Waiting For The Messiah

From the website JewishRoots.Net

Are We Commanded By The Bible
To Wait And Look Forward To End Time Events?

From The Bible:

Both the Old Testament and the New Testament teach about waiting, watching and Praying for the coming Messianic Redemption.

Old Testament Reference:

“For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay (Habakkuk 2:3).

“Therefore wait for Me,” declares the Lord, “For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All My burning anger; For all the earth will be devoured By the fire of My zeal (Zephaniah 3:8).

New Testament Reference: Those who read, hear and apply the End Time teachings of the Book of Revelation are promised a blessing by God. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near (Revelation 1:3).

Do Commentators Teach That It Is Good To Look Forward To End Time Events

Maimonides (Rambam)

“Whoever does not believe in him (Messiah), or does not await his coming, denies not only the other prophets but also the Torah and Moses, our teacher, for the Torah attests to his coming.” (1)

In his Thirteen Articles Of Faith,http://jewishroots.net/library/prayer/thirteen-articles-of-faith.html Maimonides reflects on this issue in article #12 which states "I firmly believe in the coming of the Messiah; and although He may tarry, I daily hope for His coming." This principle was put into the form of a prayer (Yigdal), often said each morning which reads; "By the End of Days He will send our Messiah, to redeem those longing for His final salvation." (2)

Rambam thus rules that whoever does not believe in and whoever does not await (eagerly looking forward to) - the coming of Messiah, in effect denies the whole Torah, and all the prophets beginning with Moses. (4)

Rambam views believing in the coming of the Messiah and waiting for the coming of the Messiah as two separate concepts. "To believe" is a doctrinal affirmation of the Torah, believing that Messiah will come, whenever that may occur. "To await" means an active and eager anticipation of the redemption. It means we are to be of the mind set that we await for him each and every day.(4)

Talmud: why do we await it? — To be rewarded [for hoping], as it is written, blessed are all they that wait for him.

Praying For The Coming Of The Messiah:

Maimonides 13 articles of faith (the Yigdal) is said daily.

From the Amidah - Shemoneh Esrei: As an aid to remind Jews to await Messiah's coming every day, this prayer (the Amidah) is to be said three times a day. In the prayer 18 Blessings (the Amidah), the 15th blessing reads "The offspring of Your servant David may You speedily cause to flourish, and enhance his pride through Your salvation, for we hope for Your salvation all day long. Blessed are You, Hashem, Who causes the pride of salvation to flourish." (5)

Prayers for the coming of Messiah are said daily. One reason may be that Malachi teaches that when the Messiah comes, He will come suddenly, perhaps even the same day the prayer is said. “Behold, I am going to send My messenger. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come...(Mal. 3:1).

Miscellaneous:

To learn how the Biblical Prophets saw the Messiah please view the Master Prophecy Page. http://jewishroots.net/master-pages-new/mp-prophecy.htm

Acknowledgments:

1).Hilchos Melachim from the Mishneh Torah of the Rambam, 11:1.

2).The Complete Artscroll Siddur p.15.

3).Talmud Sanhedrin 97b.

4).Mashiach; The Principle of Mashiach and the Messianic Era in Jewish Law and Tradition by Jacob Immanuel Schochet p.51-52

5).The Complete Artscroll Siddur p.109.