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InAbrahamic religions, theMessianic Age (Hebrew:יְמוֹת הַמָשִׁיחַ) is the future eternal period of time on Earth in which themessiah will reign and bring universalpeace and brotherhood, without anyevil (through mankind's own terms). Some refer to it as the consummate "kingdom of God" or the "world to come".Jews believe that such a figure is yet to come, whileChristians believe that this figure isJesus Christ.
According to Jewish tradition, the Messianic Era will be one of global peace and harmony; an era free of strife and hardship, conducive to the furtherment of the knowledge of the Creator. The theme of theMessiah ushering in an era of global peace is encapsulated in two of the most famous scriptural passages from theBook of Isaiah:
They shall beat theirswords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift sword against nation and they will no longer study warfare.
— Isaiah 2:4
The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
— Isaiah 11:6-9
In hisMishneh Torah,Maimonides describes the Messianic Era:
And at that time there will be no hunger or war, no jealousy or rivalry. For the good will be plentiful, and all delicacies available as dust.The entire occupation of the world will be only to know God... the people Israel will be of great wisdom; they will perceive the esoteric truths and comprehend their Creator's wisdom as is the capacity of man. As it is written (Isaiah 11:9): "For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of God, as the waters cover the sea.
— Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings 12:5
According to theTalmud,[1] theMidrash,[2] and the Kabbalistic work, theZohar,[3] the Messiah must arrive before theyear 6000 from the time of creation. In Orthodox Jewish belief, theHebrew calendar dates to the time of creation, making this correspond to the year 2240 on theGregorian calendar.
The Midrash comments: "Six eons for going in and coming out, for war and peace. The seventh eon is entirelyShabbat and rest for life everlasting."[2]
There is akabbalistic tradition[4] that maintains that each of the seven days of the week, which are based upon the seven days of creation, correspond to the seven millennia of creation. The tradition teaches that the seventh day of the week, theSabbath day of rest, corresponds to the seventh millennium, the age of universal 'rest' - the Messianic Era. The seventh millennium perforce begins with the year 6000, and is the latest time the Messiah can come. Supporting and elaborating on this theme are numerous early and late Jewish scholars, including RabbeinuBachya,[5]Abraham ibn Ezra,[6] theRamban,[7]Isaac Abrabanel,[8] theRamchal,[9] theVilna Gaon,[10]Aryeh Kaplan,[11] and theLubavitcher Rebbe.[12]
In contemporaryHasidic perspectives, particularly within Chabad thought, the concept of the Messianic Age is intimately tied to the doctrine ofDira Batachtonim —the idea that the divine purpose of creation is the establishment of a dwelling place for God within the material world. TheLubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, emphasized that the world was on the threshold of redemption, and that human initiative through acts of goodness and mitzvot could directly precipitate the Messianic era. This approach placed a greater emphasis on human agency in bringing about redemption, contrasting with earlierJewish traditions that, while acknowledging that human merit could hasten the Messiah’s arrival, ultimately regarded its timing as determined by divine will.[13][14]
The event that marked the start of the building of the messianic era was destruction of the2nd Temple by theRomans in 70 CE and by subsequent times of the exile. They last until today. According to Yehuda Leib Schapiro, dean of the Yeshiva Gedola Rabbinical College of Greater Miami, what was old had to be destroyed to give room to the construction of theNew Messianic Temple and to the future revelation ofHa-Shem that will surpass anything which is known until now. That is the meaning of the festival ofTisha B'Av.[15]
TheArizal teaches that the 7 Nations inPentateuch[16] are 10: he includes also the Kenites and“the Mixed Multitude, [they] were the "Egyptians" [and others] that accompanied the Jewish peoples on their exodus from Egypt. Since their motives for conversion were not pure”.[17] The Arizal has “a vision” about 2 people of the Kenites. The peoples of Amaleck are not really identified because that of Seir is about the Hittites, i.e.Edom, “Rome”; this is not clear today because the exegesis of 70 Nations of Bible is the best in the Rabbanut-view, so it can’t be explained other.
Christian understanding of the messianic age heavily depends onJewish Scriptures, especiallythe prophets. The characteristic of the messianic age, as shown in the Scriptures, was to be an extraordinary outpouring of theSpirit on all people. It should bring themspecial gifts and charisms. Most eminent prophecies are found in theBook of Zechariah 4:6b; 6:8 and theBook of Joel 3:1-2 (cf. Nb 11:29).Acts of the Apostles refer to them proclaiming that the word of the prophets was made flesh in Jesus on the day ofPentecost. Now, "he has received from theFather the Holy spirit, who was promised." (Acts 2:16-21.17.33) According toIsaiah, the messianic age was to have its anointed leader, the Messiah, who would be filled with the gifts of the spirit to be able to accomplish hissaving work. (Is 11:1-3; 42:1; 61:1; see also Mt 3:16)[18]
Jesus usedmiracles to convince people that he was inaugurating the messianic age. (cf. Mt 12:28). Scholars have described Jesus' miracles as establishingthe kingdom during his lifetime.[19]
According to theBook of Ezekiel, apart from bestowing special charismatic gifts, the Spirit would build the messianic age in the hearts of people by exercising their inward renewal resulting in exceptional adherence to the Law of God (cf. Ezk 11:19; 36:26-27; 37:14; Ps 51:12-15; Is 32:15-19; Zc 12:10). According to theBook of Jeremiah, messianic times would be sealed by thenew covenant, final and eternal one, written ″on their hearts″ (Jr 31:31).Paul spoke about that new covenant in hisSecond Epistle to the Corinthians 3:6.Isaiah used the image of the life-giving water "poured out on the thirsty soil". People, "like willows on the banks of a stream" would have access to the Spirit which would enable them to bring fruits of integrity and holiness (Is 44:3) TheGospel of John would refer to that in the meeting of Jesus withthe Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob: "the water that I shall give will become a spring of water within, welling up for eternal life." (Jn 4:14) Ezekiel would say that the holiness of the people would in turn be met by special love, favour and protection from God: "I will make a covenant of peace" and "set up my sanctuary among them for ever." (Ezk 37:24; 39:29)[18]
Christian eschatology points out to gradual character of the Messianic Age. According torealized eschatology, the Messianic Era, a time of universal peace and brotherhood on the earth, without crime, war and poverty, to some extent, is already here. With thecrucifixion of Jesus the Messianic Era had begun, but according toinaugurated eschatology it will be completed and brought to perfection by theparousia of Christ.[20]
In the past, the messianic age was sometimes interpreted in terms ofMillenarianism. TheBook of Revelation 20:2-3 gives an image of a 1000-year period in whichSatan is to be bound so that he cannot influence those living on the Earth, and Jesus Christ will reign on the Earth withresurrected saints. After that Satan will be defeated once and for all, the Earth and heaven will pass away, and people will facejudgment by Jesus Christ to determine whether or not they will enter the new heaven and earth that will be established. (Revelation 21)
According to theNicene Creed (381), professed by mostChristians, after hisascension,enthronement at theRight hand of God, the time will come when Jesus willreturn to fully establish theKingdom of God of theWorld to Come.
Members ofthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that after thesecond coming of Jesus, there will be a 1000-year period of peace on the Earth where Jesus reigns as king. Their beliefs of this time are very similar to the beliefs of Judaism and mainstream Christianity, but have a few additional thoughts:
We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of theTen Tribes; thatZion (theNew Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.
— Articles of Faith 1:10)
During this time:
TheQuran states thatJesus was theMessiah and prophet sent to the Jews.[Quran 3:45] Muslims believe he is alive in Heaven, and will return to Earth to defeat theAl-Masih ad-Dajjal, an anti-messiah comparable to the Christian concept ofAntichrist. It is disputed whether Isa's Messianic age will be for 40 days or for 40 years.
Ahadith inAbu Dawud (37:4310) says:
Narrated Abu Hurayrah: The Prophet said: There is no prophet between me and him, that is, Jesus. He will descend (to the earth). When you see him, recognise him: a man of medium height, reddish hair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight for the cause of Islam. He will break thecross, kill the swine, and put an end to war (in another tradition, there is the wordJizyah instead of Harb (war), meaning that he will abolish jizyah); God will perish all religions except Islam. He [Jesus] will destroy the Antichrist who will live on the earth for forty days and then he will die. The Muslims will pray behind him.
BothSunni andShia Muslims agree theMahdi will arrive first, and after him, Jesus. Jesus will proclaim that the true leader is the Mahdi. A war, literallyjihad (Jihade Asghar) will be fought, the Dajjal against the Mahdi and Jesus. This war will mark the approach of the coming of theLast Day. After Jesus slays the Dajjāl at the Gate of Lud, he will bear witness and reveal that Islam is the true and final word from Allah to humanity asYusuf Ali's translation reads:[Quran 4:159 (Translated by Yusuf Ali)]
And there is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness against them.― (159)
He will live for several years, marry, have children, and will be buried in the fourth spot next to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and the first two caliphsAbu Bakr andOmar under theGreen Dome in theMasjid Nabawi, Medina.[21]
A hadith inSahih Bukhari (Sahih al-Bukhari, 4:55:658) says:
Allah's Apostle said "How will you be when the son of Mary descends amongst you and your Imam is from amongst you."
Very few scholars outside of mainstream Islam reject all the quotes (hadith) attributed to Muhammad that mention the second return of Jesus, the Dajjal and Imam Mahdi, believing that they have no Quranic basis. However, Quran emphatically rejects the implication of termination of Jesus' life when he was allegedly crucified. Yusuf Ali's translation reads:
That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah";― but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not. (157) Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise. (158)[Quran 4:157–158]
So Peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again).[Quran 19:33]
Many classical commentators such asIbn Kathir,At-Tabari,al-Qurtubi,Suyuti, al-Undlusi (Bahr al-Muhit), Abu al-Fadl al-Alusi (Ruh al-Maani) clearly mention that suraaz-Zukhruf verse 43:61 of the Quran refers to the descent of Jesus before the Day of Resurrection, indicating that Jesus would be the Sign that the Hour is close.
And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of) the Hour (of Judgment): therefore have no doubt about the (Hour)...[Quran 43:61]
InAhmadiyya, the present age (the Messianic age) has been a witness to the wrath of God with the occurrence of the World Wars and the frequency of natural disasters.[22] In Ahmadiyya,Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (d.1908) is seen as thepromised Messiah whose teachings will establish spiritual reform and ultimately establish an age of peace upon earth. This age continues for around a thousand years as per Judeo-Christian prophecies; and is characterised by the assembling of mankind under one faith as per Ahmadiyya belief.[23]
The teachings of chassidus look beyond the surface of the terrible destruction of the Holy Temple and the subsequent exile, which we mourn during the 3 weeks, and finds the hidden good embedded inside — offering insight into why they'll ultimately be transformed into joyous holidays in the times of Moshiach.
