Introduction
Two of the strongest proofs of the inspiration of the Bible are the prophecies in the Old Testament and the person of Christ in the New Testament. These two evidences are united in the Messianic prophecies.
The Bible gives us two pictures of Christ, the “picture of prophecy” as found in the Old Testament prediction of the Messiah and the “picture of the eyewitnesses” as found in the account given in the four gospels.
That these two pictures coincide remarkably is proof of two things, (1) that the Old Testament prophets were actually able to foretell future events and hence were divinely inspired in their writings and (2) that since Jesus fulfils these prophecies so completely he must be the Messiah (or Christ) promised to the Jews.
It has been said that there are more than 300 distinct prophecies in the Old Testament relating to the Messiah. The Jews in the time of Christ were earnestly looking for this deliverer.
When the apostles preached Christ to the Jews they proved by the prophecies that he was the Messiah or “anointed one.” Only a few of the many prophecies can be considered here.
HIS LINEAGE
The Old Testament clearly foretells both the tribe and family from which the Messiah was to come. Of his tribe it is prophesied, “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.” Genesis 49:10.
The sceptre is the emblem of kingly authority. The fulfilment is found in Hebrews 7:14. “For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah.”
The Christ was to come from the family of Jesse (the father of David) and was to be a descendant of King David himself. We are told, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” Isaiah 11:1.
“You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’” Psalm 89:3-4.
Paul shows that this is fulfilled in Christ when he says of David, “From this man’s descendants God has brought to Israel the Saviour Jesus, as he promised.” Acts 13:23.
HIS BIRTH
The very place of birth of the Messiah was foretold in the Old Testament. The prophet Micah predicted, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Micah 5:2.
There were two Bethlehems in Palestine and the one described was the “city of David”, a few miles from Jerusalem. Although Joseph and Mary were living in Nazareth, a combination of providential circumstances caused Jesus to be born in this insignificant village. Thus we read the fulfilment, “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea.” Matthew 2:1.
It was prophesied that the Messiah would be born of a virgin. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14.
Matthew records the statement of the angel who spoke to Joseph saying, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:20.
It has been objected that the Hebrew word in Isaiah 7:14 from which the word virgin is translated means young woman instead of virgin. The Revised Standard Version has so translated it. This translation has brought much criticism of this version of the Bible.
In defence of the use of the word virgin it may be observed,
(1) the Hebrew word “almah” from which the word virgin comes may be translated either “young woman” or “virgin”;
(2) “virgin” is evidently the intended meaning of the writer since the conception was to be a sign of something out of the ordinary, which would be true of a virgin, but not of a young woman;
(3) the translators of the Greek Septuagint in the third century before Christ rendered the word “almah” by a Greek word meaning “virgin”;
(4) Matthew quotes the passage from Isaiah and renders it “virgin”. Matthew 1:23.
HIS FORERUNNER
It was prophesied that the Messiah would be preceded by a forerunner who would prepare the way for him. “A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Isaiah 40:3.
“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me.” Malachi 3:1.
“See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” Malachi 4:5.
The fulfilment of these prophecies is to be found in the life and work of John the Baptist.
We read, “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” Matthew 3:1-3.
John is called Elijah in Luke 1:17, and he possessed the characteristics of Elijah in the way that he dressed and in that his wilderness mission called men to repentance.
HIS SUFFERING
Probably the finest and most complete description of the Messiah is found in Isaiah 53. It was from this chapter that Philip preached to the Ethiopian eunuch as they rode along the way between Jerusalem and Gaza. Acts 8:26-40.
Notice the following from that chapter. “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely, he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” Isaiah 53:3-7.
Notice the agreement between this prophecy and the actual suffering of Christ.
1. He was despised and rejected by his own people.
“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.” John 1:11.
2. He was to suffer for others.
Of Jesus, Paul says, “He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Romans 4:25. Through his suffering and death a perfect sin offering was made that all men might be saved.
3. He is pictured by Isaiah as suffering patiently as a lamb brought to the slaughter and as a sheep about to be sheared. When on trial for his life Jesus made no effort to escape or retaliate.
“Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” Matthew 26:62-63.
“When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer.” Matthew 27:12.
“But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor.” Matthew 27:14.
HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION
There are many prophecies that relate to the last days of Christ upon the earth. The Messiah was to enter Jerusalem riding upon an donkey.
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9.
The fulfilment of this is described in Matthew 21 in which we are told how Jesus entered Jerusalem on an donkey a few days before his crucifixion as multitudes cried “Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Matthew 21:9.
In Psalm 22:16-18, we read, “They pierced my hands and my feet … They part my garments among them, and cast lots for my garment.”
This is a description of the crucifixion of Jesus. As he was hanged on the cross his hands and feet were pierced by the nails that tore into his body. Below him, the soldiers parted his garments and cast lots for his coat.
“When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.” This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said, “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” So this is what the soldiers did.” John 19:23-24.
As he was suspended on the cross “they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.” Matthew 27:34. This was a fulfilment of Psalm 69:21. “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.”
That Christ was to be buried with the rich was foretold by Isaiah. “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.” Isaiah 53:9.
Matthew gives the fulfilment in detail. “As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.” Matthew 27:57-60
But the Messiah was not to remain in the grave. David predicted, “because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.” Psalm 16:10. The Hebrew word here translated as the realm of the dead or hell is “sheol” and means “The abode of the dead.”
It should not be confused with the Greek word “Gehenna” which is also translated hell in the New Testament and which means the place of eternal punishment. David’s prophecy was that the soul of Christ would not be left in the abode of the dead nor would his body be left in the grave to corrupt.
The many passages pertaining to the resurrection of Jesus are ample proof of the fulfilment. Peter quoted the prediction in Acts 2:27 to prove the resurrection of Jesus to the Jews on Pentecost.
What is the significance of the amazing correspondence between these prophecies and their fulfilment? First, they prove the inspiration of the Bible.
Second, they show that the New Testament cannot be completely understood without a knowledge of the Old Testament. Third, they prove that Jesus is the Christ and that as the Christ, his commands must be obeyed and his promises may be relied upon.
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