Prophetic Hope for the Messiah: The Passion for the Coming of the King
- Pr Enos Mwakalindile
- Jul 1
- 8 min read
A Study Guide on the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
🌿 Hope Hidden in the Darkness
In the Garden of Eden, the first promise was whispered in the shadow of judgment: “The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent’s head” (Genesis 3:15). This promise, known as the Protoevangelium , was the first glimmer of Messianic hope. Israel, in their pain and suffering, lived clinging to that hope like a star hidden in the clouds. Each succeeding generation struggled with the shadow of sin, tyranny, and despair, but their hearts yearned to see the coming of the promised King.
The Basis of That Hope:
The Fall of Man (Genesis 3:6-24) disrupted man's relationship with God. This original sin not only affected mankind but also brought a curse upon the entire world, creating the need for a savior who would restore God's order to His creation.
Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) was not only mankind's rebellion against God and His plan to fill creation with His glory, but also an event that marked the division of the nations and the giving of "sons of God" or gods as their overseers (Deuteronomy 32:8-9; Psalm 82:1-6).
The promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) was the essence of the redemption of all nations, whereby through his seed, all the families of the earth would be blessed. This promise carried the mystery of the Messiah who would be God's means of bringing back to Himself the nations that served other gods.
The Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 3:7-10) was the first clear demonstration of God as a Deliverer intervening in human history to free His people from the slavery of the gods. This physical deliverance was a shadow of the spiritual deliverance that the Messiah would bring from the slavery of sin and the forces of darkness.
The Babylonian exile and even the return from there (Ezra-Nehemiah), was not yet the end of the captivity, for the Kingdom of God had not yet been fully established (Isaiah 52:7-10). Although the people returned physically, they were still spiritually in captivity, awaiting the coming of the Messiah who would fully restore God’s presence and rule among His people.
🚨 The Challenge of Humanity and Theology
Throughout history, the hope of God’s return as King was fueled by the realities of sorrow, doubt, and longing (Psalm 130:5-6). While the prophets preached hope, the people continued to be discouraged and to wonder if God would ever intervene (Isaiah 40:27; Malachi 2:17). The people needed true comfort and assurance of God’s promises (Jeremiah 33:14). In their pain, they held onto those promises as a source of unfailing hope (Romans 15:4). The reality of pain and unanswered questions:
Isaiah 7:14 : This prophecy of the birth of Emmanuel shows how God himself, through the virgin birth, enters human history to deliver them from rebellion and fear. It is a unique announcement of God taking on flesh and coming among his people as a sign of hope and salvation (Matthew 1:23).
Isaiah 9:6-7 : The promised child is not an ordinary person but a wonder because his names reveal a divine identity: Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting God, Prince of Peace. This identity is a manifestation of the righteous and peaceful reign of the Messiah, who will end violence and usher in an era of everlasting righteousness (Luke 1:32-33).
Ezekiel 34:23-24 : God promises to raise up one shepherd, like David, to shepherd his sheep with justice and mercy. This is a picture of the Messiah who will be the true God’s messenger, restoring spiritual and righteous leadership to his scattered people (John 10:11).
Micah 5:2 : Although Bethlehem is a small village, it is the place where God has chosen to give birth to the eternal King whose origin is from eternity. This proves God’s wisdom in choosing smallness to bring about great glory and teaches us that the Messiah does not come in pride but in humility with eternal authority (Matthew 2:5-6).
But time passed. Israel was ruled by many kingdoms: Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. They cried out: “How long, O Lord?” (Psalm 13:1; Habakkuk 1:2).
⚡ Interpretation Conflict: Who is the Messiah?
When Jesus came, views on the promised Messiah were divided:
Warrior Messiah : Many expected a Messiah who would lead a political revolution against Roman rule, using the example of heroes like Judas Maccabee in Jewish history (Matthew 21:9; John 6:15).
Spiritual Messiah : Some saw the Messiah as the eternal High Priest, fulfilling the Levitical priesthood in a more spiritual way, as in the book of Hebrews' view of Christ as the new mediator (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:17).
Prophetic Messiah : Another group looked to him as a new prophet like Moses, who would stand as the voice of God to his people, as indicated in the promise of Deuteronomy and confirmed in Peter's sermon (Deuteronomy 18:15-18; Acts 3:22).
But Jesus came contrary to their expectations, fulfilling royal, priestly, and prophetic roles in an unexpected way:
As King , He was born humbly in Bethlehem (Luke 2:4–7), fulfilling Micah 5:2, and entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:5), demonstrating a new kind of rule that was not violent but peaceful (Matthew 11:29).
As High Priest , He came not to offer animal sacrifices but to offer Himself as the final sacrifice for the sins of all mankind (Isaiah 53:5; Hebrews 9:11–14), opposing the tradition of the priestly system by bringing people directly to God (John 14:6).
As a Prophet , he preached to the poor and the downtrodden (Isaiah 61:1–2; Luke 4:18), revealing God’s will to them and announcing the coming of the Kingdom of God through acts of mercy and justice (Matthew 5:1–12).
In his death , he fulfilled all three ministries together: as the King who conquered on the cross (John 19:19), the Priest who made atonement (Hebrews 10:10–14), and the Prophet who spoke the truth to the end (Matthew 26:63–64).
According to NT Wright, Jesus’ declaration that “My kingdom is not of this world” shows that Jesus did not renounce his rule, but rather proclaimed a new kind of God’s rule established here on earth through self-sacrificing love, restorative forgiveness, and true justice that overcomes evil with good (John 18:36). For Wright, this is a Kingdom that is opposed to the world system because it is built not by the sword but by the cross—and that is the foundation of Jesus’ gospel (Matthew 5:3-10; Luke 17:20-21; John 12:31-33).
🌈 Gospel Solution: Jesus is the Answer to God's Promises
Jesus fulfilled all the promises in an unexpected but perfect way:
His Birth : By being born of a virgin, Jesus fulfilled the promise of Immanuel – God with us – revealing that God himself entered human history not in tyrannical power but in humility to become a redeemer (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22–23).
His Life : Through his life filled with mercy, truth, and acts of compassion, Jesus revealed the nature of God in a living and intimate way, demonstrating God's grace that reaches out to the needy and sinners (John 1:14; Luke 7:22).
His death : Jesus' death on the cross was the culmination of God's love and the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy about the Servant of the Lord, who bore the sins of the world to bring about eternal reconciliation (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).
His Resurrection : By being raised from the dead, Jesus was vindicated as the Son of God by power and overcoming the power of death, opening the door to eternal life for all believers (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31–36; Romans 1:4).
His Exaltation : When Jesus was exalted and sat at the right hand of God, he was glorified as Lord and eternal High Priest, ruling in the Kingdom of God and interceding for his people forever (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:3; 7:25).
Therefore, all the promises of God have become "yes" in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). Jesus is not only the Messiah of Israel, but the hope of the whole world (John 3:16).
🚤 Living as People of Prophetic Hope for the Messiah
Since the prophetic hope for the Messiah is fulfilled in Jesus, we are called to live as people of the Kingdom:
Praying with passion : "Your kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10) is a call for every believer to participate fervently in desiring and praying for God's reign to be manifested in the world, not by weapons but by justice, peace, and the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
Meditating on Scripture : By meditating on the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms, seeing Jesus as their fulfillment (Luke 24:44-47), we participate in understanding God's plan and build our faith on the foundation of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
Preaching the Good News : Christ's command to proclaim the Gospel to all nations (Matthew 28:18-20) makes us partners in God's plan to bring about the reconciliation of the whole world through Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
Waiting with hope : Our hope in the glorious return of the Messiah (Acts 1:11; Revelation 22:20) teaches us to live faithfully, eagerly awaiting the day of the Lord while doing good as witnesses of the coming Kingdom (Titus 2:13-14).
Walk slowly through Luke 1–4 this week. Notice how the prophetic hope is fulfilled in Jesus.
🤝 Alcohol Theology Questions
Q: Why was the Messiah born in humility instead of power?
A: To fulfill Isaiah 53: A Messiah of suffering, not of earthly power (Luke 24:26).
Q: Why is there still suffering if the Messiah has already come?
A: Because we live between "already" and "not yet" (Romans 8:18-25). The kingdom has begun but is not yet complete.
Q: Is Jesus really King now?
A: Yes. He sits at the right hand of the Father, ruling through the Holy Spirit and His Church (Acts 2:33-36).
📚 References for Information
1. NT Wright – Jesus and the Victory of God (1996). Wright explains how Jesus fulfilled the promises of the prophets through the message of the Kingdom of God, explaining that Jesus came not only as a spiritual deliverer but as the fulfiller of Israel’s story (see chapters 6-10). This has greatly influenced the presentation of Jesus as the historical and prophetic Messiah in this article.
2. Richard Bauckham – Jesus and the God of Israel (2008). Bauckham suggests that early Christians saw Jesus as within the identity of the God of Israel, not in opposition to Jewish monotheism but within it. This concept of 'divine identity' best describes Jesus' relationship with God as the fulfillment of all promises (see chapters 1 and 6).
3. Matthew Thiessen – Jesus and the Forces of Death (2020). Thiessen explains how Jesus’ ministry was in direct contact with ritual impurity to illustrate the restoration of creation through the Messiah. This helps to explain Jesus’ role as the High Priest who breaks down the barriers between the holy and the profane (see chapters 2 and 5).
4. Ellen G. White – The Desire of Ages (1898). White describes the life of Jesus from a spiritual and historical perspective, showing in detail how humble yet powerful Jesus was, and how he revealed himself as the hope of all people. This description has contributed to the writing of the parts of Jesus’ birth, suffering, and triumph.
5. David Clark – On Earth as in Heaven (2022). Clark analyzes the Lord’s Prayer in a Jewish and Christian context, showing that the request “Thy kingdom come” is a call to share in God’s work on earth. This is included in the section “Living as the People of Promise” as a practical invitation to prophetic hope.
6. Tim Mackie (BibleProject videos, articles, and podcast). Mackie offers a structural and liturgical perspective on how the Bible constructs the story of the Kingdom of God, sin, and redemption. His influence lies in the way this passage traces the biblical story as part of a larger story of God (meta-narrative).
🙌 Blessing of Fasting
"Lord of promise, as we eagerly await you, Behold Bethlehem - the beginning of hope, Behold Calvary - the triumph of mercy, Behold the New Heaven - the fulfillment of promise. Come Lord Jesus, Messiah of the nations." (Revelation 22:20)
💬 Invitation to Join
What has struck you most about the prophetic hope for the Messiah? Write a short reflection: "I see Jesus as the Messiah because..." or share your thoughts below.
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