Old Testament prophecies of Jesus
We will discuss briefly each prophecy and its fulfillment. Please look up and read the scripture references.
1. The Seed of the Woman victorious over Satan (Genesis 3:15 - fulfilled in Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 2:11; 1 John 3: 8). War is proclaimed between Satan and the Seed of the woman, where Satan shall bruise His heel, but the Seed shall bruise Satan's head. Jesus suffered trememdously at the hands of men, crucifixion being an antagonizing and slow death. But Jesus gained the ultimately victory. "The devil sinneth from the beginning," said John, "for this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil."
2. All families blessed through Christ, the Seed of Abraham (Genesis 12:3 - fulfilled in Acts 3:25; Galatians 3:8). God promises to make of Abraham a great nation, and that ALL families of the earth will be blessed. Paul wrote to the Galatians, "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed."
3. The priesthood of Jesus like Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18; Psalms 110:4 - fulfilled in Hebrews 7:1-28). We don't know much about Melchizedek other than he was considered very great. He was the King of Salem (later to be Jerusalem) and priest of the most high God. Salem means "peace," making him the King of peace as translated, and the writer of Hebrews referring also to him as the King of righteousness. The patriarch Abraham paid his tithes to Melchizedek, and Melchizedek blessed Abraham, bringing out bread and wine. It is fitting that he brough forth bread and wine, the elements Jesus used at His last supper. The beginning or ending of Melchizedek's life nor his lineage is not recorded, making him "without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually." (Hebrews 7:3).
4. Messiah will come from Judah. (Genesis 49:10 - fulfilled in Luke 1:32-33). In Genesis, it is prophecied that the sceptre, or staff of a king or ruler, will not depart from Judah. King David was from the lineage of Judah, and to Mary, the angel spoke concerning Jesus, "the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David."
5. Jesus is the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:1-14:46; fulfilled in John 19:31-36; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:19). To protect themselves from the death angel, each family was to take a spotless male lamb, kill it, and then take the blood and place it upon the top and sides of the doorframe. When the angel saw the blood, he would pass over the house. Peter said that we were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot. Paul said of Christ that He was our Passover which was sacrificed for us.
6. The Messiah's blood would be shed for our sins (Exodus 24:8 - fulfilled in Hebrews 9:11-28). Moses took the blood and sprinkled it upon the people and the tabernacle and its furnishings. "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins," Hebrews 9:22 says. Neither by the blood of goats or calves, but by His own blood Christ entered once in the Holy Place to obtain eternal redemption for us.
7. Jesus is the true bread from Heaven (Exodus 16:4 - fulfilled in John 6:31-35). God rained down manna from heaven which the people of Israel collected to make bread. Jesus, as He taught, reminded the people of this story, and said, "My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven..... I am the bread of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
8. Jesus the smitten Rock (Exodus 17:6 - fulfilled in 1 Corinthians 10:1-4). The people of Israel complained against Moses and God for they were thirsty. God then told Moses, "I will stand before thee upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink." Paul said that they drank of the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. Jesus said that those who drink of the water He gives will never thirst.
9. Jesus to be lifted up on a cross (Numbers 21:8-9 - fulfilled in John 3:14-17). God sent a plague of snakes among the people of Israel as punishment for their continued complaining. God commanded Moses to place an image of a serpent on a pole. If someone was bitten, they would look upon the pole and be saved. The word "look" in this verse means to look intently, to respect, to pay attention to, or to regard. It was a look of faith and not just a simple glance. Jesus said that as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosover believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
10. Messiah will come out of Jacob (Numbers 24:17 - fulfilled in Luke 1:32-33; Revelation 22:16). "A Star shall rise out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel," so proclaimed Balaam. The star would represent Jesus' glory, and the sceptre His authority and power. The angel told the virgin Mary, "The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." Jesus said of Himself in John's great vision, "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star."
11. God will send the Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15-18 - fulfilled in John 6:14, 12:49-50; Acts 3:18-26). God promised He would raise up a Prophet from among Israel that will speak what He commands Him. When the people saw the miracle Jesus performed in feeding the multitude with 5 loaves and 2 fish, they said of Him, "This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world." Jesus said that He spoke the words which the Father gave to Him. Peter referenced Moses' prophecy of a coming Prophet in his sermon about Jesus delivered in the temple.
12. Messiah cursed by hanging on a tree (Deuteronomy 21:22-23 - fulfilled in Galatians 3:13). God said than anyone who is hanged on a tree (a reference to crucifixion) is accursed of God. Paul told the Galatians, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."
13. The Word is near us (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 - fulfilled in John 1:1,14; Romans 10:6-11). God told the people that His word was not in the heavens or in the sea that someone had to go and bring it back to them. God said it was near them, in their mouths and in their hearts that they may do it. John said that Jesus was the Word, which was with God, and was made flesh and dwelled among us. Paul repeated Moses word's to the Romans, "The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
14. The Messiah will be God's Son (2 Samuel 7:12-14 - fulfilled Luke 1:35; Hebrews 1:5). God told the prophet Samuel to tell David that He would set up a seed after him, and that He would establish his kingdom. "He shall build a house for my name..... I will be his father, and he shall be my son." The angel told Mary that the Holy Ghost would come upon her and her child would be called the Son of God. Paul said to the Hebrews that Jesus was made much better than the angels. To which angel did God say, "I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?"
15. God will declare "Thou art my Son" (Psalms 2:7 - fulfilled in Matthew 3:17, 17:5; Mark 1:11, 9:7; Luke 3:22, 9:25; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:5). "And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers," Luke wrote in Acts 13:32, "God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this dya have I begotten thee."
16. The Messiah will rule the nations with power (Psalms 2:9 - fulfilled in Revelation 2:27). David wrote in the Psalms, "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." Jesus quoted this psalm in His message to the church at Thyatira.
17. Children will praise the Messiah (Psalms 8:2 - fufilled Matthew 21:16). "O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name is all the earth!" the Psalmist declared, "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength." The chief priests and scribes were displeased when they heard the children crying the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David." Jesus responded, "Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?"
18. All things in subjection to Jesus (Psalms 8:3-6 - fulfilled in Hebrews 2:6-9; 1 Corinthians 15:27-28; Ephesians 1:22). David said, "What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?" God has crowned Him with glory and honor and has put all things in subjection under His feet.
19. Son of David raised from the dead (Psalms 16:8-11 - fulfilled in Acts 2:25-32; 13:35-37). When Jesus died, He went down into Hell and led away the captives (Matthew 27:50-53) and returned with the keys to Hell and to death. David said, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." Peter quoted this passage in his Pentecost sermon and said that David spoke "of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see corruption." Paul also quoted this same passage in his message in the synagogue at Antioch.
20. Why hast thou forsaken me? (Psalms 22:1 - fulfilled in Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34). David opened the twenty-second psalm with these words, "My God, my God, what hast thou forsaken me?" Jesus uttered these words in His final moments on the cross.