End of Days

by Moshe Sharon

Abstract: The End of Days, namely the end of current history and the start of messianic times, when a divinely inspired, and guided holy leader will come to the world to initiate an eternal era of bliss, has occupied humanity to this very day. The ultimate redeemer, whose Biblical designation “Messiah” entered both Christianity and Islam, is known by various other names in religions not influenced by the Bible. The word “messiah”, the anointed (“mashiya˙” in Hebrew), describes the redeemer, consecrated by being anointed with holy oil in the same way that any person (e.g. priest) or object is consecrated. The Greek translation of the term is Christos, Christ, and this term is sometimes used instead, together, or separate from, the messiah. In Arabic the term masí˙ is used specifically to denote Jesus of Nazareth who is regarded in Islam to be a prophet whose birth from his mother Mary was caused by divine intervention (“...His word that he committed to Mary and a spirit from Him” [Q 4:171]).