彌賽亞的根源..The Descent of the Messiah
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莫維爾保羅、登蒂文(MOREH PAUL L. DUNTEMAN) 撰寫
引言：猶太教對彌賽亞（受膏者）的看法
歷世歷代以來，虔誠的猶太人抱着一 個很大的期盼，就是彌賽亞的來臨。 他們相信彌賽亞是猶太人，祂的來臨不單是為全地帶來平安，也 會使以色列成為萬國之首。
我們可以在猶太人的重要宗教文獻《 塔木德》中找到有關彌賽亞的資料 。《塔木德》是猶太教的重要宗教文獻，約公元後3至5世紀編寫；它記錄了猶太教的律法、條例、傳統及相關的註釋。
《塔木德》內提及有兩位彌賽亞，其中一位是被自己百姓棄絕的「受苦的彌賽亞」；而另一位彌賽亞卻是君王，是榮耀的統治者，是「榮耀的彌賽亞」。
「受苦的彌賽亞」被稱為「彌賽亞約瑟的兒子」(Messiah Son of Joseph，希伯來語譯音是Mashiach Ben–Yosef) ，因為祂的遭遇好像約瑟。約瑟是被他的兄弟棄絕的。因此，「受苦的彌賽亞」也會同樣被以色列人棄絕。
「榮耀的彌賽亞」被稱為「彌賽亞大衛的兒子(Messiah Son of David / 希伯來語譯音是Mashiach Ben-David) 。究其原因，共有兩個。首先，祂像大衛王一樣，統治以色列，並且征服其他國家，真是何等榮耀！其次，根據希伯來聖經，即舊約全書，祂必定是大衛王的後裔。彌賽亞這名稱的希伯來文意思是「受膏者」。
本文的主要目的是探討彌賽亞的根源。
我們會先講論「彌賽亞大衛的兒子」(Messiah Son of David / Mashiach Ben-David) 的根源：
大衛之約：彌賽亞是大衛的後裔
希伯來聖經，撒母耳記下 7章12-16節，首次提及「榮耀的彌賽亞」是大衛的後裔。
神藉先知拿單告訴大衛︰「你壽數滿足、與你列祖同睡的時候，我必使你的後裔接續你的位；我也必堅定他的國。
他必為我的名建造殿宇；我必堅定他的國位，直到永遠。我要作他的父，他要作我的子；他若犯了罪，我必用人的杖責打他，用人的鞭責罰他。但我的慈愛仍不離開他，像離開在你面前所廢棄的掃羅一樣。你的家和你的國必在我面前永遠堅立。你的國位也必堅定，直到永遠。」（撒母耳記下 7：12-16）
在這段經文，神應許大衛，他的國必在祂面前永遠堅立。繼任的王若犯了罪，神必按其所犯的事，以這世界的準則來懲罰他。但是，神不會剪除大衛的國，大衛的國仍必堅立，直到永遠。
根據「大衛之約」，以色列期盼的彌賽亞將會以「神的受膏者，The Lord’s anointed」 的身份統治以色列國。因此，他必蒙神大大賜福。
大衛之後，所羅門接續做王，他為神建造「第一聖殿」，神大大賜福以色列國，更勝從前。以色列國空前強盛。所羅門時期的盛況令以色列人更期盼彌賽亞的來臨。
以色列的君王都是神所膏立的，包括掃羅王（撒母耳記上 24:9-10） 。此外，大祭司也被稱為「被膏立的祭司」（利未記4:3, 5, 16） 。在一些情況下，就是先知也會被膏立，以開展其事工。（列王紀上 19: 16）
所羅門在位時，全國太平富庶。可惜其後無以為繼，以色列國在所羅門之後，分裂為兩國，即北國的以色列國（十個北面的支派） 和南國的猶大國 （由南面的兩個支派：猶大和便雅憫、聖殿、全國各地來歸順的利未人，以及大衛王的後裔羅波安組成）（歷代志下 11: 5-14）。自以色列國分裂為南北兩國，直至被巴比倫擄去期間，以色列人一直期盼彌賽亞來作王，統一南北兩國，重新恢復昔日所羅門王的光輝歲月。
先知以賽亞確實宣告，神並非要恢復所羅門王時期的榮耀，而是要施行極大的懲罰。主前722年，神使用亞述國，把北國以色列擄去；縱使多個猶大君王目睹這事，卻依舊作惡，甚至較之前的君王更甚。
自瑪拿西登基後（列王紀下21︰1-18），按申命記28章36-48節中神對以色列人的警告，南國猶大被擄一事必然發生。
以賽亞書：有關彌賽亞的預言
為此，先知以賽亞停止勸告猶大國悔改回轉，因為他們不肯聽從勸告。在猶大快要被擄前（以賽亞書40-66章），以賽亞集中傳講其它訊息，包括「受苦的彌賽亞」、「榮耀的彌賽亞」、以色列將來的榮耀等大喜訊息（42、53、60、61、65及66章）。
以賽亞書40-66章的作者並非別人，仍是先知以賽亞，只是那時的處境有別。當中所提及各項的罪相類似，只是情況更壞。其中最可惡的罪是屈枉窮乏人，寡婦和孤兒（比較10:1-2及59: 4-9）；在信仰上，假冒為善（比較29:13及58:2-4）等。拜偶像的罪較這書的前半部所述的更嚴重。在57章4-5節，以賽亞責備他們在各高崗上拜偶像，宗教淫亂，將嬰孩獻祭予摩洛。瑪拿西時期，這些罪十分普遍（列王紀上21:6；歷代志下 33:6） 。以賽亞書57:7指出在各高崗上拜偶像，在被擄前是十分普遍。但是，在被擄期間，這是不可能做到的，因巴比倫地勢平坦，沒有高山。正因如此，以賽亞書44-66章所述內容應全屬瑪拿西時期。
彌賽亞不是約雅斤的後裔：
瑪拿西之後，直到被擄到巴比倫去的期間，幾乎所有的王都是劣王，包括亞們（列王紀下21:19-26）、約哈斯（23: 31-35）、約雅敬（23:36-24:7）、約雅斤（24:8-16），以及西底家 （約雅斤的叔叔，原本不在皇室承繼人之行列, 24: 18-25:7）。在該段時期，約西亞是唯一的好王（22:1-23:30），他推行宗教改革，除掉偶像（23: 24-27）。縱使約西亞大力推行宗教改革，除掉偶像，仍因瑪拿西所犯的罪惹怒神，所以猶大國被趕逐離開耶路撒冷（23:26），被擄到巴比倫 。
先知耶利米時期，正如以色列國即將被擄之前一樣，神也照樣給猶大國兩個宣告。這個宣告明顯抵觸神對約雅斤的懲罰。神說：「約雅斤後裔中再無一人得亨通，能坐在大衛的寶座上治理猶大。」但事實上，其後裔仍有繼承權。
約雅斤，又名哥尼雅，是大衛王朝最後的直屬王位繼承人。
在耶利米書22: 28-30，神說：
哥尼雅這人是被輕看、破壞的器皿嗎？是無人喜愛的器皿嗎？他和他的後裔為何被趕到不認識之地呢？
地啊，地啊，地啊，當聽耶和華的話！
耶和華如此說：「要寫明這人算為無子，是平生不得亨通的；因為他後裔中再無一人得亨通，能坐在大衛的寶座上治理猶大。」
巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒將約雅斤擄去巴比倫，其兒子撒拉鐵在巴比倫出生，大衛王的血脈雖仍可延續，但因為神對約雅斤的咒詛，在約雅斤之後，再沒有人可坐上在大衛的寶座，即使是撒拉鐵的兒子所羅巴伯，一位被擄歸回以色列的出色領袖。
神藉耶利米向猶大國的第二個宣告，明顯抵觸先前的第一個宣告。
耶利米書33:14-17
耶和華說︰「日子將到，我應許以色列家和猶大家的恩言必然成就。當那日子，那時候，我必使大衛公義的苗裔長起來；祂必在地上施行公平和公義。在那日子猶大必得救，耶路撒冷必安然居住，祂的名必稱為『耶和華—我們的義』。
「因為耶和華如此說︰大衛必永不斷人坐在以色列家的寶座上；……」
若我們將這兩個宣告同時放在一起，便會留意到在約雅斤之後，大衛寶座的承繼人沒有一個能再次坐上大衛的寶座。與此同時，神卻應許大衛必永不斷人坐在以色列家的寶座上，祂必會興起一個稱為「公義的苗裔」的人坐在大衛的寶座上。
這時開始，被擄到巴比倫的猶太人，一直切望等候神所應許的受膏者（彌賽亞），大衛的子孫來臨。
以色列人看到大衛後代的延續，卻仍未見到受膏登基的王者（彌賽亞），問題在於對約雅斤的咒詛。
神的兩刅劍
一位出生於皇系，坐在大衛的寶座上繼承他做王，縱使是約雅斤的後裔，卻沒承接對約雅斤的咒詛，怎能有這事呢？
我們從三方面察看拿撒勒人耶穌︰祂的身世、背景、根源，便可找到答案。
(甲) 大衛家的家譜：約瑟不是耶穌肉身的父親，可免受約雅斤的咒詛
首先，馬太福音第一章記載的耶穌家譜，指出約瑟只是耶穌法律上的父親，並不是耶穌肉身的父親。這個是大衛家的家譜。耶穌的母親馬利亞許配了約瑟，還沒有迎娶，馬利亞就由聖靈感孕。其後，約瑟遵著主使者的吩咐，把妻子迎娶過來，只是沒有和她同房，等她生了頭胎的兒子，就給祂起名叫耶穌。因此，身為約瑟長子的耶穌，便可享有大衛寶座的承繼權。耶穌不是約瑟肉身的後裔，所以祂沒有繼承約雅斤的咒詛。因此，耶穌能夠坐在大衛的寶座上。
馬太福音1章 18-21節：
耶穌基督降生的事記在下面：祂母親馬利亞已經許配了約瑟，還沒有迎娶，馬利亞就從聖靈懷了孕。 她丈夫約瑟是個義人，不願意明明地羞辱她，想要暗暗地把她休了。正思念這事的時候，有主的使者向他夢中顯現，說：「大衞的子孫約瑟，不要怕！只管娶過你的妻子馬利亞來，因她所懷的孕是從聖靈來的。 她將要生一個兒子，你要給祂起名叫耶穌，因祂要將自己的百姓從罪惡裏救出來。」
(乙) 彌賽亞是神的兒子：神降生成為人，神再次成為以色列的王
有關耶穌身世背景根源的第二方面，如上文所提，是聖靈。
神使童貞女馬利亞從聖靈感孕，除了免除對約雅斤的咒詛外，還有兩個原因：(1) 神欲再次作以色列的王；(2) 彌賽亞必須是無罪的。
以色列立國之初，神視衪自己為以色列的王。先知撒母耳時期，百姓要求立王，像其他邦國一樣（撒母耳記上 8:5）。撒母耳不喜歡他們的要求，為此事求問神。神的回覆是因他們厭棄祂自己做以色列的王，並且容許他們立王：
以色列的長老都聚集，來到拉瑪見撒母耳，對他說：「你年紀老邁了，你兒子不行你的道。現在求你為我們立一個王治理我們，像列國一樣。」
撒母耳不喜悅他們說「立一個王治理我們」，他就禱告耶和華。耶和華對撒母耳說：「百姓向你說的一切話，你只管依從；因為他們不是厭棄你，乃是厭棄我，不要我作他們的王……」（撒母耳記上8:4-7）
神為以色列人要求立王一事感到難過。自掃羅做王後，神已經不再是以色列的王。這段時間約有一千多年。在耶穌降生時，神才能再次成為以色列的王。
對一些人而言，「神成為人」是難以置信的。但是，在希伯來聖經（舊約全書），我們找到「神成為人」的一些例子。
約書亞靠近耶利哥的時候，見到站在他前面的人，是耶和華軍隊的元帥，約書亞就俯伏在地下拜，並把腳上的鞋脫下來，因為他所站的地方是聖的（約書亞記5:13-15）。
約書亞面對面見到萬軍的耶和華，神成為人。正如摩西看見神在燒着的荊棘火焰中向他顯現；因所站的是聖地，摩西要把腳上的鞋脫下來（出埃及記3:4-6）。
另一例子是先知以賽亞在烏西雅王崩的那年，眼見大君王萬軍之耶和華（以賽亞書6:1-5）。
這位萬軍之耶和華就是「降世為人」的耶穌基督。
此外，神透過先知彌迦預言將有一君王由猶大之伯利恆的以法他而出，在以色列中為神作掌權的；祂的根源從亙古，從太初就有。」（彌迦書5：2）
這位降生在伯利恆城的人就是耶穌，以色列的神。
(丙) 彌賽亞必須是沒有罪的
彌賽亞必須由童貞女所生，原因是祂必須是沒有罪的。
根據詩篇第110篇4節，彌賽亞是一位祭司。
耶和華起了誓，決不後悔，說：
你是照着麥基洗德的等次永遠為祭司（詩篇110：4）。
由於彌賽亞是大衛的後裔，所以祂不是利未人。因此，祂是照另一個等次成為祭司。在這點上，我們必須指出耶穌曾告訴門徒祂是祭司和祭物，為全人類的罪死。耶穌時代，猶太人，包括耶穌的門徒，都在盼望等候「榮耀的彌賽亞」。但是，耶穌一直聲稱自已是「受苦的彌賽亞」，同時也是「榮耀的彌賽亞」。祂要來到地上兩次，完成一切的工作。
以賽亞書53章9節有關「受苦的彌賽亞」(希伯來語譯音是Mashiach Ben-Yosef) 是沒有犯罪的：祂雖然未行強暴，口中也沒有詭詐。
彌賽亞不可能是一個從亞當根源出生的人，因為亞當的後裔都是罪人。
耶和華從天上垂看世人，
要看有明白的沒有，
有尋求神的沒有。
他們都偏離正路，一同變為污穢；
並沒有行善的，連一個也沒有。（詩篇14：2-3）
「受苦的彌賽亞」並沒有罪，所以祂才能代替罪人受罰，成為罪身的形狀，為我們贖罪。
正如以賽亞書53：2-3節所述：
祂在耶和華面前生長如嫩芽，
像根出於乾地。
祂無佳形美容，我們看見祂的時候，
也無美貌使我們羨慕祂。
祂被藐視，被人厭棄，
多受痛苦，常經憂患。
祂被藐視，
好像被人掩面不看的一樣；
我們也不尊重祂。(以賽亞書52：2-3)
神不受時空限制，因此衪看見亞當、夏娃，以及他們的後裔，全都是罪人，沒有一個是正直的。希伯來文「兒子」 的意思是「建造者」，故此，所有人是與亞當一樣。亞當和夏娃的兒女，按其血脈，他們算為亞當的後裔，歸入亞當的名下，稱為亞當的兒子。
假如彌賽亞不是亞當的兒子，祂是那一個的兒子？祂歸入父親的名下，還是歸入母親的名下？
聖經時期，異族通婚所生的兒女是歸入父親的名下，這點與現代猶太人不相同。這可說明埃及王法老企圖消滅以色列民族時，為何要殺男嬰，而不殺女嬰（出1:15-19）。這樣，婦女唯有嫁給異族人，這般的異族通婚，所生下來的兒女便順理成章歸入父親的國，而不是以色列。進入迦南地時，以色列人只殺迦南地所有的男人，卻留下女人，以助他們增加人口。當以色列男人娶迦南女子時，他們所生的兒女都會歸在父親的名下，被視為以色列人。
就是在今日，被視為祭司或利未人的猶太人，他們的父親都是祭司或利未人，他們不會歸入母親名下。
現代的猶太人會否因母親是外邦人而被視為外邦人？或會否因父親是祭司而成為祭司？
很多猶大王的母親都是外邦人。這些王會否因母親是外邦人便不屬猶大支派和大衛家呢？
根據耶穌的另一個家譜（路加福音3:23-37） 彌賽亞（耶穌）不是亞當的兒子，而是神的兒子。
根據聖經預言，彌賽亞是神的兒子，完全聖潔，沒有罪。（詩篇2:7）
大衛家其他的王都是亞當的後裔，是犯罪的人，因過犯而被神責罰。（撒母耳記下7：14）
受膏者說︰我要傳聖旨。
耶和華曾對我說：
你是我的兒子，我今日生你。（詩篇2:7）
根據聖經的預言，彌賽亞是完全聖潔，無有瑕疵的羔羊和祭司，替人贖罪。
以賽亞書53章講論「受苦的彌賽亞」如何完成祭司的工作，替人贖罪。
以賽亞書52：13（亞蘭文譯本）的開始是 「看哪或請注視，我的僕人彌賽亞。」在希伯來文的文本，原沒有彌賽亞這個稱呼，它只出現在亞蘭文譯本。這顯示翻譯者對這段經文內容的理解。由此可見，早期猶太人認為這個僕人是指彌賽亞。正如贖罪日所指的羊羔，都是指彌賽亞。
贖罪日所指的第一隻羊羔：
「耶和華使我們眾人的罪孽都歸在祂身上」及「因為祂將命傾倒，以至於死」（以賽亞53: 6, 12）。
贖罪日所指的第二隻羊羔：
「祂卻擔當多人的罪」（以賽亞53: 12）
摩西五經的利末記，清楚指出祭司必須多次獻上牛羊的血，為自己與百姓贖罪。因按照律法，沒有流血，罪就不得赦免。
受苦的彌賽亞只一次獻上祂的身體，便可除掉人的罪。這一次永遠的贖罪祭，便叫那得以成聖的人永遠完全。
為這原故，受苦的彌賽亞必須無罪，才可替人贖罪。
耶穌的家譜：耶穌是神的兒子
路加福音第三章，耶穌的家譜指出祂是馬利亞的兒子，而馬利亞也是大衛王的後裔，但不是約雅斤的後裔。約雅斤被神咒詛，他後裔中再無一人得亨通，能坐在大衛的寶座上治理猶大。
耶穌的人性來自母親馬利亞，並非父親約瑟。耶穌最愛稱呼自己是「人子」。「人子」這個名稱出自但以理書7章13-14節。
但以理書所用文字有兩種：（一）迦勒底文－即亞蘭文（2章4節至7章28節）（二）希伯來文。（一章一節至二章三節，八至十二章。）
根據亞蘭文內容，但以理書7章13-14節的解釋如下：
「見有一位好像人子的」，「人子」指出耶穌取了人的樣式，按肉體說，祂像人一樣是軟弱的、多有限制的，但祂卻沒有罪性，因祂的根源從亙古、從太初就有。祂的根源不是出於亞當，因此祂沒有帶著罪性。正如先前所述彌迦書5章1節有關耶穌降生的預言。
有好些群體認為馬利亞是耶穌肉身的母親，因而十分尊崇馬利亞。但是，我們一定要謹記她也是一個罪人，她的根源是亞當，是亞當的女兒，罪人的後裔。馬利亞與其他罪人一樣都需要蒙神憐憫，信靠耶穌把她從罪中拯救出來。路加福音1章47節清楚指出馬利亞有這個認識。
馬利亞說：
「我心尊主為大；
我靈以神我的救主為樂。」
她稱呼耶穌為神，為她的救主。
耶穌的降生：受苦的彌賽亞作以色列的王
約瑟和馬利亞是大衛王的後裔，住在拿撒勒，遠離其家鄉伯利恆城，屬猶大支派。當時，凱撒亞古士督頒佈了一道諭旨，要全國人民回鄉登記戶籍。這是居里扭治理敍利亞時首次的戶籍登記，於是人人都歸回自己的本城登記（路加福音2︰1-7）。由於約瑟是大衞家族的人，他和懷了孕、跟他訂了婚的馬利亞，也從加利利的拿撒勒城上猶太去，到了名為伯利恆的大衞之城登記。他們在伯利恆的時候，馬利亞的產期到了，就生下了頭胎的兒子。她用布把祂裹着，放在馬槽裏，因為旅店沒有地方給他們。（馬太福音1:18-25）
總結：
(1) 按照聖經預言有關彌賽亞的根源，我們可以從三方面認識彌賽亞：
約2,000多年前，主耶穌降生在伯利恆城，應驗了聖經預言有關彌賽亞（受膏者）根源的三方面：(1)為童貞女所生，(2)是大衛王的後裔，(3) 神的兒子。
主耶穌是以神的受膏者 （彌賽亞）這身份 ，成就神的救贖計劃，讓神再次成為以色列的王。
很多人認為耶穌不會是以色列人所盼望的彌賽亞，因為衪沒有為世界帶來和平。但是，我們必須謹記，祂曾聲明祂會再來。主耶穌第一次來臨時，成就了聖經有關「受苦的彌賽亞」的預言。主耶穌再來時，其身份是「榮耀的彌賽亞」。祂將會擊敗攻擊以色列的外邦軍隊，坐在耶路撒冷大衛的寶座上統治列邦，為萬民的君王和司令，把以色列放在萬國的首位。
(2) 傳統猶太教與基督徒對彌賽亞的看法差異不大：
事實上，傳統猶太教所講的兩位彌賽亞，即「受苦的彌賽亞」與「榮耀的彌賽亞」與基督徒的看法只有少許差異而已。基督徒相信彌賽亞只得一位，彌賽亞首先以「受苦的彌賽亞」身份降生為人，最後以「榮耀的彌賽亞」身份從天而降，成為以色列的王，管治全地。先知但以理預言「受苦的彌賽亞」會被剪除，時間在「第二聖殿」時期，之後「第二聖殿」及耶路撒冷城被毀（主後70年），並未帶來和平。
但以理書9章24-26節：
「為你本國之民和你聖城，已經定了七十個七。要止住罪過，除淨罪惡，贖盡罪孽，引進永義，封住異象和預言，並膏至聖者。
你當知道，當明白，從出令重新建造耶路撒冷，直到有受膏君的時候，必有七個七和六十二個七。正在艱難的時候，耶路撒冷城連街帶濠都必重新建造。 過了六十二個七，那受膏者必被剪除，一無所有；必有一王的民來毀滅這城和聖所，至終必如洪水沖沒。必有爭戰，一直到底，荒涼的事已經定了。」
正如但以理書的預言，拿撒勒人耶穌死後約40年，「第二聖殿」和耶路撒冷城被羅馬毀滅。因此，猶太人開始四散流亡海外各地，直至現在。
假如拿撒勒人耶穌不是「受苦的彌賽亞」，猶太人必須另找一個與「受苦的彌賽亞」相乎的猶太人，祂要死於「第二聖殿」被毀滅之前，並且祂要作外邦人的光，使萬民敬拜以色列的神（創世記49:10；以賽亞書49:5-6）。
根據聖經預言，「受苦的彌賽亞」已出現了，祂就是拿撒勒人耶穌。
「榮耀的彌賽亞」現時仍未出現。但是耶穌應許衪會在榮耀裏再來。
當耶穌在祂榮耀裏，同着眾天使降臨再來時，衪會擊敗攻擊以色列的外邦人，把以色列放在萬民的首位。並按他們如何對待以色列人，他們的弟兄，審判他們，。(馬太福音25：31-46)
猶太人一直等待這個「榮耀的彌賽亞」拯救他們及為全地帶來平安。但是，若主今天降臨，他們如何確認祂就是那位「榮耀的彌賽亞」？現今，有誰可証明祂是大衛王的後裔？有誰可証明祂是約雅斤約後裔？
「榮耀的彌賽亞」來臨時，按照撒迦利亞書14章3-4節的描述：
「耶和華我的神必降臨，有一切聖者同來。」；「那日，祂的腳必站在耶路撒冷前面朝東的橄欖山上。」
若彌賽亞降臨時已是成人，衪又怎會是大衛的後裔？除非衪依大衛的譜系，曾經降生於此。在甚麼時候降生為人？答案是當衪以「受苦的彌賽亞」的身份降生的時候。
猶太人稱呼「受苦的彌賽亞」為「彌賽亞約瑟之子」，原因是這位彌賽亞被祂的百姓棄絕，正如創世記所記述約瑟的遭遇，被兄弟棄絕，賣到埃及為奴隸。「第二聖殿」時期，試問有那一個猶太人像耶穌般，被猶太人那麼深惡棄絕？
「榮耀的彌賽亞」被稱為「彌賽亞大衛的兒子」，原因是衪好像大衛榮耀地統治祂的百姓」。
我們再細看約瑟和大衛的人生。約瑟經歷悲慘的奴隸和牢獄生涯後，統治埃及，他的兄弟要向他俯伏，受他管治。同樣地，大衛初時被掃羅追殺而逃命，最終成為榮耀的王。
透過對彌賽亞的兩個名稱， 即「彌賽亞約瑟之子」和「彌賽亞大衛的兒子」，我們可以看到神為衪的跟隨者預備的計劃：首先，神使他們謙卑，之後神把他們升高。正如神的救贖計劃，耶穌第一次降臨時，衪成為「受苦的彌賽亞」，被人棄絕、厭惡和羞辱。面對這些情況，耶穌默言承受。祂告訴眾人衪會在榮耀裏，同着眾天使降臨，坐在大衛的寶座上統管全地。耶穌死而復活，升上高天，在天堂上被神升為至高。正如猶太人所說的希伯來語，「死亡」超過千年，今天「復活」了。二千多年以來，以色列人被多國多民羞辱、厭惡和棄絕。根據聖經預言，主耶穌最終會把以色列人放在萬國之首。這些預言會在何時應驗？
(3)主耶穌（榮耀的彌賽亞）再來的預兆：
答案在撒迦利亞書12至14章，順序寫出。主耶穌再來之前，猶太人必回歸以色列地、耶路撒冷被圍困和被萬民攻擊（12章）。以色列全家悔改得救（12-13章）。主耶穌榮耀降臨在橄欖山上（14:3-4）。主耶穌坐在大衛的寶座上執掌王權，耶和華為全地之王，萬民必尊耶和華為聖(14:12-21)
「我必將那施恩叫人懇求的靈，澆灌大衞家和耶路撒冷的居民。他們必仰望我，就是他們所扎的；必為我悲哀，如喪獨生子，又為我愁苦，如喪長子。」（12:10）
在耶路撒冷，估計在「第三聖殿」（13:1） 被毀之時，神必給大衞家和耶路撒冷的居民開一個泉源，洗除罪惡與污穢。這個泉源流出「受苦彌賽亞」的寶血，即耶穌為我們的罪釘死時所流出的寶血，洗除以色列家的罪惡與污穢。
當以色列人全家接受主耶穌為救主時，主耶穌便會從天降臨在橄欖山上（14:3-4），從現在已封閉的東門進入耶路撤泠，最後給全地帶來平安。因此，主耶穌再來之前，以色列人全家必定信耶穌（受苦的彌賽亞）為救主，全家得救。
「我要回到原處，等他們自覺有罪，尋求我面；
他們在急難的時候必切切尋求我。」
（何西阿書5:15）
全文完
給讀者的信：
親愛的讀者，無論你是猶太人，抑或是外邦人，你願意接受衪做你個人的救主嗎？你願意進入主耶穌永存的國嗎？現在時候不多，救主耶穌很快回來，作大衛家的王，在耶路撒冷統管全地，審判萬民。我們眾人都要在以色列的神面前為自己所作的一切事受審判。主耶穌甘心情願為我們的罪釘死在十字架上，衪的寶血能洗凈我們一切的罪，救我們脫離永遠的滅亡。
假如你願意接受主耶穌為你個人的救主，認罪悔改，主耶穌必會赦免你，祂的寶血洗淨你一切的罪，並賜你永生。
你可用以下內容，向神禱告：
親愛的阿伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的神，我承認我是個罪人，像亞當其他的子孫一樣。求主耶穌用寶血洗淨我一切的罪，赦免我。感謝主耶穌為我的罪死了、被埋葬、三天後從死裡復活，勝過掌死權的魔鬼。我願意接受「受苦的彌賽亞」耶穌進入我的生命裏，做我個人的救主。我相信主耶穌必會以「榮耀的彌賽亞」身份再來。感謝主耶穌做我的中保 （祭司），在神面前不斷為我代求，救我離開罪惡，使我心中充滿平安。感謝主耶穌為我再回來，給全地帶來平安。求主耶穌幫助我更深認識以色列的神。
奉主耶穌的名求
阿們
..
WRITTEN BY MOREH PAUL L. DUNTEMAN
The greatest hope of the religious Jews throughout the ages has been the hope of the Messiah, a Jewish man who is to bring peace on earth and set Israel at the head of the nations. In the Talmud, a collection of traditions and commentaries from the Post-Biblical period (from about 300 B.C.E. until about 500 C.E.), there are two messiahs mentioned–one who suffers and is rejected by his people and another who reigns gloriously. The Suffering Messiah is called Messiah Son of Joseph (Mashiach Ben-Yosef) because, like Joseph, he is rejected by his brothers. Thus, this Messiah is rejected by Israel. The Glorious Messiah is called Messiah Son of David (Mashiach Ben-David) for two reasons. First of all, like David he will reign gloriously over Israel and subjugate the other nations under Israel. The second reason that he is called Messiah Son of David is that he must be a physical descendant of David, according to the Tenach (Old Testament). For the purposes of this study, we are going to talk about the descent of the Messiah Son of David.
The first mention that the Glorious Messiah must come from David is found in II Samuel 7:12-16:
When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever (NIV).
In this Biblical passage, God is promising that the Davidic dynasty would be eternal. If the Davidic king were to commit sin, he would be punished in things of this world, but the dynasty would never be cut off. Beginning with this promise, Israel’s Messianic expectation was to have the blessing of God by living under the “Lord’s Anointed” (Messiah comes from the Hebrew Mashiach, which means “anointed one”). This expectation increased under Solomon, the king who built the First Temple. Every king of Israel was the Messiah for his generation, including even Saul (I Sam. 24:9-10, etc.). Also, the High Priest was called “the priest that is anointed” (Heb. Haccohen Hammashiach, Lev. 4:3,5,16). Sometimes, even a prophet was anointed to begin his ministry (I Kings 19:16).
After the reign of Solomon, with all the peace and prosperity that accompanied it, the hopes of the people for a lasting peace were dashed by the division of the kingdom into Israel (the 10 northern tribes) and Judah (the kingdom of the South, with Judah and Benjamin, the Temple, the Levites from the whole country, and Rehoboam, the Davidic King; cf. II Chronicles 11:5-14). For all the years up to the Babylonian captivity, the Messianic hope was that the Davidic King would eventually reunite the two kingdoms and restore the glory that existed in the days of Solomon.
By the time of Isaiah, it was obvious that there was going to be a great punishment from God, instead of the awaited glory. The kings of Judah became worse and worse, in spite of the strong warning of seeing Israel taken captive by Assyria in 722 B.C.E. Since the reign of Manasseh (II Kings 21:1-18), it was certain that the captivity of Judah would occur, as threatened by God in Deuteronomy 28:36-48. For this reason, in chapters 40-66, Isaiah stops exhorting Judah to repent (because they wouldn’t listen), and focuses on the Suffering Messiah, the Glorious Messiah, and the glorious future for Israel way beyond the coming captivity (see chapters 42,53,60,61,65,66).
Isaiah 40-66 is not the work of another author, but rather of the same author in other circumstances. The sins are similar, but worse: perverting the case of widows and orphans (10:1-2, cf. 59:4-9), religious hypocrisy (29:13, cf. 58:2-4), etc. The idolatry condemned is worse than in the first part of the book. In 57:4-5, Isaiah condemns idolatry in high places, religious prostitution, and the sacrifice of infants to Molech, practices common in the reign of Manasseh (II Kings 21:6; II Chronicles 33:6). In 57:7 Isaiah condemns worship in high places (Hebrew, bamot), a practice common before, but not during the captivity. During the captivity it was not possible because Babylon is flat and has no mountains. In fact, none of the above condemned practices existed during the exile in Babylon. Thus we see that Isaiah 40-66 refers to the period of Manasseh.
After Manasseh there was an almost continuous chain of bad kings up until the Babylonian captivity: Amon (II Kings 21:19-26), Jehoahaz (23:31-35), Jehoiakim (23:36–24:7), Jehoiachin (24:8-16), and Zedekiah (an uncle of Jehoiachin, not in the royal line, 24:18-25:7). The only exception was Josiah (22:1–23:30), a good king who took away idolatry (23:24-27). However, the sin of Manasseh had been definitive in bringing on Judah the exile (23:26) in spite of these reforms.
In the times of Jeremiah, just as Israel was going into exile, God made two declarations that appeared contradictory about the last Davidic King over Judah, Jehoiachin (or Coniah). The first declaration was that, of his physical descendants, no one would ever sit upon the throne of David, in spite of the fact that they would continue to inherit the rights to sit on it. In Jeremiah 22:28-30 God says:
Is this man Jehoiachin a despised, broken pot, an object no one wants? Why will he and his children be hurled out, cast into a land they do not know? O land, land, land, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord says: “Record this man as if childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah (NIV).”
Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiachin to Babylon, where Shealtiel was born and continued the royal line, but no one from this line ever sat on the throne of David again because of this curse — even Shealtiel’s son Zerubbabel, who was a prominent leader of the return from exile.
The second declaration by God through Jeremiah, which appears to contradict the first, is in chapter 33:14-17:
“In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; he will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.” For this is what the Lord says, “David will never fail to have a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel (NIV).”
As we put together the two declarations, we note that, from Jehoiachin onward, the heirs of the Throne of David cannot sit on it, but that the line will not lack a man to sit upon the throne. There was also promised a “Righteous Branch,” a man who would raise up the Throne of David and who would also sit upon it. Beginning, then, with the deportation into Babylon, the expectation of the Messiah, Son of David, became a longing for the appearance of a future figure. The Israelites could see the descendant of David in each generation, but he was not anointed (Messiah for his generation) nor did he reign, because of the curse of Jehoiachin.
How could this dilemma be resolved? How could one be born in the royal line of David and inherit the rights to the Throne of David without being a descendant of Jehoiachin and inheriting the curse also?
The answer is found in the three origins of Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth. In Matthew, chapter 1, we find the genealogy of Yosef (Joseph), the legal, but not physical father of Yeshua. This genealogy is the royal line of Israel. Jesus was conceived during the engagement period of Yosef and Miriam (Mary), before they had had sexual relations. Thus, Jesus inherited the rights to the Throne of David through Joseph, as the firstborn in the family. Since he was not a physical descendant of Joseph, Jesus did not inherit the curse of Jehoiachin and really could sit upon the Throne of David. Matthew says (1:18-21):
This is how the birth of Jesus came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
The second part of the origin of Jesus is, as noted above, the Holy Spirit. The reference is to the fact that the Holy Spirit of God created a human male seed and placed it in the womb of Mary to fertilize an egg of hers, thus beginning the life of Jesus. Why all the bother? Beside the need to avoid the curse of Jehoiachin, there are two more reasons: God wanted to be the King of Israel again and the Messiah must be without sin.
From the beginning, God considered Himself the King of Israel. In the time of Samuel, though, the people cried out for a king “such as all the other nations have (I Samuel 8:5).” Samuel did not like this demand of the people, and so went to consult the Lord, Who answered (v.7), “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you that they have rejected, but they have rejected Me as their king.” The Lord was upset with Israel for demanding a king “such as all the other nations have,” and for about a thousand years, beginning with the coronation of Saul, He was no longer the King of Israel. At the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, the Lord becomes the King of Israel again.
To some people it would seem difficult to believe that God should become a man, but there are other examples of His appearing in human form in the Tenach (Old Testament). Joshua saw a man standing before him in Joshua 5:13-15, fell face down in reverence, and took off his sandals, as Moses did before the burning bush in Exodus 3:4-6, recognizing that it was God Himself appearing in the flame. Also Isaiah in chapter 6:1-5 sees God and recognized Him as God (v.5): “My eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
Also, God explains through the prophet Micah (5:1 in Hebrew, 5:2 in English) that when this person would be born “who will be ruler over Israel” in Bethlehem Ephrathah, he had already existed, “from old, from ancient times.” This person already existed from before his birth. This Person was the very God of Israel.
The third reason why the Messiah had to be born of a virgin is because He had to be without sin. The Messiah was to be a priest, according to Psalm 110:4: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.'” Since he is from the family of David, the Messiah cannot be a Levite, and is made a priest after another order. At this point we must mention that Yeshua taught that He had to die for the sins of all of humanity, as priest and sacrifice. The Jewish people of his time, including His own disciples, were only looking for the Glorious Messiah, but Jesus claimed to be both the Suffering Messiah and Glorious Messiah. He taught that He had to come to the earth two times to complete everything. In Isaiah 53:9 we read about the Suffering Messiah (Mashiach Ben-Yosef), “he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.”
But, couldn’t the Messiah be simply a good man? To answer this, let us see what God found when He checked out all men (Psalm 14:2-3, see also 53:2-3):
The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of Adam to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
God does not have limits in time in space, so He saw Adam and Eve and all their descendants, and there was not even one who was upright. All were building up Adam, as the word son (ben) means “builder” in Hebrew. If the Messiah is not a son of Adam, is it the father or mother who counts? Unlike Modern Jews, in Bible times the father counted, not the mother, in mixed marriages. This is why Pharaoh tried to annihilate the nation of Israel by killing all of the male offspring (Exodus 1:15-19). The women would then marry foreigners, and all the children of these mixed marriages would belong to the nation of their father, not Israel. The Israelites were ordered to kill every male among the Canaanites for the same reason, but spared the women, which they used to increase their population.
Even today, a Jewish person is considered a Cohen (priest) or Levy (Levite), according to his father, without taking into consideration the mother. Could a modern Jewish person be a Gentile because of his mother, but a Cohen because of his father? Many Davidic kings on the Throne of Israel had Gentile mothers. Did this make them Gentiles from the Tribe of Judah and the family of David?
Thus we see that the Messiah is not a son of Adam, but rather the Son of God, even more than every other Davidic king was son of God (II Samuel 7:14, Psalm 2:7), as each one was son of God, according to the Scriptures. Being perfect, without spot, Jesus can give His perfection to people in exchange for their sins in His priesthood. Isaiah 53 explains how the Suffering Messiah works in his priesthood. In the Aramaic translation of this passage in 52:13, it begins, “Behold my servant the Messiah.” The phrase “the Messiah” is not in the Hebrew, but was supplied by the translators, demonstrating an early Jewish understanding of the one referred to in this passage. Like the first goat on Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement), “the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” and “he poured out his life unto death (Isaiah 53:6,12).” Like the second goat on Yom Kippur, “he bore the sin of many (v.12).”
The sacrifices in the Priesthood of Levi in the Books of Moses were repeated because the animal could only give its innocence in exchange for the sin of the people. The Suffering Messiah finished all of his priestly work with only one sacrifice because he gives the people his perfection, in exchange for their sin. For this reason the Suffering Messiah has to be without sin.
The third line of the descendance of Jesus was from Mary, his mother. In Luke 3 we have Jesus’ genealogy from David, but not the royal line of descent from Jehoiachin, which was cursed. The humanity of Jesus came from Mary, not Joseph. The favorite name of Jesus for himself was “the Son of Man.” This name comes from Daniel 7:13-14, where it is in Aramaic Ke-bar enash, one like a son of man (man in the sense of weakness, rather than descent from Adam, which would include sin). He took the weakness of humanity upon himself, though (as we saw before in Micah 5:1) he had existed from long before he was born here.
In some groups, Mary is venerated for her part in the birth of Jesus, but we must remember that she was also a sinner, daughter of Adam, who was saved from her sins through the mercy of God. She was not perfect in order to have a perfect son. It was because she was a woman she did not pass her sin nature to her son. Neither does she merit the title “Godbearer,” given her by some, as Jesus was already going around as God before He was born in Bethlehem. Mary was only the mother of the humanity that He took on. As such, she also needed salvation and called Jesus, while still in her womb “my savior (Luke 1:47).”
Joseph and Mary were living in Nazareth, far from their home tribe of Judah and town of Bethlehem when Emperor Caesar Augustus decreed that all should return to their home town for a census (Luke 2:1-7); and so many other Jews came in from other places that all of the inns, at least in Bethlehem Ephrathah. But one night, about 2000 years ago in Bethlehem, all three lines converged, and God became King of Israel again.
Many believe that Jesus could not have been the awaited Messiah of Israel because He did not bring peace to the world. We must remember that He claimed that He would come to the world two times — first to fulfill everything concerning the Suffering Messiah, and then to come again a second time as the Glorious Messiah. At this second coming Jesus will smash the Gentile armies marching against Israel, reign from the Throne of David in Jerusalem, and place Israel at the head of the nations.
In reality there is little difference between the position of traditional Judaism — that there are two different Messiahs — and the Christian position that there is one Messiah who comes to the earth on two occasions. Daniel tells us that the Suffering Messiah dies in the Second Temple Period, and that his death is followed by the destruction of the Second Temple and Jerusalem, as happened in 70 C.E., not by peace on earth (Daniel 9:24-26). Verse 26 says:
After the 62 sevens (of years), the Anointed One (the Messiah) with be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.
In this way, the death of Jesus of Nazareth was followed, about 40 years later, by the destruction of the Second Temple and Jerusalem. Thus the Jewish worldwide dispersion began and continued until modern times. If Jesus of Nazareth is not the Suffering Messiah then the Jewish people must find another Jewish man who died just before the destruction of the Second Temple and who succeeded in bringing the worship of the God of Israel to the Gentiles (Genesis 49:10, Isaiah 49:5-6).
It is certain that the Glorious Messiah has not appeared in his glory, but Jesus promised that it would be He, and this time He will smash the Gentiles that are marching against Jerusalem, place the Jews at the head of the nations, and judge all of the Gentiles according to how they have treated the Jewish people, His brothers (Matthew 25:31-46).
The Jewish people are looking for this Glorious Messiah to save them and bring peace to earth, but how could they recognize him if he came today? Is there someone who can prove their Davidic genealogy today? Who is the exact person in Jehoiachin’s line eligible to inherit the throne today? The Glorious Messiah will arrive to the earth descending from a cloud to the Mount of Olives on the east side of Jerusalem, according to Zechariah 14:3-4. How can he be the Son of David if he arrives as an adult? Only if he has already been born here on the earth in David’s line. When? When he came as the Suffering Messiah.
Jewish people call the Suffering Messiah Mashiach Ben-Yosef to describe this Messiah as being rejected by his people unjustly like Joseph in the Book of Genesis, who was sold into slavery in Egypt by his brothers. Which Jewish man in the time of the Second Temple was more rejected than Jesus?
The Glorious Messiah is called Mashiach Ben-David, because, like David, he will reign gloriously over his people. But let’s look at these two lives in more detail. After a bitter life of slavery and jail, Joseph at last reigned in Egypt and his brothers had to come and bow down to him. He ruled over his brothers. Also, though David was glorious at the end of his career as king, he began by running for his life from Saul.
We see in the two names of Messiah God’s plan for dealing with His followers: at first He humbles them, and later He exalts them. Jesus came first as the Suffering Messiah to be rejected, hated, and humiliated — all of which he put up with without complaining. He taught that he would come again in glory and set up the Davidic Kingdom over the whole earth in glory. He died and was later resurrected and raised up into heaven. The language of Hebrew died and today has been resurrected. The nation of Israel has been humiliated, hated, and rejected by the other nations for thousands of years now, but at the end Jesus will place them over all the other nations. When will that take place?
The answer to that question lies in the fact that Zechariah, chapters 12-14 are in chronological order, and we must go through the events of chapter 12 before we arrive at Jesus’ glorious coming in 14:3-4 and the Davidic Kingdom in 14:12-21. In Zechariah 12:10 we read:
And I will pour out on the House of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a Spirit of grace and supplication. They will look upon Me, the one they have pierced, 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.
There in Jerusalem, probably in the ruins of the Third Temple (13:1), “a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” This fountain will be the blood of the Suffering Messiah. When they receive Him, He Himself will descend from heaven to the Mount of Olives (14:3-4), enter Jerusalem through the Eastern Gate, which is currently sealed, and will bring peace on earth. But He won’t come down until Israel believes in Him in His first appearing as the Suffering Messiah.
“Then I will go back to My place until they admit their guilt and they will seek My face. In their misery they will earnestly seek Me.” —–Hosea 5:15
How about you, reader? Whether you are Jewish or Gentile, there is a place for you in the coming Davidic Kingdom, in which Yeshua will reign over the whole earth from Jerusalem. You can receive Him by praying a prayer like the one below to appropriate the shed blood for yourself and receive Jesus’ perfection as a gift on your account before the God of Israel. Then this fountain (which will one day be opened for all Israel) will be opened for you.
Please pray the following if you would like to receive the atonement (forgiveness of sins) and eternal life that only Jesus provides:
Dear God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I recognize that I am a sinner, like all the descendants of Adam. Please forgive me through the blood of Jesus, which He shed in my place, taking the punishment rightly due me, then rising from the dead, triumphing over the power of hell. I receive you Jesus into my life as Suffering Messiah, who will one day come as Glorious Messiah. Thank you for saving me from my sins through your priesthood and bringing peace within me, and thank you that you will one day bring peace to the earth over all men when you return. Please teach me in the way of the God of Israel through Jesus.
In Jesus’ name, AMEN.
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