The Return of Y'shua and Psalms 110: Understanding Y'shua as Cohen Gadol and Moshiach

As I often say, it is very important to always be on the lookout for new Light! When I discover -- or it is pointed out to me -- that my views are incorrect I gladly update them. This is very important to do for those who wish to be accurate in their beliefs. None of us have all knowledge! There is always new Light to be realized. Here's a case in point:

For years I have said that no verse in the Tanakh ("Old Testament") foretells two advents or "comings" for the messiah. My regular readers will recall my saying that no doubt. Indeed, this is one of the best arguments Judaism has against the claims of Y'shua as Moshiach. How could something this important not be foretold?

It was!

For the past week or two I have been enjoying fascinating discussions on a predominantly Jewish e-list that focuses on disproving Christian views from the Tanakh. In our conversations I had cited Psalm 110 and the reference there to the one "after the order of Melchizedek," generally accepted by Christians as a prophetic reference to Y'shua (Jesus).

I was rather surprised when I was told that that reference was to David, not to the Moshiach. While digging around for evidence that the reference could not possibly be to David (which it can not be) I "stumbled" onto something I had not expected. That "something" is the topic of this new study.

Please let me know what you think about this in the comments section below.

"The Earth Belongs to HaShem and the Fullness Thereof." The Return of Y'shua and Psalms 110: Understanding Y'shua as Cohen Gadol and Moshiach By Ben Ruach HaKodesh (John of AllFaith) 06.22.10 Psalms 110:1 A Psalm of David. HaShem said unto my lord ["adon"], Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 110:2 HaShem shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. 110:4 HaShem hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. 110:5 HaShem at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. 110:6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. 110:7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head. This short Psalm reveals an important insight into Master Y'shua and his ongoing ministry that many people, both Jews and Noahide Nazarenes (as well as Nicene Christians) generally overlook. First we affirm that this is a Psalm of David (not to or about him) as the text clearly says. The Hebrew reads simply: mizmor david: "psalm [of] David" as it is normally translated. The same exact phrase is used in several of his other psalms where David's authorship is not questioned. Every time mizmor david is used it is translated as a Psalm of David and means that he is the author. The authorship of this Psalm is important because it says 'HaShem said to my lord/master..." Whose lord or master determines the context of what is said as we will see. Compare the JPS version on this: The LORD saith unto my lord. Were this written to or about David rather than by him, as some maintain seeking to conceal the real identity, then 'my lord/master' would be referring to David and the meaning would be completely altered. David of course was never a priest in the order of Melchizedek or otherwise (verse 4) and so this can not possibly be referring to him as "my lord." Indeed recall that due to David's indiscretions HaShem had David's son Shlo'mo (Solomon) build the Beit HaMikdash (Temple) rather than David. This Psalm therefore obviously can not be referring to David. it was revealed to him. The only other logical interpretation is that HaShem was saying these things to David's lord (adon). David is saying by way of prophecy that HaShem is revealing what follows to and about his master, the Moshiach. As Noahide Nazarenes we understand this therefore to be a direct reference to the ministry of Master Y'shua and to his two advents or comings. This Psalm then is a prophecy about the Moshiach and includes a very important teaching that is usually missed. HaShem is prophetically telling Master Y'shua, "Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool." From this we therefore perceive a definite time break: Master Y'shua will be (from David's perspective) present in his first advent however then he will have to wait until HaShem vanquishes his enemies as a footstool (verse 1). How will this take place and how long will his wait be? Master Y'shua references this waiting period as follows: Luke 21:24; And they [the Jewish people] shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations [as occurred in 70 CE]: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. How long will these "times of the Gentiles" last? Mark covers this same teaching but records this important point made by the Master: Mark 13:32: But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. So even Y'shua our adon (master) did not know, but there would be a period of waiting. As I discuss elsewhere we have excellent reason to believe that period is almost up! Back now to Psalms 110. Verse 2 tells us that this waiting will continue until HaShem sends the rod of Y'shua's strength out of Zion to rule in the midst of his enemies. There is an important Messianic prophecy referenced here: Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 11:2 And the spirit of HaShem shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of HaShem. This is the "rod that comes out of the stem of Jesse." This is one of the prophecies accepted by Orthodox Judaism as referring to the Moshiach (See Judaism 101: HERE for confirmation of this -- scroll to the bottom of that page for "Isaiah 11"). We see then that Moshiach will come but then wait until HaShem empowers him, as the rod of Jesse, to defeat his enemies. What does Master Y'shua do during the Times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24)? David explains! Psalms 110:4 HaShem hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. For more on the Order of Melchizedek see my study HERE. During this waiting period Y'shua has served HaShem as Cohen Gadol (High Priest) of the entire world! This is confirmed at many places in the B'rit Hadashah scriptures (New Testament), for instance: I Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. See that? "...to be testified in due time." The word testified is marturion and means to present conclusive evidence. After Y'shua gave himself up on the starous (execution stake) he had to wait to be vindicated, to reveal his exonerating evidence to the world. The world will not see this evidence until the Times of the Gentiles is fulfilled (Luke 21:24) and HaShem exalts His Son and Servant (Psalms 110:1) Y'shua as HaMoshiach (the Messiah). In the meantime Y'shua has been conducting the affairs of his office as Cohen Gadol as the mediator between God and humanity. In due time -- once the Times of the Gentiles are fulfilled -- Y'shua will take up the mantle of Moshiach. By HaShem's power he will defeat the enemies of God and His people (Psalm 110:5,6) and he will bless all those who have blessed Israel and curse all who have cursed them (Genesis 12:1-3). Then will Y'shua be vindicated (I Timothy 2:5,6). He will lift up his head in ultimate victory (Psalms 110:7) and proclaim the establishment of the Kingdom of HaShem. 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