MESSIANIC PROPHECIES
By Ron Merryman
There are literally hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament that focus on the coming of Messiah, His essence, and events relating to His presence on earth. Because Messiah was to be a glorious figure and at the same time suffer ignominy and rejection, the prophets had difficulty sorting out the temporal details of His presence among men (the Apostle Peter clearly states their problem in 1Pet. 1:10-12). This confusion is resolved by the two advents of Messiah stated definitely in the New Testament, but never clearly distinguished in the Old.
The purpose of this summary is to point out some very clear prophecies relative to Messiah’s first advent: these should serve to illustrate how literally Old Testament prophecy is fulfilled and stimulate confidence in the literal fulfillment of prophecies related to His Second Advent.
There are at least 90 Old Testament prophecies quoted by N.T. writers that refer specifically to Messiah. Below are only a few.
| Lineage in the human family: |
Gen. 3:15 |
“the Seed of the Woman” |
|
Gen. 9:26; 11:10-26 |
“thru Shem” |
|
Gen. 22:18 |
“thru Abraham” |
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Gen. 26:4 |
“thru Isaac” |
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Gen. 28:14 |
“thru Jacob” |
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Gen. 49:10 |
“thru Judah” |
| Mic. 5:2 |
2 Sam. 7:12-16 |
“thru David” |
Uniqueness as the Son of God
from eternity past |
Psa. 2:6,7 |
“My Son” |
|
Isa. 9:6 |
“the mighty God,” |
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“the everlasting Father” |
|
Mic. 5:2 |
“whose goings forth are
from eternity” |
| Virgin Birth: |
Isa. 7:14 |
“a virgin shall conceive” |
| Birth Place: |
Mic. 5:2 |
Bethlehem in Judah |
| Association with John the Baptizer: |
Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1 |
|
| Teaching & healing ministries |
Isa. 61:1,2; 42:1-4; 40:10,11
Psa. 40:7-10 |
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| Triumphal entry: |
Zech. 9:9 |
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| Rejection: |
Psa. 118:22-24
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Dan. 9:24-26 |
“cut-off” |
| Crucifixion: |
Zech. 12:10 |
His piercing |
|
Psa. 22:1-18 |
His cry on the cross, darkness,
mocking, gambling for |
|
Psa. 69:21 |
vinegar |
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Psa. 34:20 |
unbroken bones |
|
Isa. 53:4-6,10,12 |
substitutionary nature of His death |
|
Isa. 53:9 |
burial in rich man’s grave |
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Messiah’s Post-Cross Life
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| Resurrection: |
Psa. 16:10; 30:3,9; 40:1,2; |
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Isa. 53:10 |
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| Ascension: |
Psa. 110:1; 68:18; 16:10,11 |
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| Glory: |
Isa. 11, 12, 54, 55, 65, 66 |
|
| (all relate to His 2nd Advent |
Dan. 7:13,14,27,28 |
|
| & kingdom) |
Zech. 14:16-21 |
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Joel 3:17-21 |
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| These prophecies were written over hundreds of years by farmers, craftsmen, courts men, kings, ranchers, etc., some rich, some poor, but all moved by the Holy Spirit of God to write of the coming Messiah, God’s Son, who would bring blessing to mankind. They had problems sorting out the time sequence of His sufferings and glories (1Pet.1:10-12, because they telescoped everything into one advent), but no problems with who He was and what He was to accomplish. Neither should we: the Bible is written to bring us into Messiah’s saving identity now and confident trust for the future. |
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The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire.
It’s always darkest before dawn. So if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper,
that’s the time to do it.
Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them,
you’re a mile away and you have their shoes.
If at first you don’t succeed, skydiving is not for you.
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat
and drink beer all day.
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Question stated: Our Sunday school teacher taught, “The main reason people today interpret Isa. 14 and Ezek. 28 as referring to Satan is because of Origen’s allegorical interpretations of the third century as he sought to look for a
spiritual meaning besides the literal meaning. This is what first influenced this interpretation.” Do you agree?
Answer? I do not agree.
First of all, your teacher is wrong about this interpretation originating with Origen. Tertullian (dies 220-230 AD) held this view long before Origen began to write. Tertullian saw Jesus’ reference in Luke 10:18 to Satan’s fall subtantiating this understanding of Isa. 14 and Ezek. 28. That Origen is the popularizer of the allegorical method of interpretation is beyond doubt, but he is not the source of this understanding of these passages.
This leads to another question: was Tertullian and those contemporaries who agreed with him correct? Answer: I think so. The following paragraphs tell why.
Those who wish to limit the interpretation to the rulers mentioned in the context (in Isaiah, the King of Babylon; and in Ezekiel, the King of Tyre) fail to perceive that these like many prophetical passages have a near and a remote fulfillment. That is, the passages are both historical and prophetical. Good exposition examines detail that is applicable to the historical and unique to the prophetical.
For example: Ezekiel 28: 12ff in addressing the King of Tyre makes statements that cannot be applied directly to him: “you were in Eden, the garden of God...” (v. 13); “you were the anointed cherub who covers...” (v.14); “you were on the holy mountain of God...” (v. 14); “you were blameless, perfect, in your ways from the day that you were created...” (v. 15). None of these could be said of the King of Tyre, but they could be said of the evil one who inspired him, namely Satan. And, by the way: Eden here means Eden as the text explains, “THE GARDEN OF GOD”! Would your teacher agree? If not, maybe he is guilty of allegorizing!
Does not God address Satan through others in the Bible? Of course He does: see Gen. 3:14-15 where God pronounces judgment upon the serpent, but ultimately upon Satan. In Mt. 16: 22-23, Jesus looks directly at Peter, but says, “Get thee behind me Satan.” In Daniel 11: 36-45, the King of the North prefigures the Antichrist: the statements are both historical and prophetical and require both for fulfillment.
Likewise the statements in Isa. 14 and Ezek. 28: though the Kings of Babylon and Tyre are the contextual focal point, the passages reach back to Satan before and after his fall.
Happiness is a voyage, not a destination…
Happiness is the road you are on, not the place you are going…
Happiness is something one stumbles onto on the road of God’s will for his life…
Happiness is a portion of the fruit-package produced by the Holy Spirit, Gal. 5:22.
NEW BOOK JUST PRINTED:
Spiritual Gifts in the Church Age: Exegetically Considered
by Ron Merryman
Includes a thorough discussion of tongues & sign gifts!
Click here to Order or write to:
Merryman Ministries
2441 E. Fiesta Drive
Casa Grande AZ 85294
Greetings
To All My Registered Democrat Friends:
Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, nonaddictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday,
practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of
the wished.
To My Registered Republican & Independent Friends:
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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