Daily Prayers

Prayer is Love, I want to Love

Twenty-five Old Testament Prophecies About Jesus

Jesus’ Life: Chapter 24 – Miscellaneous

The Bible is a collection of many writings making up one BIG story with God at its centre.

Portrait sketch of Jesus

The Old Testament, or as the Jews say, the Tanakh, consists of three parts: the Torah or Law of Moses, the Nebi’im or the Prophets and the Kethubim or the Writings. It is a mix of God speaking through the Prophets to us, celebrations (Psalms) and writings, people talking to people (Letters).

There are numerous prophecies among God’s Old Testament messages, many referring to God’s promise to send his only Son so that we may be saved.

Here are twenty-five key Old Testament prophecies, fulfilled through the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus:

Prophecy 1: Messiah would be preceded by a forerunner. (Isaiah 40:3-5)  Answer: The forerunner was John the Baptist, the greatest ever Prophet. John said, “I baptize you with water, but one more powerful than I am is coming…, He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”. ( Matthew 3:1-3; Mark 1:1-3; Luke 1:76, 3:1-6, 7:27; John 1:22-23)

Prophecy 2: Messiah will be a descendant of the house of David. (2 Samuel 7:12-16)  Answer: Genealogy of Jesus can be traced to the son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:32-33; Acts 15:15-16)

Prophecy 3: Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5.2)  Answer: Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. (Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4, 7)

Prophecy 4: Messiah will be born of a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14)  Answer: Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-31)

Prophecy 5: Jesus’ Family will escape to Egypt. (Hosea 11:1)  Answer: Mary and Joseph fled with the baby Jesus to Egypt to avoid the execution of the Holy Innocents, all children under two years old, as ordered by Herod. (Matthew 2:14-15)

Prophecy 6: Jesus will heal the broken-hearted. (Isaiah 61:1-2)  Answer: Jesus stood up in the synagogue in Nazareth, read from Isaiah and announced, “Today this scripture is fulfilled”. (Luke 4:18-19, 21)

Prophecy 7: Jesus will be rejected by his own people. (Isaiah 53:3)  Answer: His own people rejected Him, to the point of crucifying Him. (John 1:11)

Prophecy 8: Jesus will be the stone the builders rejected. (Psalms 118:22-23)  Answer: Jesus was born but rejected. Yet, He became our salvation. (Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11

Prophecy 9: Jesus will enter Jerusalem as a King. (Zechariah 9:9)  Answer: Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey, people spread their cloaks in front of Him and sang, “Hosanna”. (Matthew 21:1-9; John 12:12-16)

Prophecy 10: Jesus will be betrayed by a friend. (Psalms 41:9)  Answer: Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, was one of Jesus’ specially selected Twelve Apostles. (Luke 22:21-22; John 13:18)

Prophecy 11: Jesus will be sold for thirty pieces of silver. (Zechariah 11:12)  Answer: Judas accepted 30 silver coins for leading the chief priests, elders and guards to Jesus in the Garden of Gesthemene. (Matthew 26:14-15; 27:9-10)

Prophecy 12: Jesus will be tried and condemned to death. (Isaiah 53:8)  Answer: Jesus was tried by the Sanhedrin and Pilate. Condemned to death and crucified on Calvary. (Matthew 26:59-27:26; Acts 8:32-35)

Prophecy 13: Jesus will be silent at his trial. (Isaiah 53:7)  Answer: As the chief priests and Jewish leaders repeatedly accused him, Pilate asked Jesus, “Have you nothing to say?” Jesus remained silent. (Mark 15:3-5)

Prophecy 14: Jesus will be insulted, spat on and beaten by his enemies. (Isaiah 50:6)  Answer: In the Sanhedrin, the high priest tore his clothes, they spat on him struck him with their fists and some slapped Him. (Matthew 26:67)

Prophecy 15: Jesus will be hated without cause. (Psalms 35:19)  Answer: Jesus said, “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first!” (John 15:18, 25)

Prophecy 16: Jesus will, “Take our weaknesses and carry our diseases”. (Isaiah 53:4-5)  Answer: Jesus healed the sick and removed unclean spirits. (Matthew 8:17; Romans 4:25; 5:6-8; 1 Peter 2:24)

Prophecy 17: Jesus will be crucified with criminals. (Isaiah 53:12)  Answer: They crucified two outlaws with Jesus, one on his right and one on his left. (Mark 15:27-28)

Prophecy 18: Jesus will be given vinegar (sour wine) and gall to drink. (Psalms 69:21)  Answer: They dipped a sponge in sour wine and gall, and gave it to Him to drink. (Matthew 27:34; John 19:28-30)

Prophecy 19: Jesus will be insulted, taunted and mocked. (Psalms 22:7-8)  Answer: Even Herod treated Jesus with contempt and all mocked Him. (Luke 23:11, 35)

Prophecy 20: They will divide Jesus’ clothes and roll dice for his garments. (Psalms 22:18) Answer: When they crucified Jesus, they divided his clothing by throwing dice. (Matthew 27:35-36)

Prophecy 21: They will not break any of Jesus’ bones. (Exodus 12:46; Psalms 34:20)  Answer: The soldiers broke the legs of the two criminals on either side of Jesus to hasten their death. When they came to Jesus He was already dead. (John 19:36)

Prophecy 22: They will pierce Jesus’ hand’s feet and side. (Zechariah 12:10)  Answer: The soldiers nailed Jesus to the Cross and pierced his side with a spear. (John 19:34, 37; 20:27)

Prophecy 23: Jesus will be buried in a rich man’s tomb. (Isaiah 53:9)  Answer: A rich man, Joseph of Arimathea, took his body and placed it in his own new tomb. (Matthew 27:57-60)

Prophecy 24: Jesus will rise from the dead. (Psalms 16:10)  Answer: On the third day, Jesus rose from out of the tomb. (Matthew 28:1-10; Acts 2:22-32; 1:Corinthians 15:4)

Prophecy 25: Jesus will ascend and sit at his Father’s right hand. (Psalms 68:18; 110:1)  Answer: Jesus said to the chief priest, “From now on, you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand”. (Matthew 26:64; Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:9-11; Ephesians 4:8)

Thought

Of course, Jesus also prophecised his return to judge the living and the dead saying, “But as for that day and hour no one knows it – not even the angels in heaven – except the Father alone!” (Matthew 24:36)

Reflection

Lord Jesus, you accepted life on earth for me, suffering and dying for my sins. Grant that I may be raised from the death of my sin by your Holy Spirit and reign with the Angels and Saints eternally. Amen.

Prayer: All Needs

We beg you, Lord,
to help and defend us.
Deliver the oppressed.
Pity the insignificant.
Raise the fallen.
Show yourself to the needy.
Heal the sick.
Bring back those of your people who have gone astray.
Feed the hungry.
Lift up the weak.
Take off the prisoner’s chains.

May every nation come to know that you alone are God,
that Jesus is your child,
that we are your people,
the sheep that you pasture. Amen.