The Old Testament contains over 300 prophecies about a future Messiah, a savior anointed by God to deliver His people from oppression. The New Testament glorifies the fulfillment of those prophecies through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself revealed that He was the promised Messiah.
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” John 4:25-26
Further, the gospels show how Jesus fulfilled the messianic prophecies and ultimately delivered humanity from the oppression of death through the promise of eternal salvation.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Below is a discussion of numerous messianic prophesies fulfilled by Jesus Christ.
The Old Testament described the awaited Messiah’s birth in detail. In particular, the prophets foretold that the Savior would be born of a woman and would defeat Satan to redeem humanity for Satan’s deception of our First Parents (Genesis 3:15).
"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Further, the Savior would come from the line of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 12:3; Gen. 17:19; Numbers 24:17) and the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10).
Scripture also revealed that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) to a virgin who would call Him Immanuel (Isaiah 7:14). The Messiah would be an heir to King David’s throne and would reign for eternity (2 Samuel 7:12-13).
The Old Testament revealed that the Messiah would spend time in Egypt during His youth and would then leave Egypt (Hosea 11:1). The prophecies also foretold of a messenger in the wilderness who’d prepare the way for the Messiah so that the glory of God would be revealed (Isaiah 40:3-5).
The messianic prophecies told us that Galilee would be chosen among the nations to see “a great light,” a male child born to remove the darkness (Isaiah 9:1-6). The Messiah was foretold to preach about repentance (Isaiah 30:15) and be a gentle redeemer who would uphold justice and heal the broken (Isaiah 42:1-4; 61:1-2). The Savior would also speak in parables that would fall on deaf ears (Psalm 78:2-4; Isaiah 6:9-10) and perform many miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6).
The prophets warned that someone who had broken bread with the Messiah (Psalm 41:9) would betray Him for 30 pieces of silver, which would later be used to buy a potter’s field (Zechariah 11:12-13). Upon His betrayal, the Messiah’s closest friends would flee from him (Psalm 31:11).
Isaiah describes how the Messiah would remain silent in the face of false accusations and would be beaten, mocked, and spat upon (Isaiah 53:7; Isaiah 50:6). The Savior would also be “pierced for our transgressions” so that by His wounds we’d be healed (Isaiah 53:5). The prophet Daniel likewise revealed that the “Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing” (Daniel 9:26).
King David foreshadowed the Messiah’s resurrection by proclaiming that God would not abandon the Messiah to the realm of the dead or let the Messiah’s body see decay (Psalm 16:10). David also wrote that the Messiah would ascend to Heaven and sit at God’s right hand (Psalm 110:1).
The Old Testament prophets went to great lengths to describe the Messiah’s life, death, and victorious resurrection. Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled these prophecies in such accurate detail a millennium later that there can be no doubt that He was that promised Messiah.
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Dolores Smyth is a nationally published faith and parenting writer. She draws inspiration for her writing from everyday life. Connect with her over Twitter @byDoloresSmyth.