How Will Mashiach Come?
We have been waiting for Mashiach, an anointed Davidic king, for a very long time. The last time we had such a king was prior to the Babylonian exile, about 2,600 years ago, and the anointed kings we had in those days ruled only part of Israel and were for the most part rejected by God.
The last time we had a Davidic king who ruled all of Israel was in the time of Solomon, and in the days of his father, King David himself, about 3,000 years ago. That is a long time to wait with only partial success along the way.
It would be easy to give up hope, to say that success is unlikely and is perhaps an unrealistic dream. But Jews have not given up hope for thousands of years, and now it seems that we are closer than ever before to the fulfillment of our dreams.
We have already passed our most hopeless and darkest moment before the twilight. Now we can see the dawning of a messianic age beyond the horizon.
Mashiach has yet to appear, but the light of our national redemption already fills the skies. A little more and he could come, but how? People question how that could even be possible now. It still seems light-years away to them, but they are wrong.
There is a practical and very reasonable way for Mashiach to come presently. We have had a long and dark night, but God’s Kingship will return, together with His anointed Davidic servant, as surely as the rising of the sun.
No Miracles Needed
Mashiach could come very suddenly, even without miracles. The political deadlock in Israel and global fear and uncertainty are signs of swift changes sweeping through the atmosphere. Anything is possible now and the impossible is already happening.
We do not know which leader to hope for anymore in Israel. No one seems to be a viable option. We had 4 inconclusive elections and then received a leader who no one expected. Naftali Bennett swept to power with only 6% of the vote. Now his own tiny party seems to be falling apart, together with the concept of democracy.
We have a leader who no one really voted for as prime minister. Sure, some people voted for Bennett, but no one expected him to lead the nation, certainly not together with the radical left and Arabs.
Bennett has consistently represented himself as a right-wing religious Zionist. His success was perhaps as unlikely as the coming of Mashiach, and yet it happened.
When this government falls, which could happen very soon, the political deadlock in Israel will only steepen. No one in power is really fit to rule anymore and the people are tired of elections. Were Mashiach to appear now, he could be overwhelmingly accepted.
Israel’s religious and political leaders could go to sleep one night, perhaps tonight, and receive unusual visions from God. It does not take much for God to visit people in their dreams and convey powerful messages to them. If such a man exists and God Chooses him as His worldly representative, God could easily notify them.
These religious and political leaders could wake up the next morning and say that they know who the Mashiach is. Once enough influential people open their mouths, the words cannot be taken back. With no one else to lead Israel, the people might be willing to give him a chance. One silent morning with the birds chirping and Mashiach could arrive.
If enough people hope and pray for this, it could happen. That is how such things happened in the past. The people asked God for an anointed king and God Chose Saul to represent Him. God’s Choice was revealed to Samuel the prophet and he anointed Saul. It took the people time to accept Saul as their king, but it happened. All Israel accepted him because God Chose him.
The same thing happened again after God rejected Saul and Chose David instead. David was anointed by Samuel in a private and secretive ceremony, behind Saul’s back. It took time for David to assume the throne, but it happened eventually. All of Israel accepted David as their king because God Chose him.
We Could Make It Happen
Benjamin Netanyahu led Israel for 15 years, longer than any other Israeli prime minister, and longer than some kings of Israel’s past. Netanyahu would like to continue to lead Israel, though many obstacles still stand in his path, and he remains the most popular candidate for the job. All that could change overnight.
Netanyahu almost entered a plea bargain in the ongoing corruption case against him, contemplating retirement from political life. The people urged him to stay and fight, even raising money to support his legal defense, and Netanyahu listened to them. He was influenced that way.
Now Netanyahu could be influenced another way, to fulfill his most important mission: Handing over the keys to the Mashiach. If we will it and God Gives the Order, it could lead to a very conceivable result:
Darkness and silence fall upon Israel. The people sleep one last night of uncertainty. God enters the dreams of key individuals, and our nation wakes up to a bold new reality: The Messianic Age is upon us!
Do not doubt it. Embrace it. Hope and pray for it.
This has been our national goal for thousands of years, the hope that has carried us thus far. Now it is destined to happen. It could happen any day now. It could happen overnight.
Next year in Jerusalem!