Table of Contents | Next chapter
This chapter is from a copyright book, 100 Prophecies, by Ray Konig. It is reprinted here with permission from the author. The new and expanded version of this book, now called 100 Fulfilled Bible Prophecies, is available at Amazon.com.
The Old Testament of the Bible was written before the time of Jesus. It contains many prophecies about a Messiah, someone who would suffer and die for the sins of others and reign forever as king. The Old Testament was written over a period of time that lasted as many as a thousand years, from the time of Moses, about 3,400 years ago, through the time of Malachi, about 2,400 years ago. The prophetic revelations accumulated over that time, creating a progressively detailed portrait of the Messiah. The 10 prophecies selected for review in this chapter involve the lineage and birth of the Messiah.
Bible passage: Genesis 22:18
Written: As early as 1400 BC, about 3,400 years ago
The Bible's book of Genesis, among other things, contains prophecies about a Messiah. Some of those prophecies foretold details about his lineage.
In Genesis 22:18, for example, there is a prophecy that the nations of the world would be blessed through Abraham's "seed," or "offspring," depending on the English translation of the underlying Hebrew word:
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:18, KJV)
As explained in later verses of the Bible, the prophetic promise of a worldwide blessing is handed down from Abraham to some of his specifically named descendants. At times, details are added, and it becomes clearer that the promise ultimately involves the Messiah.
Bible passage: Genesis 26:1-5
Written: As early as 1400 BC, about 3,400 years ago
In Genesis 26:1-5, it was revealed that a promise that God had made previously to Abraham would be fulfilled though Abraham's son Isaac.
Abraham had children with more than one woman. But, in these verses of Genesis, it was revealed that it would be Isaac, who was Abraham's only child through his wife, Sarah, who would be Abraham's descendant through whom all nations on earth would be blessed.
- - -
Here is Genesis 26:1-5 (KJV):
1And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.
2And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
3Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;
4And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
5Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.
Bible passage: Genesis 28:13,14
Written: As early as 1400 BC, about 3,400 years ago
In Genesis 28:13,14, it was revealed that the world would be blessed through Jacob's offspring:
13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed; 14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 28:13-14, KJV)
In earlier verses of Genesis, this promise was given to Abraham. Later, it was revealed that it would be fulfilled through Abraham's son Isaac. And in these verses, it was revealed that it would be fulfilled through Isaac's son Jacob.
In other words, God decided that the world would be blessed through Abraham's "offspring" or "seed" through his son Isaac and grandson Jacob, rather than through any of Abraham's other children or grandchildren.
Jacob, whose name was later changed to Israel, became the father of the patriarchs of the 12 Tribes of Israel. Jacob lived about 4,000 years ago, which is about 2,000 years before the time of Jesus.
Bible passage: Isaiah 11:1-10
Written: About 2,700 years ago
The prophecy in Isaiah 11:1-10, among other things, affirmed that the Messiah would be a descendant of Jesse, who was King David's father. Isaiah's prophecy also echoed a sentiment found in other prophecies, that the Messiah would have an impact on people beyond the land of Israel.
This sentiment was recognized and commented upon by early Christian writers outside of the Bible. As explained by Justin Martyr, a Christian writer who lived during the second century of this era:
And Isaiah, another prophet, foretelling the same things in other words, spoke thus : "A star shall rise out of Jacob, and a flower shall spring from the root of Jesse; and His arm shall the nations trust."
- The First Apology of Justin, Chapter XXXII.
Jesus is recorded as being a descendant of Jesse in the New Testament books of Matthew and Luke.
- - -
Here is Isaiah 11:1-10 (KJV):
1And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
2And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
3And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
4But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
5And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
6The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
7And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.
10And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
Bible passage: Jeremiah 23:5
Written: About 2,600 years ago
During ancient times, Jews often referred to the promised Messiah as the "son of David," meaning he was to be a descendant of King David.
One of the prophecies revealing that the Messiah would be a descendant of David can be found in Jeremiah 23:5. There, the prophet spoke of a time when a "branch" of David, which in this context means a descendant of David, would rise up and rule with true righteousness and justice.
This is similar to the phrasing used in Isaiah 11:1, which is part of a prophecy that, among other things, showed that the Messiah would be a descendant of Jesse, who was David's father.
King David lived about 3,000 years ago. He was Israel's second king, but he was the first of many kings from the Tribe of Judah. Jeremiah lived about 2,600 years ago, about 600 years before Jesus arrived and announced that he was the Messiah.
In the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus is recorded as being a descendant of King David, as well as David's father, Jesse, and other ancestors, including Judah, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. The genealogy listed in Matthew 1:1-17 shows Jesus' ancestors through his adoptive father, Joseph. The genealogy in Luke 3:23-38 also includes David, Jesse, Judah, Jacob, Isaac, and Abraham. Some scholars believe that the genealogy in the book of Luke shows Jesus' ancestors through his mother, Mary.
- - -
Here is Jeremiah 23:5 (KJV):
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
Bible passage: Isaiah 7:13,14
Written: About 2,700 years ago
In Isaiah 7, the prophet Isaiah delivered a long prophecy that involved the future of Judah and the "house of David," which is a phrase that refers to the descendants of King David. In Isaiah 7:13,14, the prophet specifically addressed the house of David:
13 And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also? 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. (Isaiah 7:13-14, KJV)
In these verses of Isaiah, the prophet was informing the descendants of King David that God himself would give them a sign: A virgin would conceive and give birth to a son, and the son would be called Immanuel, which in Hebrew means "God with us" or "God is with us."
As explained in the New Testament, the Messiah, Jesus, who was born about 700 years later, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus is fully human and fully God. As such, he can be called, in the fullest and most literal sense, "God with us."
Two of the Gospels in the New Testament describe the circumstances involving the birth of Jesus and both testify that Jesus was born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-38). Both of these Gospels also record that Jesus is a descendant of King David.
The Hebrew word in Isaiah 7:14 that is being translated into English as "virgin," is the Hebrew word alma. Some commentators have claimed that the word should be translated as "maiden" or "young woman." But, in addition to the fact that maidens were religiously and culturally expected to be virgins until marriage, the word alma is used elsewhere in the Bible in reference to virgins.
According to one scholarly work: "There is no instance where it can be proved that 'almâ designates a young woman who is not a virgin. The fact of virginity is obvious in Gen 24:43 where 'almâ is used of one who was being sought as a bride for Isaac." - R. Laird Harris, et al, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament.
Bible passage: Micah 5:2
Written: About 2,700 years ago
In Micah 5:2, there is a prophecy that revealed that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah:
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2, KJV)
The prophecy, which was written about 700 years before the birth of Jesus, is effective in a simple way: It eliminates all other cities and towns throughout the world as a place in which the Messiah would be born. It narrows the possibilities to one tiny village, near Jerusalem.
And throughout the span of the past 27 centuries, since the time of the prophet Micah, Bethlehem is credited as being the birthplace for the only person who is widely accepted as being the Messiah, by people throughout the world, and that person is Jesus Christ.
Bible passage: Genesis 49:10
Written: As early as 1400 BC, about 3,400 years ago
In Genesis 49, there is a passage that many commentators throughout the ages have regarded as being a prophecy about the timing of the arrival of the Messiah:
The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. (Genesis 49:10, KJV)
The Hebrew word that is rendered as Shiloh in the KJV English translation is sometimes translated in other ways. The NIV English translators, for example, use the word he. Regardless of how the word is rendered into English, Christian and non-Christian commentators have traditionally regarded the passage as Messianic.
Justin Martyr, a Christian writer who lived during the second century of this era, described this prophecy as meaning that the descendants of Judah were to have a continuity of rulers and lawgivers until the Messiah arrived:
It is yours to make accurate inquiry, and ascertain up to whose time the Jews had a lawgiver and king of their own. Up to the time of Jesus Christ, who taught us, and interpreted the prophecies which were not yet understood, [they had a lawgiver] as was foretold by the holy and divine Spirit of prophecy through Moses, "that a ruler would not fail the Jews until He should come for whom the kingdom was reserved" (for Judah was the forefather of the Jews, from whom also they have their name of Jews);
- Justin Martyr, The First Apology of Justin, Chapter XXXII.
Some commentators have suggested that the Jews had a continuous succession of rulers, in various forms, whether as kings or as governors, etc., from the days of King David through the time of Jesus, and that this continuity was broken during the time of Jesus. Martin Luther, for example, suggested in his writings that it was the reign of King Herod, an Idumean who had been appointed by the Romans to govern the Jews, that marked the break in the continuity of rulers.
And, as Justin mentioned in his writings, the Jews lost all forms of civil government during the century in which Jesus lived. About 40 years after the crucifixion of Jesus, the Romans completely destroyed Jerusalem, the Temple, and many towns throughout the land of Israel. The Romans also forced many Jews out of their homeland and into exile.
Non-Christian sources of commentary also have regarded Genesis 49:10 as being Messianic. In the Talmud, for example, the word Shiloh is seen as a reference to the Messiah:
R. Johanan said: For the sake of the Messiah. What is his [the Messiah's] name? — The School of R. Shila said: His name is Shiloh, for it is written, until Shiloh come.
- Babylonian Talmud, Tract Sanhedrin, Chapter XI, as translated by H. Freedman.
The Talmud is a collection of Judaic writings that were compiled in written form beginning sometime after the first century of this era.
Bible passage: Daniel 9:25
Written: Daniel lived more than 2,500 years ago
The prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27 provided many insights about events that would happen after the fall of the Babylonian Empire, about 2,500 years ago. Among those insights was the detail that the Messiah would appear after the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem:
Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. (Daniel 9:25, KJV)
Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC and was in ruins for most of Daniel's life. The prophecy revealed that the city would be rebuilt again, and that afterwards the Messiah would appear.
These details coincide with the circumstances of the arrival of Jesus as the Messiah about 2,000 years ago. By that time, the city had been resettled and rebuilt.
Bible passage: Daniel 9:26
Written: Daniel lived more than 2,500 years ago
Whereas Daniel 9:25 said that the Messiah would arrive after the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the next verse showed that the arrival would take place before the city would be destroyed again:
And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (Daniel 9:26, KJV)
This, too, corresponds to the timing of Jesus' arrival as the Messiah about 2,000 years ago. About 40 years after Jesus was crucified, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. The destruction was so complete that some of the effects remain visible today.