Who is Messiah?


Apologetics

12. Who is Messiah?

When Jesus was in Judea 2000 years ago, the Roman occupation was oppressive, and the people felt helpless. They looked for hope, the same way people look for hope today. The popularity of the cartoon/TV series “Superman” had a super-human like individual from the planet Krypton, who rights the wrongs of evil doers. Superman had two identities one as Clark Kent a “mild mannered” newspaper reporter with glasses and the other as Superman. When needed, Clark would transform from reporter to Superman. The two identities were so dissimilar that friends of Clark such as Lois Lane who new both Clark and Superman could not make the connection that both were the same person playing two different roles.

The need for Superman dates back to the beginning of man himself. One of the more well known is the Greek man-god known as Heracles (Hercules-Roman) the son of Zeus and a mortal woman, who though fallible seeks to right injustice. Ultimately, its man’s search for hope and meaning that leads him to search for a rescuer. We look for rescue, from the problems of life; sickness, injustice, poverty, hunger, war and death. The imprint in the heart of man for his need of redemption, (Rescue) goes back to the fall.

It was very good

Mankind was created on the 6^th day, after his creation was complete we are told, God saw everything and it was “very good”.

Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Genesis 1:31

Why so bad?

If everything was “very good”, what is the Bible’s explanation for the condition of the world, for all the misery and pain people go through? The condition of man goes back to choice. God did not create robots, but “Free will” beings, with the ability to choose. At man’s creation, the man and woman had the choice to “obey God” or “Not obey God”. This choice is typified in the “Tree of Knowledge” at the Garden of Eden.

In the Garden of Eden man, choose to disobey God and listen to the Serpent, whom was Satan speaking through the body of an animal, to Adam and Eve. The Serpent called God a liar, and urged them to disobey God, by eating of the forbidden fruit. They listened to Satan, a fallen being himself, and mankind fell. The misery followed when they choose to disobey God.

The Seed of the Women

What earlier God declared as “Very Good” became corrupted; sin entered the Human race along with death and misery. Humanity was without hope, but in mercy, God opened a door of hope for humanity, a promise of redemption. The “Seed of women” a “Son of Man” would bruise[1] the head of the Serpent and his offspring, “The wicked”.

And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." Genesis 3:15

Nevertheless, in this same verse we see the Serpent would bruise the “Heel” of the “Seed of the Women”. The “Son of Man” the “Seed of the Women” would suffer the bite of the serpent at the heel. This is the first hint at the sufferings of the Messiah. However, the “Son of Man”, the seed of the Women, will vanquish or cover (Shoof…Hebrew) the Serpent/Satan. Redemption is in the heart of all humanity. Man is looking and seeking redemption from the problems of this world.

Job one of the oldest books in the Bible, looked forward to his redemption in the latter years by a “Redeemer”[2]

25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; 26 And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, 27 Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! Job 19:25-27

Here Job speaks of a future day when even after his body is decayed, He would see his “Redeemer” with new eyes and be in new flesh. This would be last event on the earth. But some questions may arise here. Is Job talking about a man or is he talking about God. Is God Job’s “Redeemer” or the “Son of Man”, the “Redeemer”? Job is talking about the Messiah.

Who is the Messiah[3]?

The word for “Messiah comes from the Hebrew root word, “Msh” which to “touch lightly” or “rub with oil” this word is applied to Priests (Exodus 28:41), Kings (I Kings 19:16), and Prophets (I Samuel 12:5) who were chosen by God to accomplish specific tasks. King Cyrus of Persia is addressed as “Anointed”.

"Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held-To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut:
Isaiah 45:1

Cyrus chosen by God subdues nations, and he would later allow the exiles from Babylon to return home and rebuild the Temple. David calls Saul “the Lord’s anointed” (I Samuel 24:6). Therefore, in one sense there are many anointed of the Lord, or messiahs, people specifically chosen by God, to accomplish specific tasks. The term also has a very specific and individual meaning.

The Bible talks of a future King who will rule the Earth for eternity. This King is “Anointed” or chosen to fulfill this specific task. In 2 Samuel 7 we are given information about this individual’s family line.

"since the time that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel, and have caused you to rest from all your enemies. Also the Lord tells you that He will make you a house. 12 "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 "I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15 "But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 "And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." '2 Samuel 7:11-16

Nathan the prophet tells David that from his family line a “Son of Man” will come, a “Seed of the Women”, who will have the throne of David, and His eternal kingdom will be established forever. This “Son of Man” would also be a “Son of David”, therefore this person will be “Anointed” or chosen by God for a specific purpose. This individual is known as the “Messiah Son of David”.

The Qualifications of Messiah

Beginning in the third chapter of Genesis, we have specific information about this coming, “Seed of the Women” through progressive revelation. With each qualification, the search narrows until the potential candidates becomes very narrow in scope.

For example, currently the population of the earth is 6.3 Billion people. If you talk to some one and plan to meet, without knowing anything about them, you could locate them from the earth’s population. You could specify a time, place and article of clothing.

Time: I will meet you on January 15^th 2005 3:00 PM (Jerusalem Time)
Place: At the Damascus Gate, Jerusalem
Description: I will be wearing a Checkered Hat

By using, these three specific qualifiers we are able eliminate just about anybody from equation. Except for person who meets the qualifiers and the person who knows the qualifiers, everybody would be outside the loop on the meeting.

In this same manner through the prophets of Israel, the Messiah was qualified, specific information about Him, information spanning the generations of humanity. The Bible demonstrates its “Supernatural source” with “Supernatural objective evidence”. Evidence outside the scope of the natural realm is supernatural in nature.

5 Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, And my carved image and my molded image Have commanded them.’ Isaiah 48:5

⁹ Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, ¹⁰ Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’ Isaiah 46:9,10

Using “Supernatural prophetic” utterances God has qualified His Messiah. Specific characteristics revealed between 1500 to 425 years before his birth, narrowed the search for God’s Chosen Messiah from the Billions born throughout the history of creation to just one person. The man Jesus Christ is the only person who ever lived who could fulfill the qualifications

His Sex: “Son of Man” ..50% of the population of those who have ever lived.
His place of Birth: Bethlehem of Ephrathah 99.9..999% of Humans born in the world eliminated as Messiah.
His family line: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Jesse, David…99.99999999% eliminated
His time of death: End of 483 Jewish Years following command to rebuild Jerusalem, March/April. (See 70 Weeks of Daniel Class 6)
Description of death: Pierced, whipped, innocent of crime

· Specific events: After his death Temple destroyed and City destroyed

Through these qualifiers alone just about every human being, who ever lived is eliminated from the possibility of being the Messiah chosen by God, the King of the earth. (SEE CHART BELOW)

If Jesus was Messiah was he killed?

If what was going to happen were so clear in the scripture, why did Jesus die? Roman occupation of Judea dated from the time of Pompey, the Roman General who conquered Jerusalem in 63 BC. The Jewish people hated Rome and wanted deliverance. They looked to the coming of Messiah, The Son of David, who would vanquish the armies of the world. Moreover, Jerusalem would become the capital of the Earth according to the prophets.

In the Old Testament, there are several competing pictures of Messiah. He is seen as “the Son of Man”, and called “Son of God”, He is seen as “Judge and King” of the Earth while He is also seen as a rejected servant and suffering. During the time of Roman occupation, Israel looked to coming of the Son of David who would rule the Earth. They did not look for a servant Messiah who was going to die. Jesus presented himself as the “Son of Man” who was going to suffer, this was contrary to the view of Messiah expected by Israel. Going back to the illustration of Clark Kent and Superman, Clark’s friends could not make the connection between the two characters. The Pharisees did not see one Messiah playing dual roles, “Suffering Servant” and “Conquering King”. This was not expected of the Messiah who was going save Israel. This dual role will be unveiled at the end of time as hinted at in Isaiah 52:14,15

14 Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; 15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. Isaiah 52:14-15

The pictures of a “Suffering Messiah”, “Conquering King” ,“Son of Man” and “Son of God” seem to be in conflict with each other. Jesus questioned the Pharisees about this conflict.

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said to Him, "The Son of David." 43 He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying: 44 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool" '? 45 "If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his Son?" 46 And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.
Matthew 22:41-46

Later at his trial before the High Priest, this conflict to understand the “Son of Man” and “Son of God” is revealed. They could not understand the Messiah being both “Son of Man” and “Son of God”.

63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!" 64 Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. Nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven." 65 Then the high priest tore his clothes, saying, "He has spoken blasphemy! What further need do we have of witnesses? Look, now you have heard His blasphemy!
Matthew 26: 63-65

The solution to this conflict can be resolved in understanding the “First” and “Second” Coming of Messiah/Christ. Jesus came the first time to die for the sins of the world the second time he comes, he will come to judge the world. The Pharisee at the time of Christ could not reconcile these two conflicting roles.

Messiah Son of Joseph

To solve this problem of conflicting pictures Judaism has arrived at the conclusion that there are two Messiah coming. One is “Messiah Son of Joseph” and the other “Messiah Son of David”

According to Raphael Patai, Jewish author and Bible Scholar, he writes,

Scholars have repeatedly speculated about the origin of the Messiah ben Joseph legend and the curious fact that the Messiah figure has thus been split in two. It would seem that in the early legend, the death of the Messiah was envisaged, perhaps as a development of the Suffering Servant motif. A prophecy of Daniel, written about 164 B.C.E., is the earliest source speaking of the death of a Mashiah (“Annointed”) sixty-two (prophetic) weeks after his coming and after the return and rebuilding of Jerusalem (Dan. 9:24-26 see chapter 1).

When the death of the Messiah became an established tenet in Talmudic times, this was felt to be irreconcilable with the belief in the Messiah as the Redeemer who would usher in the blissful millennium of the Messianic age. The dilemma was solved by splitting the person of the Messiah in two: one of them called, Messiah ben Joseph, was to raise the armies of Israel against their enemies, and after many victories and miracles, would fall victim to God and Magog. The other Messiah ben David, will come after him (in some legends will bring him back to life, which psychologically hints at the identity of the two), and will lead Israel to the ultimate victory, the triumph, and the Messianic era of bliss.[4]

One Messiah, Two Pictures

This Messiah will be one person with two roles. His first coming was to Redeem humanity from their sins through his sacrificial death as the prophet Isaiah reveals (Isaiah 52:12-53:13). His second coming will be to judge a disobedient and sinful world, “To crush the head of the serpent”.

These dual roles are revealed in Zechariah 12:10-12. The one, “Pierced” is mourned over by the land of Israel as He returns to rescue Israel from the nations surrounding her and bent on her destruction (Zechariah 12:3,9).

10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. 11 "In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. 12 "And the land shall mourn, every family by itself: the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; Zechariah 12:10-12

The Rabbis also see this verse as referring to the Messiah, except they describe the one “Pierced” as “Messiah bar (son) Joseph”, who will be killed and then brought back to life by “Messiah bar David” after the battle of Gog and Magog.

And the land shall mourn (Zech. 12:12). What is the reason of this mourning? R. Dosa and the rabbis differ about it. R. Dosa says: “[They will mourn] over Messiah who will be slain,” and the rabbis say: “[They will mourn] over the Evil Inclination which will be killed [in the days of the Messiah]…..”

(B. Suk. 52a)[5]

The rabbis have taught: The Holy One, blessed be He, will say to Messiah ben David, may he be revealed soon in our days!: “Ask of Me anything, and I shall give it to you ,for it is written, The Lord said unto me, Thou art My son, this day have I begotten thee, ask of Me and I will give thee the nations for thy inheritance (Ps. 2:7-8). And when he will see that Messiah ben Joseph will be slain, he will say before Him: “Master of the World! I ask nothing of you except life!” God will say to him: “Even before you said, “life,’ your father David prophesied about you, as it is written, He asked life of Three, Thou gavest it him (Ps. 21:5).” (B. Suk 52a)

Again this conflict can only be resolved by seeing one Messiah fulfilling two roles. These roles are both fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.

The Suffering Servant

The most vivid picture of the “Suffering Servant” Messiah is in the Isaiah 52:13 to 53:12 Specific qualifiers give details about an individual who will be “Very high” but first he will be marred.

He will be God’s servant.

· My Servant (Is. 52:13)
· My righteous Servant (Is. 53;11)

He will be exalted in the Earth

·          He shall be: exalted (Is 52:13)
·          extolled (Is 52:13)
·          Very high. (Is 52:13)
·      He sprinkle many nations (Is. 52:15)
·          Kings shall shut their mouths at Him (Is. 52:15)

He will be beaten physically

· His visage was marred more than any man
· His form more than the sons of men

His identity will be revealed to certain people

· Who has believed our report? (Is.53:1)
· to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (Is. 53:1)B

His true identity is hidden till later

·          many were astonished at you (Is.52.14)
·          what had not been told them they shall see ( 52.15)
·          what they had not heard they shall consider (52:15)

He will be rejected and despised by the people

·          He is despised and rejected by men (Is 53:3)
·          He was despised, and (Is 53:3)
·          We did not esteem Him. (53:3
·          we hid, as it were, our faces from Him (Is 53:3)

He will be a Man, a descendent of the human race.
· A Man of sorrows (Is 53:3)

He will suffer at the will of God.

·          sorrows and acquainted with grief (Is 53:3)
·          He was oppressed (Is 53:7)
·          He was afflicted (Is 53:7)
·          Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him (Is 53;10)

What is His purpose for coming.
·          He has borne our griefs (Is. 53:4)
·          And carried our sorrows (Is. 53:4)
·          He was wounded for our transgressions, (Is 53:5)
·          He was bruised for our iniquities; (Is 53:5)
·          The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, (Is 53:5)
·          By His stripes we are healed. (Is 53:5)
·          The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Is. 53:6)
·          He bore the sin of many, (Is 53;12)
·          And made intercession for the transgressors. (Is. 53:12)

He will also die.

·          For He was cut off from the land (Is. 53:8)
·          they made His grave with the wicked (Is 53:9)
·          the rich at His death (Is. 53:9)
·          He poured out His soul unto death, (Is 53:12)

He will die with the wicked
· they made His grave with the wicked (Is 53:9)

He will be buried with the rich
· the rich at His death (Is. 53:9)

He will be Righteous and Sinless

·          He had done no violence (Is. 53:9)
·          Nor was any deceit in His mouth. (Is. 53:9)
·          My righteous Servant shall justify many (Is. 53;11)

He will be rewarded
· I will divide Him a portion with the great (Is. 53:12)

He will reward
· He shall divide the spoil with the strong (Is 53:12)

The qualifiers that describe this individual is a picture of Jesus Christ 700 years before his birth, in the book of Isaiah. They describe his ministry, his reason for coming, what will happen to Him when he comes, his treatment and what’s in store for those who trust Him

Portraits of Messiah

Bible Verse

Messiah as Sufferer/Servant

Messiah as Son of Man

Messiah as Judge and King

Messiah as Son of God

^IIsaiah 52:13-15

¹³Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently;

He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.

¹⁴Just as many were astonished at you,

So His visage was marred more than any man,

And His form more than the sons of men;

¹⁵So shall He ^sprinkle many nations.

Kings shall shut their mouths at Him;

For what had not been told them they shall see,

And what they had not heard they shall consider.

Isaiah 53

¹Who has believed our report?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

²For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,

And as a root out of dry ground.

He has no form or comeliness;

And when we see Him,

There is no beauty that we should desire Him.

³He is despised and rejected by men,

A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;

He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

⁴Surely He has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

⁵But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

⁶All 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.

⁷He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He opened not His mouth;

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,

And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.

⁸He was taken from prison and from judgment,

And who will declare His generation?

For He was cut off from the land of the living;

For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

⁹And ^they made His grave with the wicked—

But with the rich at His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

¹⁰Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him;

He has put Him to grief.

When You make His soul an offering for sin,

He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,

And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

^11He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.

By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,

For He shall bear their iniquities.

¹²Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,

And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,

Because He poured out His soul unto death,

And He was numbered with the transgressors,

And He bore the sin of many,

And made intercession for the transgressors.

My Servant shall deal prudently;

many were astonished at you

His visage was marred more than any man,

And His form more than the sons of men;

He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant

He has no form or comeliness

no beauty

³He is despised and rejected by men,

A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

despised, and we did not esteem Him

wounded for our transgressions,

bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

For He was cut off from the land of the living;

For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

⁹And ^they made His grave with the wicked—

But with the rich at His death,

He poured out His soul unto death,

He was numbered with the transgressors,

And He bore the sin of many,

what had not been told them they shall see,

And what they had not heard they shall consider.

He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high.

Kings shall shut their mouths at Him;

I will divide Him a portion with the great,

And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

Psalm 2

¹Why do the nations rage,

And the people plot a vain thing?

²The kings of the earth set themselves,

And the rulers take counsel together,

Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,

³“Let us break Their bonds in pieces

And cast away Their cords from us.”

⁴He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;

The LORD shall hold them in derision.

⁵Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,

And distress them in His deep displeasure:

⁶“Yet I have set My King

On My holy hill of Zion.”

⁷“I will declare the decree:

The LORD has said to Me,

‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.

⁸Ask of Me, and I will give You

The nations for Your inheritance,

And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

⁹You shall ^break them with a rod of iron;

You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”

¹⁰Now therefore, be wise, O kings;

Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

¹¹Serve the LORD with fear,

And rejoice with trembling.

^12Kiss the Son, lest ^He be angry,

And you perish in the way,

When His wrath is kindled but a little.

Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

The kings of the earth set themselves,

And the rulers take counsel together,

Against the LORD and against His Anointed,

“Yet I have set My King

On My holy hill of Zion.”

I will give You

The nations for Your inheritance,

And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

Now therefore, be wise, O kings;

Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

¹¹Serve the LORD with fear,

The LORD has said to Me,

‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.

^Kiss the Son, lest ^He be angry,

And you perish in the way,

When His wrath is kindled but a little.

Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

Daniel 7:13-14

¹³“I was watching in the night visions,

And behold, One like the Son of Man,

Coming with the clouds of heaven!

He came to the Ancient of Days,

And they brought Him near before Him.

¹⁴Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one

Which shall not be destroyed.

One like the Son of Man

Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom,

His dominion is an everlasting dominion,

Which shall not pass away,

And His kingdom the one

Which shall not be destroyed.

all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.

Micah 5:1-2

¹Now gather yourself in troops,

O daughter of troops;

He has laid siege against us;

They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.

²“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

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.”

They will strike the judge of Israel with a rod on the cheek.

²“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

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.”

Malachi 3:1-3

“Behold, I send My messenger,

And he will prepare the way before Me.

And the Lord, whom you seek,

Will suddenly come to His temple,

Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight.

Behold, He is coming,” Says the LORD of hosts.

2 “But who can endure the day of His coming?

And who can stand when He appears?

For He is like a refiner’s fire And like launderers’ soap.

3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;

He will purify the sons of Levi,And purge them as gold and silver,

That they may offer to the LORD

An offering in righteousness.

3He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;

He will purify the sons of Levi,

And purge them as gold and silver,

he will prepare the way before Me.

And the Lord, whom you seek,

Will suddenly come to His temple,

the Messenger of the covenant,

In whom you delight.

Behold, He is coming,”

who can endure the day of His coming?

Prophecy

Fulfillment

Notes

1. Born of the Seed of Woman

Genesis 3:15

¹⁵And I will put enmity

Between you and the woman,

And between your seed and her Seed;

He shall bruise your head,

And you shall bruise His heel.”

⁴But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born^ of a woman, born under the law, ⁵to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4

2. Born of a Virgin

Isaiah 7:14

¹⁴Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.^

She was found with child of the Holy Spirit…Then Joseph…did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

Matthew 1:18,24,25

The Hebrew word translated for virgin is äîÈìÀòÇ almaòh and means “Young Maiden”. The more common word for virgin is bethulah. The Septuagint translates almah here as virgin (parthenos) a young maiden was equivalent to a virgin.

3. Son of God

Psalm 2:7 (2 Samuel 7:12-16, I Chr. 17:11-14)

⁷“I will declare the decree:

The LORD has said to Me,

‘You are My Son,

Today I have begotten You.

And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” Matthew 3:17

(See Also Matt. 16:16; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35; 22:70, Acts 13:30-33, John 1:34,49)

4. Seed of Abraham

Genesis 22:18

¹⁸In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”¹⁸In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. Galatians 3:16

(See also Matthew 1:1 and Luke 3:34)

There are two geneolgies in the New Testament; Matthew 1:1-16 and Luke 3:23-38. Matthew is Joseph’s line and deomonstrated through Joseph, Jesus was of the royal line of David from Abraham. Luke showed the line of Mary from which Jesus came into the world. She was also descendent of Abraham and David.

5. Son of Isaac

Genesis 21;12

¹²But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called.

Jesus….the son of Issaac

Luke 3:23,34

6. Son of Jacob

Numbers 24:17

¹⁷“I see Him, but not now;

I behold Him, but not near;

A Star shall come out of Jacob;

A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,

And batter the brow of Moab,

And destroy all the sons of ^tumult.

Jesus…..the son of Jacob

Luke 3:23, 34

Targum Jonathan and Targum Onkelos both relate this verse as referring to the coming of Messiah.

Bar Kockba (135 AD) the leader of the Jewish revolt during the time of Hadrian was viewed as Messiah. He was called the “The Son of the Star” because they felt through him they would utterly destroy Rome’s armies.

7. Tribe of Judah

Genesis 49:10

¹⁰The scepter shall not depart from Judah,

Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,

Until Shiloh comes;

And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.

Jesus…..the son of Judah

Luke 3:23, 33

Targum Jonathan and Targum Pseudo Jonathanon both view this as referring to the coming of the Messiah.

“How beauteous is the King, and Meshisha who will arise form the house of Jehuda” …Targum Jonathan.

8. Family Line of Jesse

Isaiah 11:1

¹There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse,

And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

²The 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.

Jesus…the son of Jesse

Luke 3:23, 32

Targum Isaiah states “And a King shall come forth from the sons of Jesse, and an Anointed One (or Messiah) from his son’s son shall grow up.”

9. House of David

Jeremiah 23:5

⁵ “Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper,

And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

Jesus…the son of David….

Luke 3:23,31

(See also Matt. 1:1,9:27; 15:22; 20:30,31;21:9,15; 22:41-46; Mark 9:10;10:47,48; Luke 18:38,39; Acts 13:22,23; Rev. 22:16)

There are two pictures of Messiah, that are seen in the traditional writings of Judaism Messiah “Son of David” and Messiah “Son of Joseph”. The “Son of David” is seen as the conquering Messiah while Joseph is seen as the suffering or dying Messiah.

10. Born at Bethlehem

Micah 5:2

² “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

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.”

Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea

Matthew 2:1

11. Time of Messiah Death foretold

Daniel 9:25

²⁵ “Know therefore and understand,

That from the going forth of the command

To restore and build Jerusalem

Until Messiah the Prince,

There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks;

¹Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, ²“You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

Matthew 26:1

The 70 weeks of Daniel foretold the Messiah would be rejected during the month of Passover 483 Jewish years from the command to rebuild Jerusalem in Nehemiah 2:8 which took place in the month of Passover, Nisan in 444 BC. 483 Jewish years from that date was Passover 33 AD.

12. Herod kills Children

Jeremiah 31:15

¹⁵Thus says the LORD:

“A voice was heard in Ramah,

Lamentation and bitter weeping,

Rachel weeping for her children,

Refusing to be comforted for her children,

Because they are no more.”

¹⁶Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.

Matthew 2:16

Jeremiah 31 to 33 is Messianic in nature foretelling the establishment of the New Covenant with Israel’s descendents in Jer. 31:31. Rachel weeping was a result of Israel’s apparent destruction. The children of Bethlehem were killed to prevent the Messiah from living.

13. His Pre-Existence

Micah 5:2

² “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,

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.”

⁵⁷Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

⁵⁸Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

John 8:57-58

The concept of the Messiah Pre-existence is common Jewish belief. ….“You find that at the beginning of the creation of the world King Messiah was born [and] that he emerged in the thought [of G-d] even before the world was created.--Pesiqta Rabbati, page 152b

14. He Shall be Called Lord

Psalm 110:1

¹ The LORD said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

⁴³He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:

⁴⁴ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”’?^

⁴⁵If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?” ⁴⁶And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore. Matthew 22:43-45

The Midrash Tehillim, commentary on Psalms, 200-500 AD, on Psalm 21:1 says: “God calls King Messiah by His own name. But what is His name? Answer; Jehovah is a man of war”[6]

15. Shall be Immanuel

Isaiah 7:14

¹⁴Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.^

²³“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 1:23

16. Shall be a Prophet

Deuteronomy 18:18

¹⁸I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.

¹¹So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

Matthew 21:11

The Messiah will be a prophet, as well as King. The Jewish scholar Maimonides, in writing a letter to the community of Yemen, denounces a purporter of the Messiahship by writing: “The Messiah will be a very great prophet, greater than all the Prophets with the exception of Moses our teacher”[7]

17. Priest

Psalm 110:4

⁴ The LORD has sworn

And will not relent,

“You are a priest forever

According to the order of Melchizedek.”

¹Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus,

Hebrews 3:1

(See also Heb. 5:5,6)

18. Judge

Isaiah 33:22

²² (For the LORD is our Judge,

The LORD is our Lawgiver,

The LORD is our King;

He will save us);

³⁰I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.

John 5:30

(See also 2 Tim. 4:1)

19. King

Psalm 2:6

⁶ “Yet I have set My King

On My holy hill of Zion.

(See also Jer 23:5, Zech 9:9)

³⁷And they put up over His head the accusation written against Him:

THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Matthew 27:37

(See also Matt. 21:5; John 18:33-38)

20. Special Anointing of Holy Spirit

Isaiah 11:2

² 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.

(See also Ps. 45:7,Is 42:1,61:1,2)

¹⁶When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and ^He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. ¹⁷And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:16, 17

The Babylonian Talmud, the Sanhedrin II says, “The Messiah—as it is written, And 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 of the fear of the Lord.”

21. His Zeal for God

Psalm 69:9

⁹ Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up,

And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.

¹⁵When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. ¹⁶And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” John 2:15,16

Prophecies Concerning His Ministry

22. Preceded by Messenger

Isaiah 40:3

³ The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

“Prepare the way of the LORD;

Make straight ^in the desert

A highway for our God.

(See also Mal 3:1)

¹In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ²and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” ³For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

Make His paths straight.’”^

Matthew 3:1-3, (See also Matt 11:10, John 1:23, Luke 1:17)

23. Ministry to Begin in Galilee

Isaiah 9:1

¹ Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,

As when at first He lightly esteemed

The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

And afterward more heavily oppressed her,

By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,

In Galilee of the Gentiles.

¹²Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. ¹³And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,…¹⁷From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 4:12,13,17

24. Ministry of Miracles

Isaiah 35:5,6

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

⁶ Then the lame shall leap like a deer,

And the tongue of the dumb sing.

For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,

And streams in the desert.

(See also Is. 32:3,4)

³⁵Then 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 Matt 9:32,33; 11:4-6, Mark 7:33-35; John 5:5-9; 9:6-11; 11:43,44,47)

25. Teacher of Parables

Psalm 78:2

² I will open my mouth in a parable;

I will utter dark sayings of old,

³⁴All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, ³⁵that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

Matthew 13:34

26. He was to Enter the Temple

Malachi 3:1

¹ “Behold, I send My messenger,

And he will prepare the way before Me.

And the Lord, whom you seek,

Will suddenly come to His temple,

Even the Messenger of the covenant,

In whom you delight.

Behold, He is coming,”

¹²Then Jesus went into the temple ^of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves Matthew 21:12

27. His Was to Enter Jerusalem on a Donkey

Zechariah 9:9

⁹ “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, the foal of a donkey.

³⁵Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. ³⁶And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road.

³⁷Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen,

Luke 19:35-37

28. Stone of Stumbling to Jews

Psalm 118:2

²² The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

(See also Is. 8:14, 28:1)

⁷Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who ^are disobedient,

“The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone,”^

I Peter 2:7

29. Light to Gentiles

Isaiah 60:3

³ The Gentiles shall come to your light,

And kings to the brightness of your rising.

(Is. 49:6)

⁴⁷For so the Lord has commanded us:

‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles,

That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’”^

⁴⁸Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.

Acts 13:47,48

Prophecies Concerning Events after His Burial

30. Resurrection

Psalm 16:10

¹⁰ For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

¹¹ You will show me the path of life;

³¹he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.

Acts 2:31

(See also Matt 28:6;Mark 16:6; Luke 24:46; Acts 13:33)

31. Ascension

Psalm 68:18

¹⁸ You have ascended on high,

You have led captivity captive;

You have received gifts among men,

Even from the rebellious,

That the LORD God might dwell there.

9Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.

Acts 1:9

32. Seated at the Right Hand of God

Psalm 110:1

¹ The LORD said to my Lord,

“Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

³who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had ^by Himself purged ^our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Hebrews 1:3

(See also Mark 16:19; Acts 2:34-35)

Prophecies Fulfilled in One Day

33. Betrayed by a Friend

⁹Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted,

Who ate my bread,

Has lifted up his heel against me.

(See also Psalm 55:12-14)

⁴Simon the ^Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

Matthew 10:4