Bible Prophecy Fulfilled in Jesus: A Deep Dive into Old Testament Predictions

Introduction: The Fulfillment of Prophecies in Jesus

Bible prophecy and the fulfillment of these ancient predictions in Jesus Christ is a powerful testament to His divine mission. The New Testament writers, all Jewish, described in great detail how Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled the prophecies from the Hebrew Scriptures. If these prophecies were not fulfilled in Jesus, the Messiah would still be awaited, and His life would have to align with every promise made in the Old Testament.

1. The Messiah Would Be Born of a Virgin

Prophecy:
Isaiah 7:14: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Matthew 1:18-23 describes how Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary, fulfilling this prophecy and showing that He was Immanuel, “God with us.”

◦ … the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
(Isaiah 7:14)
Jesus was born of a virgin:
◦ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.
Matthew.1:18 (see also Luke 1:30-35)

2. The Messiah Would Be the Son of God

Prophecy:
Psalm 2:7: “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
At His baptism, God declared Jesus as His Son: “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”

Matthew 3:17

3. The Messiah Would Be a Descendant of Abraham

Prophecy:
Genesis 12:3: “All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Matthew 1:1 traces Jesus’ genealogy, identifying Him as a descendant of Abraham, fulfilling this key prophecy.

4. The Messiah Would Be a Descendant of Isaac

Prophecy:
Genesis 21:12: “…it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Luke 3:23-34 confirms Jesus’ descent from Isaac.

5. The Messiah Would Be a Descendant of Jacob

Prophecy:
Genesis 35:10-11: “…A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body.”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Matthew 1:2 reveals that Jesus is a descendant of Jacob.

6. The Messiah Would Be a Descendant of Judah

Prophecy:
Genesis 49:10: “The scepter will not depart from Judah…”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Matthew 1:2 traces Jesus’ lineage to Judah, fulfilling this messianic prophecy.

7. The Messiah Would Be a Descendant of Jesse

Prophecy:
Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse…”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Matthew 1:6 and Luke 3:23-32 show that Jesus is from the line of Jesse.

8. The Messiah Would Be a Descendant of King David

Prophecy:
Jeremiah 23:5: “I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a king who will reign wisely…”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Both Matthew 1:1-6 and Luke 3:23-31 confirm that Jesus is a direct descendant of King David.

◦ “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a king who will reign wisely …”
Jeremiah 23:5
Jesus is a descendant of King David
◦ A record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham … and Jesse the father of King David …
Matthew 1:1,6 (see also Luke 3:23-31, Revelation 22:16)

9. The Messiah Would Be Born in Bethlehem

Prophecy:
Micah 5:2: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah… out of you will come for Me one who will be ruler over Israel.”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Matthew 2:1 confirms that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

10. The Messiah Would Be Called Lord

Prophecy:
Psalm 110:1: “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand…'”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Luke 2:11 and Matthew 22:42-45 declare Jesus as Lord, fulfilling this prophecy.

11. The Messiah’s Name Would Be Immanuel

Prophecy:
Isaiah 7:14: “The virgin will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Matthew 1:23 reveals that Jesus’ birth fulfills the prophecy of Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”

12. The Messiah Would Be a Prophet Like Moses

Prophecy:
Deuteronomy 18:18: “I will raise up for them a prophet like you…”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Luke 7:16 identifies Jesus as a great prophet who came to help His people.

13. The Messiah Would Be a Priest

Prophecy:
Psalm 110:4: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Hebrews 3:1 calls Jesus the “high priest” of the new covenant.

14. The Messiah Would Have Pre-existence

Prophecy:
Proverbs 8:22-23: “The Lord brought Me forth as the first of His works…”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
John 1:1-3 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

15. The Messiah Would Be Preceded by a Messenger

Prophecy:
Malachi 3:1: “I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me.”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Matthew 3:1-3 shows John the Baptist fulfilling the role of the messenger.

16. The Messiah Would Have the Anointing of God’s Spirit

Prophecy:
Isaiah 42:1: “I will put My Spirit on Him and He will bring justice to the nations.”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Mark 1:10 describes how the Spirit descended on Jesus at His baptism.

17. The Messiah Would Perform Miracles

Prophecy:
Isaiah 35:5-6: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened…”

Fulfillment in Jesus:
Matthew 9:35 details how Jesus healed every disease and sickness, fulfilling this prophecy.

18. The Messiah would teach using parables

Old Testament Prophecy:
“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old…”

Psalms 78:2

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; He did not say anything to them without using a parable.”

Matthew 13:34

19. The Messiah would enter Jerusalem on a donkey

Old Testament Prophecy:
“Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Zechariah 9:9

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: ‘Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.'”

Matthew 21:4-5

20. The Messiah would be rejected by His own people

Old Testament Prophecy:
“I am a stranger to My brothers, an alien to My own mother’s sons…”

Psalms 69:8 (see also Isaiah 53:3)

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“For even His own brothers did not believe in Him.”

John 7:5 (see also Matthew 23:37)

21. The Messiah would be hated without reason

Old Testament Prophecy:
“Those who hate Me without reason outnumber the hairs of My head; many are My enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy Me…”

Psalms 69:4

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“… now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both Me and My Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated Me without reason.’”

John 15:24-25

22. The Messiah would be a stumbling stone for Israel

Old Testament Prophecy:
“… He will be a sanctuary; but for both houses of Israel He will be a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem He will be a trap and a snare. Many of them will stumble; they will fall and be broken, they will be snared and captured.”

Isaiah 8:14-15

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“For in Scripture it says: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.’
Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,’ and, ‘A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.'”

1 Peter 2:6-8 (see also Romans 9:27-33)

23. The Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles

Old Testament Prophecy:
“…The Lord says – He who formed Me in the womb to be His servant to bring Jacob back to Him and gather Israel to Himself… ‘It is too small a thing for You to be My servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make You a light for the Gentiles, that You may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.'”

Isaiah 49:5-6 (see also Isaiah 60:3)

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“… I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen – that the Messiah would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to His own people and to the Gentiles.”

Acts 26:22-23 (see also Acts 13:47)

24. The Messiah would be betrayed by a friend

Old Testament Prophecy:
“Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.”

Psalms 41:9 (see also Psalms 55:12-14)

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“… Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me.’ His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them He meant. One of them … was reclining next to Him … Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then, dipping the piece of bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.”

John 13:21-26

25. The Messiah would be sold for 30 pieces of silver

Old Testament Prophecy:
“I told them, ‘If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.’ So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’ – the handsome price at which they priced Me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter.”

Zechariah 11:12-13

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“When Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood’… Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests … decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field…”

Matthew 27:3-7 (see also Matthew 26:14-16)

26. The Messiah would remain silent before His accusers

Old Testament Prophecy:
“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.”

Isaiah 53:7

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“When He was accused by the chief priests and the elders, He gave no answer. Then Pilate asked Him, ‘Don’t You hear the testimony they are bringing against You?’ But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge – to the great amazement of the governor.”

Matthew 27:12-14

27. The Messiah would be wounded and pierced

Old Testament Prophecy:
“But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”

Isaiah 53:5

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“… he had Jesus flogged, and handed Him over to be crucified. Then the governor’s soldiers … twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head … ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said. They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again.”

Matthew 27:26-30

28. The Messiah would be beaten and spat upon

Old Testament Prophecy:
“I offered My back to those who beat Me, My cheeks to those who pulled out My beard; I did not hide My face from mocking and spitting.”

Isaiah 50:6 (see also Micah 5:1)

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“Then they spit in His face and struck Him with their fists. Others slapped Him…”

Matthew 26:67 (see also Luke 22:63)

29. The Messiah would be mocked

Old Testament Prophecy:
“All who see Me mock Me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: ‘He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue Him. Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him.'”

Psalms 22:7-8

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“… They put a staff in His right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said. They spit on Him, and took the staff and struck Him on the head again and again. After they had mocked Him … they led Him away to crucify Him.”

Matthew 27:29-31

30. The Messiah’s hands and feet would be pierced

Old Testament Prophecy:
“Dogs have surrounded Me; a band of evil men has encircled Me, they have pierced My hands and My feet.”

Psalms 22:16

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“… the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord!’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it.'”

John 20:25

31. The Messiah Would Be Crucified with Criminals

Old Testament Prophecy:
“… He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors…”

Isaiah 53:12

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“Two robbers were crucified with Him, one on His right and one on His left.”

Matthew 27:38

32. The Messiah Would Intercede for His Persecutors

Old Testament Prophecy:
“… He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Isaiah 53:12

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'”

Luke 23:34

33. The Messiah’s Garments Would Be Divided and Lots Would Be Cast for Them

Old Testament Prophecy:
“They divide My garments among them and cast lots for My clothing.”

Psalms 22:18

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took His clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. ‘Let’s not tear it,’ they said to one another. ‘Let’s decide by lot who will get it…'”

John 19:23-24

34. The Messiah Would Suffer Thirst and Be Given Vinegar to Drink

Old Testament Prophecy:
“They put gall in My food and gave Me vinegar for My thirst.”

Psalms 69:21 (see also Psalms 22:15-16)

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.”

John 19:28-29

35. The Messiah’s Bones Would Not Be Broken

Old Testament Prophecy:
“… He protects all His bones, not one of them will be broken.”

Psalms 34:20

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. But when they came to Jesus and found that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.”

John 19:32-33

36. The Messiah Would Be Pierced

Old Testament Prophecy:
“I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on Me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

Zechariah 12:10

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.”

John 19:34

37. The Messiah Would Be Buried in a Rich Man’s Tomb

Old Testament Prophecy:
“He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death…”

Isaiah 53:9

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock.”

Matthew 27:57-60

38. The Messiah Would Be Raised from the Dead

Old Testament Prophecy:
“… You will not abandon Me to the grave, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.”

Psalms 16:10 (see also Psalms 30:3)

Fulfillment in Jesus:
“Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried … But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that He would place one of his descendants on his throne. Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that He was not abandoned to the grave, nor did His body see decay. God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.”