Messiah facts for kids

Samuel anoints David, Dura Europos, Syria, Date: 3rd century CE.

Messiah or the Anointed One is the figure promised by God to the Jews for the salvation of the world. The Jews think that the Messiah will be a human being that will save Israel and lead the whole world into the End Of Days and eternal peace.

Other people in real life or fiction are called messianic if they have the qualities of a messiah, or people think they will bring about a better world.

The How, Where, and Why

• Why: Jews believe the biblical prophets inspired by God to tell of his coming. During the period of the Roman rule in 1st century BC the idea of the messiah became very important in Jewish thought and teaching. According to the scriptures, the messiah would rescue the people from the Romans and restore the country.
• Where: It is not known but most Jews believe that messiah will come to Israel.
• How: There are many of ideas about how the messiah will come: Judge, warrior, beggar, academic, Philosopher, healer or a common person.

Jesus as the Messiah

Christianity, which began in Israel with Jewish followers of Jesus (Hebrew: Yeshua), holds that the Messiah foretold by the Jewish Scriptures is Jesus, and that in fulfillment of prophecy Jesus died for the sins of the world, rose from the dead and lives today, seated at the right hand of God until His return. Most Jews do not hold these beliefs; those who do are sometimes called Messianic Jews. Some Messianic Jews and other Christians see the fact that a majority of Jews do not hold these beliefs as a fulfillment of prophecy. (see Epistle to the Romans chapter 10)

Muslims believe that Jesus was the son of Mary, that he was a mighty prophet of God and that he was the Messiah (though, in Islam, the Messiah has a different role than he does in Christianity or Judaism). They believe that he will come again one day in his Second Coming to fight besides the Mahdi against the (Dajjal, "false messiah").

Images for kids

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  The Last Judgment, by Jean Cousin the Younger (c. late 16th century)

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  Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam, considered by Ahmadis to be the Promised Messiah of the latter days

See also

In Spanish: Mesías para niños