Messianic Judaism — The Future
The biblical prophets taught about a future time when peace will reign on earth, prosperity will abound, and the knowledge of God will saturate humankind. The Messiah himself will usher in this era, defeat Israel’s enemies, gather the Jewish people from the ends of the earth, resurrect the dead, and establish his throne in Jerusalem.
The Jewish sages often refer to this period as yemot hamashiach, which means “the days of Messiah” or “the Messianic Era.” Yeshua of Nazareth referred to it as malchut shamayim, “the Kingdom of Heaven.” He did not mean a kingdom in heaven; in Jewish culture “Heaven” is common terminology for God. This refers to the age when God’s kingship will be openly revealed to all. “And the LORD will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name one.” (Zechariah 14:9)
In the generation before the destruction of the second Temple, Yeshua perceived that the world stood at a crossroads. The generation was guilty of wrongdoing such as baseless hatred, evil speech, and lack of compassion. If the Jewish people at that time could overcome these ills through repentance, they were poised to enter the Kingdom immediately; if not, destruction would come.
This Messianic Era was delayed, and the Jewish people experienced a time of exile lasting for millennia. Yeshua’s teachings provide the keys to ending the exile once and for all and experiencing the ultimate redemption.
In the meantime, Yeshua formed a community of followers whose reality is not defined by the present but by the ultimate future. In the words of Paul Philip Levertoff, we “live now for the realization of this Messianic Age.”
When we refer to Messianic Judaism, the word “Messianic” is not simply a Hebrew-based way to say “Christian.” Proper Messianic Judaism is the Judaism of the Messianic Era, practiced today.
In the Messianic Era, knowledge of God will be universal. Peace will prevail as love and brotherhood fill our hearts. The needy will be cared for, and suffering will be alleviated. All mankind will keep God’s commandments; the Sabbath and Jewish holidays will mark time for the whole world.
These facets of the Messianic Era should be common within the Messianic Jewish community. Wherever we go, they should be visible in our wake. We have a long road ahead of us in seeing this happen.
The vision of Vine of David is long-term. We are working toward and anticipating a thriving and mature Messianic Jewish community for our children and grandchildren.
Vine of David strives to see the Messianic Kingdom come. Our purpose is to equip and inspire the revolutionary movement of devoted disciples of Yeshua. We do this by providing education, resources, and practical support that enable the Messianic Jewish community to fulfill their calling—the realization of the Messianic Age.
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Vine of David produces legacy literature and educational resources that bring honor to Messianic Judaism, urging our movement forward to a new level of Jewish connectedness.
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