01-09-2011, 05:52 PM
Visitor R.G. to the web site Wrote:Where is the Messianic Era dealt with explicitly in the Torah?The Messianic Era is explicit in the Torah, in several places. G-d promised it explicitly to Abraham (Gen. 15:18-21), and Jacob related it to his sons (Gen. 49:10). Maimonides (the "Rambam") lists the following additional places in his Mishneh Torah, Laws of Kings, Chapter 11: Bilaam prophesied about it (Num. 24:17-19), and Moses transmitted G-d's promise that it would follow the period of the dispersal of the Jews around the world (Deut. 30:1-14). About Deut. 30:3-5, Maimonides states that "These explicit words of the Torah include all the statements made by all the prophets [regarding the Messianic Era]." The promise of the Messiah also has the force of a requirement for fulfillment of one of the 613 eternal Jewish Commandments: the Jews were commanded by G-d that they must add additional Cities of Refuge when G-d expands the borders of the Land of Israel in the future Messianic Era (Deut. 19:8-9).