The Messianic Prophecies

What is prophecy? Webster defines prophecy as "the foretelling or prediction of what is to come; a divinely inspired utterance or revelation." So, how can we approach these things? Let us first, before going any further, list a few prophecies based on the end of days. Now, Messiah is another word for Savior, or Christ. Bear in mind as we go through these - while some of these prophecies are vague, others are not. So, let us take a look at the qualifications for the Messiah.

- Born of a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:21-23)

- Must be a descendant of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3;22:18, Matthew 1:1, Galatians 3:16)

- Born of the tribe of Judah. (Genesis 49:10, Luke 3:23, 33; Hebrews 7:14)

- Born of the house of David (2nd Samuel 7:12-16, Matthew 1:1)

- Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4-7)

- Taken to Egypt as a Child (Hosea 11:1, Matthe2 :14-15)

- Anointed by the Holy Spirit and Eternal (Psalm 45:6-7, Psalm 102:25-27, Isaiah 11:2, Matthew 2:16-18, Hebrews 1:8-12)

- Preceded by a forerunner from God. [John the Baptist] (Isaiah 40:3-5, Malachi 3:1, Matthew 3:-13)

- Performs Miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6, Matthew 9:35)

- Preaches "Good News" [Gospel] (Isaiah 9:1, Luke 4:14-21)

- Ministry in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1, Matthew 4:12-16)

- Would Cleanse the Temple (Malachi 3:1, Matthew 21:12-13, John 2:13-24)

- Presents himself as King exactly 173,880 days after the decree from Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25, Matthew 21:4-11)

- Will enter Jerusalem, as king, riding on a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9, Matthew 21:4-9)

- Rejected by Jews and Gentiles Alike (Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 53:3, John 1:10-11;7:5;48, 1st Peter 2:7)

- Dies a humiliating death (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53, Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19), including, but not limited to:

• betrayal by a friend (Psalm 41:9, Luke 22:3-4, John 13:18)
• sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12, Matthew 26:14-15)
• remains silent before his accusers and persecutors (Isaiah 53:7, Matthew 27:12-14)
• Mocked (Psalm 22:7-8, Matthew 27:31)
• Beaten [beyond recognition] (Isaiah 52:14, Matthew 27:26)
• Spit Upon (Isaiah 50:6, Matthew 27:30)
• Hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16, Matthew 27:31)
• Crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:9, Matthew 27:38)
• Prays for those who persecute him (Psalm 109:4, Isaiah 53:12, Luke 23:24)
• Pierced in the side (Zechariah 12:10, John 19:34)
• Given gall and vinegar to drink (Psalm 69:21, Matthew 27:34, Luke 23:26, John 19:28-29)
• No Broken Bones (Psalm 34:20, John 19:32-36)
• Buried in a Rich Man's tomb (Isaiah 53:9, Matthew 27:57-60)
• Cast lots [gamble] for his garments (Psalm 22:18, John 19:23-24)

- Would rise from the dead (Psalm 16:10, Mark 16:6, Acts 2:31)

- Would Ascend to Heaven (Psalm 68:8, Mark 16:19, Luke 24:50-51, Acts 1:9)

- Sits at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1, Hebrews 1:3)

- Honored by great kings (Psalm 72:10, Isaiah 60:3, Matthew 2:1-11)

- Declared the Son of God (Psalm 2:7, Isaiah 60:3, Matthew 2:1-11)

- Would Speak in Parables (Psalm 78:2-4, Matthew 13:34-35)

- Hated without reason (Psalm 35:19, John 15:24-25)

- Commits his spirit to God (Psalm 31:5, Luke 23:46)

- Darkness would fall over the land when he dies (Amos 8:9, Matthew 27:45)

- Sends out the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 44:3, Joel 2:28, John 20:22, Acts 2:16-17)

- Would establish a new covenant with Humanity (Isaiah 55:3-4, Jeremiah 31:31, Luke 22:20, Hebrews 8:6-10)

- The Gentiles, too, will seek the Messiah. (Isaiah 9:2; 11:10; 65:1; Romans 11:25, Matthew 4:16)

This is only a few of the hundreds of prophecies about the Messiah. With all of these prophecies, hundreds of scholars have come to the same conclusion: the only person on the entire Earth, in all of History, to fulfill each and every one of those prophecies and the rest not mentioned, is Jesus Christ - The Messiah, Savior of the World.

Yes, he fulfilled all of these. Some may say, I could die on a cross, I could present myself as king. Consider these prophecies, and the fact that:

1) Jesus was a descendant of David.

2) Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

3) Jesus was a miracle worker.

4) Jesus was betrayed by a friend, Judas, for 30 pieces of silver

5) Jesus was crucified on a cross

6) Jesus presented himself as king exactly 173,880 days after the decree by Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem [Daniel 9:25].

Not all 7 of these can be fulfilled by any one man. Not without God, not without being the son of God, without being God himself, the Messiah, Jesus. Jesus is the Messiah that, for generations, was promised to the Jews, but due to misunderstanding of his original intention, they did not recognize him as the Messiah. The very possibility that any one man could fulfill all seven of those prophecies just mentioned is more than 1 in 100 billion, billion, billion, billion. (10 to the 38th power.) In the Christian worldview, Jesus fulfilled these prophecies. 

Troy Hillman