Old Testament Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus
The chart below contains a list of Old Testament prophecies fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth who is called the Christ and the Son of God. These fulfilled prophecies demonstrate that the human authors of Scripture who wrote the Bible were inspired by God the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21). It also of course demonstrates that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
There is no way, short of being supernatural, that Jesus could have manipulated the events and people in His life to respond in exactly the way necessary for it to appear that He was fulfilling all these prophecies, including John’s heralding Him.
There were many prophecies concerning the Messiah that were simply beyond the human control of Jesus: (1) Place of birth (Mic. 5:2). (2) Time of birth (Dan. 9:25; Gen. 49:10). (3) Manner of birth (Isa. 7:14). (4) Betrayal (5) Manner of death (Psa. 22:16). (6) People’s reactions (mocking, spitting) (7) Piercing (8) Burial.
The following probabilities are taken from Peter Stoner’s book entitled, “Science Speaks,” which shows that coincidence is ruled out by the science of probability. Stoner says that by using the modern science of probability in reference to just 8 prophecies, Stoner states the following: “We find the chance that any man might have lived down to the present time and fulfilled all 8 prophecies is 1 in 1017…that would be 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000…17 zeros.
In order to help us comprehend this staggering probability, Stoner illustrates it by supposing that we take 1017 silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state 2 feet deep. Now, mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have of writing just 8 prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote them according to their own wisdom.
Now these prophecies were either given by inspiration of God or the prophets just wrote them as they thought they should be. In such a case, the prophets had just one chance in 10 to the 17th power of having them come true in any man, but they all came true in Christ. This means that the fulfillment of these 8 prophecies alone proves that God inspired the writing of those prophecies to a definiteness which lacks only one chance in 10 to the 17th power of being absolute.
In addition to these eight, I give you many more…as Jesus said to Thomas…
John 20:27-31, “Then He said to Thomas, ‘Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.’ Thomas answered and said to Him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.'”
John writes…
John 20:30-31, “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
Old Testament Messianic Prophecies Literally Fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth
Prophecies Concerning His Birth |
Prophecy |
Fulfillment |
Born of the Seed of Woman | Gen. 3:15 | Gal. 4:4 |
Born of a Virgin | Isa. 7:14 | Matthew 1:18, 24, 25 |
Son of God | Psalm 2:7 | Matthew 3:17 |
Seed of Abraham | Gen. 22:18 | Matthew 1:1 |
Son of Isaac | Gen. 21:12 | Luke 3:23, 34 |
Son of Jacob | Nm. 24:17 | Luke 3:23, 34 |
Tribe of Judah | Gen. 49:10 | Luke 3:23, 33 |
Family Line of Jesse | Isa. 11:1 | Luke 3:23, 32 |
House of David | Jeremiah 23:5 | Luke 3:23, 31 |
Born at Bethlehem | Micah 5:2 | Matthew 2:1 |
Presented with Gifts | Psalm 72:10 | Matthew 2:1, 11 |
Herod Kills Children | Jeremiah 31:15 | Matthew 2:16 |
Prophecies Concerning His Nature |
Prophecy |
Fulfillment |
His Pre-Existence | Micah 5:2 | Col. 1:17; John 17:5 |
He Shall Be Called Lord | Psalm 110:1 | Matthew 22:43-45 |
Shall Be Immanuel | Isaiah 7:14 | Matthew 1:23 |
Shall Be a Prophet | Deuteronomy 18:18 | Matthew 21:11 |
Priest | Psalm 110:4 | Hebrews 3:1 |
Judge | Isaiah 33:22 | John 5:30 |
King | Psalm 2:6 | Matthew 27:37 |
Special Anointing of Holy Spirit | Isaiah 11:2 | Matthew 3:16-17 |
His Zeal for God | Psalm 69:9 | John 2:15-16 |
Prophecies Concerning His Ministry |
Prophecy |
Fulfillment |
Preceded by a Messenger | Isaiah 40:3 | Matthew 3:1-2 |
Ministry Began in Galilee | Isaiah 9:1 | Matthew 4:12, 13, 17 |
Ministry of Miracles | Isaiah 35:5-6 | Matthew 9:35 |
Teacher of Parables | Psalm 78:2 | Matthew 13:34 |
He Was to Enter the Temple | Mal. 3:1 | Matthew 21:12 |
He Was to Enter Jerusalem on a Donkey | Zechariah 9:9 | Luke 19:35-37 |
Stone of Stumbling to Jews | Psalm 118:22 | 1 Peter 2:7 |
Light to Gentiles | Isaiah 60:3 | Acts 13:47-48 |
Prophecies Concerning Events After His Burial |
Prophecy |
Fulfillment |
Resurrection | Psalm 16:10 | Acts 2:31 |
Ascension | Psalm 68:18 | Acts 1:9 |
Session | Psalm 110:1 | Hebrews 1:3 |
Prophecies Fulfilled in One Day |
Prophecy |
Fulfillment |
Betrayed by a Friend | Psalm 41:9 | Matthew 10:4 |
Sold For 30 Pieces of Silver | Zechariah 11:12 | Matthew 26:15 |
Money to Be Thrown into God’s House | Zechariah 11:13 | Matthew 27:5 |
Price Given for Potter’s Field | Zechariah 11:13 | Matthew 27:7 |
Forsaken by His Disciples | Zechariah 13:7 | Mark 14:50 |
Accused by False Witnesses | Psalm 35:11 | Matthew 26:59-60 |
Silent Before Accusers | Isaiah 53:7 | Matthew 27:12 |
Wounded and Bruised | Isaiah 53:5 | Matthew 27:26 |
Smitten and Spit Upon | Isaiah 50:6 | Matthew 26:67 |
Mocked | Psalm 22:7-8 | Matthew 27:29 |
Fell Under the Cross | Psalm 109:24-25 | John 19:17 |
Hands and Feet Pierced | Psalm 22:16 | Luke 23:33 |
Crucified with Thieves | Isaiah 53:12 | Matthew 27:38 |
Made Intercession for His Persecutors | Isaiah 53:12 | Luke 23:34 |
Rejected by His Own Countrymen | Isaiah 53:3 | John 7:5, 48 |
Hated Without a Cause | Psalm 69:4 | John 15:25 |
Friends Stood Afar Off | Psalm 38:11 | Luke 23:49 |
People Shook Their Heads | Psalm 109:25 | Matthew 27:39 |
Stared Upon | Psalm 22:17 | Luke 23:35 |
Garments Parted and Lots Cast | Psalm 22:18 | John 19:23-24 |
To Suffer Thirst | Psalm 69:21 | John 19:28 |
Gall and Vinegar Offered to Him | Psalm 69:21 | Matthew 27:34 |
His Forsaken Cry | Psalm 22:1 | Matthew 27:46 |
Committed Himself to God | Psalm 31:5 | Luke 23:46 |
Bones Not Broken | Psalm 34:20 | John 19:33 |
Heartbroken | Psalm 22:14 | John 19:34 |
His Side Pierced | Zechariah 12:10 | John 19:34 |
Darkness Over the Land | Amos 8:9 | Matthew 27:45 |
Buried in a Rich Man’s Tomb | Isaiah 53:9 | Matthew 27:57-60 |
Leave a Reply