Are you waiting for Mashiach? Well, he might just be around the corner. But don’t expect split seas, Ten Plagues, Clouds of Glory or other miraculous proceedings. It’s pretty certain that Mashiach will appear via normal historical events – political, diplomatic, military, economic, social or technological. They may be surprising, but they will be “normal.” Of course, Someone is guiding the process and He will determine the outcome. But He has set things in motion, the wheels are turning and now it’s our turn to act and help bring the process to fruition.
Recent quotes from the media: We are certainly living through a period of intense uncertainty. The world seems to be falling apart around us… The Middle East is in constant turmoil… the tentacles of Islamic extremism and terrorism extend over the entire globe… No one seems to have any good answers or practical solutions… No world leaders seem to have a clue… All of the rhetoric, promises and blustering only serve to emphasize the uncertainties of our time and the dangers that we face.
Who could possibly have foreseen how the last twenty-five years of world history would play out? And who can possibly foresee what the next twenty-five years will bring? Here are a few possibilities to consider ……
As Western Civilization faces a global Islamic confrontation, a new American president is elected. Half of the population is crazed with joy; half is crazed with grief. Wall Street immediately implodes (or explodes, as the case may be. It depends who is elected…). The president strengthens ties with Iran and Syria and makes further concessions to Russia, China and Saudi Arabia.
The Sunnis and the Shi’ites in Iraq and Yemen continue to behead each other, as do the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. ISIS, Hamas and Hezbollah continue to attack, maim, capture and kill infidels… and each other.
Madagascar is engaged in a bloody internal struggle for power and serious terrorist attacks are becoming a weekly affair. (Bet you didn’t know that!)
Iran bombs Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is shrouded in radiation, the oil fields are in shambles. The ruling Saudi family flees to the Arabian Desert where they revert to their time-honored role as tribal leaders as in the days of yore.
Iran turns its attention to Israel but Israel shockingly strikes first. The entire Iranian nuclear infrastructure is demolished.
The new American president tsk-tsks all the unnecessary violence while Congress quietly cheers Israel on.
Russia invades the northeast section of Iraq and presents it to the Kurds who finally set up an independent Kurdish state.
Turkey objects vociferously. Russia explains to Mr. Erdogan that this is the way the cookie crumbles and he’ll just have to learn to live with it.
Somehow, when no one is paying attention, Russia gains control of the Dardanelles. To pacify Turkey, she guarantees continued free passage of Turkish ships through the straits.
Meanwhile…
Assad has disappeared. He is rumored to be hiding in a villa deep in the jungle in South America. Syria fragments into four separate, warring, ethnic states.
Lebanon requests that Israel ensure her security. Israel conditions its support on the creation of a northern “safety zone” reaching up to the Litani River.
The Palestinians in Jordan revolt and take control of Rabat Amon. The ruling Hashemite family absconds and joins their Saudi brothers in their common ancestral home in the Arabian Desert.
The 250,000 Syrian refugees are resettled in the newly founded Palestinian state of Jordan.
Israel annexes the West Bank of the Jordan River, the historical home of the Jewish people. Large numbers of Arabs choose to emigrate, some to Australia or South America; others to the Palestinian State of Jordan. All are compensated for their property. Israeli Arabs hold mass protests, waving their Israeli flags and ID cards, insisting they are Israelis and do not wish to move anywhere at all.
Israel revokes Jordanian control of the Temple Mount. She offers to fund relocating the Mosque of Omar and El Aksa to a new site, preferably in Jordan.
Meanwhile, Europe is convulsed in terror attacks. Moslems in London, Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Athens, Zurich and Oslo rise up, keeping Europe too busy to interfere in the Middle East. They don’t even bother to “tsk-tsk” at the Israeli annexation.
Islamic terror spreads. People are afraid and confused. Everyone is sure that someone must be responsible for all the turmoil and violence in the world. It is commonly assumed that “someone” is probably the Jews.
As anti-Semitism surges to new heights, Jews around the world rush to El Al reservation desks only to find that the airline cannot find enough planes to handle the crush. Waiting time for flights to Israel is six months.
The religious parties in Israel reach a momentous decision, finally agreeing to work together for the common good in the coming election. They form Am Echad – a new party consisting of Sefardi, Ashkenazi, Chassidic, Zionist, traditional and rigth- wing voters. They win an overwhelming majority of votes, including those of Israeli Arabs. Mashiach ben Yossef is chosen as the new prime minister. He forms a stable, new government.
The Chief Rabbinate and the newly formed Rabbinical High Court begin work on the Third Temple atop the now empty Temple Mount.
The venerable and universally-esteemed Torah scholar, HaRav Mashiach Ben David, is elected president and is accepted by all Israelis and by everyone else.
After years of ruthless and debilitating wars, a tired and battered world looks eastward to the sole source of light on a darkened planet. Amidst universal destruction, Israel is blossoming and flourishing. It is the one remaining, radiant beam of Godliness, morality, hope and serenity in a devastated, war-torn world. The country is inundated with requests to help put a broken world back together again.
U’netaticha l’or goyim… And I shall give you as a light unto the nations. Soon, and in our time.
