Saturday, January 12, 2013

Predictions of Jesus as Saviour

Predictions of Jesus coming into the world.

The following is an only an introduction to the predictions of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the saviour of the world.

“I'm declaring war between you and the Woman, between your offspring and hers. He'll wound your head, you'll wound his heel." Genesis 3:15, The Message.

The first prediction of the Jesus as the saviour is in the wake of the first sin event.i This is a gracious promise to deliver a fallen humanity from Satan's power. “Here was the dawning of the gospel day.” The wound to the head of the serpent signifies being destroyed and ruined by the redeemer (Jesus Christ). “His subtle politics shall all be baffled, his usurped power shall be entirely crushed, and he shall be for ever a captive to the injured honour of divine sovereignty.”ii

Here God gives notice of 3 things concerning Jesus Christ:iii

  1. That He would be born of a woman.

  2. That He would suffer and die.

  3. That He would be victorious over Satan.


GOD, your God, is going to raise up a prophet for you. GOD will raise him up from among your kinsmen, a prophet like me. Listen obediently to him. This is what you asked GOD, your God, for at Horeb on the day you were all gathered at the mountain and said, "We can't hear any more from GOD, our God; we can't stand seeing any more fire. We'll die!" And GOD said to me, "They're right; they've spoken the truth. I'll raise up for them a prophet like you from their kinsmen. I'll tell him what to say and he will pass on to them everything I command him. And anyone who won't listen to my words spoken by him, I will personally hold responsible. Deuteronomy 18:15-19, The Message.


Though some take Deuteronomy 18:15-19 to refer to a line of prophets this in fact refers to Jesus Christ as a prophet.iv John 5:45-47 is taken as Jesus stating that Moses referred to Him in Deuteronomy 18.v


The LORD says, "Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times." Micah 5:2, The Good News Bible.


Bethlehem was often not mentioned when the cities of Judah were listed, because it had an insignificant size and population. When the Gospels say Bethlehem is not the least, they really saying it is the greatest from God's view point as the birth place of the saviour. God chooses the insignificant things of this world to eclipse the greatest.vi


When the wise men came from the East, this prophecy was quotedvii to tell where to find the king of the Jews. The birth place of the Messiah was predicted to be Bethlehem as a way of encouraging the faith of God's people.viii


Bethlehem was formerly known as Ephrathahix. In this prophecy both names are used to give greater certainty. Ephrathah also means “house of bread” which is a proper place for Jesus to be born as He is the bread of life.x


The Messiah is described in Micah 5:1-6 as:

  1. Being eternal.

  2. Being a mediator as the ruler of Israel.xi

“So the Master is going to give you a sign anyway. Watch for this: A girl who is presently a virgin will get pregnant. She'll bear a son and name him Immanuel (God-With-Us).” Isaiah 7:14, The Message.

It was predicted that Jesus would be born to a virgin hundreds of years before it happened.xii This prediction was also an assurance that the city and nation would not be destroyed by the current threat.xiii Being born of a virgin signifies Jesus' divine power and purity.xiv The name Immanuel is a description of Jesus' character, being the Son of God.xv

“A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace. His power will never end; peace will last forever. He will rule David's kingdom and make it grow strong. He will always rule with honesty and justice. The LORD All-Powerful will make certain that all of this is done.” Isaiah 9:6-7 Contemporary English Version.

Reference to “A child” in this verse is taken to be a mention of the Messiah, not only by Christians, but by Jews. The prophets often speak of things that will happen as though they have already happened, here the statement that: “A child has been born for us” could be stated as “A child will be born for us”.xvi


Isaiah 53 speaks of how the Saviour was to be rejected by His own people.


Even though he had performed all these miracles in their presence, they did not believe in him, so that what the prophet Isaiah had said might come true: "Lord, who believed the message we told? To whom did the Lord reveal his power?" John 12:37-38 Good News Bible.


There's much more on this subject, I encourage my readers to search the Scriptures themselves.

© Ken Glasgow 2011 Last edited 14 March 2021

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iGenesis 3:15.

iiMatthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible. Gen 3:15

iiiJohn Wesley's explanatory notes. Gen 3:15

ivJohn Darby's Synopsis, Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, Matthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible. Deuteronomy 18

vAlbert Barnes' Notes on the Bible. Deuteronomy 18:15-19

viJamison, Fausset & Brown Commentary. Micah 5:2

viiSee Matthew 2:1-6.

viiiMatthew Henry's concise commentary. Micah 5:1-6

ixSee also Genesis 35:19.

xJohn Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible. Micah 5:2

xiMatthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible. Micah 5:1-6

xiiIsaiah 7:14.

xiiiJohn Wesley's explanatory notes. Isaiah 7:14

xivMatthew Henry's commentary on the whole Bible. Isa 7:14

xvJamieson Fausset & Brown Commentary & John Wesley's explanatory notes. Isa 7:14

xviJohn Wesley's explanatory notes. Isaiah 9:6

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