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Section: A discussion of what they cite from the prophets regarding the advent of the Messiah—peace be upon him—and an explanation of how these passages serve as evidence
Ezra’s statement: “The Messiah will come and deliver the peoples and nations”
They say:
“Our course is to mention some of the words of the prophets who foretold the Lord Messiah and his descent to the earth. Ezra the priest, when Nebuchadnezzar al-Faridi carried them off to the land of Babylon—four hundred and eighty-two years earlier—said:
‘The Messiah will come and rescue the peoples and nations.’ And at the completion of this period, the Lord Messiah came.
And the prophet Jeremiah said concerning his birth in that very age: ”
[فَصْلٌ: مُنَاقَشَتُهُمْ فِيمَا نَقَلُوهُ عَنِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ حَوْلَ مَجِيءِ الْمَسِيحِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَبَيَانُ وَجْهِ الدَّلَالَةِ فِيهَا]
[قَوْلُ عِزْرَا يَأْتِي الْمَسِيحُ وَيُخَلِّصُ الشُّعُوبَ وَالْأُمَمَ]
قَالُوا:
وَسَبِيلُنَا أَنْ نَذْكُرَ مِنْ بَعْضِ قَوْلِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ الَّذِينَ تَنَبَّوْا عَلَى السَّيِّدِ الْمَسِيحِ، وَنُزُولِهِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ،
قَالَ عِزْرَا الْكَاهِنُ حَيْثُ سَبَاهُم بُخْتَنَصَّرُ الْفَرِيدِيُّ إِلَى أَرْضِ بَابِلَ إِلَى أَرْبَعِمِائَةٍ وَاثْنَتَيْنِ وَثَمَانِينَ سَنَةً:
يَأْتِي الْمَسِيحُ وَيُخَلِّصُ الشُّعُوبَ وَالْأُمَمَ، وَفِي كَمَالِ هَذِهِ الْمُدَّةِ أَتَى السَّيِّدُ الْمَسِيحُ.
وَقَالَ أَرْمِيَا النَّبِيُّ عَنْ وِلَادَتِهِ فِي ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ: