Awaiting the Dawn

Messianic Hopes Beyond Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

For billions across the globe, the future is not just an unfolding of time, but a period anticipated with profound hope and expectation. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, often grouped as Abrahamic religions, share a powerful thread of messianic anticipation. Jews await the coming of the Messiah to usher in an era of peace and justice. Christians await the second coming of Christ, heralding the Kingdom of God. Muslims anticipate the Mahdi, a divinely guided leader who will establish righteousness before the Day of Judgement.

These are perhaps the most well-known examples of messianic belief, ingrained deeply within the fabric of their respective faiths. But is this yearning for a transformative figure or a golden age unique to these religions? The answer, fascinatingly, is no. Across the vast tapestry of human spirituality, from ancient traditions to modern spiritual movements, echoes of messianic hope resonate.

Echoes of the Messiah in Ancient Traditions:

Long before Abrahamic faiths took root, ancient civilisations grappled with cycles of prosperity and hardship, good and evil. This cyclical worldview often manifested as a belief in future renewal or the return of a benevolent figure.

• Zoroastrianism: Pre-dating Judaism, Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of Persia, features the concept of Saoshyant, a future saviour who will appear at the end of time to renew the world and defeat evil. Saoshyant is born to a virgin, a detail that bears striking parallels to later messianic figures. Zoroastrianism is considered by many scholars to have influenced Abrahamic messianic traditions.
• Ancient Egyptian Religion: While not a single figure like the Messiah, Egyptian mythology held cyclical beliefs of renewal and rebirth, associated with pharaohs embodying divine order (Ma’at). While not a direct “messiah,” the concept of a divinely appointed ruler maintaining cosmic balance hints at a similar longing for a just and prosperous era. The myth of Osiris, resurrected and ruling the underworld, also speaks to themes of redemption and future hope.
• Greek and Roman Myths: Ancient Greek myths, particularly those surrounding figures like Cronus and the Golden Age, and Roman myths of Saturn’s reign, depict past utopias that could potentially return. While not always tied to a specific messianic figure, these narratives express a longing for a better, more just past to be restored in the future. Sibylline prophecies in the Greco-Roman world also foretold of coming eras led by righteous rulers.

Messianic Hopes in Eastern Religions:

Turning eastward, we find equally compelling examples that, while not always using the term “messiah,” express similar aspirations for a future transformation led by a significant figure.

• Buddhism: Buddhism, with its emphasis on cyclical time and enlightenment, anticipates the coming of Maitreya Buddha. Maitreya is considered the future Buddha who will appear in a time of great suffering to teach the Dharma anew and usher in an era of peace, compassion, and Dharma. This figure is a central tenet of Mahayana Buddhism, particularly in traditions like Pure Land Buddhism, where devotion to Maitreya is a common practice.
• Hinduism: Hinduism, with its vast pantheon and diverse traditions, features the concept of avatars, divine incarnations who descend to earth to restore dharma and combat evil. The tenth and final avatar of Vishnu, Kalki, is yet to come. He is prophesied to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga (the current age of darkness) riding a white horse, wielding a sword, and destroying the wicked to usher in a new Satya Yuga (age of truth). Kalki shares strong parallels with messianic figures who will bring about a final judgement and establish righteousness.
• Sikhism: Sikhism, while a younger faith, holds the concept of the Nihang, a future “stainless” or “immaculate” community of warriors. While not a single messianic figure in the Abrahamic sense, the Nihang represent a future righteous force that will uphold Sikh principles and justice, often viewed as a crucial element in establishing the Khalsa Raj, the rule of the pure.

Modern and Smaller Faiths:

Even in more recent and smaller religions, we find echoes of messianic or utopian hopes.

• Rastafarianism: This 20th-century religious movement originating in Jamaica recognises Haile Selassie I, the former Emperor of Ethiopia, as the living God, a manifestation of Jah (God). While interpretations vary, many Rastafarians believe in Haile Selassie’s divine role in liberating people of African descent and establishing a righteous world order. His return or spiritual presence is often anticipated.
• Baha’i Faith: While distinct from traditional messianic concepts, the Baha’i Faith sees Baháʼu’lláh as the most recent in a line of prophets, including Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad. Baha’is believe Baháʼu’lláh brought a new revelation for this age, guiding humanity towards unity and a coming Golden Age of peace and global civilisation. While not a “messiah” in the traditional sense, his role is seen as transformative and epoch-defining.
• Indigenous Traditions: Many indigenous cultures around the world have prophecies of returning heroes, cultural figures, or renewed cycles of harmony with nature. While often interwoven with cyclical worldviews rather than linear timelines, these beliefs often share the core element of anticipating a future time of restoration, justice, or harmony, sometimes brought about by a significant figure or event. Examples include some interpretations of Quetzalcoatl in Mesoamerica, or certain Native American prophecies of a return to balance.

The Universal Yearning:

What’s evident across these diverse examples is a fundamental human longing for a better future, a resolution to suffering, and a restoration of harmony. Whether it’s called a Messiah, the Second Coming, the Mahdi, Maitreya, Kalki, or Saoshyant, the underlying desire for a transformative figure or a coming golden age resonates deeply within the human spirit. These beliefs offer hope in times of hardship, provide meaning in the face of injustice, and paint a vision of a better world attainable in the future.

While the specifics of each tradition’s messianic expectation differ significantly, the common thread is undeniable. It suggests a deep-seated human need to believe in a future where goodness prevails, suffering ends, and a more just and harmonious world is finally realised. This shared hope, expressed in diverse forms across cultures and millennia, speaks to a fundamental aspect of the human condition: the enduring aspiration for a brighter dawn.