1) All things that are written by the prophets shall be accomplished, Luke 18:31

These words that were spoken by Y'shua to his disciples, in their context, contain and sum up prophecies that were found in the writings of the Prophets, Moses and the Psalms.

Yahshua Confirms the Prophets

As we see in the quotation below Y'shua was speaking of his sacrifice and resurrection, which his disciples had yet to understand the need for, in Yahweh's plan for the salvation of mankind. They did not understand fully the implication of many of the words of the Prophets. They would in distress witness Y'shua's crucifixion before they would truly understand his role in Yahweh's plan with the earth.

Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. (Luke 18 :31-33)

The Old Testament contains many prophecies regarding the Son of God, the Messiah Y'shua, who explained that those things written about him would be fulfilled. If those things which related to Y'shua's ministry were fulfilled, it follows logically that we can have every confidence that those things written by the prophets and not yet fulfilled, will assuredly be fulfilled also.

The purpose of this article is to examine some of the references to the Messiah in the Old Testament and compare them with the records in the New Testament which confirm those prophecies. In Matthew 12, it is recorded that Y'shua quoted directly from Isaiah to show to his followers that the leaders of Israel's opposition to him, had been clearly prophesied by Isaiah. The prophecy is found in Isaiah 42 :1-4. The fulfilment of this prophecy is found in Matthew 12.

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delights; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgement to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgement unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgement in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law. (Isaiah 42 :1-4)

Compare this with the records in Matthew 12.

Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; And charged them that they should not make him known:

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall show judgement to the Gentiles. He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgement unto victory. And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.(Matthew 12:14-21)

It should be noted here that there are still prophecies here that have yet to be fulfilled. We are still waiting for the time when the Messiah will “set judgement in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.” It is only then that peace on this earth can be achieved. The hope of salvation was extended to the Gentiles in the first century CE, but we still look for the Messiah's return to bring justice to a suffering world.

The miracles and healing of many with illness or disabilities and his teaching were signs to those, who had faith, that Y'shua was indeed the Messiah of Israel and the Gentiles.

If this was not enough evidence that he was the Messiah, Y'shua, in response to the scepticism of the scribes and Pharisees, used the experience of Jonah to give another prophecy. In referring to his death and resurrection Y'shua referred to Jonah. He said that Jonah's experience in the whale's belly was symbolic of his death and and that he would be three days in the grave before he would be resurrected.

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgement with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. (Matthew 12:38-41)

In Isaiah 61 there is a prophecy given by which the nation of Israel would be able to identify their Messiah.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. (Isaiah 61:1-3)

Following the temptation in the wilderness, Y'shua went to Nazareth to the synagogue, where he is handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. As we compare the texts in Isaiah 61 and Luke 4 we find that he read from Isaiah 61. He was confirming that it was he whom the prophet Isaiah had spoken about.

And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. (Luke 4:17-21)

He then spoke with authority and the people marvelled at his words. Again this was evidence for those who were awaiting their Messiah in Israel to recognise Y'shua, whose works, done through the Spirit and power of Yahweh given to him, confirmed this prophecy. These are some of the direct references that Y'shua himself made of his ministry, which were clearly prophesied in the Old Testament.

Old Testament Prophecies

The two Genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 trace Y'shua's genealogy from Abraham and David, confirming that Y'shua was the promised seed of Abraham. Abraham had been promised a seed through whom “all the nations of the earth (would) be blessed”. The promise of this seed was also made to Isaac, Jacob and David. Genesis 22 contains one of the instances when Abraham was promised a seed, a son, who would destroy his enemies and bring blessing to all nations, both Jew and Gentile.

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; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:17-18)

Isaiah, in a very familiar passage, writes of this seed of Abraham who is also the seed of David. It clearly states that he will bring peace to the earth, justice and judgement.

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. 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 judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Luke confirms that Y'shua, born to Mary, fulfilled this prophecy. He was the son of “the Highest” and would rule on the throne of David,

And, behold, you shall conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (Luke 1:31-33)

For the following two quotations, we find that Psalm 45 is quoted in Hebrews 1 and confirms that Y'shua was the anointed one destined to reign

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, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Psalm 45:6-7)

But unto the Son he said, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, has anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:8-9)

He was also to be a priest in the order of Melchizedek, to whom Abraham paid tithes and gave offerings. Again the prophecy is presented together with New Testament affirmation.

(Psalms 110:4) The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he said also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 5:5-6)

There is a detailed description in both the Old and New Testaments of Y'shua entering into Jerusalem during his ministry.

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. (Zechariah 9:9)

And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strew them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve. (Mark 11:7-11)

The rejection by the Jewish leadership of their Messiah is prophesied by Isaiah and the Apostle John directs our attention to this prophecy in John 12. Again the New Testament, through John, gives us clear direction and we could say good advice so that we can see the whole Bible as a unit and both sections important in attaining a better understanding of the prophetic word.

Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:1-3)

But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, Lord, who has believed our report? and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? (John 12:37-38)

Details of Y'shua's betrayal by Judas Iscariot are given in both the Psalms and Jeremiah. Zechariah is so accurate and mentions the potter and the house, which figured most significantly in Judas' actions following the betrayal.

Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. (Psalms 41:9)

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. And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD. (Zechariah 11:12-13)

Compare the account in Matthew 27.

Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. (Matthew 27:3-8)

Isaiah 53 gives vivid details of the Messiah's sacrifice for the salvation of mankind and the covering for their sins, which the Law of Moses had been unable to fulfil, as it had been a schoolmaster, a method of teaching or instructing, that would lead the faithful to an understanding of the Messiah's purpose in the redemption process for the forgiveness of sins and the redemption of the faithful.

Isaiah 53:5 explains that because man has failed and sinned before Yahweh in their disobedience and unfaithfulness, the Messiah would be sacrificed so that they could obtain forgiveness. Y'shua was sinless and in every way obedient to his Father's will. Under the Law the sheep was slain at the time of the Passover and in the same way Y'shua would be offered as the sin offering at the time of the Passover.

He died as the sinners near to him on the stake, and yet he was buried in the grave of a wealthy man and he would be raised and live again to be an intercessor between man and Yahweh. Isaiah 53 captured so much of this tragic time.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgement: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief: when thou shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he has poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:5-12)

The following quotations are from the New Testament and show the fulfilment of the preceding verses from Isaiah 53. In Romans 8, as in many sections of the New Testament, the purpose of Y'shua's death was for the salvation of sinners and a manifestation of Yahweh's love for mankind. The iniquities of us all were laid upon his son.

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commended his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

The following verses are a few that reveal the rejection of their Messiah by the Jews, their mockery at his crucifixion and their cry that a murderer be released instead. He was crucified among sinners.

But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. (Psalm 22:6-8)

And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will. (Luke 23:23-25)

And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which says, And he was numbered with the transgressors. (Mark 15:27-28)

However Y'shua's burial was with dignity.

And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. (Mark 15:45-46)

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.

And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. (Matthew 27:57-60)

Many in Jerusalem mourned Y'shua's death at that time, but there is also a prophecy that reveals that even yet many Jews will recognise their Messiah at his return and mourn. They will see the wounds in his hands and feet and “shall be in bitterness for him”. It is then that many will realise that Y'shua, rejected by their forefathers, was indeed their Messiah, their saviour.

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 mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10)

Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: (John 20:27-30)

Here there is hope for today. We have not seen but many who believe will yet be blessed. In Psalm 34 there is a short prophecy that said that Yeshua's bones would not be broken.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones: not one of them is broken. (Psalms 34: 19:-20)

The apostle John records the fact that not a bone of the Messiah was broken and relates it to Psalm 34. Such references make us aware of the accuracy of the records in the Word of Yahweh.

Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knows that he said true, that ye might believe.

For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. (John 19:32-36)

There are many more references of a similar nature to those that we have in this article, that show the reliability of the Word of Yahweh and the unity of the Word between the two Testaments, Old and New. This gives us confidence and hope in a world that is being destroyed by the foolishness of mankind.

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