would be prevented by a wall of security. Why on Earth would anyone expect access to King Mashiah to be any more lenient? Such a wish or hope is beyond wishful thinking, it is delusional and unrealistic in the highest sense. Even G-d is unapproachable to the angels, so much more so Mashiah will be to the everyday common person.
The prophecies clearly state that during Messianic times much will be expected of the nations of the world and any failure (or rebellion) on their part will be met with terrible consequences. True, all Messianic prophecies speak of a world finally in an utopian state, but arriving at this state and maintaining it is never described as being a simple, free and easy process.
While enlightenment is suppose to be enjoyed by a good portion of the world population, not everyone is to be so blessed. True, they will reap the benefits of the Messianic utopian state but they will still have the ability if not the will to rebel. Mashiah will thus maintain order for a very long time with stern vigor. True, they will beat their swords into plow shears and their spears into pruning hooks and nations will no longer wage war, but where does it say that these events are going to transpire willingly? Just because prophecy states that they are destined to happen, no where does prophecy state that they will be desired to happen.
One thing is clear about the Messianic age, religion will become a thing of the past. All the world's religions, and these include Judaism, will cease to exist in their present forms. The entire human race will be exposed to a grander reality about the universe, our own human past and our collective human future in the greater universe. We will finally have the real answers from those who were there as to what really happened on Sinai, who really were Moshe, Yeshu and Mohammad and all similar questions arising out of religions and spiritual traditions world-wide.
Kabbalistic Messianic prophecies state that during messianic times the human race will advance to such a point that the very wall that divides the physical/spiritual divide will finally be broken down. We will be able to interact with what today we call the spiritual on a regular basis in a very regular way. Spirits will be recognized as another form of real actual life, living in a parallel dimension of sorts. No longer will spirituality be a subject of religion, but rather of science, and not science fiction, but actual science fact. This reality alone is what will shatter everything that is old and usher in upon us all a truly new age for all humanity. But don't think for a minute its revelations will be warmly welcomed and easily embraced.
Even the coming Third Temple is not going to be the religious edifice and return to the past that many today think it will be. The oldest tradition in Torah, recorded in the Talmud itself speaks of the Third Temple descending down from Heaven fully built and that it will “land” of the top of an earthquake adjusted now very high peak that was once Moriah, the Temple Mount. When this grandiose edifice is witnessed descending from Heaven; what will the witnesses call it, a building, or something else? Possibly in the UFO/invasion mindset that will be so prevalent at the moment, many will interpret such an event as the landing of the “mother-ship,” something akin to recent Hollywood films.
I pray that I have shown here that the long awaited coming of Mashiah is not going to be what the vast majority in religious circles think it will be. The dawn of the Messianic era will bring with it tremendous iconoclastic upheavals. Almost everything that we all know and believe will be altered, changed or gone. It will indeed be a whole new world and a fresh page in a new chapter for the continuing saga of humanity.
Personally, in spite of all the good that we have today, I am willing to trade it all in for the better world promised to come to us on that day. The great Messianic intervention is a natural process in the continuing evolution of humanity and our world. There is a definite schedule for it, one not of our making, or subject to our influence.
All the Biblical prophecies will definitely come to pass and they will definitely happen in the frightening and other-worldly way which is described. All recent attempts to water-down prophecy and to make it more palatable to modern-day desires will soon be shown up to be the bankrupt deceptions that they truly are. As for me, I say so let it be! I can't wait. Because regardless of where or how I will then be, in this life form or in a parallel one, I'll be there on that day and I'll be darn happy for that!
Long live the King!
