Publisher Fact Sheet Argues that there was a "messianic forerunner" to Jesus named Menachem who lived a generation earlier & served as a sort of role model for Jesus & his messianic movement.

A thorough re-examination of the First Book of Samuel and its treatment of Saul, showing that Saul's central role in the development of the kingdom of Israel has been misunderstood by generations of scholars. Spurred on by a childhood fascination with the Tanakh, which brought to his attention the discrepancy between the English rendering of Samuel 21:19 and the original Hebrew, Green builds upon recent research to show that later authors revised 1 Samuel with the specific intention of defamingSaul. In the process, these revisionist authors glorified the character of David, and have significantly distorted the true nature of events. Green systematically works through the Biblical text, highlighting its illogical chronology, and drawing attention to apocryphal incidents, before reconstructing a more plausible sequence for the story. Both a fresh analysis of a maligned figure and a comprehensive guide to the First Book of Samuel, Green's interpretation returns Saul to his rightful place as the first Lord's Anointed, true King and one genuine messiah of all Israel.

The Old Testament both tells the story of Israel and points to the coming Messiah. Kaiser distinguishes between Old Testament passages that describe national Israel's glorious future and those that point to Christ and his kingdom. Kaiser's chronological approach traces Israel's developing concept of Messiah through different time periods.

Hell's fallen hordes battle with the royal armies of the first heaven as Lucifer sets out to destroy the race of men.

In The First Messiah renowned Dead Sea Scrolls scholar Michael O. Wise brings to light the life of Judah, a forgotten prophet who predated Jesus as a messianic figure by a century and has had a profound impact on the course of Christianity and Western civilization. Although Judah, known in the Dead Sea Scrolls as the Teacher of Righteousness, preached a message distinctly different from that of Jesus, the parallels between their lives are striking. Sharing with his successor a strong foundation in earlier written revelation, Judah came to believe--through meditation on Holly Writ--that he brought a divine message from God; like Christ, Judah's claims to messianic status led to his arrest and condemnation. Judah's warnings of Jewish apostasy and his apocalyptic prophecies, combined with powerful personal charisma, also built a movement that survived his death and even grew into an institution comprising bishops, priests, and laity. Unlike Jesus, Judah left behind a personal testament, in his own words, of his relationship with God. By analyzing the Thanksgiving Hymns discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls, Wise uncovers the basis of a groundbreaking understanding of the prophetic mind. In so doing, Wise deepens our understanding of Christ, his impact on the Jewish community of his time, and even his interpretation of his own messianic role. The parallels between Judah and Jesus blaze forth in sharp relief: Both declared themselves prophets. Both were hailed by followers as He Who Is to Come and worked attendant wonders. Both founded vital and long-lasting movements before leaving this world. In all these things, Judah was first, anticipating the far more famous prophet from Galilee. How can these similarities be explained? A century before Christ, a man came to Jerusalem who became known as the Teacher of Righteousness. In The First Messiah, distinguished Dead Sea Scrolls scholar Michael O. Wise provides a detailed examination of Judah, a figure whose life and prophecies helped lay the foundation for the acceptance of Jesus as the savior. Drawing on ancient texts as well as contemporary anthropological thought, Wise reveals compelling parallels between early prophets such as Judah and Jesus, and messianic figures who have emerged through the ages to the current day in cultures around the world.

Sri not only helps readers understand an earlier and pivotal time and place, but also brings them to a deeper understanding of the great mysteries of God's entry into the world as one of us. Saint Anthony Messenger Press