Question:
I recently read about the Temple Mount and the return of the Messiah,
they said He was called Meshiach ben David, do you know what they are
saying? Of course I know the true Messiah is Jesus Christ the Son of
God. Thanks
Response:
By the phrase "Meshiach ben David" they are saying in Hebrew "The Messiah [who is] the Son of David". Orthodox Jews, at any rate, are looking forward to the return of the Messiah, and have been since before our Lord's day. This is at least a part of the desire to return to Jerusalem to await His coming. Of course, they do not accept that the Messiah has already come once, and that He had to come twice, not only for the glorious liberation of the Jewish people (the Second Advent) but first and fundamentally for the glorious liberation of all mankind from sin and death by being judged in our place and dying for us, a prophecy well documented in the Old Testament (e.g., Gen.3:15; Ps.22; Is.52:13 - 53:12, etc.).
Meshiach means "anointed One", and God's promises to David leave no doubt about the fact that He will be David's Son (cf. 2Sam.7:1-16). But those who believe in the Second Advent without the First Advent inevitably have tripped over the "stone of stumbling" (Ps.118:22-23; Is.8:14; 28:16; cf. Matt.21:42-44), and have failed, among other things, to realize that they have not really understood who this Messiah is. Jesus made this very clear when He asked the Pharisees in regard to Psalm 110 how David's Son could also be David's Lord (Matt.22:41-46). They were not able to answer and neither are those who are waiting for One they really do not know. But on that future day, when they do look upon "Him whom they have pierced" (Zech.12:10; Rev.1:7), there will be a mass conversion on the part of many whose hearts are now hardened against accepting Jesus as the Messiah He is, and "thus shall all Israel be saved" (Rom.11:25-27). All who love Israel look forward to that glorious day. In the meantime, it is important for all true Christians to remember that God loves and protects Israel "like the apple of His eye" (Zech.2:8). Therefore we need always to be careful to adopt an attitude of love and respect towards those who are Abraham's seed according to the flesh (cf. Rom.3:1-2), even as we continue our spiritual advance as those who are Abraham's seed by faith (Rom.4:1-17). Please see the links: The Uniqueness of Israel, Israel the ultimate measure, and Recognizing the Messiah.
Thanks be to God for His perfect, unsearchable ways!
Yours in Him for whom we wait and whom we truly know, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Bob Luginbill