MESSIAHS

SAVIOURS AND ANOINTED

The word for savior in Hebrew is “Moshee’a’ah” which means “deliverer.” The word for “anointed” in Hebrew is “Mash’akh” which means “smeared” (with oil). The Greek Septuagint combined both meanings and came up with the Greek word, Messiah. Therefore, to be the Jewish Messiah, one has to be a DELIVERER (Savior), and one has to be ANOINTED with oil, and one major event must happen during the messiah's time on earth – there must be peace in Israel. Jews have always believed that the “Savior of Israel” would be a man of flesh and blood like themselves that would deliver them out of oppression, pain and suffering. There have been “saviors and “deliverers” throughout the history of Israel and many were even crucified on the cross.

Moses could be called the Savior as he delivered the Hebrews out of bondage. Aaron may have even anointed him. Moses fits the role of the messiah.

King David and King Hezekiah could also be called the Savior as they both were anointed and there was peace in the land. Hezekiah also saved Judah from its enemies when Jerusalem was in peril of being destroyed. They were both called “the King of the Jews.” They also fit being called the Jewish messiah.

Cyrus, the King of Persia, a non-Jew was called the “mash'aka” by God, according to Isaiah when he wrote: “Thus said the Lord to his 'mash'aka (anointed), to Cyrus” (Isaiah 45:1). Jeremiah also told that Cyrus was commissioned by God to go to Jerusalem and build the Second Temple. Cyrus + anointed = messiah.

Judah Maccabee delivered his people from oppression by leading a successful revolt against Greek/Syria. The Maccabee families ruled over Israel for over two hundred and fifty years and there was peace in the land. And Maccabee priests were all anointed. Judah Maccabee also qualifies to be the Jewish messiah.

Theudas considered himself a prophet like Moses and a would-be Messiah. He is mentioned in Acts 5:36 and Josephus ( Antiquities, 20:97) In the year 44 C.E., his rebel army was defeated by Rome and he too died on the cross.

Judas of Galilee led a Jewish uprising against Rome in 6 C.E. Mentioned in Acts 5:37 and Josephus (Wars, 2:118 -rebel patriarch) He tried to deliver the Jewish people out of harsh Roman rule, and he and his followers called Judas of Galilee the Savior, the Messiah whom they needed so badly. He died on the cross.

Benjamin the Egyptian appeared mysteriously between the year 55-60 C.E. as a Messiah-warrior. He is mentioned in Acts 21 (An Unnamed Egyptian Jew) and in Josephus (War 2.261263 Ant. 20.171). He sparked once more the fire of revolt against Rome and proclaimed himself the Messiah –”the anointed of the Lord.” He too was crucified and died on the Cross.

Menachem, the grandson of Judas the Galilean appeared in the year 67 C.E. when another war with Rome broke out. He was a fiery zealot leader who proclaimed himself the “Messiah,” and died on the cross.

Simeon Bar Kochba was still another would-be Messiah. By this time, it seems that the classic pattern for being the Messiah had become that he had to be a prophet-warrior. Simeon led the Second Jewish Revolt against Rome in 132 C.E.

That too failed and he was crucified like the rest of the so-called Messiahs. It was Akiba ben Joseph, the most influential of all rabbinical sages, who hailed Simeon Bar Kochba as the “Messiah.” Simeon Bar Kochba had many thousands of followers who believed in him.

Rabbi Akiba ben Josheph based his recognition of him on the Scriptural verse; “There shall come forth a star out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite through the corner of Moab.” The name, Simeon Bar Kochba means “the son of a Star.”

Sabbatai Zevi (1626-1676 C.E.) was a recent so-called messiah when he announced himself as the “messiah ben David.” Everywhere he went; great crowds of hysterical people called him the “Mashiach,” the Lord's Anointed.” He had hundreds of thousands of Jews believing in him and even though his very name is now used as a swear word in Yiddish, there are present-day descendants of Zevi in Turkey.

However, this brings up another important point. How do you or we know that Shabbatai Zvi or Bar Kochva or any of the other Messianic claimants in history aren't going to be brought back by God in a Second Coming to fulfill the prophecies this time around?  Why not accept one of those as the Messiah?

If you allow for the possibility of a second coming, hence allowing for the possibility that someone who didn't fulfill the Messianic prophecies could still be the Messiah, then you open the field up so much that anyone could be the Messiah. 

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