The line of King David and the next Messiah

[kattey]

As I understand it, the expected Jewish Messiah will not be divine but will be a descendent of King David.  We Know Jesus was a descendent of David but how do modern Jews know if they are descended from David?  It's said this Messiah will also rebuild the Temple Mount, which could be soon if an earthquake hits.

We know descendents of Aaron are in the priestly line and have a last name of Cohen.  Can descendents of Aaron also be part of the King David line?

Do you think Sasha Baron Cohen would have a shot at being the Messiah?  Okay, that's stupid but I couldn't help it...

[Steve McAllister]

Kattey,

It would be great to have a handle on the messianic understandings and expectations across history, from that of the proto-evangel, the patriarchs, the exodus period, to the Roman periods, through today. I wish I had the time and particular language skills to dive in. But the results would help illuminate the OT and NT, as well as comment on the 'theological changes' (if any) of the work of the Masoretes (and thus the MT). Perhaps this also keys into the theology of ancient Mesopotamia--in the context of parallel Biblical and Akkadian/Sumerian accounts.

Speaking of messiah and the end times, the idea of an earthquake changing the temple mount and 'allowing' a new temple to be built, would be a very 'God like' method for removing current obstacles and moving events forward. This would make the 'messiah' attractive to both the Jews and Muslims--thus allowing the short period of 'peace' spoken of by Scripture. I had never thought of that, very insightful idea.

Steve

[kattey]

Steve, thanks for the info.   I wonder what a new Jewish Temple will look like.  The one Herod built was a tourist attraction with people from all over the known world visiting.

 

[Elijah]

Many forget that jesus was rejected the way David was rejected. Saul who was chosen by Samuel as a good selection then later became a bad selection so that David was chosen by the innocent and zeal he proved to have. But as such he was then chased by Saul to snuff him out. So too Jesus learned well how to be like David in flight as his enemies from high priest to king Herod surrounded him. I am not of the belief that God has it all laid out in detail from Adam to now, but rather that he plays a chess game whose moves must be altered when men of Satan do not cooperate with Satan and men of God are not allowing motivation to act for God. It is not easy to see if something we feel we should do is right or wrong. Pharisee Saul honestly felt that killing Stephen was the right thing for the people to do; yet most of our christian bible is now written by him as Paul. Thus I think it clear that as God YHWH worked with the kings of Judah despite every grandson being evil and those between alternating as good, it proves that the good trickles thru to produce a hope or promise that someone does and will see God. Thus making issues of what prophecies must happen is not a solution. In the end of the matter, we will look back at the savior of us thru armageddon and we will apply those prophesies to him/her/them in what ever way they can be applied or interpreted to fit. The fact will remain we were saved and there is no one else to give the Messiah Christ credit to but that one.