Musing – How Could One Man Fulfill So Many Prophecies?

Hebraic Musing – How Could One Man Fulfill So Many Prophecies?

The prophets foretold of the Messiah’s coming for thousands of years.  Scholars have identified over 300 distinct prophecies in the Old Testament Scriptures that were fulfilled by Jesus Christ in His first appearance (“first” since there will be a “second”).  Prophecies about His second coming are yet to be fulfilled, but that might be another “Musing” later.  Let’s ponder 61 of these prophecies which were all looking forward for both a suffering Messiah and a conquering kingly Messiah:

1.      The Messiah will be born of a woman – (Prophesied) Gen. 3:15 The woman’s curse in the garden “your offspring will crush his (Satan’s) head” –; (Fulfilled) Gal.4:4 & Luke 1:35

2.      He will be born of a virgin – (Prophesied) Isa 7:14 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel”;  (Fulfilled) Luke 1:26 & more

3.      He will be the Son of God – (Prophesied) Psalm 2:7 “Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee”  ; (Fulfilled) Matt.3:7 & Mark 3:11

4.      The Messiah will be from the Seed of Abraham – Proven by the genealogy in Matthew 1:1

5.      The Messiah will be a Son of Isaac – Lineage in Luke 3:23-34

6.      Messiah will be a son of Jacob – (P) Num.24:17;  (F) Luke 3:23-24

7.      Messiah will be from the tribe of Judah – (P) Gen.49:10; (F) Luke 23-24 & Heb.7:14

8.      Will come from the family line of Jesse – (P) Isa.11:1; (F) Matt.1:6,16 & Lk.3:23,32

9.      Will come out of the house of David -- (P) Isa.9:6-7; (F) Matt.1:6,16 & Lk.3:23,31

10.  Will be born in Bethlehem (“House of Bread” in Hebrew) – (P) Micah 5:2; (F) Matt.2:1

11.  A Star will announce His birth – (P) Num. 24:17; (F) Matt.2:1-2

12.  Herod will kill the children – (P) Jer. 31:15; (F) Matt.2:16

13.  The Messiah has preexisted -- (P) Micah 5:2; (F) Col. 1:17

14.  The Messiah shall be called “Lord” – Ps.110:1  “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’”; Mark 12:35-37

15.  Shall be called Immanuel (God with us)  (P) Isa. 7:14;  (F) Matt.1:23-25

16.  Will be a prophet – (P) Dt.18:18; (F) Matt. 21:11

17.  Shall be a priest – (P) Ps.110:4; (F) Heb.3:1&5:7-10

18.  Shall be a judge – (P) Isa.33:22; (F) 2 Tim.4:1

19.  Shall be King – (P) Isa.9:7; (F) John 18:37

20.  Shall be anointed by the Holy Spirit – (P) Isa.11:2; (F) Matt.3:16-17

21.  Will have great zeal for God – (P)  Ps.69:9; (F) John 2:13-17

22.  Will be preceded by a messenger – (P) Isa.40:3; (F) Matt.3:1-3

23.  Will minister in Galilee – (P) Isa.9:1; (F) Matt.4:12-17

24.  Ministry will include miracles – (P) Isa.35:5-6; (F) Matt.9:35

25.  Will be a teacher of parables – (P) Ps.78:2 & Isa.6:9-10; (F) Matt.13:34-35

26.  Will enter the temple – (P) Mal.3:1; (F) Mt.24:1-2 – And since the temple was destroyed, no would-be messiah has been able to fulfill this prophecy since AD70

27.  Will enter Jerusalem on a donkey – (P) Zech.9:9; (F) Matt.21:1-7

28.  Will be a “stone of stumbling” to the Jews – (P) Ps.118:22; (F) 1 Pet.2:6-8

29.  Will be a light to the Gentiles – (P) Isa.42:6-7; (F) Lk.2:32

WOW!  The next 29 prophecies from various OT voices were fulfilled by Yeshua within a 24 hour period:

30.  The Messiah will be betrayed by a friend – (P) Ps.41:9; (F) Jn.13:18-19,21

31.  Will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver – (P) Zech.11:12; (F) Mat.26:14-16

32.  His blood money will be cast into God’s house – (P) Zech.11:13; (F) Matt.27:5

33.  The price of betrayal will be given for a potter’s field – (P) Zech.11:13; (F) Matt.27:7

34.  The Messiah will be forsaken by His followers – (P) Zech.13:7; (F) Mark 14:27,50

35.  Will be accused by false witnesses – (P) Ps.35:11; (F) Mt. 26:59-60

36.  Will be silent before His accusers – (P) Isa.53:7; (F) Matt.27:12

37.  Will be scourged and wounded – (P) Isa.53:5; (F) Matt.27:26

38.  Will be smitten and spit upon – (P) Isa.50:6; (F) Matt.26:67

39.  Will be mocked – (P) Ps.22:7-8; (F) Matt.27:38-44

40.  Will be weak, an object of scorn – (P) Ps.109:24-25; (F) Mark 15:29-30

41.  His hands and feet will be pierced – (P) Ps.22:16; (F) Luke 23:33

42.  Will be put to death alongside transgressors – (P) Isa.53:12; (F) Matt.27:38

43.  The Messiah will intercede for His persecutors – (P) Isa.53:12; (F) Luke 23:34

44.  Will be rejected by His own people – (P) Isa.53:3; (F) Luke 23:13-18, 21-25

45.  Will be hated without cause – (P) Ps.69:4; (F) John 15:25

46.  His friends will stand afar off – (P) Ps.38:11; (F) Luke 23:49

47.  People will shake their heads at Him – (P) Ps.109:25; (F) Matt.27:39

48.  People will stare at Him – (P) Ps.22:17; (F) Luke 23:35

49.  His garments will be divided and they will cast lots for them – (P) Ps.22:18; (F) John 19:23-24

50.  The Messiah will suffer from thirst – (P) Ps.69:21; (F) John 19:28

51.  He will be offered gall and vinegar to drink – (P) Ps.69:21; (F) Matt.27:34

52.  The Messiah will utter a forsaken cry – (P) Ps.22:1; (F) Matt.27:46  “My God, my God, why…?”

53.  The Messiah will commit himself to God – (P) Ps.31:5; (F) Luke 23:46 “Into thy hand I commit my spirit”

54.  None of His bones will be broken – (P) Ps.22:14; (F) John 19:33

55.  His heart will literally break – (P) Ps.22:14; (F) John 19:34

56.  And His side will be pierced – (P) Zech.12:10; (F) John 19:34

57.  Darkness will cover the land from noon to 3 PM – (P) Amos 8:9; (F) Matt.27:45

58.  He will be buried in a rich man’s tomb – (P) Isa.53:9; (F) Matt.27:57-60

59.  The Messiah will arise from the dead – (P) Ps.16:10; (F) Mark 16:6 “He is risen!”

60.  The Messiah will ascend to heaven – (P) Ps.68:18; (F) Acts 1:9

61.  The Messiah will be seated at the right hand of God – (P) Ps 110:1 “The Lord says to my Lord:’Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." ; (F) Heb.1:3 “After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Jesus Christ is the only person, living or dead, who could have fulfilled all 61 of the above prophecies from the OT.  And this list is not complete; there are many more.  And we could add the 27 parallels to Moses’ life.

This listing makes it easier to understand how Paul was able to preach to the Jews using only Scriptures from the OT. In Acts 18:28 we hear “For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.”

Points to ponder

How incredible that the OT turned out to be so reliable!!!

Could you lead someone to the Lord using OT Scripture only?

"These are the Scriptures that testify about me,”  John 5:39

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                               June 27, 2017

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

Notes: – Inspired by excerpts from “Beginning of the End” by John Hagee