Whenever someone asks me why I believe Christ was, indeed, the Jewish Messiah, I love sharing the overwhelming evidence that He fulfilled the ancient Hebrew prophecies from A to Z, from beginning to end. I pray you are inspired seeing the evidence, and will be ready to give an answer whenever someone asks you to defend your faith!
The first list below contains 42 of the ancient Hebrew prophecies with Scriptural references, followed by the same list with references where Christ (Yeshua) fulfilled them as recorded by witnesses now compiled in the New Testament. Afterward, I share the odds of one person fulfilling even a handful of prophecies, much less dozens or hundreds, as some scholars claim. I pray you are blessed today knowing the foundation of our “faith” is real evidence!
Prophecies of Messiah in Hebrew Scripture (Old Testament):
Will be born in Bethlehem Micah 5:2
Will be born of a virgin Isaiah 7:14
Will be from the line of Abraham Genesis 12:3, Genesis 22:18
A descendant of Isaac Genesis 17:19, Genesis 21:12
A descendant of Jacob Numbers 24:17
From the tribe of Judah Genesis 49:10
Called Immanuel Isaiah 7:14
Spend a season in Egypt Hosea 11:1
A massacre of children would happen at Messiah’s birthplace Jeremiah 31:15
A messenger will prepare the way for Messiah Isaiah 40:3-5
He will be rejected by his own people Psalm 69:8, Isaiah 53:3
He will be called a prophet Deuteronomy 18:15
He will be preceded by Elijah Malachi 4:5-6
Messiah will be declared Son of God Psalm 2:7
Called a Nazarene Isaiah 11:1
Messiah will bring light to Galilee Isaiah 9:1-2
Messiah will speak in parables Psalm 78:2-4, Isaiah 6:9-10
Will be a priest after the order of Melchizedek Psalm 110:4
Will be called King Psalm 2:6, Zechariah 9:9
Will be praised by little children Psalm 8:2
Will enter Jerusalem on a donkey Zechariah 9:9
Will be betrayed by one of His followers Psalm 41:9
Will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver Zechariah 11:12-13
Messiah’s price money will be used to buy a potter’s field Zechariah 11:12-13
Will be falsely accused Psalm 35:11
Will be silent before his accusers Isaiah 53:7
Will be spat upon and struck Isaiah 50:6
Will be mocked and taunted Psalm 22:7-8
Will be hated without cause Psalm 35:19, Psalm 69:4
Will be tried and condemned Isaiah 53:8
Will die with criminals Isaiah 53:12
Will be given vinegar to drink Psalm 69:21
His body will be pierced Psalm 22:16, Zechariah 12:10
Soldiers will gamble for His garments Psalm 22:18
Messiah’s bones will not be broken Exodus 12:46, Psalm 34:20
Will pray for his enemies Psalm 109:4
Will be buried with the rich Isaiah 53:9
Will resurrect from the dead Psalm 16:10, Psalm 49:15
Will visibly ascend to heaven Psalm 24:7-10
Will be a sacrifice for sin Isaiah 53:5-12
Will become a light to (Gentile) nations Isaiah 49:6
Will be killed before the destruction of the temple Daniel 9:26
Prophecies of Messiah Fulfilled in Christ (Yeshua)
He was born in Bethlehem Matthew 2:1, Luke 2:4-6
He was born of a virgin Matthew 1:22-23, Luke 1:26-31
From the line of Abraham Matthew 1:1, Romans 9:5
A descendant of Isaac Luke 3:34
A descendant of Jacob Matthew 1:2
From the tribe of Judah Luke 3:33, Hebrews 7:14
Called Immanuel Matthew 1:23
Spent a season in Egypt Matthew 2:14-15
A massacre of children happened at Messiah’s birthplace Matthew 2:16-18
A messenger prepared the way for Messiah Luke 3:3-6
He was rejected by his own people John 1:11, John 7:5
He was called a prophet Acts 3:20-22
He was preceded by Elijah Matthew 11:13-14
Messiah was declared Son of God Matthew 3:16-17
Called a Nazarene Matthew 2:23
Messiah brought light to Galilee Matthew 4:13-16
Messiah spoke in parables Matthew 13:10-15, Matthew 13:34-35
He was called a priest after the order of Melchizedek Hebrews 5:5-6
He was called King Matthew 27:37, Mark 11:7-11
He was praised by little children Matthew 21:16
He entered Jerusalem on a donkey Luke 19:35-37, John 12:12-15
He was betrayed by one of His followers Luke 22:47-48
He was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver Matthew 26:14-16
Messiah’s price money would be used to buy a potter’s field Matthew 27:9-10
Was falsely accused Mark 14:57-58
Was silent before his accusers Mark 15:4-5
Was spat upon and struck Matthew 26:67
Was mocked and taunted Matthew 27:39-40; Luke 23:11,35
Was hated without cause John 15:24-25
Was tried and condemned Matthew 27:1-2; Luke 23:1,23
Died with criminals Matthew 27:38, Mark 15:27-28
Was given vinegar to drink Matthew 27:34, John 19:28-30
His body was pierced John 20:25-27
Soldiers gambled for His garments Luke 23:34, Matthew 27:35-36
Messiah’s bones were not broken John 19:33-36
He prayed for his enemies Luke 23:34
He was buried with the rich Matthew 27:57-60
He resurrected from the dead Matthew 28:2-7, Acts 2:22-32
He visibly ascended to heaven Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51
He was a sacrifice for sin Romans 5:6-8
He became a light to (Gentile) nations Acts 26:23
He was killed before the destruction of the temple Matthew 27:50-51
What are the Odds?
Mathematically speaking, the odds are staggering of one person by chance fulfilling this number of prophecies, and this is only a sampling of the prophecies some say total well over 300.
Mathematicians would say the chances were:
1 person fulfilling 8 prophecies: 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000 (10 to the 16th power)
1 person fulfilling 48 prophecies: 1 chance in 10 to the 157th power
What are the odds of 1 person fulfilling all 300+ prophecies, whether by coincidence or conspiracy, without missing even one? A forensic investigator would call that a 100% confirmed identity match.
“Who do you say that I am?”
––Jesus, Mark 8:29
FAITH AND FASTING 