Foreshadows and Predictions of the Coming Messiah

  The Old Testament is an account of a Nation of Children of Israel.    The New Testament is an account of a Man, Jesus Christ.  The Nation of Israel was founded and nurtured of God to bring the Man (Jesus Christ) the Savior into the world. God (The Almighty God, The I AM that I Am) of the Old Testament became a man, to give mankind a concrete of when we think of God. (Matthew 1:21-23) She shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name Jesus for He shall SAVE his people from their sins. Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, "God with us" Jesus Christ was the Second Person of the triune Godhead to be incarnated in human form.

          His appearance on the earth is the Central Event of all history. The Old Testament sets the stage for it and The New Testament describes it. The Old Testament was written to create an anticipation of, and pave the way for, the coming of Christ.  

          It is the story of Hebrew nation, dealing largely with events of its own times.  But all through the story there runs unceasing expectancy and prevision of the coming of One Majestic Person, who will rule and bless the whole world.  This person, long before He arrived, came to be known as the Messiah.The prediction and fore gleams of His coming constitute the messianic strain of the Old Testament.

         They form the golden thread extending through, and binding together, in many and diverse books, into one amazing Unity.  Starting with vague hints, there soon begin to appear specific definite predictions, which as the story sweep onwards, become more specific, more definite and abundant. Accompany symbols, pictures, types, and indirect fore- gleams, also increase.  So, by the time we come to the end of the Old Testament, the entire story of Christ was Pre-written and Pre-figured in language and symbol, Which, taken as a whole, cannot refer to any other person in History, Jesus Christ Himself !

         1. God's promise to Abraham:  That in His Seed  the Jews  nation should be blessed. God founded the Hebrew nation for a specific Purpose of making it a Messianic Nation to the world, that is, a nation through which great blessings would come to ALL nations. (Gen. 17: 1-8)

         2. God's covenant with the Hebrew nation:  When they would faithfully serve Him, they would prosper as a nation: But if they forsook Him, and served idols, they would be punished as a nation.  All nations worshiped idols. There were gods everywhere: gods of the Sky, gods of the earth, gods of the sea, gods of the land, male and female gods. The Old Testament is an account of God's age-long effort to establish, in a world of Idol-worshiping nations, the idea that there is One Triune-Godhead (Father/Christ/Holy Spirit) by building a nation to accomplish their redemption plan which fore-ordained before the foundation of the world.

        3. God's promise to King David and his descendants: That David and his descendants Family should reign over God's people forever. When God's nation became a great nation, God chose One Family in the Nation, the family of King David, and began to build around come One Great King, who would Himself (Christ) personally live forever, and establish a universal kingdom of endless duration.

Three steps in progress of Old Testament thought:

      1.  The Hebrew nation was founded that through them the whole world should be blessed. The Messianic nation!

2.  The way the Hebrew nation would bless the world would be through the family of King David. The Messianic nation!

3.  The way the Family would be bless the world would be through One Great King to be born in the family. The Messiah!  Jesus Christ.

    In founding the Hebrew Nation God's ultimate object was to bring Christ into the world: God's immediate object was to establish, in a world of idolatry, as a background to the coming of Christ, that there is Triune Godhead!   (I John 5: 7,8)   For there are Three that bear record in Heaven, The Father, The Word (Christ), and The Holy Ghost: and these three are One. There are three that bear witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three are in One Agreement.

~~~~~  Prophetic Scripture of the Messiah fulfilled in Jesus Christ. 

         1. Seed of a woman.  (Gen 3:15) I (God) will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy (Satan's) seed and her (Eve's) Seed ; it shall bruise his (Christ's) heel.

~~~~~Fulfilled: (Gal. 4:4) But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman made under the law (Old Testament).   

         2.  Seed of Abraham. (Gen. 12:3)  I (God) will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Matthew 1:1, 20-21) The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham...Mary shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call His name Jesus for he shall save his people (humanity) from their sins.

3.  Heir to the throne of David.  (Isa.9: 7) Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth-even forever. The Zeal of The Lord of hosts will perform this.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Luke 1:33) He (Christ) shall be great, and shall be called The Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

4.  To be born of a virgin. (Isa.7: 14) Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel is being interpret "God is with us.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Luke 1:26-31) The angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose named was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary, thou shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus.

5.  A Prophet. (Deut. 18:5)  The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me (Moses); unto him ye shall hearken.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Acts 3:20-22) God shall send Jesus Christ, which before Was preached unto you: for Moses truly said unto the fathers, a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me, him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever he says unto you. (Matthew 17: 1-6) Behold, there appeared unto the disciples Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus.... While Peter spake, behold a voice out of the cloud, which say, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him."

6.  Priest after the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm. 110:4)  The Lord has sworn, and will not repent; Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Hebrews 5:5,6) So also Christ glorified not himself to be Made a high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, today I have begotten thee. As he saith also, in another place, thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

7.  Preceded by a Forerunner. (Malachi 3:1)  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall Come, saith the Lord of Hosts.

~~~~` Fulfilled: (Luke 7:24-27) when the messengers of John the Baptist were departed, Jesus began to speak unto the people concerning John the Baptist, "What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken in the wind?  This is he (John the Baptist) whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee."

8. Preaching the gospel to heal the broken hearted.  (Isa. 61: 1,2) The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, he has sent me to bind up The brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord; to comfort all that mourn.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Luke 4:16-20) Jesus came to Nazareth where he had been brought up and there delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah when he opened the book, he found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, to preach the gospel to the poor, to preach deliverance to the captives, to recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. " Jesus closed the book, and he gave it back to the minister, and sat down. He began to say unto them, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears."

9. Rejected by his own people, the Jews.  (Isa. 53:3)  He (Jesus) despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised and we esteemed him not.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (John 1:1) Jesus came unto his own and his own receive him not. (Luke 23:18) And they cried out all at once, saying, "Away, with this man (Jesus), and release unto us Barabas (a murder)."

10.  Betrayed by friend.  (Ps. 41:9) Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Luke 22:47,48) While Jesus yet spake, held a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?"

       11. Sold for thirty pieces of silver.  (Zech. 11:12)  I said unto them, if ye think well, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So, they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Matthew 26:15) Judas said unto them, "What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you, and they covenanted with him (Jesus)  for thirty pieces of silver."

12.  Vicarious sacrifice.  (Isa. 53:5) But he was wounded for our transgression, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and his stripes we are healed.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Romans 5:6,8) For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. But God commendeth his Love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

        13.  Crucified with malefactors.  (Isa. 53:12) He poured out his soul unto death. He was numbered with the transgressors; and he bares the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Mark 15:27,28) And with him (Jesus) they crucified two thieves the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, and he was numbered with the Transgressors.

        14.  Buried with the rich. (Isa. 53:9)  And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Matthew 27:57-60) Their came a rich man named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus disciple. He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulcher, and departed.

        15. To be resurrected. (Psalm 16:10) For thou will not leave my soul in hell, neither will thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 49:15) But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Mark 16:6,7) the angels saith unto them, "Be not affrighted ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen, he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you in Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you."

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (I Cor.15: 4-8) Jesus was buried, and that he rose again The third day according to the scriptures: And that Jesus was seen of Cephas, then of the Twelve. After that, He was seen of above 500 brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some have fallen asleep. After that he was seen of James, then of all the Apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also. As one born out of due time.

        16.  Jesus' ascension to God's (Father) right hand.  (Psalm 68:18) Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men.

~~~~~ Fulfilled: (Mark 16:19) so then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. (Eph. 4:8-13) When Jesus ascended up on high, he led Captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by sleight of men, and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive..

As a Man, Jesus lived the most beautiful life ever known. He was the kindest, tenderest, gentlest, most patient, most sympathetic man that ever lived. He loved people. He hated to see people in trouble. He loves to help and wrought marvelous miracles to feed hungry people. For relieving the suffering He forgot to take food for himself. Multitudes, weary, pain ridden, came to him and found healing and relief. It is said of Him, and of no other, that if the entire world would not contain the books. That is the kind of man Jesus was. That is the kind of person God is.

Then Jesus died, on the cross, to take away the Sin of the world, to become the Redeemer and Savior of men, women, boys and girls. He rose from the dead: is Alive NOW! Not merely an historical character, but a Living Person.

The whole Bible is built around this beautiful story of Christ, and His promise of life eternal to those who accept Him. The Bible was written only that men and women might believe, understand, know, love and follow Christ. Christ is the Center and Heart of the Bible. Our destiny is in His hand. Our acceptance or rejection of Him, determines when we receive Jesus as our savior and King into our hearts.