Who are the Messianic Jews?

By Gamal Khattab February 14, 2024 1148

 

 Messianic Jews are a group of Jewish people in Israel who believe in Yeshua (the Hebrew name for Jesus) as the promised Messiah. They think that Yeshua will come back one day to save the Jewish people. Let's learn more about them!

What Do They Believe?

Messianic Jews believe that Yeshua is the savior mentioned in the Holy Hebrew Scriptures. They think that he will come at the end of the world to save his people, Israel. They have a strong faith in Yeshua and believe that he will bring peace and salvation.

A Controversial Visit

Recently, a group of about 15 Messianic Jews went to the Old City of Jerusalem to pray in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Mosque. This caused some tension because Muslims consider this mosque to be their third holiest site, while Jews believe it is the location of their ancient Temple. The Israeli police had to accompany the group to prevent clashes with Palestinians.

Building the Third Temple

There are different associations in Israel that want to rebuild the Third Temple in Jerusalem. They believe that this will bring the Messiah closer. One of these associations is called Har HaBayit, which means Temple Mount in Hebrew. They organize trips to the courtyard of Al-Aqsa Mosque, even though it goes against the rules set by the Chief Rabbinate in Israel.

Support and Development

These associations have received support from American evangelical Christian networks and religious Zionists within the Israeli government. This has helped them grow and develop over the years. They have been working on reconstructing lost songs, traditions, and utensils from the time of the Second Temple.

 

The Two Stages of Messianism

In the Jewish tradition, messianism has two stages. The first stage is the gathering of Jewish people from all over the world to the Land of Israel. The second stage is the construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem. However, there is still disagreement among Jewish circles about whether humans or God should bring an end to the dispersion of Jewish people.

Messianic Jews are a group of Jewish people in Israel who believe in Yeshua as the promised Messiah. They have strong faith in his return and believe that rebuilding the Third Temple will bring him closer. While their beliefs are controversial and not shared by all Jewish people, they continue to grow and develop with support from various sources.

Source: Lacroix