Who Is Messiah?

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad recently made a speech before the United Nations proclaiming that he and his country were preparing the way for the appearance of the Shiite Islamic messiah figure – the Mahdi. Many are concerned that a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic committed to this goal through destruction and war could trigger a global conflagration. 

Shiite writings describe events surrounding the return of the Mahdi in apocalyptic terms. In one scenario, the forces of evil would come from Syria and Iraq and clash with forces of good from Iran. The battle would commence at Kufa – the Iraqi town near the holy city of Najaf.
Even more controversial is Ahmadinejad’s repeated invocation of Imam Mahdi, known as “the Savior of Times.” According to Shiite tradition, Imam Mahdi will appear on Judgment Day to herald a truly just government. 

The Mahdi or Muslim Messiah will rule the entire world, according to this teaching. As Christians await Jesus, the Christ or Messiah, to return, so Muslims await both the Mahdi and Jesus.

In the simplest of terms, the Mahdi is Islam’s Messiah, or Savior. While the actual terms “Messiah” and “Messianism” have very clearly Judeo-Christian roots, University of Virginia Professor Abdulaziz Abdulhussein Sachedina agrees that these terms are appropriately used in an Islamic context when referring to the Mahdi. In his scholarly work on the subject, Islamic Messianism, Sachedina elaborates thusly: 

The term “messianism” in the Islamic context is frequently used to translate the important concept of an eschatological figure, the Mahdi, who as the foreordained leader “will rise” to launch a great social transformation in order to restore and adjust all things under divine guidance. The Islamic messiah, thus, embodies the aspirations of his followers in the restoration of the purity of the Faith which will bring true and uncorrupted guidance to all mankind, creating a just social order and a world free from oppression in which the Islamic revelation will be the norm for all nations. 

When Jesus appeared at the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem in the autumn before his crucifixion many were asking whether he was indeed the promised Messiah. However, there was controversy among them about who he was. Was Jesus the Messiah? How would the Messiah appear?

Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, "Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ (Messiah in Hebrew)? But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from." So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me." So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, "When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?" - Jhn 7:25-31 ESV

Some thought the the promised Messiah's origin would be unknown. He would suddenly and mysteriously appear, announcing his presence through signs and wonders. Still others said he would come from Bethlehem and would be a descendant of Israel's great anointed king David (Isa. 7:14; 9:6). He would be Immanuel, God with us, the Prince of Peace. Still others were looking for the prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:15).

In these tense and dangerous days it is critical that we Christians be certain and confident about who is and who is not the Messiah. The Bible speaks often about false messiahs who will seek to lead many astray. It also speaks about The Anti-Christ (or anti-messiah) who will arise in the final days. Over the centuries many have attempted to identify who this is. Currently some suggest that the Twelfth Imam, the Mahdi will be the Anti-Christ.

At another time I will go into more detail about the Biblical teaching about the antichrist. For today let us be certain that we humble ourselves before God and willingly admit that we who are sinners have no right to His forgiveness. Yet we rejoice that our God loves us so deeply that He sent His only Son into this world to offer His life for us all. This is His glory (John 2:11; 3:14-18; 12:44-47). And in that faith we are at peace and unafraid, regardless of what various antichrist's may shout and proclaim.