Predictions that Claim Jesus as the Messiah
The Holy Scriptures assert various claims regarding the divinity of Jesus Christ as the Messiah. This prompts inquiries into their credibility and accuracy. Christians may question how to confirm their beliefs, whereas non-Christians might question the Bible's dependability. The evidence presented here aims to validate the reasons for believing the Bible's assertions. Ten distinct features that distinguish the Bible from any other literary work will be examined. The first eight have been discussed in our blog post titled "Can You Trust the Bible?" The ninth has been our blog post, "The Bible's Central Figure is Jesus." Now we will discuss in part three the "Predictions Jesus Has Fulfilled as Messiah."
Considering this evidence, it becomes clear that the Bible is a dependable text. Indeed, the facts demonstrate that it is exactly what it claims to be—a divine revelation from the living God to humanity. With this consideration, let's explore the tenth reason in our three-part series titled "Can You Trust the Bible?"
Reason 10: Predictive Prophecy Separates Jesus from Other Religious Leaders
The tenth treason that separates Jesus from other founders of the great religions is that the Old Testament prophets predicted His coming into the world as Israel's long-awaited Messiah. We can make the following observations. One of the major themes of the Old Testament is that God would send a Deliverer or Messiah (the Christ) to come into the world. He would take away sin, give eternal life to those who believe, and eventually rule as king over Israel and all the nations of the earth. The first two were completed at Jesus' 1st coming. The last will be fulfilled at His 2nd coming and HIs millennial reign.
The prophecies started with God. It is crucial to understand that the accurate prediction of the future is a unique claim made by the God of the Bible. Indeed, a search through Scripture reveals that God has pointed to fulfilled prophecy as evidence of His existence, His knowledge of the future, and His control over it.
"I announced events beforehand; I issued the decrees and made the predictions; suddenly I acted and they came to pass. I did this because I know how stubborn you are. Your neck muscles are like iron and your forehead like bronze. I announced them to you beforehand; before they happened, I predicted them for you, so you could never say, ‘My image did these things, my idol, my cast image, decreed them. You have heard; now look at all the evidence! Will you not admit that what I say is true?’ (Isaiah 48:3-6 NET Bible). “Remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose” (Isaiah 46:9-10).
Then God speaks in Hebrews the sequence of prophetic events and by whom.
"God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they" (Hebrews 1:1-4).
The prophets told exactly who the Messiah would be. Even Jesus would say to His disciples I have spoken to you so that you would know,
“I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am He” (John 13:9).
“These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace" (John 16:1, 4, 33).
A practical question arises, “How would the people know the identity of this promised Messiah when He arrived?” Theoretically, anyone could claim to be God’s anointed one. Therefore, God narrowed prophecies down to exact details, so that whoever claimed to be the Messiah must fulfill some specific predictions. We will look at the following specific details that had to be fulfilled by anyone claiming to be the promised Messiah.
The Family Line of The Messiah Was Predicted
The first set of predictions, which we will consider, concerns the Messiah’s genealogy or family line. God narrowed down the family line of the Messiah in such a way that eliminated most of the people who had ever been born.
1st Prediction: He Will Come from The Family of Shem
The Bible says that the Messiah will be a descendant of one of Noah’s sons – Shem. We read about this in the Book of Genesis. It says: He also said,
“Praise be to the LORD, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. May God extend Japheth’s territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth” (Genesis 9:26,27).
Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. God eliminated two-thirds of humanity when He said the Messiah would come through the line of Shem.
The Fulfillment Recorded:
Luke lists the genealogy of Jesus where he records Jesus was a descendant of Shem. It says,
"He was . . . The son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech" (Luke 3:36).
Thus, Jesus was a descendant of Shem.
2nd Prediction: The Christ Will Be a Descendant of Abraham
The Bible says that the Messiah will descend from Abraham. We read in the Book of Genesis the Lord saying the following:
"The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (Genesis 12:1-3).
Now God eliminates all the families of the earth but one - the family of Abraham. Whoever claims to be the Messiah has to be a descendant of Abraham for God told Abraham that one of his descendants will bless all the earth.
The Fulfillment Recorded:
In the first verse of Matthew’s gospel, he states that Jesus descended from Abraham. We read:
"This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham" (Matthew 1:1).
Jesus descended from Abraham. The promise to Abraham was literally fulfilled.
In the New Testament, the Testimony of Paul the Apostle Paul also emphasized that God specified one from Abraham’s line would be the Christ. He wrote to the Galatians:
"The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ" (Gal 3:16).
The Apostle Paul says that God uses the singular rather than the plural to emphasize it will be one particular descendant of Abraham who will bless the world—this one descendant was Jesus.
3rd Prediction: He Will Be a Descendant of Isaac
Abraham had two sons, Isaac and Ishmael. God promised Isaac that the Messiah would be through his family line. We also read about this in Genesis:
"Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants, I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham. I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring, all nations on earth will be blessed" (Genesis 26:3,4).
Therefore, the Messiah would be born through the line of Isaac, not Ishmael, the other son of Abraham.
The Fulfillment Recorded:
According to Matthew, Jesus was from Isaac’s line. He stated:
"This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac" (Matthew 1:1,2).
The promise to Isaac was fulfilled.
4th Prediction: The Messiah Will Come from The Family of Jacob
Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Scripture says that the chosen line was through Jacob. This continues to narrow the possible candidates for the Messiah. It says in the Book of Genesis:
"And God said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you” (Genesis 35:11,12).
Jacob, not Esau, would have the Messiah come through his line.
The Fulfillment Recorded:
Jesus was also from the line of Jacob. Matthew records it as follows:
"This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers (Matthew 1:1,2).
The promise to Jacob was fulfilled.
5th Prediction: He Will Come from the Tribe of Judah
Jacob had twelve sons. God eliminated 11/12 of the line of Jacob by saying the Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah:
"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).
Therefore, the line of the Messiah is narrowed even further.
The Fulfillment Recorded:
Jesus descended from the line of Judah. Matthew records the following:
"This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers" (Matthew 1:1,2).
The promise that the Lord made to Judah was literally fulfilled.
6th Prediction: The Messiah Will Be from the Family Line of Jesse
There were many family lines in the tribe of Judah, but only through the family line of Jesse could the Messiah come. He is the Branch that will bear fruit according to the prophet Isaiah. He wrote:
"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots, a Branch will bear fruit" (Isaiah 11:1).
The Bible says that Jesse would have a descendant who would be the Messiah.
The Fulfillment Recorded:
Jesus was a descendant of Jesse. Matthew writes:
"This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham. . . Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse" (Matthew 1:1,5).
Again, we find that God’s promise is fulfilled.
7th Prediction: He Will Descend from The House of David
God told David that the Messiah would be from His line. We read about this promise in Second Samuel. It says:
"When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom" (2 Samuel 7:12).
Jesse had at least eight sons. God eliminated 7/8 of the sons of Jesse when He said the Messiah would be through the line of David. Again, the list of potential candidates gets narrower and narrower.
The Fulfillment Recorded:
The Bible records the fulfillment as follows:
"This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham (Matthew 1:1).
The very first verse of the New Testament records the fulfillment of this prophecy. When the angel appeared to Mary announcing Jesus’ birth, he confirmed that Mary’s child would be a descendant of David. Luke writes:
"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end" (Luke 1:31,32).
The Bible says that Jesus descended from David. Again, the promises of God come true.
Summary To the Genealogy of The Messiah
Whoever the promised Messiah would be, He must be a physical descendant of King David. This requirement eliminates nearly everyone else from consideration. According to the prophecies regarding the Messiah's genealogy, only a select few can qualify. Jesus, however, meets these Old Testament prophecies by being a descendant of David.
The Messiah’s Place, Time of Birth in History, and Virgin Birth Was Predicted
In addition, the exact place of His birth, the time of His death, and the miracle of a virgin giving birth were predicted. These are very precise and literal predictions and fulfillments. God is His father by the Holy Spirit and Mary as His physical mother made Him fully God and fully man.
8th Prediction: He Will be Born in Bethlehem
Through the prophet Micah, God predicted the exact city where the Messiah would be born. He said the following:
"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).
Every city in the world was eliminated except for one—Bethlehem of Judah. Therefore, if someone were a descendant of King David but born in any city other than Bethlehem of Judea, he would not qualify as the promised Messiah. Interestingly, there was another city named Bethlehem in Israel at that time; however, this Bethlehem was not located in the land of Judah. To fulfill the prophecy, the Messiah had to be born specifically in Bethlehem of Judea, not in the other Bethlehem.
The Fulfillment Recorded:
Jesus was not only born in the right family; He was also born at the right place; Bethlehem of Judea. Matthew records the following:
"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem" (Matthew 2:1).
Matthew records the fact that Jesus was indeed born in the predicted city, the city of Bethlehem of Judea.
9th Prediction: He Will Be Killed Before the Temple and The City of Jerusalem Are Destroyed
The time of the Messiah’s coming was predicted. The Old Testament predicts the death of the Messiah. This is found in the Book of Daniel. It reads:
"After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed" (Daniel 9:26).
We learn three things from this verse:
1. The Messiah will come on the scene of history.
2. He will be killed.
3. After His death, the city of Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed.
The Fulfillment Recorded:
When Jesus came to Earth, the city of Jerusalem and the temple had not yet been destroyed. Teaching at the temple was a significant part of Jesus' ministry. The temple and the city of Jerusalem were destroyed in A.D. 70, forty years after His death and resurrection. This destruction was a literal fulfillment of predictions made earlier.
The Predictions About the Messiah Birth and Death
10th Prediction: The Uniqueness of Christ's Birth- Virgin Born (700 BC)
The prophecies of the Messiah stated that He would come to earth (Immanuel). be born of a virgin, and
"Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (God with us)" (Isaiah 7:14)
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph before they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet"(Matthew 1:18-22).
Summary of the Genealogy Prophecies Concerning the Messiah
Therefore, Jesus fulfilled certain prophecies about the coming Messiah. They include:
1. He was born in the right family line—David’s.
2. He was born at the right place—Bethlehem of Judea.
3. He was born at the right time in history—before the city of Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. He was born of the virgin Mary.
These nine areas of prophecy reveal two significant truths. First, the prophecies were fulfilled literally—exactly as they were written. Jesus was a literal descendant of King David, He was born in the city of Bethlehem, He entered history and was killed before the city of Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed, and His mother was a virgin. In other words, the prophecies were fulfilled precisely as they were foretold.
Messiah was Rejected, Betrayed by Money, and His People
People either loved or hated Jesus; there seemed to be no middle ground. The Prophet Isaiah depicted the Messiah as one who would be rejected, despised, and forsaken, recognized as a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He endured spitting, beating, mocking, and betrayal by His friends and one of His disciples. The Pharisees loathed Him, accused Him of being demonic, and held Him in the lowest esteem. He would become a stumbling block for the Gentiles and a rock of offense to the Jews. He was betrayed for money.
11th Prediction: He Was Rejected by His Own People
"Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of the parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we (Jews) did not esteem Him" (Isaiah 53:1-3).
"The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone" (Psalm 118:22).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas; and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him" (Matthew 26:3-4).
"He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11).
"But though He had performed so many signs before them, yet they were not believing in Him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” For this reason, they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, “He has blinded their eyes, and He hardened their heart so that they would not see with their eyes and perceive with their heart and be converted and I heal them.” These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke of Him. Nevertheless, many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God" (John 12:37-43).
"This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very cornerstone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed" (1 Peter 2:7-8).
12th Prediction: He Would be Betrayed by His Own Follows
"Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Psalms 41:9).
"For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, then I could bear it; Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, My companion and my familiar friend; we who had sweet fellowship together, walked in the house of God in the throng (company)" (Psalms 55:12-14).
"And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then he will say, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’ “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the man, My Associate,” Declares the Lord of hosts, “Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered; and I will turn My hand [c]against the little ones." (Zechariah 13:6-7).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me betray Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus" (Matthew 26:14-16).
"While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him.” Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus *said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?” At that time Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled" (Matthew 26:47-58).
"And Jesus *said to them, “You will all fall away because it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered" (Mark 14:27).
13th Prediction: Betrayed for Thirty Pease's of Silver
"I said to them, “If it is good in your sight, give me my wages; but if not, never mind!” So they weighed out thirty shekels of silver as my wages. Then the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter, that magnificent price at which I was valued by them.” So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord" (Zechariah 11:12-13).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders...And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one whose price had been set by the sons of Israel; and they gave them for the Potter’s Field, as the Lord directed me” (Matthew 27:3, 7-10).
Unjustly Tried, Condemned, and Falsely Accused by Jews
The Jewish leaders from the Pharisees and Sadducees falsely tried Him, condemned Him to death, and accused Him unjustly. They convened secretly, defying their own laws. It appears they were resolute in their disbelief of the Old Testament Prophets. The Son of God faced accusations, oppression, affliction, and judgment. He was deemed unworthy of life. As He approached the cross, He was intensely mocked and treated with disdain.
14th Prediction: He Was Tried and Condemned
"He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth. By oppression and judgment, He was taken away; and as for His generation, that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?' (Isaiah 53:7-8.)
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"Then the whole body of them got up and brought Him before Pilate. And they began to accuse Him...Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” But they kept on insisting....he sent Him to Herod, who himself also was in Jerusalem at that time...And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently. And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate... Therefore, I will punish Him...Away with this man...Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again, but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!”...But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail. And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted...he delivered Jesus to their will" (Luke 23:1-25).
"Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death; and they bound Him, and led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate the governor" (Matthew 27:1-2)"
15th Prediction: He Was to be Mocked and Ridicule
"All who see me sneer at me; they separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, because He delights in him” (Psalms 22:7-8).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
" And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words" (Matthew 27:39-44).
"And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate...And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One” (Luke 23:11, 35).
Died by Crucifixion, Pierced, Along with Criminals
The prophecies in the Psalms and Zechariah predicted that the Messiah was to be crucified, a brutal and inhuman way to die, and His hands and feet would be pierced. As if the sneering and mockery were not enough, He would suffer between two thieves.
16th Prediction: He Was to Die by Crucifixion Where His Hands and Feet Pierced
"And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate...And the people stood by, looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One” (Psalms 22:7-8, 16-17).
"I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn." (Zechariah 12:10).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him and led Him away to crucify Him" (Matthew 27:31).
"After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they *led Him out to crucify Him...It was the third hour when they crucified Him" (Mark 15:20, 25).
17th Prediction: He Was to Suffer with Criminals
"All who see me sneer at me; they separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, commit yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; let Him rescue him, because He delights in him...For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced my hands and my feet" (Psalms l22:7-8, 16).
"Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:12).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"At that time two robbers *were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left" (Matthew 27:38).
"They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors” (Mark 15:27-28).
Messiah Delighted Father and Words of Agony
Jesus' 1st coming was to save mankind from their sins and eternal death. Therefore, Jesus delights to do the will of the Father. In His death, He would bore and intercede for transgressors (sinners). The paradox is though He was fully man He would still feel the agony torture and death. He went to the cross on His own accord and chose the exact time He would breathe His last breath.
18th Prediction: He Will be Delighted to do the Father's Will
"Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:12).
"Then I said, “Behold, I come; In the scroll of the book it is written of me I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart.” I have proclaimed glad tidings of righteousness in the great congregation; behold, I will not restrain my lips, O Lord, You know" (Psalms 40:7-9).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves" (Luke 23:32-34).
"Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the book it is written of Me) to do Your will, O God" (Hebrew 10:7).
19th Prediction: Words Christ Spoke Concerning His Agony
"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning" (Psalms 22:1).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”(Matthew 27:46).
20th Prediction: Not One Bone Would be Broken and His Heart Would be Pierced at Calvary
"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning" (Psalm 22:14).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"But coming to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. For these things came to pass to fulfill the Scripture, “Not a bone of Him shall be broken” (John 19:33-36).
The Messiah was to Die for Sins, Conquer the Grave, Ascend into Heaven, and Sit at the Right Hand of God
The human race has been under sin since Adam and Eve transgressed by explicit commands. Ever since all have been born with a sin nature, meaning all sin. The penalty for sin is death. Therefore, Jesus willfully died for the sacrifice for sin. Not only did He die but He was raised from the dead after 3 days to eradicate death. He then proceeded to ascend to Heaven after He was seen by 500 people for forty days. He now sits at the right hand of the Father as God, the second person of the Trinity.
21st Prediction: Messiah Was to Die as a Sacrifice for Sin
"But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him...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 for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?... But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, my Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors" (Isaiah 53:5-6, 8, 10-12).
Fulfillment Recorded:
"The next day he (John the Baptist) saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).
"But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad" (John 11:49-52).
"Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins”...Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses" (Acts 10:43, 13:38-39).
23rd Prediction: Could the Grave Conquer Christ (1000 BC)
"I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay" (Psalm 16:8-10).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples" (Matthew: 28:1-8).
"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. For David says of Him, ‘I saw the Lord always in my presence; for He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken. ‘Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; moreover my flesh also will live in hope; because You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor allow Your Holy One to undergo decay. you have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.’ Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. And so, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses" (Acts 2:22-32).
"but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses" (Acts 3:15).
24th Prediction: Christ's Ascension to Heaven (1000 BC)
"You have ascended on high, You have led captive Your captives; you have received gifts among men, even among the rebellious also, that the Lord God may dwell there" (Psalm 68:18).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9).
25th Prediction: Christ is Now at God's Right Hand
"The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet” (Psalm 110:1).
The Fulfillment Recorded:
"Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons" (Mark 16:9).
"And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven" (Luke 24:50-51).
No Human Manipulation in Messianic Fulfillment by Jesus
These twenty-five prophecies were fulfilled without any human intervention. Jesus could not have intentionally fulfilled them, as they were realized through His genealogy, birth, how and by whom betrayed Him, death, resurrection, and accession. Before delivering any sermons or performing miracles, Jesus fulfilled these prophecies supernaturally. He was born into the right family, in the right place, and at the right time in history. He met the Messianic requirements in terms of origin, timing, and specificity. From a human perspective, Jesus could not have controlled these factors. Thus, in these prophecies of the Messiah, we see that Jesus Christ miraculously fulfilled them.
Many scholars claim 323 prophecies proclaim the Messiah. What are the mathematical probabilities of one person in the first century fulfilling eight (not 25) of the clearest and straightforward Messianic prophecies?
"We find that the chance that any man might have lived down to the present time and fulfilled just eight prophecies is 1 in 10 to the 17th power or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000." (Josh and Sean McDowell in their book "Evidence That Demands a Verdict).
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We All Have the Same Dilemma, We're Dead in Sin
Every human being, ethnic group, race, or gender finds themselves in this same dilemma. Therefore, there are three questions you would be wise to ask yourself and extremely prudent to answer.
One, why do I need to be saved?
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