What About Jesus as the Messiah?
Aliso Viejo Church of the Cross, 9AM Sunday School
December 8, 2002

I)   Rationale:One of the most significant testimonies affirming Christ’s claim to be the Messiah is His fulfillment of dozens of prophecies concerning the Messiah. 

II)  Resources: There are many great resources discussing the prophecies surrounding the Messiah, including (most likely) your study Bible. One “can’t live without” resource if you’re interested in this type of thing is Josh McDowell’s The New Evidence that Demands a Verdict, published by Thomas Nelson in 1999. (ISBN- 0-7852-4219-8) Most of this material (though it is also common elsewhere, as it is Biblical) can be found in its pages. 

III)  Appeal to Messianic Prophecy

1. By Jesus: Matt. 5:17; 11:10; 13:14; 21:42; 26:56; Luke 4:20-21; 22:37; 24:27, 44; John 5:39, 40, 46,47; 15:25; Mark 13:26;
2. By New Testament writers: Acts 3:18; 10:43; 13:29; 17:2-3; I Cor. 15:3-4; Rom. 1:2; I Peter 2:5-6; Matthew 2:4-6
3. By fulfillment of Levitical Feasts  

1) Passover (April)                          Death of Christ (I Cor. 5:7)
2) Unleavened Bread (April)         Holy Walk (I Cor. 5:8)
3) First Fruits (April)                        Resurrection (I Cor. 15:23)
4) Pentecost (June)                        Outpouring of Spirit (Acts 1:5; 2:4)
5) Trumpets (September)             Israel’s Regathering (Matthew 24:31)
6) Atonement (September)           Cleansing by Christ (Rom. 11:26)
7) Tabernacles (September)        Rest and Reunion with Christ (Zech. 14:16-18)  

IV)   61 Specific Prophecies (Reference prophesied/Reference fulfilled, neither of which is intended to be exhaustive, as many other references generally support the prophecy/fulfillment)

1. Born of the seed of woman (Genesis 3:15/Galatians 4:4)
2. Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14/Matthew 1:18,24,25)
3. Son of God (Psalm 2:7/Matthew 3:17)
4. Seed of Abraham (Genesis 22:18/ Matthew 1:1 and Galatians 3:16)
5. Son of Isaac (Genesis 21:12/ Luke 3:23, 34)
6. Son of Jacob (Numbers 24:17/ Luke 3: 23, 34)
7. Tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10/ Luke 3:23,33)
8. Family line of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1/ Luke 3:23, 32)
9. House of David (Jeremiah 23:5; Luke 3:23, 31)
10. Born at Bethlehem (Micah 5:2/ Matthew 2:1)
11. Presented with gifts (Psalm 72:10, Matthew 2:1, 11)
12. Herod kills children (Jeremiah 31:15/ Matthew 2:16)
13. His pre-existence (Micah 5:2/ Colossians 1:17)
14. He shall be called Lord (Psalm 110:1/ Luke 2:11 and Matthew 22:43-45)
15. Shall be called Emmanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14/ Matthew 1:23)
16. Shall be a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:18/ Matthew 21:11)
17. Priest (Psalm 110:4/ Hebrews 3:1; 5:5-6)
18.  Judge (Isaiah 33:22/ John 5:30)
19. King (Psalm 2:6/ Matthew 27:37)
20. Special Anointing of Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2/ Matthew 3:16-17)
21. His zeal for God (Psalm 69:9/ John 2:15-16)
22. Preceded by messenger (Isaiah 40:3/ Matthew 3:1-2)
23. Ministry to begin in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1/ Matthew 4:12, 13, 17)
24. Ministry of miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6/ Matthew 9:35)
25. Teacher of parables (Psalm 78:2/ Matthew 13:34)
26. He was to enter the Temple (Malachi 3:1/ Matthew 21:12)
27. He was to enter Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9/ Luke 19:35-37)
28. “Stone of stumbling” to Jews (Psalm 118:22/ I Peter 2:7)
29. “Light” to Gentiles (Isaiah 60:3/ Acts 13:47-48)
30. Resurrection (Psalm 16:10/ Acts 2:31)
31. Ascension (Psalm 68:18/ Acts 1:9)
32. Seated at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1/ Hebrews 1:3)
33. Betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9/ Matthew 10:4)
34. Sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12/ Matthew 26:15)
35. Money to be thrown into God’s house (Zechariah 11:13/ Matthew 27:5)
36. Price given for potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13/ Matthew 27:7)
37. Forsaken by His disciples (Zechariah 13:7/ Mark 14:50)
38. Accused by false witnesses (Psalm 35:11/ Matthew 26:59-60)
39. Silent before accusers (Isaiah 53:7/ Matthew 27:12)
40. Wounded and buried (Isaiah 53:5/ Matthew 27:26)
41. Smitten and spit upon (Isaiah 50:6/ Matthew 26:67)
42. Mocked (Psalm 22:7-8/ Matthew 27:29)
43. Fell under the cross (Psalm 109:24-25/ John 19:17; Luke 23:26)
44. Hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16/ Luke 23:33)
45. Crucified with thieves (Isaiah 53:12/ Matthew 27:38)
46. Made intercession for His persecutors (Isaiah 53:12/ Luke 23:34)
47. Rejected by His own people (Isaiah 53:3/ John 7:5, 48)
48. Hated without cause (Psalm 69:4/ John 15:25)
49. Friends stood afar off (Psalm 38:11/ Luke 23:49)
50. People shook their heads (Psalm 109:25/ Matthew 27:39)
51. Stared upon (Psalm 22:17/ Luke 23:35)
52. Garments parted and lots cast (Psalm 22:18/ John 19:23-24)
53. To suffer thirst (Psalm 69:21/ John 19:28)
54. Gall and vinegar offered to Him (Psalm 69:21/ Matthew 27:34)
55. His forsaken cry (Psalm 22:1/ Matthew 27:46)
56. Committed Himself to God (Psalm 31:5/ Luke 23:46)
57. Bones not broken (Psalm 34:20/ John 19:33)
58. Heartbroken (Psalm 22:14/ John 19:34)
59. His side pierced (Zechariah 12:10/ John 19:34)
60. Darkness over the land (Amos 8:9/ Matthew 27:45)
61. Buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9/ Matthew 27:57-60)

V)   The Certainty of Fulfillment

1. Eight specific prophecies (place, time, and manner of birth, betrayal, manner of death, people’s reactions, piercing, and burial): Chance of fulfillment 1 x 10¹⁷. Similar to covering the state of Texas with silver dollars two feet deep and finding one specific marked coin.
2. Forty-eight specific prophecies: Chance of fulfillment 1 x 10¹⁵⁷.  Take the above silver dollar example and replace with electrons instead of coins.