Tony Pearce
The Bible is a unique book because it contains so many prophecies which have been fulfilled, as well as giving us information about the days to come. The fact that so many prophecies have already been fulfilled by events in the past is a sure sign that the future prophecies of the Bible will happen. These prophecies are not just vague predictions of events to come, but very specific in their nature. The most important of them concern the life, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus / Yeshua ha Mashiach.
We reproduce here a section from my Messiah Factor book, also available on our website http://messiahfactor.com. This lists the prophecies in the Hebrew Bible which Jesus fulfilled at His first coming and those which He will fulfil at His Second Coming. There are many who dispute our interpretation of these prophecies and so I have given answers to some of these objections which you will find in the references to this website in this article. If you do not have access to the Internet, contact us and we will send you a printed version of these articles.
Prophecies about the Messiah which have been already fulfilled.
Messiah to be born in Bethlehem:
Prophecy: ‘But as for you Bethlehem Ephratah, 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.’ Micah 5.2 (5.1 in the Jewish Bible).
Fulfilment: ‘Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king …. And when he (Herod) had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem, for thus it is written by the prophet.”’
See Matthew 2.1-6 and Luke 2.1-20.
For more details go to http://messiahfactor.com/the-birth-of-the-messiah
Messiah to be born of a virgin:
Prophecy: ‘Therefore behold the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call His name Immanuel.’ Isaiah 7.14
Fulfilment: ‘Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. … An angel of the Lord appeared to him (Joseph) in a dream saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son and you shall call His name Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew, meaning salvation) for He will save His people from their sins. So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1.18-25
For answers to objections to the translation of Isaiah 7.14 as ‘virgin’ and issues concerning the virgin birth go to our article ‘Can we believe in the Virgin Birth?
Messiah to be a Son who is also the Mighty God:
Prophecy: ‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder and His name will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ Isaiah 9.6
Fulfilment: ‘The Lord will come upon you (Mary) and the power of the Highest will overshadow you, therefore also that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’ Luke 1.35.
For issues concerning the divinity of the Messiah go to our article http://messiahfactor.com/messiah-a-great-man-or-a-divine-person
Messiah to preach the good news with a ministry of miracles:
Prophecy: ‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of prison to those who are bound.’ Isaiah 61.1
Fulfilment: ‘Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.’ Matthew 9.35. See also Luke 4.16-21
Messiah to teach in parables:
Prophecy: ‘I will open my mouth in a parable.’ Psalm 78.2
Fulfilment: ‘All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; without a parable He did not speak to them.’ Matthew 13.34
Messiah to be a light to the Gentiles:
Prophecy: ‘I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be my salvation to the ends of the earth.’ Isaiah 49.6. Note ‘my salvation’ in Hebrew is Yeshuati = my Yeshua / Jesus.
Fulfilment: ‘My eyes have seen your salvation which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.’ Luke 2.31-2. See also Matthew 28.18-20 and Acts 13.47-8.
Messiah to enter Jerusalem on a donkey:
Prophecy: ‘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, a foal of a donkey.’ Zechariah 9.9
Fulfilment: ‘All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” … So they brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.’ Matthew 21.1-11
Messiah to be rejected and sacrificed:
Prophecy: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. … Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.’ Psalm 118.22, 27.
Fulfilment: ‘Jesus began to show the disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised the third day.’ Matthew 16.21
Messiah to be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver:
Prophecy: ‘So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter” – that princely sum they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.’ Zechariah 11.12-13
Fulfilment: ‘Then one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?’ And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver.’ Matthew 26.14-5. See also Matthew 27.3-10.
For more information on Judas go to
Messiah to be forsaken by His disciples:
Prophecy: ‘Awake O sword against my shepherd, against the man who is my companion,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘Strike the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.’ Zechariah 13.7
Fulfilment: ‘Then they all forsook Him and fled.’ Mark 14.50
Messiah to be dumb before His accusers:
Prophecy: ‘He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth.’ Isaiah 53.7
Fulfilment: ‘And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing.’ Matthew 27.12
Messiah to be mocked:
Prophecy: ‘All those who see me ridicule me; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, “He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; let Him deliver Him since He delights in Him.”’ Psalm 22.7-8
Fulfilment: ‘Likewise the chief priests also mocking with the scribes and elders said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. If He is the King of Israel let Him now come down from the cross and we will believe in Him. He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now.”’ Matthew 27.41-43
Messiah to die by crucifixion:
Prophecy: ‘They pierced my hands and feet.’ Psalm 22.18.
‘They shall look on me whom they have pierced.’ Zechariah 12.10
Fulfilment: ‘And when they had taken Him to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him.’ Luke 23.33
For a study of Psalm 22 and this translation of verse 18 as ‘they pierced my hands and feet’ go to our article http://messiahfactor.com/psalm-22
Messiah to bear the sin of the world.
Prophecy: ‘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.’ Isaiah 53.6.
Fulfilment: ‘For Christ / Messiah also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit. 1 Peter 3.18.
Messiah to make intercession for His persecutors:
Prophecy: ‘He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.’ Isaiah 53.12
Fulfilment: ‘Then Jesus said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”’ Luke 23.34
Messiah’s bones not to be broken:
Prophecy: ‘He guards all His bones. Not one of them is broken.’ Psalm 34.20. See also Exodus 12.46, Numbers 9.22
Fulfilment: ‘But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead they did not break His legs. … For these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.”’ John 19.33, 36
Messiah to be buried in a rich man’s tomb:
Prophecy: ‘And they made His grave with the wicked, but with the rich at His death.’ Isaiah 53.9
Fulfilment: ‘Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb and he departed.’ Matthew 27.57-60
For issues relating to Messiah’s suffering and its connection to Isaiah 53 go to our articles
http://messiahfactor.com/the-suffering-servant-of-isaiah-53 http://messiahfactor.com/atonement-sacrifices-and-blood
Messiah to rise again from the dead:
Prophecy: ‘For you will not leave my soul in Sheol (the place of the dead), nor will you allow your holy one to see corruption. You will show me the path of life.’ Psalm 69.10-11
‘For He was cut off from the land of the living. … When you make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days.’ Isaiah 53.8, 10
Fulfilment: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here but is risen!” Luke 24.5-6
‘(Jesus) presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.’ Acts 1.3
‘Christ / Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures,and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.’ 1 Corinthians 15.3-4
For issues relating to the resurrection accounts in the New Testament go to http://messiahfactor.com/resurrection-accounts
The message of salvation through Messiah to go into all the world:
Prophecy: ‘Look to me and be saved all you ends of the earth! For I am God and there is no other. I have sworn by myself; the word has gone out in righteousness and shall not return, that to me every knee shall bow.’ Isaiah 45.22-3
Fulfilment: And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the age.’ Matthew 28.18-20.
Conclusion concerning prophecies of the Messiah’s first coming.
Some Bible scholars suggest there are more than 300 prophetic Scriptures completed in the life of Jesus. Circumstances such as his birthplace, lineage, and method of execution were beyond His control and could not have been accidentally or deliberately fulfilled.
In the book ‘Science Speaks’, Peter Stoner and Robert Newman discuss the statistical improbability of one man, whether accidentally or deliberately, fulfilling just eight of the prophecies Jesus fulfilled. The chance of this happening, they say, is 1 in 1017.
That is 1 in 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000.
Stoner gives an illustration that helps visualize the magnitude of such odds: ‘Suppose that we take 1017 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas (Texas is roughly the same area as France, over twice the size of the British Isles, including Ireland). They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up just one silver dollar and this must be the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote using their own wisdom. The mathematical improbability of 300, or 44, or even just eight fulfilled prophesies of Jesus stands as evidence to his messiahship and to the inspiration of the Bible as the Word of God.
Prophecies of the second coming of Messiah
There are also Messianic prophecies which have not yet been fulfilled. These are associated with the Second Coming of Jesus. Here are some of them.
A time of unparalleled trouble to precede the Day of the Lord:
Old Testament prophecy. ‘At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that time.’ Daniel 12.1
New Testament parallel. ‘For then there will be great tribulation such as has never been since the beginning of the world until this time, no nor ever shall be.’ Matthew 24.21
Focal point of this time of trouble to be Jerusalem:
Old Testament prophecy. ‘And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.’ Zechariah 12.3
New Testament parallel. ‘But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies then know that its desolation is near. … Jerusalem will be trodden down of the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.’ Luke 21.20-24
Nations to be gathered for the final battle:
Old Testament prophecy. ‘Assemble and come all you nations, and gather together all around. Cause your mighty ones to come down there, O Lord. Let the nations be wakened and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat’ (Hebrew word means ‘The Lord judges’). Joel 3.11-16
New Testament parallel. ‘For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to battle of that great day of God Almighty. … And they gathered them together in the place called in Hebrew Armageddon.’ Revelation 16.14-16
Messiah to come in the clouds of heaven:
Old Testament prophecy. ‘I was watching in the night visions, and behold one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven!’ Daniel 7.13
New Testament parallel. ‘Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.’ Matthew 24.30
Messiah to be visible as one who has been pierced:
Old Testament prophecy. ‘And I will pour on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on me whom they pierced and mourn for Him as one mourns for His only son and grieve for Him as one grieves for a first born.’ Zechariah 12.10
New Testament parallel. ‘Behold He is coming with the clouds and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.’ Revelation 1.7
The wicked to flee from the coming of the Lord:
Old Testament prophecy. ‘In that day a man will cast away his idols … to go into the clefts of the rocks and into the crags of the rugged rocks from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily.’ Isaiah 2.20-21
New Testament parallel. ‘And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb.”’ Revelation 6.15-6
Messiah to come to the Mount of Olives:
Old Testament prophecy. ‘Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations as He fights in the day of battle. And His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives which faces Jerusalem on the east.’ Zechariah 14.2-3
New Testament parallel. ‘“Men of Galilee why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet (Mount of Olives).’ Acts 1.11-12
The Lord to establish righteousness and peace on the earth.
Old Testament prophecy. ‘Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people. They shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore (Isaiah 2.2-4).’
New Testament parallel: ‘Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years … so that he should deceive the nations no more … Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Messiah and shall reign with Him a thousand years.’ Revelation 20.1-6 (extracts)
Israel to be saved and blessed of the Lord in the midst of the nations:
Old Testament prophecy. ‘In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless saying, “Blessed is Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands and Israel my inheritance.’ Isaiah 19.24-25
New Testament parallel. ‘And so all Israel will be saved as it is written: ‘The deliverer will come out of Zion and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’ Romans 11.26-7, quoting Isaiah 59.20.
Following the Millennial reign of Messiah on earth, God to create new heavens and a new earth:
Old Testament prophecy. ‘For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before me,’ says the Lord so shall your descendants and your name remain.’ Isaiah 66.22
New Testament parallel. ‘Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. … And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.”’ Revelation 21.1-4 (extracts).
For more on this go to our booklet ‘Messiah, Israel and the end of days.’ http://messiahfactor.com/messiah-israel-and-the-end-of-days
Conclusion.
Just as the first coming prophecies were literally fulfilled, so the Second Coming prophecies will be literally fulfilled. At His Second Coming Jesus will judge the world in righteousness according to how we have responded to the message of His first coming. Jesus / Yeshua is the Messiah who died for our sins at the cross and rose again to give eternal life to all who repent and believe the Gospel. The same Jesus will come again, this time as the Reigning King with all the power of God at His disposal to put right the mess humans have made of the world He gave us to look after. Now is the time to be ready for this coming event. Believe on the Lord Jesus the Messiah and you will be saved! Acts 16.31.
More information from Tony Pearce, Messiah Factor, Box BM-4226, London, WC1N 3XX.
