How Can Jesus Be The Messiah If He Hasn't Established Peace?
The Bible clearly lay out two "missions" for the Messiah.
1) He was to die for the sins of the people
2) He was to establish an everlasting kingdom
That he would die for the sins of the people is found in Daniel 9:6:
"And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself. And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary."
That he would establish an everlasting kingdom of peace is found in Isaiah 9:6:
"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; And the government will be
upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it
and establish it with judgment and justice."
These two missions are so clear that many Jews adopted a "two Messiah" theory which
says there would be two Messiahs -- a Son of Joseph who would be the suffering Messiah
and a Son of David who would rule forever.
The problem with this view is that while the Son of David is found throughout Scripture,
nowhere is a Son of Joseph found. So one Messiah would better fit with scripture.
So the Messiah was to die for the sins of the people and establish everlasting peace.
In order for one Messiah to complete these two missions which one would have to
be fulfill first? Obviously He'd have to die first because if He died after the
kingdom was established it wouldn't be everlasting. To do this He would have to
be resurrected. That's exactly what Psalm 22:10 says would happen:
"For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see
corruption."
Jesus died for the sins of the people and was resurrected but He didn't establish
this kingdom directly after His resurrection because the Jews had rejected Him (Which
is a fulfillment of Isaiah 53:3). Matthew 23: 37-39 explains:
"Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent
to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her
chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!
See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more
till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'"
When will they say "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD"? This will
happen at the end of the Great Tribulation. Then the Jewish people will recognize
Jesus as Messiah. See Hosea 5:15:
"I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will
seek My face. In their affliction they will earnestly seek Me."
And when they earnestly seek Him Hosea 6:1-2 says He will return:
"Come, and let us return to the LORD. For He has torn, but He will heal us. He has
stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us. On the third
day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight."
At the end of the Great Tribulation, the Jewish people will accept Jesus as Messiah.
He will then return and establish His everlasting kingdom of peace where "the tabernacle
of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God
Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away
every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.
There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.
Then He who sits on the throne will say, "Behold, I make all things new (Revelation
21:3-5)