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Hope Through Prophecy
There are numerous prophecies throughout the Old Testament. While
many of these speak of doom and gloom for the nations in the area
surrounding Israel, such as what the book of Obadiah says about the
Edomites and what the book of Jonah says about the Ninevites, 700 of the
prophecies in the Old Testament speak about the details of the life of Jesus,
from His birth to His ministry, and even describing His death.
One of the most well-known prophecies about Jesus is found in Isaiah 7:14
which states, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the
virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
This prophecy was fulfilled when Mary, a virgin, gave birth to Jesus in
Bethlehem. This miraculous birth is a testament to Jesus’ divine nature as
the Son of God.
Another important prophecy about Jesus is found in Micah 5:2, which says,
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands
of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in
Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” This prophecy
was fulfilled when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, as foretold by the prophet
Micah.
A very fascinating prophecy of the coming Messiah is in Zechariah 9:9
which reads: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of
Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having
salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.”;
What makes this prophecy so shocking is how it describes very specific,
seemingly unimportant details of an event that happened in the life of
Jesus, hundreds of years before it actually happened. This event happened
in Matthew 21:1-3, which states: “Now when they drew near Jerusalem,
and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two
disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village opposite you, and
immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them
and bring them to Me. And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say,
“The Lord has need of them,” and immediately he will send them.’”
Isaiah 53 is perhaps one of the most detailed prophecies about Jesus. It
describes His suffering and death on the cross, stating in Isaiah 53:4-6,
“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed
Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our
transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our
peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep
have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the
LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” This prophecy was fulfilled
when Jesus died on the cross for the sins of humanity, taking upon Himself
the punishment that we deserved.
The Old Testament also contains prophecies about Jesus’ resurrection. In
Psalm 16:10, David writes, “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will
You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” This prophecy was fulfilled
when Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, conquering death and
providing a way for us to have eternal life.
The importance of these prophecies cannot be overstated. They provide
evidence that Jesus is the Messiah and the Son of God, fulfilling the Old
Testament prophecies about the coming of a Savior. The fulfillment of
these prophecies demonstrate God’s sovereignty and faithfulness, as well
as His love for humanity. As it says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life.”
Furthermore, these prophecies give us as Christians hope and assurance in
our faith. Knowing that God’s promises are true and that He has fulfilled
them in the past, it gives us confidence that He will also fulfill His promises
to us in the present and future. As it says in Romans 8:32, “He who did not
spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with
Him also freely give us all things?”
Suffice to say, the prophecies about Jesus Christ are of utmost importance
to us as Christians, because they provide evidence of Jesus’ divinity and
show the fulfillment of God’s promises. They demonstrate God’s power,
sovereignty and faithfulness, as well as His love for humanity. These
prophecies give us hope and assurance in our faith, knowing that God’s
promises are true, and that He will fulfill them, as well as giving us hope
that God’s promises about our eternal home in heaven will be fulfilled as
well. As the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:19-22: “For the Son of
God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us—by me, Silvanus,
and Timothy—was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the
promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God
through us. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed
us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a
guarantee.”
- Ben Smith
