There have been 50 false Messiahs in Jewish history. Jesus warned in Mt.24:5, “Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many”. None of them fulfilled more than a few prophecies. Yet there are more than two dozen Old Testament (OT) prophecies about the real Messiah!
The Hebrew term Mashíach (Strongs h4899) is rendered “Messiah” in English (Messías g3323, Greek). An ‘anointed one’, a ‘Chosen one’, ‘Savior’ or liberator. A Greek counterpart term is Chrístos g5547, “Christ” in English. In the OT…the offices of high priest, king, prophet were anointed positions.
Some Jews believed in two coming Messiahs. Messiah ben/son David, the ruler; Messiah ben Joseph, the sufferer (Is.53). Jewish anti-missionaries don’t believe Yeshúa/Jesus is the prophesied Messiah. Ac.28:23 Paul tried to persuade those at Rome “concerning Jesus from both the Law and the Prophets”. Here I’ll focus on just a few OT prophecies about the Messiah; they show that Jesus is the Christ.
#1) Jesus’ virgin birth. Is.7:14 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive”! A virgin conceiving would surely be something to behold, something so remarkable! Whereas it is commonplace for young women to conceive naturally. In the old Greek version (translated by Jews, now our Septúagint/LXX), the term rendered/meaning virgin was parthénos g3933. In Nashville, TN there’s a replica of the Parthenon, so named because it represents the ancient temple shrine in Athens of the supposed virgin goddess Athena. The Is.7:14 prophecy cannot be about King Hezekiah. Hezekiah was at least 9 years old (cf. 2Ki.16:2, 20, 18:2) when Isaiah visited Hezekiah’s father King Aház (Is.7:3) and foretold the future (miraculous) birth of the Child! Lk.1:31-35 Luke recorded Mary affirming to the angel Gabriel that she is a virgin (parthenos g3933). Mary will give birth to Jesus/Yeshua. (see the topic, “Jesus’ Virgin Birth”.)
#2) Messiah was to be both a descendant of David…and YHVH. Je.23:5-6 “Behold”…This is another astounding thing God would do! God will “raise up for David a righteous Branch”, the Name/shem (Hebrew) of Whom will be “Yahweh our righteousness”! (This wonder will be accomplished via the virgin birth.) The Targum Jonathán says this Branch is the Messiah. Also the Talmud Lam Rab.1:51 indicates the Branch is Messiah. Barnes Notes Je.23:6 “Messiah is here called Yahweh.” God said in Ps.2:7, “You are my Son, I have begotten You”. God begat the Son. Ps.2:7 doesn’t refer to David; Jesse (not God) begat David. Jesus is YHVH since His Father God begat Him. God begets God, as kind begets kind (ref Ge.1). Yet Jesus is also a fleshly descendant of David, since Mary bore Jesus. Lk.3:23, 31-34 shows Jesus’ genealogy as a descendant of David. (see “Jesus’ Genealogy”.) The Messiah Jesus didn’t come through the line of Solomonic kings. Rather, Mary & Jesus descended from the branch of Nathan, Solomon’s brother. Zec.12:10-12 it was prophesied that wives (e.g. Mary) and family who descended from Nathan would mourn when Jesus was pierced (Jn.19:34-37)!
#3) Messiah to be born in Bethlehem. Mic.5:2 anciently Bethlehem of Judah was called Éphrathah. Although there was also a Bethlehem of Zebulún in Israel (Jsh.19:15-16), more anciently the Bethlehem in Judah was called Ephrathah, Ge.48:7. (also Ru.1:2, 4:11, 1Sm.17:12.) The prophet Micah identified the specific Bethlehem. Rachel’s tomb is there. Targum Jonathan says Mi.5:2 refers to the Messiah coming from Bethlehem. Also the Jerusalem Talmud Berakoth 5a. “The King Messiah, from whence does He come forth? From the royal city of Bethlehem in Judah.” 1Sm.20:6 Bethlehem in Judah was the city of David and his family clan. Lk.2:4-7 & Mt.2:1 Bethlehem of Judah was also the birthplace of Jesus, the son of David!
{Sidelight: A brief aside…Bethlehem today has a population of 25,000. Most are Muslims. But it also has one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities. However, before Israel became a state in 1948, Bethlehem was 85% Christian! But Arab Christians have been departing due to growing Israeli settlements and military checkpoints, terrorism, and the proliferation of Islam. Land that has been owned by families for generations is being confiscated. Today Bethlehem is less than 20% Christian.}
#4) Jesus is in the order of Melchisedek. Ge.14:18-20 Melchisedek was both king and priest. In Ps.110:1-5, David prophesied about two Lords/YHVHs and the order of Melchisedek. Jesus is YHVH, and He is ruler/king and priest, as Melchisedek. He.7:1-4 Melchisedek had neither beginning of days nor end of life; no genealogy. (Noah’s son Shem had genealogy, Ge.5:32 & 10:22.) He.7:14-17 the Lord Jesus’ office is in the order of Melchisedek. He.4:14 Jesus is Priest (cf. 1Ti.2:5). Jn.18:37 Jesus is King. Is.9:6-7 Isaiah, who prophesied of the virgin birth, also wrote that the Child will be the righteous King on the throne of David in the Kingdom government. see “Melchisedek Order Priesthood”.
#5) The name of the Melchisedekian king Messiah would be…Yeshua. Mt.1:20-23 the given name of Isaiah’s prophesied Emmanuél (“God with us”) is Yeshua/Jesus. Zec.3:8 before 500 BC, a Jewish high priest named Yeshua (“Jesus” as transliterated from the LXX) was as a symbol for the Messiah/Branch (ref Je.23:5). Zec.6:11-13 “Yeshua…Behold, a man whose name is the Branch.” That high priest’s name, Yeshua/Jesus, would also be the name of the Branch/Messiah! And He will occupy the two offices of priest and king in the order of Melchisedek. How amazing this is! More than 500 years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, it was prophesied by Zechariah that the given name of the Branch/Messiah would specifically be Yeshua/Jesus! God knows the end from the beginning.
There are many more OT Messianic prophecies which Jesus fulfilled. He is the ‘anointed one’, the “Chosen One” (Lk.23:35, Is.42:1). Jesus is High Priest (He.4:14), King (Jn.18:37), Prophet (De.18:18, Mt.21:11, Lk.7:16). Simon Peter’s brother Andrew said in Jn.1:41-42, “We have found the Messiah [g3323]”. He found Jesus the Christ. Have you found Him, or, has He found you yet (Lk.19:10)?
1Jn.2:22 “Who is a liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ [g5547].” The Jewish anti-missionary view is erroneous. The above scriptures about Jesus as YHVH/God and Messiah also reveal and confirm the efficacy of our salvation. He’s the Savior. Jn.11:49-53 before they crucified Jesus, the Jewish high priest Caiáphas prophesied, saying one had to die for the people. Contrary to his prophecy, Middle Ages rabbis claim (human) sacrifice isn’t needed! 2Sm.12:13-14, 18a David’s innocent infant son died, so David didn’t die in his own capital sins. That’s a type of substitutionary human sacrifice. Jn.8:23-24 believe Jesus is I AM/God, or else one dies in his own sins! No longer is there a central sanctuary for sin/guilt offerings to expiate sins, as done in Le.4-6. Besides, without the general availability of the Holy Spirit in ancient Israel, man’s proclivity to sin still remained dominant even after sacrifices for sin were offered on Yom Kíppur. (see “Day of Atonement (1)”.)
As YHVH Lord (Je.23:6, Ac.20:28), the lifeblood Jesus shed is worth more than enough to pay the price for the sins of all mankind! God’s justice is thus served! Ancient Jewish thought believed the unified God included the Word/Logos/Mémra (who is Messiah, cf. Jn.1:1) in the one/echád Godhead.
1Jn.1:7-9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive our sins.” Father God forgives our sins and views us as just/righteous in His sight. 1Co.6:9-11 such sinners were we…but now we’re justified, reconciled, and in right standing with God, due to Jesus’ sacrifice. 1Ti.2:3-6 God wants all to be saved. High Priest Jesus, as Son of God/Son of Man, serves as mediator between the Godhead and mankind. Our propensity to sin no longer rules us; we’re like a new person. 1Jn.5:10-13 he who believes in the Son of God and His sacrifice has eternal life. God has done this for us through Jesus the Messiah!
Bible Topic Exposition 