THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH: THE COMING OF THE PROPHETS
Part 2: The Prophets Cometh
In
the name of God, Master of the universe, Ruler of the earth.
Many have come but few have been divinely
ordained. The Prophets of world religions have had a great impact on the
Spiritual nature of mankind throughout the world. As these extraordinary men
and women influenced their particular religious philosophies, these great
Prophets also influenced other religious philosophies. It is for sure that
Prophets have had a great attraction throughout history. Therefore, who, what
is a Prophet?
The Prophet (Prophetess female) is a
person who has divine communication with God. Thus, Prophets deliver messages
to mankind especially messages about the future. Therefore, we see prophecies
as the divine utterances of the men and women who bear messages from the one
and only God. The Prophet differs from the priest who acts out his human side
of mediation. Meanwhile the Prophet who is divinely ordained reveals the sacred
side of mediation. Jesus was a Prophet, priest and king. No other priest or
Prophet has had the attributes of Jesus the son of God.
As ordained and called by God we see
the various Prophets of the world as the Truth-seekers. Thus, they bring Truth,
wisdom and knowledge to the people of God. This Truth comes from Almighty God.
Also, it is not exclusive to any group, religion, race or people. The record
shows that many great religions have had great Prophets and/or great thinkers.
These great thinkers have come from every corner of the world.
The Greeks were in the habit of
elevating mortal men of heroic stature to God like status. In Egypt long before
Hippocrates there was Imhotep (He who comes in peace) the Father of Medicine.
Thus, as far back as 7000 B.C. this man was deified. Herodotus records that at
no time during the history of Egypt were mortal men ever deified. This also
included the Pharaohs who saw their god like status (as a deity) as a myth.
The realization of the excepted
divine nature of Imhotep leads some scholars to place "the one who came in
peace" with Jesus, Moses, Zoroaster, and Gautama. For the record Jesus is
Lord and his prophecy is complimented by his Divine nature and kinship to
Almighty God. As the Messiah Jesus the Christ stands alone. Thus, Jesus the
Messiah is not comparable to any of the Prophets as recorded in Old Testament
Prophecy and in the New Testament Scriptures.
The impact of man in the flesh and
the Divine being of God is noted throughout the annals of history. Charles
Finch argues that there were seven Buddha's prior to the historical Buddha who
was Gautama? He also notes that in
Africa among the Yoruba the worship of Shango revolves around a figure that is
both man and God." (Charles Finch, Essays on African History, Sciences and
Civilizations).
Therefore Professor Finch notes that
the process by which an extraordinary individual becomes a human avatar of a
pre-existing deity is well attested throughout history. Thus, the
personification of Jesus as the Messiah, Jesus the Christ as the Divine
inspiration of God and the Son is in line with the revelations of the record of
time.
In China Laozi (Lao Tzu) in the sixth
century B.C. is quoted saying: "everything in the universe follows certain
patterns and processes that escape precise definitions: this is called Dao
(Tao), the Way." As an elder contemporary of Confucius Laozi is said to
have been immortal, a divine being and Buddha's teacher in India.
In India Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama)
who was born in 563 B.C. said "Life in this world is basically one of
suffering." The secret of Buddha's success was his denial of the caste
system. He preached that salvation was equally open to all men.
In Japan Shotoko Taishi ( 574-622)
came upon the scene. He revealed that "Buddhism provides the ideal basis
for a universal state." As a contemporary of the Prophet Muhammad Shotoku
was the sage ruler that led Japan from tribalism to cultural greatness.
In Korea Wonhyo (617-686) founded the
Korean Buddhist sect Haedong-Jong. He is considered to be the most important
seminal philosopher and religious practitioner in the history of Korean
philosophy.
In the world of Islam we see Al-Kindi
(801-866 A.D.) revealing that: "Prophetic knowledge is superior to human
reason and easier to attain." Al-Kindi was renowned in the Islamic world
for his developing thought in the philosophical sciences. There is also the
Prophet of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 A.D. The
Prophet Muhammad in his life time is said to have made a comparative analysis
of the nations and religions of the world. He did this as he sought to unify
the Muslim world. What are the visions of the religious leaders of today's
world?
Will the Prophets of today and the
religious leaders of the world set aside cultural differences? The political
turmoil of the world is impacted by greed, human exploitation and the
exploitation of the land and its resources. When will this confusion come to an
end? Will man accept God as the way to Peace and Paradise? What is the
significance of the Prophet's statements written into the record of time? The
Prophet of Islam rejected the worship of men and idols, stars and planets. The
Prophet Muhammad also reveals that whatever is born must die and whatever is
corruptible must decay and perish."
What has been the impact of the
Prophets on the religious of the world? Will men respect the
great Prophets that have walked the
planet earth? Will the people of the world in this century realize that no
group, race, religion, or culture has all the answers for the complex nature of
man?
Cont.: Part 3: God Has Come
carl@freedomjournlpress.comcastbiz.net