The Messiah was to appear suddenly (Baba San.. hedrin 97: " Three
329 |
The fruitfulness of the land and the prosperity of the nation are described in glowing terms, and in these blessings the repatriated exiles and even the departed just will also share, since a first resurrection of the dead takes place in
8. Accom- the land of Israel, the faithful whopaniments have died in other lands being transof the ported thither beneath the surface of Messiah's the earth (Eisenmenger, ut sup., ii. Coming. 893 sqq.). The reawakening of the dead is sometimes ascribed to God and sometimes to the Messiah; it occurs at the sound of a trumpet, but the Samaritans will be excluded from it. Kethubot (lllb) says that even the unlearned will have no part in it. The living heathen will offer, homage to the Messiah and to the sanctuary at Jerusalem, though there will be a great difference and a strict barrier between them and Israel. Following the order of events as given in Ezekiel, at the end of the Messianic epoch, there will again ensue a general uprising of the heathen nations against the rule of the Messiah, the originators and leaders of which will be Gog and Magog, though according to other views they are the bitterest enemies of the Messiah at the beginning of the Messianic era. This uprising is succeeded by a final and universal judgment of the world, with the resurrection of all the dead to eternal happiness or to condemnation. Then begins the state of perfection, for which a new heaven and a new earth are created. The just enter into paradise, the godless into the pains of hell. Still, it must be admitted that this distinction is not always maintained, and the two epochs often run into one another. In one particular, however, there is agreement: the Messiah brings about the consummation of all things and the resurrection of the just to new and eternal life precedes the state of final retribution.
Bibliography: The material on Messianism is abundant. The reader is referred to the commentaries on the Bib lical books containing passages regarded as Messianic, to works on Biblical theology, especially those of Schultz and Dillmann: the subject is also treated more or less fully in the literature given under Apocrypha; Israel, History of; Prophecy; and Pseudepigrapha. On the Messianism of the Bible there is nothing better than the works of C. A. Briggs on the subject: Messianic Prophecy, New York, 1888; and Messiah of the Gospels, 3 series, New York, 1893-95. A thoroughly worthy book on Old Testament Messianism is F. H. Woods, The Hope of Israel, ib. 1898. Considerably broader in scope, but based on what used to be called rationalistic exegesis, is the scholarly work by J. Drummond, The Jewish Messiah, London, 1877, covering the period down to the close of the Talmud. A book which has caused much debate from its extreme positions is A. Kuenen, Prophets and Prophecy in Israel, ib. 1877. Consult further: J. C. K. Hofmann, Weiaaagung and Erfallung, NSrdGagen, 1841-44; J. J. Stahelin, Die meaaianischen Weieeagungen des A. T., Berlin, 1847; E. W. Hengetenberg, Christologie des A. T., 3 vols., Berlin, 1854-57, Eng. transl., Christology q/ as O. T., Edinburgh, 1854-1858; A. Tholuek. Die Propheten und ihre Weiasagungen, Gotha, 1887; R. Anger, Geschichte der mesaianischen Idea, Berlin, 1873; E. C. A. Riehm, Die meananiwAe Weiasaguny, Gotha, 1875, Eng. transl., Messianic Prophecy; Edinburgh, 1891; E. B&I, ChriStalogie des A. T., Vienna, 1882; W. F. Adeney, The Hebrew Utopia; a Study of Messianic Prophecy, London, 1879; P. J. Gloag, Messianic Prophecies, Edinburgh, 1879 (oonser, votive); C. yon Orelli, Die allkatamentlide Weiasagung, Vienna, 1882, Eng. trend.. Old Testament Prophecy of Consummation q/ God's Kingdom, Edinburgh, 1885; B. W. Saville, Fulfilled Prophecy, London, 1882; A. Edersheim, Prophecy and History in Relation to the Messiah, ib. 1885; E. H. Dewart, Jesus the Messiah in Prophecy and Fulfillment, Cincinnati, 1891; G. S. Goodspeed, Israel's Messianic Hope, New York 1900; F Delitzeeh, Die measianische Weiaaagungen, Berlin, 1899, Eng. transl. of earlier ed., Messianic Prophecies in Historical Suecesaion, Edinburgh, 1891; J. Richter, Die meaaianischen Weiasagungen und ihre ErftWung, Giessen, 1905; J. H. Greenstone, The Messiah Idea in Jewish History, Philadelphia, 1907; W. O. Oeaterley, The Evolution of as Messianic Idea, London, 1908; Lagrange, Le Mesaianiame ehez les Juifa, Paris, 1908; E. P. Berg, Our Lord's PreparationJorMesaiahahip, London, 1909; A. Causse, L'Evolution de 1'eaphrance memianique done Is christianiame primitif, Paris, 1908.
On the late Jewish ideas the works of Eisenmenger and Sch6ttgen mentioned in the text are to be placed among the important contributions. Consult further: R. Young, Christology of the Targuma, Edinburgh, 1853; A. Hilgenfeld, Die jüdieehe Apokalyptik, in ihrer geschichtlichen Entwickelung, Jena, 1857; T. Colani, Jesus Christ et les croyances messianiquee de son temps, Strasburg, 1884; Holtzmann, in Jahrbücher für deutsche Theologie, 1887,
330 |
![]() | Calvin College. Last modified on 08/11/06. Contact the CCEL. | ![]() |