Main news for 21 March 2018

The great prophets of Israel, beginning with Jeremiah, spoke a lot about the renovation of the relationships with God and about the new messianic union-covenant, which will become reality with the advent of the Messiah and will be concluded with His direct participation. Very often this union is called "union of peace". Of course, in the notion of peace enters in this case also the ending of all wars, including those which, so many centuries did not leave in peace the people of God. But in the prophetic tradition, is inseparable from the world this God's presence, which, in fact makes the Jewish people the people of God in the strict sense of this word.

And the measure of the plenitude of this presence, in his turn, distinguishes the messianic era from the preceding history. Actually, the messianic Kingdom already opened to Isaiah of Jerusalem, as a new, special era in the history not only of the people of God, but also of all the humanity. And the novelty consisted not much on the fact that the Messiah revealed Himself to the prophets, as an ideal of a righteous ruler (the early prophets already thought and dreamed about a righteous ruler, following strictly the Torah and taking measures so that in his governance, the Torah is strictly observed), but just in this plenitude of God's presence, which makes by something completely particular and the era of governance of the Messiah, and even His personality. The Messiah becomes this God's instrument, by which He makes His people community of believers in the strict sense of this term, and so gives to other peoples the example of righteousness and holiness in all their plenitude.

Of course, such a renovation "people-community" required also a renovation of the union with God, without which one could not speak about a new spiritual quality of the people. And the expectations of the prophets were not vain: with the advent of Christ, God's relationships with His people were indeed completely renewed. Only this renovation turned out not such as the prophets before captivity presented it. They were still waiting for the Kingdom even if perfect, but from the earth. But the Kingdom turns out "not of this world". But the fact that the new covenant will become the covenant of the Kingdom, the prophets were right.