Prophecies regarding Christ and Christmas

Jesus came as the fulfilment of prophecy at exactly the right time to save sinners. Join with us as we glance at redemptive history to see prophecy fulfilled at that first Christmas.

Christ regarding prophecy

Prophecy about Christ

God created a kingdom, and he is the King, but he made human beings to represent him in that kingdom. Adam and Eve rejected this call, which led to sin and death. But God promised to defeat the Serpent through the seed of the woman, who is also the seed of Abraham. Through Abraham’s family, and specifically Judah’s royal seed, David, the covenant blessings would come to the world. Because all people were guilty and deserved death, the sacrifices of the Mosaic law revealed more clearly their need for a substitute—the suffering servant. Through the servant and the work of the Spirit, God would establish a new covenant and give lasting life to his people in the new heavens and new earth.

Bruno, C., 2015. The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses.
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Jesus is the One through whom all of these promises find fulfillment, first in his sacrificial death as a necessary and just payment for sin and then in his victorious resurrection and reign as King. This great story will find its culmination when the redeemed from every tribe, tongue, and nation gather in the new creation to live with God forever.

Bruno, C., 2015. The Whole Story of the Bible in 16 Verses.
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Christ regarding prophecy

Matthew 12:39

But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. (use)

Matthew 12:40

For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (use)

Hebrews 10:7

Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ (use)

Luke 24:27

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (use)

The idea that God declares his future purposes to his servants is at the heart of the book's theology.

Wenham, G., 1977. Daniel The Basic Issues.
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Knowing the infallibility of His words, but not knowing when the time is, we are to “watch,” that is, be keenly awake and observant, and also to pray, for we are no match for the powers of darkness, and so we must maintain dependence upon God. We are left to do our appointed work in a spirit of expectancy, anticipating the coming of the Son of Man.

Hole, F.B., 1847. Old and New Testament Commentary.
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Awkward Messiah would be called a Nazarene.

Matthew 2:23

And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene. (use)

Isaiah 11:1

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. (use)

Judges 13:5

for behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb, and he shall begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines. (use)

The Big Picture

1 Timothy 1:15

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. (use)

Romans 5:6

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (use)

1 Kings 8:27

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built! (use)

Daniel 7:13–14

I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. (use)

Isaiah 9:7

Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (use)

Proverbs 25:2

It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. (use)

Isaiah 46:9

remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, (use)

Isaiah 46:10

declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ (use)

Matthew 16:16–17

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (use)

Prophecy about Christ

Messiah would be born of a woman.

Genesis 3:15

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. (use)

Matthew 1:20

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. (use)

Messiah would come from the line of Abraham.

Genesis 12:3

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (use)

Genesis 22:18

and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice. (use)

Matthew 1:1

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. (use)

Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac.

Genesis 17:19

God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. (use)

Genesis 21:12

But God said to Abraham, "Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named." (use)

Luke 3:34

the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, (use)

Genesis 49:10

The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (use)

Luke 3:33

the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, (use)

Hebrews 7:14

For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. (use)

A star, descendant of Jacob, and a scepter

Numbers 24:17

I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. (use)

Matthew 1:2

Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, (use)

Matthew 2:2

saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (use)

Matthew 2:8

And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” (use)

Messiah would be heir to King David's throne.

2 Samuel 7:12–13

When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. (use)

Isaiah 9:7

Luke 1:32–33

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. (use)

Romans 1:3

concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh (use)

Messiah's throne will be anointed and eternal.

Psalm 45:6–7

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; (use)

Daniel 2:44

And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, (use)

Luke 1:33

and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. (use)

The virgin shall conceive and be called Immanuel

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (use)

Matthew 1:22–23

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). (use)

The glory of Christmas is that the expectation of Isaiah 7:14 has become a reality. The virgin really did give birth to a son. He was called Immanuel, for He really was God with us.

Richard, G.M., 2017. Was Jesus Really Born of a Virgin?.
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Messiah would spend a season in Egypt.

Hosea 11:1

When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. (use)

Matthew 2:14–15

And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (use)

A massacre of children would happen at Messiah's birthplace.

Jeremiah 31:15

Thus says the LORD: "A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more." (use)

Matthew 2:16–18

Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more." (use)

Messiah would be born in Bethlehem

Micah 5:2

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (use)

Matthew 2:1

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, (use)

Luke 2:4–6

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. (use)

Matthew 2:5

They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet" (use)

But prophecies go beyond birth and linage, there is also a purpose...

Isaiah 53:12

Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. (use)