Portents of the Coming of the Messiah in the
Torah and the Bible

The second coming of the Jesus is one of the fundamental beliefs of Christianity. The return to earth of Jesus is revealed in many sections of the Bible, and it is stated that true Christian believers must prepare for that holy day in the best possible manner.

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight… "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:9-10)

While we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our savior, Jesus Christ, (Titus 2:13)

…This will happen when Jesus is revealed from heaven… He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of Jesus. (2 Thessalonians, 1:7-8)

… and he will appear a second time, … to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:28)

Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him… (Revelation 1:7)

The portents of the second coming of Jesus are revealed in the Bible. It is informed in the Bible how Jesus tells his disciples about the portents of his second coming:

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. (Matthew 24:3-5)

"I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He." (John 13:19)

The expectation of the savior Messiah is also one of the fundamental beliefs of Judaism. When we look at Jewish belief, we see that this refers to the coming of the Messiah who will fill the world with justice, silence all wicked peoples and follow behind all nations, a savior known as 'Yahab or Shahab,' the 'Bringer of New Order.'

In the Old Testament (The Torah and the Book of Psalms) a number of features of the awaited Messiah and portents of his coming are given.

When one examines the portents of the coming of the Messiah in the Old and New testaments one sees that before the coming of the Messiah there will be moral and social degeneration, great wars will break out, disasters will inflict terrible suffering, extraordinary events will take place in the sky, people will turn away from the moral values of religion, injustice will spread, true believers will be oppressed and peace and security will be replaced by chaos and anxiety.

In this chapter we shall be looking at the portents of the coming of the Messiah in both books.