More Prophecies of Christ's Life

Last time we started listing several prophecies about Christ's life, today we will continue with several more prophecies. Last time we listed five prophecies that started out generally, there were two prophecies about the person that would precede Christ, first he is called a messenger and second he is referred to as Elijah, then it is said that he would be a prophet, to more specific prophecies that he would be called a Nazarene and would bring light to Galilee. Next we will continue and list six more prophecies about the life of Christ. 

It was prophesied that he would speak in parables. 
My people, hear my teaching;
    listen to the words of my mouth.
² I will open my mouth with a parable;
    I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
³ things we have heard and known,
    things our ancestors have told us.
⁴ We will not hide them from their descendants;
    we will tell the next generation
the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
    his power, and the wonders he has done. Psalm 78: 1-4


⁹ He said, “Go and tell this people:

“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
    be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’
¹⁰ Make the heart of this people calloused;
    make their ears dull
    and close their eyes.^[a]
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”  Isaiah 6:9-10

This prophecy was fulfilled through Jesus in the New Testament. We all know that Jesus was known for speaking in parables. A parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. 


¹⁰ The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
¹¹ He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ¹² Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ¹³ This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

¹⁴ In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
¹⁵ For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’^{[a]  Matthew 13:10-15}

³⁴ Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. ³⁵ So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables,
    I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”^{[c]  Matthew 13:34-35}

The next prophecy is that Christ would be sent to heal the brokenhearted.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,^[a]
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
³     and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor.  Isaiah 61-1-3



¹⁶ He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read,¹⁷ and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
¹⁹     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”^[f]

²⁰ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹ He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4: 16-21

If you read through the New Testament it is obvious that Jesus has compassion on the people. He heals them and preaches to them about the good news of his coming. He sets people free from their sins and opens their eyes to the truth. He was sent to God's people, the Jews, to be their Messiah. God loved His people so much that He sent Jesus to try to draw them back to Him, but His people reject Jesus. Since Israel had closed her eyes and her heart to Jesus, the good news is preached to the gentiles who accept it. This period is the church age. Once the church age is over God will turn His attemtion back to Israel, there will be judgments that are poured out on the nations, this is a final attempt by God to get the attention of His people. 

Messiah will be praised by little children.

Through the praise of children and infants
    you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
    to silence the foe and the avenger. Psalm 8:2


¹⁵ But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
¹⁶ “Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him.
“Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read,

“‘From the lips of children and infants
    you, Lord, have called forth your praise’^[g]?”  Matthew 21:15-16

Messiah would be a priest after the order of Melchizedek.

The Lord has sworn
    and will not change his mind:
“You are a priest forever,
    in the order of Melchizedek.”  Psalm 110:4

Melchizedek is only briefly seen in Genesis 4. He is described as King of Salem and priest of God Most High. Melchizedek is not related to Abraham so he is not of the Levitical priesthood. God appointed Melchizedek as His priest.  Jesus is described as being a priest in the order of Melchizedek because he is not of the Levitical line, but is appointed by God to be our priest and intercessor. 

Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrificesfor sins. ² He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. ³ This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people.⁴ And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.

⁵ In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

“You are my Son;
    today I have become your Father.”^[a]

⁶ And he says in another place,

“You are a priest forever,
    in the order of Melchizedek.”^[b]

⁷ During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitionswith fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. ⁸ Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered ⁹ and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ¹⁰ and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.          Hebrews 5:1-10

Messiah would be called King

The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
    the Lord scoffs at them.
⁵ He rebukes them in his anger
    and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
⁶ “I have installed my king
    on Zion, my holy mountain.”  Psalm 2:4-6

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
    Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
    righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
    on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9

Fulfilled:

Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.  Matthew 27:37

 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. ⁸ Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. ⁹ Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

“Hosanna!^[a]”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”^[b]

¹⁰ “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”

“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

¹¹ Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve. Mark 11:7-11

The final prophecy that we will look at today is  that Messiah would be rejected by his own people.

I am a foreigner to my own family,
    a stranger to my own mother’s children; Psalm 69:8

He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Isaiah 53:3

 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.   John 1:11

After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want^[a] to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him.² But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, ³ Jesus’ brotherssaid to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. ⁴ No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” ⁵ For even his own brothers did not believe in him.  John 7:1-5

We know that was fulfilled in the New Testament. The Jews rejected him and ultimately caused him to be crucified. Even his own family did not believe in him until after his death and resurrection.  The Jewish Messiah that had so long been awaited came and no one believed. The sad thing is that the Jews are still looking for their Messiah today when all they need to do is open their eyes and look at the prophecies and realize that Jesus fulfilled them all. The odds of one person fulfilling all the prophecies is astronomical, the fact that Jesus fulfilled every one makes him Messiah!

Prophecies About Christ's Life

Last time we discussed all the prophecies that needed to be fulfilled about the birth of the Messiah. We discussed the Old Testament prophecies and the New Testamant fulfillment of those prophecies. We concluded that Jesus fulfilled all those prophecies about His birth. Today I would like to go over the Old Testament prophecies that talk about the Messiah's life and the fulfillment of these prophecies in the New Testament. 
The first prophecy is that Messiah would be preceded by Elijah. 
⁵ “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. ⁶ He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” Malachi 4:5-6
God was exhorting the Israelites to turn their hearts back to Him or else He would strike the land with destruction. Elijah was the Old Testament prophet who confronted King Ahab and Israel when they turned away from worshiping God and were worshiping Baal. This prophecy means that God would send a prophet that would precede the Messiah and pave the way for Him. He would exhort the Israelites to follow Messiah. This verse was fulfilled in the New Testament.
¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,^[d] and violent people have been raiding it. ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.    Matthew 11:11-13
The second prophecy is similar to the first, Messiah would be preceded by a messenger. 

3 A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
    the way for the Lord[a];
make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.[b]
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 40:3-5
This was fulfilled in the book of Luke in the New Testament:

 ² during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. ³ He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁴ As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
    make straight paths for him.
⁵ Every valley shall be filled in,
    every mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall become straight,
    the rough ways smooth.
⁶ And all people will see God’s salvation.’”^[a]

⁷ John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers!Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? ⁸ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. ⁹ The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

¹⁰ “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
¹¹ John answered, “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.”
¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”
¹³ “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.
¹⁴ Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”
He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.”                                                                                                                                    ¹⁵ The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. ¹⁶ John answered them all, “I baptize you with^[b] water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with^[c] the Holy Spirit and fire.  Luke 3:2-15
From these verses it is clear that John is a prophet calling the people to prepare themselves for the Messiah that was coming. 

The third prophecy is that Messiah would be a prophet. 

¹⁵ The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. ¹⁶ For this is what you asked of theLord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.”
¹⁷ The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. ¹⁸ I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. ¹⁹ I myself will call to accountanyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. Deuteronomy 18:15-19

This prophecy occurred during the time of Moses, he was giving the people the law that they were to obey in obedience to God. This prophecy of a future prophet was in response to their fear of death from hearing the voice of God or of seeing His fire. 
The fulfilment of this prophecy is found in the gospels, or the first four books of the New Testament. Also this verse in Acts:
²² For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. ²³ Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people.’^{[a] Acts 3:22-23}
What is a prophet? This is the dictionary definition of a prophet: A person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God. Looking back at the life of Jesus we can definitely see that he was a prophet. Even other religions, such as the Muslims agree that Jesus was a prophet.

The fourth prophecy is that Messiah would be called a Nazarene. There is no place in the Old Testament where Messiah is literally referred to as a Nazarene, the word Nazarene is derived from the Hebrew word "nester" which means "branch", "flower", or "offshoot". 
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
² The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
    the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might,
    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—  Isaiah 11:1-2
⁸ “‘Listen, High Priest Joshua, you and your associates seated before you, who are men symbolic of things to come: I am going to bring my servant, the Branch.⁹ See, the stone I have set in front of Joshua! There are seven eyes^[b] on that one stone, and I will engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will remove the sin of this land in a single day.         Zechariah 3:8-9
The fulfillment of this prophecy would be found in Matthew.
²³ and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. Matthew 2:23
We know that Jesus is a branch from the line of King David and in Hebrew he would be called "Nazar", Matthew extends this word to Nazarene.

In the fifth prophecy Messiah would bring light to Galilee. 

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

² The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.   Isaiah 9:1-2

This is fulfilled in Matthew:


¹² When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee.¹³ Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— ¹⁴ to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:

¹⁵ “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
    the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan,
    Galilee of the Gentiles—
¹⁶ the people living in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
    a light has dawned.”^[f]

¹⁷ From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  Matthew 4:12-17

Jesus began his ministry in Galilee. They were the first to hear his message of repentance and he called his first disciples who were fishermen in Galilee. 

I will continue the prophecies of Messiah's life in the next post. If you have read through the prophecies that I have posted about Messiah's birth and life you will see that they were ALL fulfilled in Jesus. The odds are too great that these prophecies being fulfilled in one person are a coincidence. It is obvious that Jesus must be the Messiah, and if he is the Messiah what does that mean for you? Have you put your trust in him? If not, you can pray a simple prayer and ask him to be the Lord of your life. There is no official prayer and you don't have to go anywhere to pray it, you can pray it where you are. Here is an example:

Heavenly Father, in Jesus' name I confess that I have sinned and ask for forgiveness. I ask that Jesus come into my heart and become my  Lord and Savior. I believe Jesus died for my sins and was raised from the dead.
Thank You Father for saving me in Jesus' name. Amen.