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Theology > Jesus > Anticipation of Christ > Predictions of the Prophets


PREDICTIONS OF THE PROPHETS

Prophecies of Jesus the Christ abound throughout the Old Testament. Christ Himself declared that the Scriptures, meaning the Old Testament, were about Him:

Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures (Lu. 24:44; note the word “must”).

The following is not an exhaustive list but is sufficient to substantiate the anticipation of Christ in the Old Testament and the events related to His life (see: Christ in the Old Testament). With the references from the Old Testament is the location of the reference in the New Testament.

Born of a Virgin – Yahweh God said to the serpent . . . “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel” (Gen. 3:14-15; see: Gal. 4:4; Rev. 12:1-5);

Son of Abraham – I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed (Gen. 12:3; see: Matt. 1:1; Acts 3:25; Gal. 3:8);

Seed of Abraham – To your seed I will give this land (Gen. 12:7; also 13:15; 24:7; see: Gal. 3:16);

From the Tribe of Judah – The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people (Gen. 49:10 see: Matt. 1:2; Lu. 3:33);

A Prophet like Moses – Yahweh your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to Him you shall listen (Deut. 18:15; see: Lu. 13:33; Jo. 1:45; 6:14; 7:40; Acts 3:22-23; 7:37);

A Prophet like Moses – I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. And whoever will not listen to My words that He shall speak in My name, I myself will require it of him (Deut. 18:18-19; see: Lu. 13:33; Jo. 1:45; 6:14; 7:40; Acts 3:22-23);

Son of David and Rule of David – And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before Me. Your throne shall be established forever (II Sam. 7:16; see: Matt. 1:1; Lu. 1:32-33);

Resurrection of Christ – Yahweh said to Me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten You” (Ps. 2:7; see: Acts 13:34; Heb. 1:5; 5:5);

Eternal Rule – You have given him dominion over the works of Your hands; you have put all things under his feet (Ps. 8:6; see I Cor. 15:27; Eph. 1:22; Heb. 2:6-8);

Resurrection of Christ – I have set Yahweh always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let Your Holy One see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16:8-11; see: Acts 2:24-28; 13:35);

Soldiers Cast Lots for Garments of Christ – They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots (Ps. 22:18; see: Matt. 27:35; Jo. 19:24);

Bones not Broken – He guards all His bones; not one of them is broken (Ps. 34:20; also: Ex. 12:46; Num. 9:12; see: Jo. 19:36);

Betrayal by Judas – Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me (Psalm 41:9; see: Jo. 13:18-22; Matt. 26:14-16);

Death of Judas – May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents (Ps. 69:25; see: Acts 1:20);

Replacement of Judas – Let his days be few, and let another take his office (Ps. 109:8; see: Acts 1:20);

Exaltation and Eternal Rule – Yahweh says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool” (Ps. 110:1; also Ps. 68:18; see: Matt. 22:43-44; Lu. 20:41-44; Acts 2:34-35; I Cor. 15:25; Heb. 1:13);

Priest like Melchizedek – Yahweh has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 110:4; see: Heb. 5:5-6, 10; 6:20; 7:15-17, 21);

Rejection by Jews – The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is Yahweh's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes (Ps. 118:22-23, 26; see: Matt. 21:42-46; Lu. 20:9-19; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20; I Pet. 2:6-7);

Praise at the Triumphal Entry – Blessed is He who comes in the name of Yahweh! (Ps. 118:26; see: Lu. 19:37-40; 13:35);

Inability of the People to Believe – Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed (Isa. 6:9-10; see: Matt. 13:10-15; Jo. 12:39-40);

Born of a Virgin – Therefore Yahweh Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel (Isa. 7:14 see: Matt. 1:22-23: Rev. 12:1-5);

Ministry in Galilee – In the former time He brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time He has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone (Isa. 9:1-2; see: Matt. 4:12-16);

General Description of the Christ – For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this (Isa. 9:6-7);

Descendent of David – There shall come forth a Shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of Yahweh shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh (Isa. 11:1-2; see: Matt. 1:1; Lu. 1:32-33; 2:52; Rom. 15:12);

God’s Sovereign Work in Christ – Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not be in haste (Isa. 28:16; see: Rom. 9:33; 10:11; I Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:20; I Pet. 2:4-8);

Ministry of John the Baptist – A voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God” (Isa. 40:3; see: Matt. 3:3; Lu. 3:1-6; Jo 1:19-23);

Anointment of Christ by the Spirit for Ministry – Behold My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen, in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up His voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed He will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for His law (Isa. 42:1-4; see: Matt. 3:13-17; 12:15-21);

Refusal to Believe – Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed? (Isa. 53:1; see: Jo. 12:37-38);

Identification with Man and Suffering for Man – Surely He has borne our sicknesses and carried our pains (Isa. 53:4; see: Matt. 8:16-17);

Identification with Man and Suffering for Man – He poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors (Isa. 53:12; see: Mk. 15:27);

Suffering and Sacrifice of Christ – He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He opened not is mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of My people? (Isa. 53:7-8; see: Acts 8:30-33);

Resurrection of Christ – And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—the sure mercies of David (Isa. 55:3; see: Acts 13:34);

Salvation for Israel through Christ – “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares Yahweh. “And as for Me, this is My covenant with them,” says Yahweh: “My Spirit that is upon you, and My words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or out of the mouth of your children's offspring,” says Yahweh, “from this time forth and forevermore” (Isa. 59:20-21; see: Rom. 11:26-27);

Anointment of Christ by the Spirit for Ministry – The Spirit of Yahweh God is upon Me, because Yahweh has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor (Isa. 61:1-2, also 49:8-9; see: Lu. 4:16-20);

Slaughter of Infants – A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more (Jer. 31:15; see: Matt. 2:17-18);

Time of Messiah’s Birth – Know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks, Messiah shall be cut off but not for Himself (Dan. 9:25-26 see: Lu. 2:1-7);

Flight into Egypt – When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my Son (Hosea 11:1; see: Matt. 2:14-15);

Pentecost – And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of Yahweh comes. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh shall be saved (Joel 2:28-32; see: Acts 214-21);

Born in Bethlehem – But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little among the thousands of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me One who is to be Ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days (Micah 5:2; see: Matt. 2:5-6);

Triumphal Entry – Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is He, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey (Zech. 9:9; see: Matt. 21:1-11; Jo. 7:42; 12:12-16);

Sold for Thirty Pieces of Silver – And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. Then Yahweh said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of Yahweh, to the potter (Zech. 11:12-13; see: Matt. 26:14-16; 27:3-10);

Jews will Look on the One they Pierced – And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and pleas for mercy, so that, when they look on Me, on Him whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for Him (Zech. 12:10; see: Jo. 19:37);

Reaction of Disciples – Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn My hand against the little ones (Zech. 13:7; see: Matt. 26:31-32);

Ministry of John the Baptist – Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord [Adonai] whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple; and the Messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, He is coming (Mal. 3:1; see: Matt. 11:7-10; Mk. 1:2; Lu. 1:76; 7:27).


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