History has a beginning and an end. The process of advancing history toward its conclusion is called redemption. Redemption isn’t merely a prophecy but a core value of Jewish belief.
However, the specific details of redemption remain murky and cryptic. According to our tradition, Jacob, on his deathbed, assembled his children, hoping to provide a road map for the messianic era. However, his plan was thwarted from above, as his prophetic spirit was temporarily suspended. Ironically, the only person in the Bible who provides a coded road map of redemption is the gentile prophet Bilam, whose fourth and final prophecy addresses events that will unfold in “the end of days.” Broadly speaking, though, the details of redemption remain shrouded in secrecy.
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