Prophecies in Order of Appearance

¹ A messenger/Elijah figure sent before the Lord

“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of Yahweh. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land, devoting it to destruction.” (Malachi 4:5–6, LSB)

Fulfilled: “But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John…And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’” (Luke 1:13, 17, LSB)

² The Messiah born of a virgin

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14, LSB)

Fulfilled: “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:23, LSB); “And Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I know no man?’ And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the holy Child to be born shall be called the Son of God.’” (Luke 1:34–35, LSB)

³ A messenger to prepare the way of the Lord

“A voice is calling, ‘Prepare the way for Yahweh in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.’” (Isaiah 40:3, LSB); “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me.” (Malachi 3:1, LSB)

Fulfilled: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways.” (Luke 1:76, LSB); “For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet, saying, ‘A voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!”‘” (Matthew 3:3, LSB)

⁴ The Messiah born in Bethlehem

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from everlasting, from the ancient days.” (Micah 5:2, LSB)

Fulfilled: “And they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.”‘” (Matthew 2:5–6, LSB)

⁵ A sign spoken against; a sword to pierce the mother’s soul

“Then He shall become a sanctuary; but to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, and a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 8:14, LSB)

Fulfilled: “And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed — and a sword will pierce through your own soul as well — that the thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’” (Luke 2:34–35, LSB)

⁶ A star rising out of Jacob

“I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; A star shall come forth from Jacob, a scepter shall rise from Israel, and shall crush through the forehead of Moab, and tear down all the sons of Sheth.” (Numbers 24:17, LSB)

Fulfilled: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him… And behold, the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.” (Matthew 2:2, 9–10, LSB)

⁷ Out of Egypt I called my son

“When Israel was a youth I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.” (Hosea 11:1, LSB)

Fulfilled: “And he rose and took the Child and His mother while it was still night, and left for Egypt; and was there until the death of Herod, that what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.’” (Matthew 2:14–15, LSB)

⁸ Rachel weeping for her children

“Thus says Yahweh, ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.’” (Jeremiah 31:15, LSB)

Fulfilled: “Then what had been spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children; and she refused to be comforted, because they were no more.’” (Matthew 2:17–18, LSB)

⁹ He shall be called a Nazarene

“Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit.” (Isaiah 11:1, LSB)

Fulfilled: “And came and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled: ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’” (Matthew 2:23, LSB)

¹⁰ The Spirit descending on the Messiah

“Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul is well-pleased. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.” (Isaiah 42:1, LSB)

Fulfilled: “And after being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon Him, and behold, there was a voice out of the heavens saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.’” (Matthew 3:16–17, LSB)

¹¹ Second Adam and the wilderness victory

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel.” (Genesis 3:15, LSB)

Fulfilled: “And immediately the Spirit drove Him out into the wilderness. And He was in the wilderness forty days being tempted by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels were ministering to Him.” (Mark 1:12–13, LSB)

¹² Jesus quotes Deuteronomy in each rebuttal

“He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of Yahweh.” (Deuteronomy 8:3, LSB)

“You shall not put Yahweh your God to the test, as you tested Him at Massah.” (Deuteronomy 6:16, LSB)

“You shall fear Yahweh your God; Him you shall serve, and by His name you shall swear.” (Deuteronomy 6:13, LSB)

Fulfilled: “But He answered and said, ‘It is written, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.”’” (Matthew 4:4, LSB)

“Jesus said to him, ‘On the other hand, it is written, “You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”’” (Matthew 4:7, LSB)

“Then Jesus said to him, ‘Go, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”’” (Matthew 4:10, LSB)

¹³ Angels given charge over the Messiah

“For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91:11–12, LSB)

Fulfilled: “Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” (Matthew 4:11, LSB)

¹⁴ The Lamb of God who bears the sin of the world

“All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but Yahweh has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:6–7, LSB)

Fulfilled: “On the next day, he saw Jesus coming to him and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29, LSB)

¹⁵ Jacob’s Ladder Fulfilled in Jesus

“And behold, a ladder was set up on the earth with its top reaching to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.” (Genesis 28:12, LSB)

Fulfilled: “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:51, LSB)

¹⁶ New Wine Flowing in the Messianic Age

“Behold, days are coming,” declares Yahweh, “when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; when the mountains will drip sweet wine and all the hills will melt.” (Amos 9:13, LSB)

“And it will be in that day that the mountains will drip with sweet wine, and the hills will flow with milk.” (Joel 3:18, LSB)

Fulfilled: “Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the water jars with water.’ So they filled them up to the brim… and the master of the feast tasted the water which had become wine.” (John 2:7–9, LSB)

¹⁷ The Lord Suddenly Coming to His Temple

“Behold, I am sending My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple.” (Malachi 3:1, LSB)

Fulfilled: “The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.” (John 2:13–14, LSB)

¹⁸ Zeal for God’s House

“For zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.” (Psalm 69:9, LSB)

Fulfilled: “His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for Your house will consume Me.’” (John 2:17, LSB)

¹⁹ The Temple of His Body Raised in Three Days

“For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” (Psalm 16:10, LSB)

Fulfilled: “Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body. So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.” (John 2:19–21, LSB)

²⁰ The Son of Man Lifted Up Like the Bronze Serpent

“Then Yahweh said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live.’” (Numbers 21:8, LSB)

Fulfilled: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.” (John 3:14–15, LSB)

²¹ The Messiah anointed to preach good news to the poor

“The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is upon me, because Yahweh has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of Yahweh.” (Isaiah 61:1–2, LSB)

Fulfilled: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor… And He began saying to them, ‘Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’” (Luke 4:18–21, LSB)

²² He took our infirmities and carried our diseases

“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4, LSB)

Fulfilled: “He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.” (Matthew 8:17, LSB)