Redemption, a Process

Maimonides rules in his Laws of Kings about the times of Moshiach: “Do not think that the world will undergo miraculous changes. The world will continue according to the natural order. And prophecies such as, ‘The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,’ are metaphors.”

Maimonides explains the process of Moshiach’s revelation: First, a king will arise who is steeped in Torah and Mitzvos like his ancestor, King David; then he will influence all Jews to follow Torah and rectify breaches in its observance; and then he will wage the wars of G-d, and be victorious. This means that in the first stage of Moshiach’s coming there are still wars to be fought against the enemies of the Jewish people. Clearly then, the nations will not yet “Beat their swords into plowshares,” nor shall “The wolf dwell with the lamb.”

In the second stage, however, after Moshiach rebuilds the Temple, initiates the Ingathering of the Exiles and teaches all nations to serve G-d as one, then miraculous changes will take place within the fabric of nature, and all people and all creatures will dwell together in peace.