Jewish Theology, Systematically and Historically ConsideredKohler, Kaufmann
Religion
Jewish Theology, Systematically and Historically Considered
Kohler, Kaufmann
Judaism -- Doctrines
2. This Messianic hope, on closer analysis, reveals two elements, both of
prophetic origin: one national, the other religious and universal. The
latter is the logical outcome of the monotheism of the great exilic seer,
who based his stirring pictures of the glorious future of Israel upon the
all-encompassing knowledge of God possessed by the Chosen People. The
classic expression of this hope appears in Isaiah II, 1-4, and Micah IV,
1-14: “And it shall come to pass in the end of days, that the mountain of
the Lord’s house shall be established as the top of the mountains, and
shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And
many peoples shall go and say: ‘Come ye and let us go up to the mountain
of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His
ways, and we will walk in His paths,’ for out of Zion shall go forth the
law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And He shall judge between
the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their
swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation
shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any
more.” We note, indeed, that no reference to the Messiah or a king of the
house of David appears either in this passage or any of the prophecies of
Deutero-Isaiah. Justice and peace for all humanity are expected through
the reign of God alone. The specific Messianic character of this prophecy
took shape only in its association with the older national hope, voiced by
the prophet Isaiah.
3. The real Messianic hope involved the reëstablishment of the throne of
David, and was expressed most perfectly in the words of Isaiah: “And there
shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a twig shall grow
forth out of his roots. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. And his delight shall
be in the fear of the Lord; and he shall not judge after the sight of his
eyes, neither decide after the hearing of his ears; but with righteousness
shall he judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the land;
and he shall smite the land with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath
of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the
girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. And the
wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the
kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a
little child shall lead them.... They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My
holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord,
as the waters cover the sea.”(1199)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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