In his book Early Judaism,
Martin Jaffee writes:
The English word “Messiah” renders the Hebrew “mashiakh.” In it’s simplest
meaning, it denotes “one who is anointed with oil.” More expansively, it
identifies a person consecrated to a divinely appointed task. In the Torah
of Moses, particularly in the book of Leviticus, this term is used
frequently to describe Aaron, the officiating priest charged with conducting
the sacrificial service in the Tent of Meeting.
In the priestly sense, the Messiah is the priest whose sacrificial service
in accordance with Torah sustains the covenantal relationship between God
and Israel. Messiah also refers to one anointed to serve as king over the
Israelite people in its Land. The original anointee was Saul, the first man
appointed as king over Israel.
1 Samuel 24:5
5 And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he
had cut off Saul's skirt.
6 And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto
my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him,
seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.
7 So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to
rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
Here we read of David referring to Saul as
למשיח יהוה
(or the "Messiah of the LORD"). So, there can be a number of different
individuals identified throughout history as a messiah (anointed). However,
when you talk of THE Messiah you