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Devotional from my inbox today:
Did you know that a resurrected Messiah is not only a Christian belief? It is also very Jewish!
When Rabbis studied Zechariah 12:10–12 and realized that the Messiah must die, many of them were left baffled. They wondered: How could a triumphant Messiah Son of David die?
Some Rabbis solved the dilemma by creating two Messiahs.
Messiah ben Joseph, according to Rabbis, is the suffering redeemer that the Hebrew prophets often spoke of: someone who would battle the enemies of Israel and prepare the way for Messiah ben David.
Messiah ben David is expected to establish a blissful utopia on earth, known as the Messianic Kingdom (Isaiah 2:4, 9:1–7, 11:6–9).
A 20th century Jewish scholar put it this way:
“Under the charismatic leadership of the second Messiah, Messiah ben David, the great wars will continue. God fights the battles of His Messiah and the ultimate victory comes to pass.”
How do these ideas apply to Believers in Yeshua as the Messiah?
By looking more closely at this second Messiah ben Joseph in Rabbinic thought, we can better understand what the Jewish People expect of Messiah and whether or not there really are two Messiahs as many Rabbis claim, or just one Messiah who fulfills both roles, as Christians claim.
To understand who this Messiah ben Joseph is supposed to be and do, we’ll start with the life of his forefather, Joseph.
Joseph Dwelleth in Egypt, by James Tissot
Dreams of Grandeur, Plots of Murder
A riches to rags to riches story in Genesis 39–50 has provided Rabbis with the imagery needed to draw the idea of the suffering servant they have named Messiah son of Joseph.
Joseph had dreams of grandeur given to him by God Himself. He would be exalted above his brothers, and they would be humbled before him. His brothers despise him for this.
They plot to kill him but, instead, sell him into slavery in Egypt where he rises to the glory of the second in command of all Egypt. Only Pharaoh, who is called the sun and the moon, their god, was greater.
Not recognizing Joseph in the palace of Pharaoh, his brothers all bow to him, begging to buy food to save their family from a severe famine.
Joseph not only saves the lives of his family, but also neighboring nations affected by the famine. In doing this, the nations around Egypt bow down to Joseph as well.
This sounds a lot like what a Messiah would do—save the nations.
But Messiah ben Joseph is known for his suffering, and Joseph did suffer greatly.
Children of Jacob Sell His Brother Joseph (1855), by Konstantin Dmitriyevich Flavitsky
For the Joy Set before Him, He Endured . . .
When Joseph reveals his dreams of grandeur to his brothers, they throw him into a pit while they plot to kill him and, in a sense, they succeeded. After selling him as a slave, they bloody his coat and show it to their father Jacob, implying that Joseph had been ravaged by beasts and died.
Joseph also suffers imprisonment for a crime he didn’t commit, and he endures the emotional pain of not seeing his father or youngest brother, whom he loved greatly.
For the next two decades, Joseph endures an intense spiritual battle.
He needs to get a God’s eye view of the rejection he has suffered and forgive his brothers.
He also has to battle within himself to remain faithful to God through the injustices and temptations he faced, while at the same time growing in favor with God and man.
After 22 years of separation, Joseph encounters his brothers and must now decide how he will react—in revenge or in chesed, which is God’s kind of loving kindness—a covenantal commitment for another’s well-being that endures sin and betrayal and shows compassion and mercy.
We are reminded of what this kind of love is. In all 26 verses of Psalm 136 we see it: “Give thanks to Yehovah, for He is good; His loving kindness [chesd’oh] endures forever.”
Joseph, Overseer of Pharaoh's Granaries (1874, enhanced), by Lawrence Alma-Tadema
We are very grateful for all sponsorships.
David, please ask the Lord (Adonai) if you should sponsor a Chapter of our Bible or a Messianic Prophecy, Jewish Evangelism & Translation into 184 languages
While Joseph suffered emotionally and spiritually, in Judaism it is understood that Messiah ben Joseph, who is the descendant of Joseph, will suffer death.
This understanding fits into the Rabbinic teaching called Ma’aseh Avot Siman l’Banim, which means What our fathers did, our sons also.
Rabbis teach that some of what our Avot (Fathers) experienced (such as Joseph), one of their descendants (such as Messiah ben Joseph) may also experience in some way, physically and/or in moral character.
Let’s consider more ways that Joseph’s experiences foreshadow the Messiah’s experiences as well as his identity and purpose.
Like Joseph, Messiah Would Suffer
While Joseph suffered spiritually, Rabbis point to the prophets who write about the physical death of God’s suffering servant. A rare few refer to the Prophet Isaiah:
“Surely our diseases he did bear, and our pains he carried; Whereas we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded because of our transgressions, He was crushed because of our iniquities: The chastisement of our welfare was upon him, And with his stripes we were healed.” (Isaiah 53:4–5, JPS)
However, when talking about the suffering servant, most Rabbis refer to the Prophet Zechariah. He writes that in the last days, after God wages war against the nations who come against Jerusalem: the people of Israel will mourn for one they have pierced:
“They will look on me, because they have pierced him, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” (Zechariah 12:10)
There is much discussion about who this pierced one is and who the people of Israel are mourning for.
As we look at Rabbinic writings, we are told that he is Messiah ben Joseph, who dies in the battle of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38–39; Talmud (Sukkah 52a).
Though he is killed, it is not the end of this Messiah. He will be resurrected!
Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson is on thousands of posters and billboards throughout Israel. The text reads “Long Live King Messiah.” His followers believe that he is the Messiah, and even though he died in 1994, they believe that he will resurrect in the end-times, as The Messiah.
Did you know that a resurrected Messiah is not only a Christian belief? It is also very Jewish!
When Rabbis studied Zechariah 12:10–12 and realized that the Messiah must die, many of them were left baffled. They wondered: How could a triumphant Messiah Son of David die?
Some Rabbis solved the dilemma by creating two Messiahs.
Messiah ben Joseph, according to Rabbis, is the suffering redeemer that the Hebrew prophets often spoke of: someone who would battle the enemies of Israel and prepare the way for Messiah ben David.
Messiah ben David is expected to establish a blissful utopia on earth, known as the Messianic Kingdom (Isaiah 2:4, 9:1–7, 11:6–9).
A 20th century Jewish scholar put it this way:
“Under the charismatic leadership of the second Messiah, Messiah ben David, the great wars will continue. God fights the battles of His Messiah and the ultimate victory comes to pass.”
How do these ideas apply to Believers in Yeshua as the Messiah?
By looking more closely at this second Messiah ben Joseph in Rabbinic thought, we can better understand what the Jewish People expect of Messiah and whether or not there really are two Messiahs as many Rabbis claim, or just one Messiah who fulfills both roles, as Christians claim.
To understand who this Messiah ben Joseph is supposed to be and do, we’ll start with the life of his forefather, Joseph.
Joseph Dwelleth in Egypt, by James Tissot
Dreams of Grandeur, Plots of Murder
A riches to rags to riches story in Genesis 39–50 has provided Rabbis with the imagery needed to draw the idea of the suffering servant they have named Messiah son of Joseph.
Joseph had dreams of grandeur given to him by God Himself. He would be exalted above his brothers, and they would be humbled before him. His brothers despise him for this.
They plot to kill him but, instead, sell him into slavery in Egypt where he rises to the glory of the second in command of all Egypt. Only Pharaoh, who is called the sun and the moon, their god, was greater.
Not recognizing Joseph in the palace of Pharaoh, his brothers all bow to him, begging to buy food to save their family from a severe famine.
Joseph not only saves the lives of his family, but also neighboring nations affected by the famine. In doing this, the nations around Egypt bow down to Joseph as well.
This sounds a lot like what a Messiah would do—save the nations.
But Messiah ben Joseph is known for his suffering, and Joseph did suffer greatly.
Children of Jacob Sell His Brother Joseph (1855), by Konstantin Dmitriyevich Flavitsky
For the Joy Set before Him, He Endured . . .
When Joseph reveals his dreams of grandeur to his brothers, they throw him into a pit while they plot to kill him and, in a sense, they succeeded. After selling him as a slave, they bloody his coat and show it to their father Jacob, implying that Joseph had been ravaged by beasts and died.
Joseph also suffers imprisonment for a crime he didn’t commit, and he endures the emotional pain of not seeing his father or youngest brother, whom he loved greatly.
For the next two decades, Joseph endures an intense spiritual battle.
He needs to get a God’s eye view of the rejection he has suffered and forgive his brothers.
He also has to battle within himself to remain faithful to God through the injustices and temptations he faced, while at the same time growing in favor with God and man.
After 22 years of separation, Joseph encounters his brothers and must now decide how he will react—in revenge or in chesed, which is God’s kind of loving kindness—a covenantal commitment for another’s well-being that endures sin and betrayal and shows compassion and mercy.
We are reminded of what this kind of love is. In all 26 verses of Psalm 136 we see it: “Give thanks to Yehovah, for He is good; His loving kindness [chesd’oh] endures forever.”
Joseph, Overseer of Pharaoh's Granaries (1874, enhanced), by Lawrence Alma-Tadema
We are very grateful for all sponsorships.
David, please ask the Lord (Adonai) if you should sponsor a Chapter of our Bible or a Messianic Prophecy, Jewish Evangelism & Translation into 184 languages
While Joseph suffered emotionally and spiritually, in Judaism it is understood that Messiah ben Joseph, who is the descendant of Joseph, will suffer death.
This understanding fits into the Rabbinic teaching called Ma’aseh Avot Siman l’Banim, which means What our fathers did, our sons also.
Rabbis teach that some of what our Avot (Fathers) experienced (such as Joseph), one of their descendants (such as Messiah ben Joseph) may also experience in some way, physically and/or in moral character.
Let’s consider more ways that Joseph’s experiences foreshadow the Messiah’s experiences as well as his identity and purpose.
Like Joseph, Messiah Would Suffer
While Joseph suffered spiritually, Rabbis point to the prophets who write about the physical death of God’s suffering servant. A rare few refer to the Prophet Isaiah:
“Surely our diseases he did bear, and our pains he carried; Whereas we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded because of our transgressions, He was crushed because of our iniquities: The chastisement of our welfare was upon him, And with his stripes we were healed.” (Isaiah 53:4–5, JPS)
However, when talking about the suffering servant, most Rabbis refer to the Prophet Zechariah. He writes that in the last days, after God wages war against the nations who come against Jerusalem: the people of Israel will mourn for one they have pierced:
“They will look on me, because they have pierced him, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.” (Zechariah 12:10)
There is much discussion about who this pierced one is and who the people of Israel are mourning for.
As we look at Rabbinic writings, we are told that he is Messiah ben Joseph, who dies in the battle of Gog and Magog (Ezekiel 38–39; Talmud (Sukkah 52a).
Though he is killed, it is not the end of this Messiah. He will be resurrected!
Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson is on thousands of posters and billboards throughout Israel. The text reads “Long Live King Messiah.” His followers believe that he is the Messiah, and even though he died in 1994, they believe that he will resurrect in the end-times, as The Messiah.
