Footsteps of Messiah

The following quote is attributed to David Ben-Gurion, the first Prime Minister of the nation of Israel: “Ezekiel 37 has been fulfilled and the nation of Israel is hearing the footsteps of the Messiah.” He was referring to the twentieth century nation of Israel formed on May 14, 1948 when Jewish people from around the globe were being physically reunited in the Biblical lands of their patriarch Abraham.

Part of the Old Testament prophecy from Ezekiel 37 that Ben Gurion was referring to says, “Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel” Ezekiel 27:21-22 ESV (English Standard Version).

Those who call themselves Christians accept the historical Jesus who was born into a Jewish family in the town of Bethlehem as the Messiah anointed by God to come to earth to become the substitute sacrifice for sin. For Christians this was Jesus’ first coming into the world. They are now awaiting His second.

Although there are various schools of thought on the time table for when certain second-coming prophesied events will take place, Christians believe Christ Jesus will come back suddenly from the heavens returning to earth on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem.

When we speak of modern Israel, we have to be careful to recognize the political entity of the Jewish state called Israel as separate from the religious Israel made up of those believers in the nation who espouse the Jewish faith. Just as there are many denominations within the Christian faith, there are different divisions among those practicing the Jewish religion. Among these are orthodox and non-orthodox and other categorizations of Jewish identity. Also adding to the complexity of the diversity of Israel is that people of many ethnicities and religious faiths live there in addition to whomever we might call Jews. These include Arab Muslims and others who practice the Islamic faith.

Prime Minister Ben-Gurion made the above statement that he believed the prophesy of Ezekiel 37 had been fulfilled with Israel’s becoming a political nation in 1945. And because of that fulfillment he believed the coming of the Messiah was imminent. For Ben-Gurion and for persons espousing the Jewish faith then and now, this was to be the first coming of the Messiah. So, to them, Jesus of the New Testament was not the Messiah.

There is, however, at least one thing that Christians and those adhering to the Jewish faith agree upon. And it is that the Messiah is coming. Jews are awaiting His first coming. Christians are waiting too. But they are waiting for what they view as the Messiah’s second coming.

I have turned my reflections on the subject of the coming of the Messiah into a poem of prophesy:

FOOTSTEPS OF MESSIAH

Do you hear the footsteps
Of Messiah drawing near?
Have you turned to listen
Before His face appears?
Wipe away your fears and doubts;
There’s joy when you believe.
These times of trials point the way
To God’s great jubilee!

Footsteps of Messiah
Leave their print on Zion’s sand
God’s people reunited
Know His coming is at hand.
Footsteps of Messiah
Can be heard above’s earth’s roar
For the clock of all the ages
Strikes with footsteps of the Lord.

Messiah’s footsteps:
Stop and listen while you can.
Messiah’s footsteps:
Don’t ignore God’s final plan.

Did you hear His footsteps
Long ago on Calv’ry’s road?
Did you see salvation’s plan
Before your eyes unfold?
He wiped away your guilt and shame,
Brought joy so full and free.
Now once again He beckons you
To listen and believe.

Footsteps of Messiah
Leave their print on Zion’s sand.
God’s people reunited
Know His coming is at hand.
Footsteps of Messiah
Can be heard above’s earth’s roar
For the Clock of All the Ages
Strikes with footsteps of the Lord.