When the Messiah comes, will people have free choice?

by Mrs. Chana Weisberg

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Yes. People will have the ability to choose between Good and Better, rather than between Good and Evil. The difference between these two sets is that in the first, we have a choice to improve or stay the same, to nurture specific talents we have or leave them be, and so on. In the second, the choices are whether to improve or deteriorate, or to use a talent for good things or bad things.

So why do people say that we will all be only good and only want to study the Torah? That’s not choice!

That’s a great question. There will be no temptation to do evil, as we will no longer have the inclination towards evil within us; however, we will have the ability of pushing ourselves to the limits or not. In the Messianic Era, “choice” will mean how high we want to soar, how much we want to accomplish. It’s not that we will always want to do good—we won't want to do anything bad. But how much good we do will be our choice.

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COMMENTS

Similarities between Christian millennium and Jewish Messiah's return.

Posted by: Patricia Mahoney, Pensacola, FL on Jun 16, 2005

Do the jewish people believe that when the Messiah comes he will reign on the earth and that evil will be taken away? Isn't that like what the Christian's believe concerning the 1000 year reign of Christ or the millennium?

Editor's Comment

The belief that Messiah will reign over the entire earth and evil will be eradicated is based on prophecies recorded in the Bible. So yes, the Christians have merely borrowed a Jewish belief.

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Israel » Messiah
Philosophy » Free Choice

Torah

Torah is G–d’s teaching to man. In general terms, we refer to the Five Books of Moses as “The Torah.” But in truth, all Jewish beliefs and laws are part of the Torah.