“Hamashiach”, “Messiah”, “Christ” and “Christos” – there is so much confusion associated with these words that most people can not even see the truth.
After Yehovah spoke to His spiritually born men, “His son, Israel,” from Mount Sinai Moses went up to speak with the Elohim (lawmaker and judge) on the mountain. But after several weeks we decided that he had been gone too long and that some evil must have come upon him.
Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him. “Come, make us an elohim [אלהים] that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” (Exo 32:1)
It appears in Yasher that Aaron created this elohim (lawmaker and judge) under duress; he had to have known better and he was not killed with the others later.
Yasher 82:13-14 Now therefore rise up, make unto us [men] a god who shall go before us, so that thou shalt not die. And Aaron was greatly afraid of the people, and he ordered them to bring him gold and he made it into a molten calf for the people.
I believe this is always what happens when men take their eyes off the Elohim on the mountain. They end up serving the creature rather than the Creator.
Therefore Elohim also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of Elohim for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. (Rom 1:24-25)
But men (unlike timid Aaron and the false shepherds of this day) are now beginning to step up in these last days who are not afraid to call the image, which most folks have created in their minds, a golden calf. They fear only Yehovah and will risk persecution in order to turn the hearts of a few men back to the Creator. These are the men whom Yehovah is raising up to be the great ones and the good shepherds which Yehovah will use to bring still other men (with their families) back to Him just before the tribulation begins. Yehovah says,
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says Yehovah. Therefore thus says Yehovah Elohim of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says Yehovah. “But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says Yehovah. (Jer 23:1-4)
These latter shepherds will turn the hearts of men back to Yehovah and they will worship and serve only Him. To the good and faithful shepherds he says,
“You are My witnesses,” says Yehovah, “and My servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no Elohim formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am Yehovah, and besides Me there is no savior. (Isa 43:10-11)
When Yehovah made Cyrus (a Gentile) His mashiach to do His bidding He said,
“Thus says Yehovah to His anointed [משׁיח, mashiach], to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held. To subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut. … For Jacob My servant’s sake [the Ger], and Israel My elect [the Ezrach], I have even called you by your name. I have named you, though you have not known Me. I am Yehovah, and there is no other; there is no Elohim besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me. That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me. I am Yehovah, and there is no other. (Isa 45:1, 4-6)
Yehovah speaks also through Joel in speaking of these righteous shepherds who lead people back to Him. He calls these people who will come, “great and strong.” Here are a few select verses from Joel 2.
A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; nor will there ever be any such after them, even for many successive generations. (Joe 2:2)
“Now, therefore,” says Yehovah, “Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments. Return to Yehovah, your Elohim, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness; and He relents from doing harm. (Joe 2:12-13)
And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of Yehovah shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as Yehovah has said, among the remnant that Yehovah calls. (Joe 2:32)
What Is a HaMashiach?
Hamashiach (המש××™×—, from right to left is spelled hey, mem, shin, yud and het) is a word used constantly in connection with Yeshua and many call him “Yeshua hamashiach.” But this is just a word for most people and there is little knowledge and understanding behind its use. So what exactly is a hamashiach?
The prefix “ha” (ה) in the word hamashiach is the definite article “the.”
To understand the word “mashiach” (משׁיח) let’s begin with some common definitions.
H4899
משׁיח
A masculine noun meaning anointed one. (WordStudy)H4899
(משׁיח — M-ShYHh) – Smeared: One who is smeared with oil as a sign of authority (AHLB – Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible)H4899
משׁיח — maw-shee’-akh
From H4886; anointed; usually a consecrated person (as a king, priest, or saint). (Strong)
Both Strong’s and AHLB say the root of mashiach is mashach (משׁח — from right to left is spelled, mem shin, het).
H4886
משׁח —
A verb meaning to smear, to anoint. (WordStudy)H4886
משׁח — maw-shakh’
A primitive root; to rub with oil, that is, to anoint; by implication to consecrate; also to pain. (Strong)H4886
(משׁח — MShHh) ac: Smear co: Ointment ab: ?: Ointments were made from oils and smeared on injuries for healing. Oil was also smeared on the heads of individuals who are being given the office of a prophet, priest or king as a sign of authority. (AHLB)
So hamashiach means “the anointed” one.
WordStudy gives some additional information about the word mashiach.
Furthermore, the concept of the mashiach, meaning Messiah, as a Savior is not fully developed in the Old Testament. The closest that one comes to this in the Old Testament is Dan_9:25-26. This concept is developed later, during the New Testament period and fits better with the parallel Greek word christos.
The word “messiah” is an English transliteration of the Hebrew word “mashiach” or “anointed one;” and the word “christ” is an English transliteration of the Greek word “christos.” A christos or mashiach is one who is anointed in a specific way, by a specific person and for a specific purpose.
Next time we will talk about the anointed priests who are called hakohen hamashiach (the priest, the anointed) and learn the process by which a priest of Yehovah becomes his mashiach. And in the final 3 editions to this series we will see how Yehovah’s king is anointed and the people declare, “Long live the king!” So much to learn, so little time.
In the meantime please do not forget what Yehovah said in Isaiah 43:11.
“I, even I, am Yehovah, and besides Me there is no savior.”