Christians:
How will you know who the Messiah is? How will you know who is the real one and who isn't?
Like if some guy claimed to be Jesus how will you know if he is or isn't?
Christians: how will you know the messiah when he arrives?
Moderator: Moderators
-
Consocius
- Apprentice
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2026 8:51 am
- Has thanked: 1 time
- Been thanked: 1 time
Re: Christians: how will you know the messiah when he arrives?
Post #2I suppose that the general idea is up to the way how the Messiah appears, literally or spiritually. According to the letter, He is supposed to come in the following way:
" Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn; and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send forth His angels with a trumpet and a great sound; and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the end to end of the heavens (Matt. 24:29-31)."
That is the prophecy about His Second Coming.
With regard to prophecies Peter said the following in the epistle:
"this first knowing, that no prophecy of the Writing doth come of private exposition, for not by will of man did ever prophecy come, but by the Holy Spirit borne on holy men of God spake."
It has to be, however, taken into account that in the past the Lord did fulfill some prophecies not literally, but spiritually, for instance, with regard to his being the king and kingship, for His kingdom was not of this world, similarly with regard to wars. And also the prophecies about the jews and gentiles, were not fulfilled in the way that the Jewish Church leaders were expecting, at least, at that time.
So, with regard to the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Second Coming, I believe, there are two ways of thinking: one - that it going to be literally fulfilled, the other - that it will be fullfilled spiritually, and yet in history.
" Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn; and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send forth His angels with a trumpet and a great sound; and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the end to end of the heavens (Matt. 24:29-31)."
That is the prophecy about His Second Coming.
With regard to prophecies Peter said the following in the epistle:
"this first knowing, that no prophecy of the Writing doth come of private exposition, for not by will of man did ever prophecy come, but by the Holy Spirit borne on holy men of God spake."
It has to be, however, taken into account that in the past the Lord did fulfill some prophecies not literally, but spiritually, for instance, with regard to his being the king and kingship, for His kingdom was not of this world, similarly with regard to wars. And also the prophecies about the jews and gentiles, were not fulfilled in the way that the Jewish Church leaders were expecting, at least, at that time.
So, with regard to the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Second Coming, I believe, there are two ways of thinking: one - that it going to be literally fulfilled, the other - that it will be fullfilled spiritually, and yet in history.
Re: Christians: how will you know the messiah when he arrives?
Post #3[Replying to Avoice in post #1]
Spiritual "knowing" is automatic, more or less like how the disciples reckoned Moses and Elijah right away in the transfiguration event.
Spiritual "knowing" is automatic, more or less like how the disciples reckoned Moses and Elijah right away in the transfiguration event.
-
bjs1
- Guru
- Posts: 1116
- Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2020 12:18 pm
- Has thanked: 52 times
- Been thanked: 264 times
Re: Christians: how will you know the messiah when he arrives?
Post #4Luke 17:23-24
People will tell you, ‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ Do not go running off after them. For the Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other.
I’m not sure what the event will look like, but it will be indisputable. It will be like lightning striking on a dark night. When lightning strikes, everyone knows what happened. I might not know when and where lightning will strike beforehand, but I am not confused in the moment.
If someone claims to be Jesus, but his claim is not indisputably true, then we can be confident that it is false.
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.
-Charles Darwin
-Charles Darwin
-
Avoice
- Guru
- Posts: 1155
- Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2019 8:41 am
- Location: USA / ISRAEL
- Has thanked: 14 times
- Been thanked: 44 times
Re: Christians: how will you know the messiah when he arrives?
Post #5[Replying to bjs1 in post #4]
What would be indisputably true? How would you know if he was or wasnt
What would be indisputably true? How would you know if he was or wasnt
-
bjs1
- Guru
- Posts: 1116
- Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2020 12:18 pm
- Has thanked: 52 times
- Been thanked: 264 times
Re: Christians: how will you know the messiah when he arrives?
Post #6Avoice wrote: ↑Mon Apr 27, 2026 6:14 pm [Replying to bjs1 in post #4]
What would be indisputably true? How would you know if he was or wasnt
This is more of a “I’ll know it when I see it” situation. The descriptions of Christ’s return are largely symbolic. I cannot give you a reliable play-by-play of what will happen. The only two indisputable teachings about the Second Coming are:
1. It will be unmistakable.
2. No one knows when it will happen.
The only thing I can add is that if we have to question if it was, then it wasn't.
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.
-Charles Darwin
-Charles Darwin
-
tam
- Savant
- Posts: 6880
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:59 pm
- Has thanked: 386 times
- Been thanked: 356 times
- Contact:
Re: Christians: how will you know the messiah when he arrives?
Post #7Peace to you,
By His voice.
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
Peace again.
By His voice.
The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”
Peace again.
- Non-religious Christian spirituality
- For Christ (who is the Spirit)
- For Christ (who is the Spirit)
-
Avoice
- Guru
- Posts: 1155
- Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2019 8:41 am
- Location: USA / ISRAEL
- Has thanked: 14 times
- Been thanked: 44 times
Re: Christians: how will you know the messiah when he arrives?
Post #8[Replying to tam in post #7]
So you are saying that it'll be his words that you'll know him by.
So what will the Messiah say to convince you that he's the Messiah?
How will you know which one is the Messiah if a couple people say the same thing? I mean anybody can say anything right?
Really? Words will prove it to you mere words?
So you are saying that it'll be his words that you'll know him by.
So what will the Messiah say to convince you that he's the Messiah?
How will you know which one is the Messiah if a couple people say the same thing? I mean anybody can say anything right?
Really? Words will prove it to you mere words?
-
tam
- Savant
- Posts: 6880
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:59 pm
- Has thanked: 386 times
- Been thanked: 356 times
- Contact:
Re: Christians: how will you know the messiah when he arrives?
Post #9Peace to you,
You know how you recognize your mother's voice or another family member? Or if you aren't watching the television but you recognize an actor by their voice?
Same idea.
Peace again to you.
I mean His voice.Avoice wrote: ↑Mon Jun 08, 2026 3:33 am [Replying to tam in post #7]
So you are saying that it'll be his words that you'll know him by.
So what will the Messiah say to convince you that he's the Messiah?
How will you know which one is the Messiah if a couple people say the same thing? I mean anybody can say anything right?
Really? Words will prove it to you mere words?
You know how you recognize your mother's voice or another family member? Or if you aren't watching the television but you recognize an actor by their voice?
Same idea.
Peace again to you.
- Non-religious Christian spirituality
- For Christ (who is the Spirit)
- For Christ (who is the Spirit)
-
William
- Savant
- Posts: 16490
- Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 8:11 pm
- Location: Te Waipounamu
- Has thanked: 1037 times
- Been thanked: 1950 times
- Contact:
Re: Christians: how will you know the messiah when he arrives?
Post #10Avoice: Christians:
How will you know who the Messiah is? How will you know who is the real one and who isn't?
Like if some guy claimed to be Jesus how will you know if he is or isn't?
Me: The question is interesting. It asks Christians to answer and since there are many types of Christians, with their own interpretations - just like in the days when Jesus walked the earth there were many types of Judaist's, some expecting immanent disclosure others not so concerned and many aware that messiahs had and were popping up everywhere...it gets down to what one is expecting yet as we know, expectations carry with them, baggage...
יהוה: Intimate On All Levels The things you can see only when you slow down
Me. For myself, the question has been placed to one side. It seems to me that the desire for a messiah is woven into fear and concern - and the human practice of requiring an external focal entity which plays a role which fulfils human expectations - the feeling of being in need of being rescued from an environment or systems within the environment which groups of individuals for their own collective reasons find both repulsive and inescapable.
יהוה: Fearful Expression Against Reality
Making The Best of a Bad Situation
ttps://imgur.com/t8Zk9lS
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"
Me: Matthew 5:38-42 : Jesus quotes the "eye for eye" rule, but reinterprets it for his followers. He instructs them to not resist an evil person, but instead to "turn the other cheek," give their cloak to someone who takes their coat, and go the extra mile.
So, "vengeance" or "justice" (eye for eye) is a fearful expression against reality...whereas making the best of a bad situation = turning the other cheek.
If we observe the system(s) Christianity helped to create/had a part to play in molding - we discover that the eye4eye is the predominant system.
יהוה: https://williamwaterstone.substack.com/ ... l-divining
Me: Conceptual Divining offers a third way between materialism and dualism. It reinterprets the “divine” as an intrinsic, discoverable aspect of the physical cosmos - a move that aims to preserve the meaningfulness of creative intelligence while avoiding the logical and explanatory problems of non‑physical beings. The post invites readers to see apparent gaps in knowledge not as evidence of the supernatural, but as invitations to deepen our understanding of a unified, divined reality.
"Invisible things made visible" would be like unto concepts such as "turn the other cheek" understood and given precedence over vengeful justice. Human in theory could implement this as an aspect of their social blueprint = highly unlikely BUT individual humans could do this, and statistically enough human doing this would affect change - not in laws that govern, but in actual behaviour which makes a difference in communities.
All theoretically "nice" but because it is not noticed on any significant level, (there are not enough individuals practicing it) bombs continue to fire and fall, bullets continue to fly, nothing changes and the ernest hope in a messiah to come and stop the carnage and force humanity to walk the right path (or rather remove the humans who are preventing that path from being walked) becomes the hoped for alternative.
For me the question of "when" is something I set aside. I do so on the idea that until it happens, there is little point in speculating.
יהוה: Put the Teachings Into Practice
Through the synchronicity and serendipity correlated between internal thoughts and external reality
memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=16526
Returning
Me: St. Thomas Aquinas outlined the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment in the Summa Theologiae. He taught that Jesus will return in visible human form, accompanied by cosmic signs and the heavenly hosts, to reunite all souls with their physical bodies and execute final, universal justice.
יהוה:
ו
Me: Indeed. Of course he got those ideas from the bible...and there is a theory that such an event could be staged by a false messiah - embraced by those who have such expectation...and is again why I place the whole hope to one side...
יהוה: Exploring the Interconnectedness of the Universe and the Role of Mindfulness and Creativity in Personal Growth
Me: Yes. Its seems at least to me to be better to pursue that to sit around hoping...
יהוה: Keep it Simple
How will you know who the Messiah is? How will you know who is the real one and who isn't?
Like if some guy claimed to be Jesus how will you know if he is or isn't?
Me: The question is interesting. It asks Christians to answer and since there are many types of Christians, with their own interpretations - just like in the days when Jesus walked the earth there were many types of Judaist's, some expecting immanent disclosure others not so concerned and many aware that messiahs had and were popping up everywhere...it gets down to what one is expecting yet as we know, expectations carry with them, baggage...
יהוה: Intimate On All Levels The things you can see only when you slow down
Me. For myself, the question has been placed to one side. It seems to me that the desire for a messiah is woven into fear and concern - and the human practice of requiring an external focal entity which plays a role which fulfils human expectations - the feeling of being in need of being rescued from an environment or systems within the environment which groups of individuals for their own collective reasons find both repulsive and inescapable.
יהוה: Fearful Expression Against Reality
Making The Best of a Bad Situation
ttps://imgur.com/t8Zk9lS
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"
Me: Matthew 5:38-42 : Jesus quotes the "eye for eye" rule, but reinterprets it for his followers. He instructs them to not resist an evil person, but instead to "turn the other cheek," give their cloak to someone who takes their coat, and go the extra mile.
So, "vengeance" or "justice" (eye for eye) is a fearful expression against reality...whereas making the best of a bad situation = turning the other cheek.
If we observe the system(s) Christianity helped to create/had a part to play in molding - we discover that the eye4eye is the predominant system.
יהוה: https://williamwaterstone.substack.com/ ... l-divining
Me: Conceptual Divining offers a third way between materialism and dualism. It reinterprets the “divine” as an intrinsic, discoverable aspect of the physical cosmos - a move that aims to preserve the meaningfulness of creative intelligence while avoiding the logical and explanatory problems of non‑physical beings. The post invites readers to see apparent gaps in knowledge not as evidence of the supernatural, but as invitations to deepen our understanding of a unified, divined reality.
"Invisible things made visible" would be like unto concepts such as "turn the other cheek" understood and given precedence over vengeful justice. Human in theory could implement this as an aspect of their social blueprint = highly unlikely BUT individual humans could do this, and statistically enough human doing this would affect change - not in laws that govern, but in actual behaviour which makes a difference in communities.
All theoretically "nice" but because it is not noticed on any significant level, (there are not enough individuals practicing it) bombs continue to fire and fall, bullets continue to fly, nothing changes and the ernest hope in a messiah to come and stop the carnage and force humanity to walk the right path (or rather remove the humans who are preventing that path from being walked) becomes the hoped for alternative.
For me the question of "when" is something I set aside. I do so on the idea that until it happens, there is little point in speculating.
יהוה: Put the Teachings Into Practice
Through the synchronicity and serendipity correlated between internal thoughts and external reality
memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=16526
Returning
Me: St. Thomas Aquinas outlined the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment in the Summa Theologiae. He taught that Jesus will return in visible human form, accompanied by cosmic signs and the heavenly hosts, to reunite all souls with their physical bodies and execute final, universal justice.
יהוה:
ו
Me: Indeed. Of course he got those ideas from the bible...and there is a theory that such an event could be staged by a false messiah - embraced by those who have such expectation...and is again why I place the whole hope to one side...
יהוה: Exploring the Interconnectedness of the Universe and the Role of Mindfulness and Creativity in Personal Growth
Me: Yes. Its seems at least to me to be better to pursue that to sit around hoping...
יהוה: Keep it Simple
The question has never been whether God is speaking. The question has always been whether there is anyone listening - anyone who has stopped hiding long enough to hear.
