The Messiah
The Hebrew word mashiach (or moshiach) refers to the Jewish idea of the Messiah. Like the English word messiah, mashiach means anointed.
The Jewish Messiah refers to a human leader, physically descended from the Davidic line, who will rule and unite the people of Israel and will usher in the Messianic Age of global and universal peace. While the name of Jewish Messiah is considered to be one of the things that precede creation, he is not considered to be divine nor is he considered to be Jesus, in sharp contrast to Christian belief.
In biblical times the title mashiach was awarded for somebody in a high position of nobility and greatness. For example, Cohen ha-Mašíaḥ means High Priest. In the Talmudic era the title mashiach or מלך המשיח, Méleḫ ha-Mašíaḥ (in the Tiberian vocalization pronounced Méleḵ haMMāšîªḥ), literally meaning "the anointed King", is referred to the human Jewish leader and king who will redeem Israel in the end of days and who will usher in a messianic era of peace and prosperity for both the living and the deceased.
Read more about this topic: Jewish Eschatology
Famous quotes containing the word messiah:
“The Old Testament teems with prophecies of the Messiah, but nowhere is it intimated that that Messiah is to stand as a God to be worshipped. He is to bring peace on earth, to build up the waste places—to comfort the broken-hearted, but nowhere is he spoken of as a deity.”
—Olympia Brown (1835–1900)
“Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly.”
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 1:18,19.