. . . 7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give
this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.Chapter #5 – Development Of The Gospel
(From Condemnation to Redemption,
Or, From Spiritual Death To Eternal Life)
2Cor 11:3 “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity that is toward Christ” (asv).
(In order to take advantage of continuity of thinking, this lengthy article is reproduced in one Chapter. Readers are asked to study it at one sitting if possible. The article is a digest of a much longer article, available upon request.)
The First Covenants were given to mankind to provide for their present and eventual well-being. The Record of past ages, with its covenants, has been provided for us, as Paul states: “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Rom 15:4 niv). This evolving history is adequate to create a hope and anticipation of the coming of a Redeemer.
It is the story of God’s dealing with His first people as individuals, then with the fathers of families (Patriarchal), then with the Hebrew nation. But all through the story there runs a continuous “thread” announcing the eventual coming of One Person, who would offer redemption to the whole world. He would be Lord and Christ; ruling and blessing the whole world. He would be a promised Messiah to the Jews and become Lord and Christ for the whole world. His reign would be a voluntary reign to all who would receive Him, but a judge for all. He would therefore, be both a ruler and a benefactor of all mankind.
The predictions and foreshadowings of His coming form an undeniable thread from the initial alienation of Adam and Even until the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. This “thread” extends through and binds together the many historical and prophetic books of the covenant periods and provides for us one amazing unity.
Starting with vague “hints,” there soon begins to appear specific predictions, which, as the story moves forward become more definite. As these predictions increase through the use of inspired symbols, metaphors and illustrations, the diligent and careful study of the text, supplemented by various (and readily attainable) aids, becomes a thrilling and edifying experience to the spiritually minded person.
Jesus Christ Is The Coming Lord And Christ
As definite predictions multiply, by the time we come to the end of the records of the Old Covenants the entire story of the Christ who is to come has been so adequately and completely written it cannot possibly refer to any other person in all history other than Jesus of Nazareth.
And, it would be presumptuous to think that any one of us, or even a group of students, would have been so insightful as to recognize and understand every single reference to His coming. Therefore, it will be our aim, goal and objective to provide, as best we are able, to give, in their own order, a brief outline of Old Covenant references which most plainly point forward to the coming of Christ.
1. Genesis 3:15 – Seed Of The Woman:
“And I (God) will put enmity between thee (serpent) and the woman (Eve), and between thy seed (the serpent’s offspring) and her seed (Eve’s offspring); it (Eve’s offspring) shall bruise thy (serpent’s) head, and thou shalt bruise his (Eve’s offspring) heel.”
Scholars see in this reference that in spite of Eve’s (and Adam’s) sin, God will eventually offer to save his creation. And, it is seen, that the phrase “seed of the woman” indicates that as through woman mankind fell, so through woman shall man be redeemed. It will be by a man, "His," who will be of the seed of the woman, that is, born of woman without the agency of man. It seems like, so say many scholars, a first hint of the virgin birth of Jesus of Nazareth. It is a fact that there has been only one descendant of Eve who was born of woman without being begotten by man. (See Mat 1:18)
2. Genesis 4:3-7 -- Abel’s Offering:
“And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him” (4:3-7).
Scholars conclude that this is probably the institution of blood sacrifice, right at the start, as the condition of man's acceptance with God – a hint of the eventual atoning death of a perfect offering for human sin.
3. Genesis 12:1-7; 18:18; 22:1-8. Call of Abraham
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and
from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great
nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will
bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the
earth be blessed.
. . . 7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give
this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
After the announcement by the angels that Abraham and Sarah would have a son born in old age, the promise is repeated.
18:18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? (Study entire chapter)
At the occasion of the great temptation of Isaac being offered, the promise is repeated again:
22:1 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, . . . 15 ¶ And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Here is a clear definite statement, repeated three times, to Abraham, that in him God was founding a Nation for the express purpose of, through the nation, blessing all nations.
4. Genesis 14:18-20. Melchizedek
18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Melchizedek, King of Salem, Priest of God, brought bread and wine, and blessed Abraham. And Abraham gave tithes to Melchizedek. In Psalm 110:4 it is said of the coming Messiah,
"Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."
In Hebrews 7 Melchizedek, as a King-Priest, is called a type of Jesus. So, here we have a shadow of the coming person whom Abraham's nation was being formed to bring into the world as Saviour of mankind. And it was in Salem, (Jerusalem) where Jesus was crucified. The bread and wine is a fitting picture of the Lord's Supper and all that it means!
5. Genesis 22:1-19. Abraham Offers Isaac (Read entire account)
A beautiful statement and example of faith; a father offering His Son. In the father’s mind his son was as good as dead. In the Heavenly Father’s mind His Son, for Three Days, was as good as dead. And, it was on Mount Moriah, same mount on which Jesus was crucified; the same place where Abraham had paid tithes to Melchizedek, Salem being on Mount Moriah. As Melchizedek seems to have been a foreshadow, in Abraham's life, of the person Abraham's nation would bring into the world, so here seems to be a shadow of the event in the coming person's life by which He would do His work. What an apt picture of the death and resurrection of Christ!
6. Genesis 26:1-6; 28:10-15. The Promise Repeated:
26:1 ¶ And 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. 2 And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: 3 Sojourn 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; 4 And 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; 5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. 6 ¶ And Isaac dwelt in Gerar:
Made three times to Abraham, it is here repeated to Isaac, and then to Jacob, that their seed would be a blessing to the whole of mankind.
28:10 ¶ And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. 11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. 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. 15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
7. Genesis 49:10, 11 – Shiloh:
“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. . . . he washed his garments in wine,
and his clothes in the blood of grapes.”
Sceptre is the Hebrew shebet Gr. skeptron, properly a staff or rod. As a symbol of authority, the use of the sceptre originated in the idea that the ruler was as a shepherd of his people. Here is the first clear, definite prediction that one person in Abraham's nation is to rule all nations. He would appear in the tribe of Judah. His garments washed in the blood of grapes may be a metaphorical Fore-Hint of His crucifixion.
8. Exodus 12. Institution of the Passover (Read entire chapter.)
This became Israel's principal Feast, to be kept annually throughout all their generations, observed in memory of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt. The death of Egypt's first-born, Israel's houses marked with the blood of a lamb permitting the death angel to pass over those so marked – all point to the Lamb of God that was to be slain for the sins of the world.
This feast was kept for 1400 years, as the very heart of the Hebrew Nation. Unmistakably it was designed of God to be a fore-picture of the basic event of human redemption, the death of Christ, the LAMB OF GOD, who died on the Cross, at a Passover Feast, bringing deliverance from sin for those “covered” with His blood, even as the first Passover brought deliverance from Egypt for Israel. It shows how much God's Mind was on the Coming of Christ long before He came.
9. Leviticus 16. The Great Day of Atonement (Study the entire incident, beginning with Ch. 10. Ask for lesson “The Great Day Of Atonement,” if interested.)
Once a Year, on the 10th day of 7th month, after the High Priest has purified himself, and sacrificed for his own sins, will then offer for the congregation. Two identical goats will be selected. One will be killed as a sin offering, the other carried into the wilderness by a “fit” man. This is the origin of the term “scapegoat.” No one could possibly miss the reference to the blood sacrifice and the imagery of the eventual scapegoat for all of mankind’s sins.
10. Numbers 21:4-10. The Fiery Serpent
“And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, . . . and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way. And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived. And the children of Israel set forward . . .”
This is referenced in John 3:14, 15 it is said that Jesus must be “lifted up.” “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” One might say that mankind, “bitten with sin” may look upon Jesus and live.
11. Numbers 24:17,19. The Star
Balaam the son of Beor hath said,
“I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.”
Here is another definite prediction of a person, a brilliant ruler: evidently meaning the same person as the Shiloh of Genesis 10, who is to rule the nations.
12. Deuteronomy 18:15-19. A Prophet Like unto Moses
“The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken; According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.”
Thus, in the first five books of the Old Covenant Scriptures, there is specific prediction, repeated five times, that the Hebrew nation was being launched into the world for the one express purpose of blessing all nations. And, there would arise in the nation one person, called Shiloh, a Star, a Prophet, with rather plain intimations that it would be through this one person that the nation would fulfill its mission.
Also, there are various hints about the nature of this person’s work, especially featuring His sacrificial death. Thus early, 4000 years before Christ came, there were drawn, in fairly distinct details, some leading characteristics of Christ's life and mission.
13. Joshua
This book seems to have no direct prediction of the Messiah, though Joshua himself is thought, in a sense, to have been typical of Jesus. The names are the same, "Jesus" being the Greek form of the Hebrew "Joshua." As Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land, so Jesus will lead His People into Eternal Life.
14. Ruth
Ruth was the great grandmother of king David, the beginning of the family in which the Messiah would come. A thousand years earlier, Abraham had been called of God to found a nation for the purpose of one day bringing a Savior to mankind. In this book of Ruth we have the founding of that family, within that nation, in which the Savior would come. Boaz, who married Ruth, was of Bethlehem. Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
15. 1 Samuel 16. David
This is the beginning of the never ending saga of David and the throne of David now occupied by the Lord Jesus. (Read and study carefully.)
16. 2 Samuel 7:12-17. David Promised an Eternal Throne
The prophet Nathan is instructed by God to inform King David:
“And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.
Here begins a long line of promises that David’s family should reign forever over God's
People.
This promise is repeated over and over, throughout the rest of the Old
Covenant Scriptures, with an ever increasing volume of detail. And, this becomes the
primary argument by Peter in his Pentecost oration after the Holy Spirit descended,
fulfilling the promise made to the apostles by Jesus before his death (see Joh 13-16). The
cardinal fact is that all these promises foretell one great king, previously spoken of as
a priest after the order of Melchizedek, Shiloh, Star, and prophet like unto Moses, who
will live forever, establish an everlasting kingdom, and provide eternal life to all faithful
followers.
17. I Kings 9:5. The Promise Repeated to Solomon
The statement “I will establish the throne of thy kingdom forever,” became confusing to some. The books of Kings and Chronicles relate the story of the fall of David's kingdom and captivity of the Hebrew nation, apparently bringing to naught God's Promise to David's family of an eternal throne. But in the period covered by these books many Prophets arose, crying out that the promise would yet be fulfilled, and pleading for repentance. The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther relate the story of the return of the fallen and scattered Hebrew nation, without direct Messianic predictions. The re-establishment of the nation of Israel in its own land was a misunderstood question during this period, and is today a decisive factor in the conversion of Jews to Christ and to world peace. Readers are urged to read and study the debate between R. H. Bole and H. Leo Boles, available upon request.
18. Job 19:25-27
25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
This book is a discussion of the problem of suffering, without much direct bearing, as far as we can see, on the Messianic mission of the Hebrew nation, except it be in Job's exultant outburst of faith, "I Know that my Redeemer lives, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth."
19. Psalms
The book of Psalms, written mostly by David himself, is full of predictions and fore-shadowings of the eternal King to arise in David's family. Some of them, in a limited and secondary sense, may refer to David himself. But, in the main, written 800/1000 years before Christ came, they are unexplainable to any person in history other than Christ.
20. Psalm 2. The Lord's Anointed
“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.”
The Lord's Anointed . . . I have set my King upon My Holy Hill of Zion
. . . Thou are
My Son . . . I shall give Thee the nations for thine inheritance . . . kiss the Son . . .
Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him."
These expressions evidently mean that the Eternal King will arise in David's family. This is a very positive statement as to His Deity, His universal reign, and the blessedness of those who trust Him.
21. Psalm 16:8-10. His Resurrection
"I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
Reference to this is quoted by Peter in Acts 2:27, 31 as referring to the resurrection of Christ. There had been many hints of the coming Messiah's death, but here is a clear prediction of His victory over death.
22. Psalm 22. A Clear Picture of the Crucifixion (Study entire Psalm)
"My God, My God, why hast Thou Forsaken Me?" (1).
Even His dying Words foretold (Mat 27:46).
"All that see Me laugh Me to scorn, saying . . . He trusted in God, let God deliver\Him" (7, 8).
Sneers of His enemies, in their exact words (Mat 27:43).
"They pierced My hands and feet" (16).
This indicates crucifixion as the manner of His death (Joh 20:20, 21).
"They part my garments among them, and cast foes upon My vesture" (18).
Even this detail is forecast (Mat 27:35). What can all this refer to except the crucifixion of Jesus? Yet it was written a thousand years before it happened.
23. Psalm 41:9. To be Betrayed by a Friend
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
Apparently, David is referring to his own friend, Ahithophel (2Sa 15:12). But Jesus quoted it as a prophecy of His own betrayal by Judas (Joh 13:18-27; Luke 22:47, 48).
24. Psalm 45. Reign of God's Anointed
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. . . . I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.
"Thy God hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows" (7). "Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever" (6). "In Majesty ride on prosperously" (4). "All generations . . . shall praise Thee forever and ever" (17).
Here is depicted the glorious reign of a king, bearing the name of God, seated on an eternal throne. It can refer to no other than the eternal king to arise in David's family. A nuptial song of Christ and His bride, the church.
25. Psalm 69:21. Gall and Vinegar
“They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”
This is another incident in the prophesy of the coming Messiah's sufferings (Mat 27:34, 48).
26. Psalm 72. His Glorious Reign (Read entire chapter.)
"In His days the righteous shall flourish" (7). "He shall have dominion from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth" (8). "All kings shall fall down before Him: all nations shall serve Him" (11). "Blessed be His glorious name forever. Let the whole earth be filled with His glory" (19).
This psalm seems, in part, to have been a description of the reign of Solomon. But some of its statements, and its general tenor, surely refer to one greater than Solomon, surely the Lord.
27. Psalm 78:2. To Speak in Parables
“Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.”
"I will open my mouth in parables." Another detail of the Messiah's life was his method of teaching in parables. (Quoted in Matthew 13:34, 35, as fulfilling this verse.)
28. Psalm 89. Endlessness of David's Throne (Read entire chapter.)
“I have made a covenant with David" (3). "I will build up Thy throne unto all generations" (4). "I will make Him, My firstborn, higher than the Kings of the earth" (27). "And My covenant shall stand" (28). "By My holiness I have sworn ... David's throne . . . shall endure forever" (35-37).
God cannot lie. His oath, repeated over and over, is for the endlessness of David's throne, under God's firstborn, Jesus.
29. Psalm 110. Messiah to be King and Priest
"The Lord said to my Lord, sit Thou at My right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool" (l). "Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek" (4).
This Psalm teaches the eternal dominion and priesthood of the coming King. Jesus quoted this as referring to Himself (Mat 22:42-44).
30. Psalm 118:22, 23. Messiah to be Rejected by Rulers
“The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”
Jesus quoted this as referring to Himself:
“Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. (Mat 21:33-46).
31. Isaiah 2:2-4. Magnificent Pro-Vision of Messianic Age
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”
Isaiah, pre-eminently, the Old Covenant book of Messianic prophecy, in language unsurpassed in all literature, goes into ecstacy over the glories of the reign of the coming Messiah.
32. Isaiah 4:2-6. The Branch of the Lord
"In that day shall the Branch of the Lord be Beautiful and Glorious" (2). "A Cloud by day . . . and a Fire by night" (5) . . . "A Tabernacle . . . and a Place of Refuge" (6). The Messiah is here represented as a branch growing up out of the stump of the family tree of David, becoming a guide and refuge for His people. (Explained more fully in Isaiah 11:1-10.)
33. Isaiah 7:13,14. Immanuel
“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.”
"O house of David . . . a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel."
This seems to say that some one, to be called Immanuel, will be born in David's
family, of a virgin: evidently meaning the same person as the branch of 4:2 and 11:1,
and the wonderful child of 9:6. The deity of the child is implied in the name
Immanuel, which means God With Us. Thus the virgin birth and deity of the Messiah
are here foretold. It is quoted in Matthew 1:23 as referring to Jesus.
34. Isaiah 9:1,2,6,7; The Wonderful Child
1 ¶ Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. 2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. . . . 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
This child, unmistakably, is the eternal King promised to David's family (2Sa 7:16): the same person spoken of centuries earlier as Shiloh, the Star, and the Prophet like unto Moses. His Deity is here emphasized. His ministry to be in Galilee. A very accurate forecast of Jesus.
35. Isaiah 11:1-10. Reign of the Branch
1 ¶ And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: (That is, a shoot out of the stump of David's family tree, meaning the Messiah.)
2 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 and of the fear of the LORD; 3 And 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: 4 But 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. 5 And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. 6 The 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 fabling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7 And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8 And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9 They 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. 10 ¶ And 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.
Is this not a magnificent description of universal peace in the world-to-be under the reign of the coming Messiah? How would you or I express it better?
36. Isaiah 25:6-9; 26:1,19. Resurrection of the Dead
6 ¶ And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. 7 And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. 9 ¶ And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.
1 ¶ In that day shall this song be sung in the land of Judah; We have a strong city; salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. . . . 19 Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
Is this not a forecast of the resurrection of Jesus in Mount Zion, and also of a general resurrection? What a precious prediction!
37. Isaiah 32:1,2. Again the Reign of the Coming King
1 ¶ Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. 2 And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.
In Isaiah 9:6 the Deity of the coming King was predicted. Here it is His humanity, a Man (2). A Man who is a personal refuge to each one of His people from every trouble. Who will be this “a man” who shall be a hiding place? A covert (shelter, cover) from the storm? A shadow of a great rock in a weary land? No one but Jesus, the Son of God!
Consider the words of this beautiful song:
The Lord’s our Rock, in Him we hide, A shelter in the time of storm;
Secure whatever ill betide; A shelter in the time of storm.
A shade by day, defence by night, A shelter in the time of storm;
No fears alarm, no foes affright, A shelter in the time of storm.
The raging storms may round us beat, a shelter in the time of storm;
We’ll never leave our safe retreat, A shelter in the time of storm.
O Rock divine, O Refuge dear, A shelter in the time of storm;
Be Thou our helper ever near, A shelter in the time of storm.
O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land, A weary land, a weary land;
O Jesus is a Rock in a weary land; A shelter in the time of storm.
38. Isaiah 35:5,6. Messiah's Miracles
5 ¶ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. 6 Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert.
Is this not exactly what Jesus did? How marvelous is the comparison!
39. Isaiah 35:8-10. Messiah's Highway
8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. 9 No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: 10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
These are beautiful predictions of God’s people as citizens of God’s kingdom, serving God’s Son, our Lord. Holiness, happiness, singing, joy, no more sorrow, no more tears – God’s “heaven on earth.”
40. Isaiah 40:5,10,11. Messiah's Tenderness
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. . . . 10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. 11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Another view of the glory of the Lord among His people. Like a shepherd he will feed his flock and take care of the lambs, the weak among us.
41. Isaiah 42:1-11. Gentiles
1 ¶ Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. 5 ¶ Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: 6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles; 7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. 8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. 9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them. 10 Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof. 11 Let the wilderness and the cities thereof lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar doth inhabit: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains.
This is one of several references that state that Jesus will bring salvation and righteousness to the Gentiles (v.4). He will cover the whole earth with songs of praise and joy. What a Savior?
42. Isaiah 53. The Messiah's Sufferings (Read entire chapter)
"He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief . . . He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows ... He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities . . . with His stripes we are healed. . . . the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all . . . He was oppressed, He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter . . . He poured out His soul unto death . . . and bore the sin of many . . . It pleased the Lord to bruise Him ... to make His soul an offering for sin . . . and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand . . . by knowledge of Him shall many be justified."
The most conspicuous feature in the prophecies about the coming King is that He would be a sufferer. It was hinted in Abel's sacrifice, and in Abraham's offering of Isaac, and vividly fore-pictured in the institution of the Passover Feast, and in the annual Day of Atonement, and in some of its details described in Psalm 22. And here, in Isaiah 53, detail upon detail is added, making the picture more complete. And in chapters 54, 55, 60, 61, the suffering King fills the earth with songs of joy. These are marvelous forecasts of the coming Kingdom of Christ beginning at Pentecost.
43. Isaiah 60. To be Light of the World (Read entire chapter)
1 ¶ Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. 3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. . . . 20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. 21 Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. . . . I the LORD will hasten it in his time.
This is further announcement that the Gentiles will be brought to the Lord. And, of much importance, the Lord Jesus in the New Covenant is repeatedly called The Light of the world.
44. Isaiah 62:2. A New Name
2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.
Many believe today that this “new name” is Christians, and in the New Covenant record Paul and Peter do indeed refer to the people of God as Christians. Alexander Campbell speaks convincingly against this application, and argues for “disciple,” “children of God,” “saints,” etc. Campbell’s article, “What Shall We Be Called” available upon request.
45. Jeremiah 23:5,6. The Branch
5 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. 6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Isaiah, chapters 4 and 11, speaks of the coming King as a branch out of the family of David, so, here, Jeremiah repeats the name, and asserts His deity.
46. Ezekiel 34. The Lord Will Personally Shepherd His Sheep (Please, please read the entire chapter.)
1 ¶ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. 7 ¶ Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; 9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
11 . . . Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. 12 As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. 13 And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. 14 I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. 15 I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. 16 I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. . . . 24 And I the LORD will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the LORD have spoken it.
This chapter is one of the very most important references in all the Old Covenant Scriptures concerning leadership of God’s people. Human leadership had largely failed, and God says the He, even He, will lead his people, as a true shepherd will lead his sheep aright. A study of John 10 will show that this leadership is continued through the birth of Jesus through a virgin, and the Holy Spirit of God given to the apostles to guide them. We have God’s instructions in the Sacred Scriptures today.
47. Daniel 2. The Four Kingdoms (Please read entire chapter.)
"In the days of these kings . . . of the fourth Kingdom . . . the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom . . .which shall stand forever" (2:40, 44).
In the 600 years from Daniel to Christ there were four World Empires: Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. They are exactly described in the imagery of this 2nd chapter of Daniel. In the 7th chapter of Daniel the same Four World Empires are more fully described. It was in the days of the Roman Empire that Christ appeared.
48. Daniel 9:24-27. The Time-More Exactly
24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25 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. 26 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. 27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Here Daniel set the exact date for the coming of the Messiah. And further said, 600 years before the Messiah came, that the Messiah, after a three and half year public ministry, would be cut off in atonement for sin. An Amazing Prediction!
49. Hosea 1:10. Gentiles to be Included
10 Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured nor numbered; and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God.
Here Hosea repeats what has already been said time and again, that the Messiah's Kingdom will include all nations. (Ask for sermon “The Universality Of The Gospel” if interested.)
50. Joel 2:28,32; 3:13,14. The Gospel Era
28 ¶ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: . . . 32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call. . . . 3:13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great. 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
The Messiah will institute an era of world evangelization, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (Act 2:16-21).
51: Amos 9:11,12,14. David's Fallen Throne to Rise
11 ¶ In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this. . . 14 And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
David has now been dead for approximately 2 centuries. Jerusalem was partially restored and flourished until the Roman occupation, and was finally destroyed in A. D. 70.
52. Jonah 1:17. A Sign to Nineveh
17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Jesus took it to be a three-day reference to his own resurrection from the tomb, as a sign to the world (Mat 12:40).
53. Micah 5:2-5. Bethlehem to be Messiah's Birthplace
2 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.
This evidently refers to the KING, so often mentioned before. See Matthew 2:6.
54: Zephaniah 3:9. A New Language
9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.
That is, apparently, a correct system of thought about God, evidently meaning the Gospel of Christ.
55. Haggai 2:6,7. The Desire of All Nations
6 For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; 7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
“That will be the crowning day for David's Son, here typified in Zerubbabel (In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts”(2:23).
56. Zechariah 3:8,9; 6:12,13; 9:9,10; 11:12; 12:8, 10; 13:1, 6, 7. Many Predictions
3:8 ¶ Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. 9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
“The branch” will remove the iniquity of the land.
6:12 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
“The branch” will build the temple of the Lord, sit and rule upon his throne, and shall be a priest and counsel of peace.
9:9 ¶ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. 10 And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.
The “King” will come, riding on a colt, and bring salvation. This is quoted in Matthew 21:5 and John 12:15.
11:12 And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
This is referenced in Matthew 27:9,10.
12:8 In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the LORD before them. . . . 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
The “house of David” shall be as God. Is this in connection to John 1:1, 14? The pierced hands are mentioned in John 19:37.
13:6 And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends. 7 ¶ Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
Wounds in thine hands? (See John 19:37) The shepherd smited and the sheep scattered? This is referenced in Matthew 26:31 and Mark 14:27.
All of these are plain statements which forecast, in specific language, not only the great doctrines of the Coming Messiah’s atoning death for human sin, His Deity, and His universal Kingdom, but also mention detailed incidents in his life, such as his entry into Jerusalem riding on a colt, his betrayal for 30 pieces of silver, etc. Who COULD this refer to but Jesus of Nazareth, our Lord, Christ, King and High Priest!
57. Malachi 3:1; 4:5. A Forecast of John the Baptist
3:1 ¶ Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
"Behold, I will send My Messenger . . . Elijah the Prophet before the great day of the Lord . . . and He shall prepare the way before Me.” Jesus, in speaking of John the Baptist, in Matthew 11: 7-14 quotes this passage from Malachi, and expressly states that it referred to John the Baptist.
Summary
Near the beginning of the Old Covenant Scriptures it is stated that the Hebrew Nation was being founded for the purpose of blessing all nations. Then there begins to loom the figure of one person through whom the nation will accomplish its mission.
First He is called Shiloh, to arise in the tribe of Judah, and rule the nations. Then He is called a Star, who will have dominion, and next, a prophet like unto Moses, through whom God will speak to mankind. And then, over and over, He is spoken of as a King, to arise in David’s family, to be called the Branch, the Prince, the Anointed One, God's First-born, Wonderful, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
The exact time of His coming was foretold. He was to be born of a virgin. At Bethlehem. part of His childhood was to be spent in Egypt. He would be brought up at Nazareth. He would be introduced to His nation by an Elijah-like forerunner. Galilee to be the scene of His ministry. He would work miracles of healing. He would speak in parables. He would be rejected by the leaders of His own nation. He would be a smitten shepherd, a sufferer, a man of sorrows. On his triumphant trip to Jerusalem before his arrest and crucifixion he would be riding on a colt. He would be betrayed by a friend, for thirty pieces of silver, the thirty pieces of silver to be spent for a potter's field. He would be led as a lamb to the slaughter. He would die with the wicked, opening a fountain for sin, removing sin in one day. Even His dying words were foretold. He would be given gall and vinegar in His agony. His hands and feet would be pierced. Not a bone was to be broken. Lots were to be cast for His garments. He was to be buried with the rich. He was to be in the tomb three days. He was to rise from the dead, and ascend to Heaven at God's right hand. It was foretold that He would introduce a new language into the earth, that is, a new idea, the Gospel of Salvation. He would offer a new and final Covenant to mankind, and give God's people a new name. It was announced that He would introduce a marvelous age of the Holy Spirit for all obedient disciples. Very importantly, notwithstanding the prejudice of the Jews, He would include and welcome Gentiles in the new kingdom. And, this kingdom would be universal and endless.
One could say that the story of Jesus was written before He was born in the flesh, and this story was understood by all who were honest students of Mosaic history. It was marvelous in all its detail, showing His birth, life and work, most especially his death and resurrection.
“Suppose a number of men of different countries, who had never seen, nor in any way communicated with one another, would walk into a room, and each lay down a piece of carved marble, which pieces, when fitted together, would make a perfect statue. How could any intelligent person account for it in any other way than that some one person had drawn the specifications, and had sent to each man his part? And how can this amazing composite of Jesus' life and work, put together by different writers of different centuries, ages before Jesus came, be explained on any other basis than that one superhuman mind supervised the writing? Is this not The Miracle of the Ages!”
– Review first statement for authorship
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