Foretold and Fulfilled Messianic Prophecies (Part 1)

Well, brethren, you and I live in a very unique and a very privileged time in salvation history. And you know, maybe we don't always think about how unique our time is, because really it's what we've always known. But to understand what we do from the Scriptures, to have the compilation of the Bible, Old Testament and New Testament together, to have the completeness of view that we have when we look into God's Word, is actually kind of unique, because it was not so for the majority of our forefathers, biblically. The portion of the Bible we call the Old Testament Scriptures are filled with prophecies. They're filled with promises. They're full of glimpses into the future, some of which has been fulfilled and is now history for us. But just consider those who heard the words of the prophets, read what it is that was recorded maybe prior to their time, Moses recorded, and those were read down through Israel's history. But then, as he came along to Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel and the other prophets that prophesied by God's inspiration, they gave glimpses forward of God's redemptive plan of salvation, and much of what they prophesied points forward to the Messiah. And the fulfillment of what they prophesied was realized through the life and the work of Jesus Christ. But from their perspective, in their day, much of this was rather obscure. It was rather veiled to their understanding. By contrast, the New Testament writings bring us the fulfillment of many of the prophecies, again, in the person and the work of Jesus Christ. And so, from our perspective today, we're able to see how God's plan of salvation is unfolding. And as we look at what we call the Old Testament, when you were in the time of Christ and the apostles, they called it the Scriptures because the New Testament had not been yet written. So they were building and pulling from the foundation of the Old Testament. But we look at these things from our perspective and we recognize, oh, these prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus Christ at His first coming. And where we stand at today, we recognize, oh, well, these prophecies are yet to be fulfilled. They're yet for the future at the second coming of Jesus Christ. And I would just say, where we stand today, we have a bit of a uniqueness and, I would say, a clarity in terms of this plan of salvation God has put in place and how it is unfolding. And that's an incredible blessing. I hope it's something that we never take for granted. The title for my message today is Foretold and Fulfilled Messianic Prophecies. Foretold and Fulfilled Messianic Prophecies. This will be the first part of a two-part series. We're going to trace through a number of Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, just as doing so, confirming Him to be the Messiah. Because we're coming up on the Passover. We're coming up to the time that we recognize this one who gave His life for us, the one whom God sent. How do we know the one that we hold in esteem in that position is the prophesied one?

Again, walking through things that were prophesied in advance about Him and seeing what He fulfilled helps to give us that assurance. So in today's message, we're going to focus on the birth and life of Jesus Christ. And then in part two, we will cover the betrayal and crucifixion, resurrection of Jesus Christ. Indeed, these prophecies are scattered all throughout what we would call the Old Testament. But first, I want to show us that this practice of preaching Christ from the Scriptures and from those prophecies is indeed what Jesus Himself did during His ministry as well as what the apostles did following as they went forth with the gospel message. Because, again, these things weren't always understood in their day. I want to begin in Luke chapter 18.

If you'll follow me there, please. Luke chapter 18, and in verse 31, here Jesus is out teaching, and His disciples are with them, and He's trying to, I suppose, give them a clue, right? Give them a hint as to the fact that He is the fulfillment of what has been written. In Luke chapter 18, in verse 31, it says, "...then Jesus took the twelve aside, and He said to them, Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles, He will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him, and the third day He will rise again." Jesus told them directly that the prophecies and the scriptures concerned Him. They pointed to Him, and indeed they were about ready to walk through the fulfillment of a number of things concerning the life, death, and resurrection of the Messiah. Continuing on in verse 34 of Luke chapter 18, it says, "...but they understood none of these things." The twelve, the ones that have been with them, actually, for a few years following, listening, considering, it says, "...they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken." Indeed, many Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah were fulfilled perfectly by Jesus Christ, but neither the Jews whom He spoke to nor His own disciples that followed along with Him really had a depth of understanding into what it was that He would do and how He would fulfill these things. At this point, they were still very much looking for a far different Messiah than the one that He actually was in His first coming, because they could read the scriptures and they could see, okay, here's the promise of a conquering king, one who come and restore the dominance of Israel, make it the shining light of the world, and that's who they were looking for. You know, they're under the Roman oppression. The Roman boot is on their neck. There's taxation. There's control in so many different ways, and they're looking for the one to come and liberate them as the people, as the conquering king. Well, again, come back to our perspective.

We can read these scriptures and we could see, okay, this was fulfilled in His first coming. This is yet to be fulfilled in His second, and literally there's prophecies that span thousands of years between first and second coming that read seamlessly over the course of maybe two or three verses. So when I say we stand in a unique place in salvation history to see these things unfold, it really is true. His disciples did not understand, but that understanding would come.

John chapter 5, we'll go there next. John 5, Jesus is contending with the Jews who sought to kill Him for breaking the Sabbath day as they accused Him. You know, He had intervened. He'd healed a man on the Sabbath, which actually was a good principle for the Sabbath, right? The man who was in bondage and burdened by this affliction, and Jesus gave him rest by lifting that off of him. But all they could see was, you broke the Sabbath. And furthermore, they were upset because He had called God His Father. So notice His response in defense. John chapter 5 in verse 39. Jesus said, You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Me. Jesus says, I am there. The prophecies of Me are there. What I will fulfill is there. And I'm here within your hearing and in your sight. And as you walk and you follow Me, and you see these things, indeed is a fulfillment, you search the Scriptures and you cannot even see in your day what it is that's taking place. Following Jesus' resurrection, you'll recall that He met two of His disciples who were deep in discussion as they walked along the road to Emmaus. You know, He kind of just comes up alongside and joins in the conversation as they're journeying. They didn't recognize Him. He was restored to His glory, but He was taking human form and was accompanying them. And the discussion was on the subject of His death. And it's like, we thought He was the one, right? He was the one whom whom God sent, and He was to do these things, and they killed Him. And they're discussing, you know, maybe how could these things be? And it was at this point, then, Jesus begins to explain more fully to them that His suffering and crucifixion were foretold in Scriptures. Luke chapter 24 verse 25.

Again, understanding truly of what these Scriptures pointed to had to be revealed, and literally was almost like a veil had to be lifted so they could see, indeed, what was there.

This was all part of God's plan. I mean, Jesus had to be delivered up. He had to be crucified, as it says in another place. If they'd known, they would not have crucified the Son of Man. But this was God's purpose. Luke chapter 24 and verse 25, then Jesus said to them, O foolish ones, in slow of heart to believe in all the prophets have spoken. He says, Ought not the Christ who have suffered these things and enter into His glory. He says, they were there, and you actually perhaps should have understood. Verse 27, In beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them all the Scriptures, the things concerning Himself. Again, there was a point of understanding that needed to be conveyed here, and the veil that needed to be lifted from their own eyes, to be able to see and understand. No, He came as appointed, and He did what God had given Him to do. And now He lives, and what would come forward from that indeed would be a blessing for all humanity. But their understanding had to be deepened then, if they were going to go forth and be His disciples, and proclaim this gospel to the world. Verse 44, still in Luke chapter 24, verse 44, then He said to His disciples, These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning Me. And He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. He says, I'm opening to you the understanding of this. You've been with Me along the way. You're My disciples, and you're going to go out and spread this message as witnesses. You're going to testify what you see and know, and you're going to show indeed that I have been the fulfillment of these things that were written about Me long ago. Verse 49, Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued with power from on high. And so we know the story, brethren, that after receiving the Holy Spirit, the apostles and disciples went out with power, and they proclaimed who Jesus was. And they proclaimed the message that indeed He fulfilled what the Scriptures foretold about Him through His ministry, through His death, through His resurrection. And this was a central and core part of the apostles' teaching. But what's fascinating again is the fact that time and time again in the New Testament, it says that they taught from the Scriptures, or they proved from the Scriptures, okay, which from our perspective would be what we call the Old Testament, Jesus as the Christ. They would go to the Old Testament, they would pull the Scripture, and they would tell about the fulfillment of the prophecy, how it was fulfilled through Him. And so what we have today as the New Testament recordings of these things are now the testimony of the apostles that were written for us, because we weren't there. We weren't walking and talking with them, and we didn't hear them teach, but we can read what they wrote as a testimony of the fulfillment of Jesus in this. So point by point by point through the New Testament, you can find this reiterated. I just want to reference one more, Acts chapter 18, verse 27 and 28. This is Apollos.

You know, you had Peter do it, you had Paul do it, right, the one who was opposed dramatically to the message of Jesus Christ, but he's converted, and now the scholar of the Scriptures has understanding, and he proclaims it. Now we have Apollos after him as well, Acts 18, verse 27. It says, And when he desired to cross to Acacia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him. And when he arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace. For he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. You know, to claim him as the Messiah is one thing, but actually to believe it to the point that you were willing to lay down your life for the name of Jesus Christ is another. And the disciples had to go back to, again, what we call the Old Testament. The Scriptures and proof he was prophesied. Those words are of him. And indeed, as he came and lived and died and rose again, he fulfilled those things. And that was central to the gospel message.

Indeed, that was the good news, right? The good news of the coming of the Messiah to the sins of the world. Amazingly, the New Testament writers cite messianic prophecies from the Old Testament more than 130 times. By some estimations, there's three to four hundred Old Testament prophecies, messianic prophecies, that point to him, what he would do at his first coming and what he will do at his second coming. And of those, 60 are major prophecies.

So we're going to turn our attention to some specific prophecies from the Old Testament scriptures that Jesus and his disciples would have used to show that he is the fulfillment of these things. Okay, we're not going to go through three or four hundred. We're not going to go through 30 or 40 or, you know, we got a potluck today, right? Actually, throughout two, we're down to 10. Okay, we're going to go through 10 today of the birth and life of Jesus Christ here in part one. Prophecies that show, first of all, from the Old Testament, what was prophesied, and then from the New Testament, the fulfillment of these things through him. So prophecy number one, prophecy number one is the promise of a deliverer born of a woman. The promise of a deliverer born of a woman.

Let's begin with first Messianic prophecy listed in the Bible, and that's in Genesis chapter 3, verse 15.

Genesis chapter 3 and verse 15, this follows on the heels of Adam and Eve have been partaken of the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Eve succumbed to the temptation then of the serpent, and she ate, and she gave it to her husband who was with her, and he ate. And when we come to verse 15, we have God who's now addressing the serpent as a result of all of this.

Genesis 3 verse 15, God says, and I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. God here prophesies that the seed of the woman, capital S, this was the Messiah to come, that he would crush the serpent's head, signaling ultimate victory over sin and death. Okay, this takes place, as we understand, through his crucifixion, through his resurrection. He destroyed the hold and the power of Satan in the lives of those who would believe, because, you know, Satan would seem to want to send everybody, he does, down the path unto sin and death. But Jesus Christ came to restore us in this relationship to his Father and to bear the penalty in our place. And in doing so, he crushes the work of the serpent. It's a prophecy that's known here as the first gospel. The first gospel, okay? It's sometimes called a protoevangelium. That's a Latin word that really doesn't mean, doesn't have bearing necessarily, other than it's the emphasis that Christianity recognizes. This is the first gospel, or the first speaking of the gospel, from the time of the beginning, that a Savior, a Messiah, will have to come and defeat the work of the devil. It's a plan that God had, and it's revealed from the very beginning, his plan of redemption and salvation, fulfilled through Jesus Christ. So the seed of the woman would crush the serpent's head, the devil would strike a blow at Jesus, temporarily bruising his heel, right? Through the crucifixion, he died. He lay in the grave three days and three nights, but he didn't stay there. His Father resurrected him unto eternal life and salvation, victory over sin and death. So I would say the New Testament fulfillment would take us multiple passages to go through this. This is actually the perspective by which we will come up to pass over. So I'm going to leave that for you to study, really, in its fulfillment. But I do want to point your attention on the declaration that the Messiah would be born of a woman, okay? Because this is spiritual powers being defeated, okay, by one born into the flesh, born of a woman. Galatians chapter 4, verse 4 and 5. Here we'll see the Apostle Paul's declaration of this victory.

Galatians chapter 4, verse 4 and 5. This is the fulfillment in summary. It says, but when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who are under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Okay, so Jesus was born of a woman into the flesh as a flesh and blood human being in that existence. He was the one sent by God, conceived of the Holy Spirit, but he was also born of a woman. And you say, well, that's 50% of the population, right? That could fulfill that. A man born of a woman. So how coincidental or accidental is that? You know, sometimes these prophecies people will take will say, well, that's just a coincidence. Okay, fine, you can believe that so. Or you say, that's so broad, anybody could have fulfilled that. Okay, fine. But when you bring the prophecies together and you put them together, it paints a picture of understanding of the fact that coincidences are actually specifics. This is what God is doing. And there were times where Jesus did things where he said, and he did this so that the prophecy would be fulfilled. And that was part of his work as well. But there were so many things that were done and could only be done by divine intervention and the hand of God. And we'll see that as we go along. Prophecy number two, the Messiah would be the seed of Abraham and a descendant of King David. So we're going to narrow that a little bit, right, as we're coming down from a man born of a woman. Now we're taking it into a specific lineage. The Messiah would be the seed of Abraham and a descendant of King David.

Genesis chapter 12 and verse 3. Here we'll see the prophecy.

I hope you brought your page turning fingers with you today because we're going to be moving through quite a number of scriptures as we go. But Genesis chapter 12 and verse 3, this is God calling Abraham out, making promises to him. In verse 3, he says, I will bless those who bless you. I will curse him who curses you. He says, and in you, Abraham, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Okay, this is a messianic prophecy pointing to the one who would bless all nations, gave with the opportunity of salvation through his sacrifice. But of course, this one would come through the seed of Abraham. In you, all the families, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. This promise was later repeated to Abraham's son Isaac in Genesis chapter 26 and verse 4, then later passed down through Abraham's grandson Jacob in Genesis chapter 28 verse 14. A number of these prophecies you could build whole sermons out of. I'm trying to just sort of give us the overview. Several hundred years later, the Messiah was prophesied to come through Jesse, who was of course the father of King David, and then down through the line of King David as well. Jeremiah chapter 23 verse 5 and 6. We'll read that as it pertains to David.

Jeremiah chapter 23 verse 5 and 6.

Says, Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will raise to David a branch of righteousness. Says, A king shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. Says, And in his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely. Now this is the name by which he will be called, the Lord our righteousness, or Yahweh our righteousness. Okay, this is a prophecy that extends not just to Jesus' first coming, but to his second coming as well, when he establishes the kingdom of God. And again, Judah is saved, and Israel dwells safely in their land. Again, this would be of the line of Abraham, of the descendant of King David. And we find the fulfillment of this in Jesus Christ in Matthew chapter 1.

In verse 1, Matthew chapter 1 and verse 1, it says, The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Okay, the genealogies were meticulously kept, and this points to the reality that the one born as Jesus of Nazareth was indeed a descendant of Abraham through King David. And what's interesting is, this is the genealogy of Joseph. You might say, well, that was Jesus' stepfather, not his real father. God was his father. But the fact is, okay, Joseph's genealogy traces all the way back to King David through Solomon, David's son. Mary's genealogy is listed in the Gospels as well, and it traces all the way back to David through David's son, Nathan. So on the top on both sides, through Joseph and Mary, the genealogy of Jesus Christ traces to King David, traces to Abraham, true to the prophetic utterance that was given of who this would be and what he would fulfill. I'll just note that the number of people who potentially could have fulfilled the messianic prophecies narrows greatly when limited to this family. And again, why we might say this is coincidences, let's continue on, because the coincidences become certainties as we see the level of accuracy and fulfillment of these things.

Prophecy number three, the Messiah would be born of a virgin. The Messiah would be born of a virgin. You know, there's just some things you can't orchestrate by coincidence. This was specific, divine intervention. Old Testament prophecy, Isaiah chapter 7, in verse 14, Isaiah chapter 7, in verse 14, says, therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Okay, this is God's sign. The Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Emmanuel. Of course, this is impossible by human abilities that a virgin would conceive and deliver a child, but it was a divine sign that God would give to verify the one whom he sent to be the Savior of the world. And as the disciples went out and taught and preached, these were the things they were pulling from the Scriptures and saying, indeed, they point to and fulfilled in him. New Testament fulfillment, Luke chapter 1, in verse 26.

Luke 1 verse 26, we'll read through verse 35. We'll see the prophecy and the promise given to Mary, and we'll see the promise given to Joseph. Luke chapter 1, in verse 26, it says, now in the sixth month, so understand if you back up just a little bit, Elizabeth was pregnant with John the Baptist. John the Baptist was born six months before Jesus Christ. So this is in the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy.

I suppose, would this not be, you know, you're wondering what is happening here, and concerning what manner of greeting this was. It says, It says, He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of the kingdom there will be no end of his kingdom. Verse 34, The angel answered and said to her, Let's notice the proclamation that's given to Joseph as well. Matthew chapter 1, verse 18 through 23.

Matthew chapter 1, verse 18 through 23. And maybe while we're in Matthew, if you have a marker, you might want to stick it in Matthew, because we'll come back and forth to Matthew pretty frequently here today. Matthew 1, verse 18, So all of this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Behold, the virgin shall be with child, embarrassed son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is translated God with us. In a very straightforward prophecy, very straightforward fulfillment, but certainly nothing that could come by accidents or coincidence, this was God's divine hand working to bring about through Mary and in Jesus Christ that which he had prophesied from old to fulfill.

Prophecy number four, the Messiah would come from Bethlehem.

Messiah would come from Bethlehem. Let's look at the prophecy of this Micah chapter 5, verse 2.

Micah 5 and verse 2.

It says, Not only is this passage a declaration of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, but it also is revealing as to who he was. Okay, it confirms his pre-existence, the fact that he had existed with the Father from eternity, and we have the multiple of New Testament scriptures that declare that the word became flesh and dwelled among us. John in verse John 1 says that eternal life which dwelled among us, okay, this was one to be ruler in Israel, whose going forth are from of old, from everlasting.

So this is an Old Testament confirmation declaring him as having existed with God from eternity.

So he was to become or be born come from Bethlehem, but there's just one little issue here. As you'll recall, his parents didn't live there. They lived in Nazareth, several days journey to the north, but we know the story around the time that Jesus was to be born. Then Augustus declared the census, and everybody was to return to their place of birth for the counting of the census to come and be registered. And so Joseph and Mary returned to Bethlehem in the place of Joseph's birth, and there Jesus was born. We'll find the fulfillment in Luke chapter 2, verse 1 through 7.

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. The census first took place while Quenarius was governing Syria, so all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, and the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house in the lineage of David. Verse 5, to be registered with Mary as betrothed wife who was with child. So it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered, and she brought forth her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a major, because there was no room for them in the inn. Question, brethren, is this coincidence? Or do you think perhaps God orchestrated this to come to be, you know, inspired perhaps Augustus to declare the census, to move then Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' delivery? It's a fulfillment of prophecy. You know, you add all these things together, it is not just coincidental or accidental. Frankly, it is divine intervention, and what God would bring forth then to be the recognized Savior of the world. And there's prophecy after prophecy after prophecy that are there for the purpose of confirmation. So that's not just a rumor in our mind. So that's not just something that somebody said, but that when we actually come up to the Passover and we're recognizing who is the Savior, who is the one God sent to be the Messiah, the anointed one, we recognize it is this one, Jesus of Nazareth, but as it says, born in Bethlehem.

Prophecy number five, Jesus' parents would flee with him to Egypt. Jesus' parents would flee with him to Egypt. Hosea 11, verse 1.

Ezekiel Daniel Hosea 11, verse 1. Again, this is scattered all throughout the Old Testament.

Prophecies pointing forward. Hosea 11, verse 1 says, when Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt, I called my son. You might go, okay, it's standing in the middle of a passage with context in that passage, but understand there's many that have context within the passage they were given, but they also have a duality that points forward to Jesus Christ as well. Here, God says, and out of Egypt, I called my son. This verse initially refers to Israel's exodus from Egypt, but it also notes that in the New Testament, and it is quoted, as we'll see in a moment, it's a prophecy surrounding the early life of Jesus Christ. Recall that shortly after Jesus' birth, Herod wanted to destroy him because, you know, here's one that was born king of the Jews, so the wise men repeated, so others who would have had an understanding, you know, there was this one that was born and prophesied to be the king of the Jews. Well, Herod didn't like that very much, so let's just wipe out any competition to the throne. Let's have this one who's called the king killed. Matthew chapter 2 verse 7 through 15 helps to give us the fulfillment.

You know, if God's going to call his son out of Egypt, his son's got to go to Egypt, what would drive him there? Matthew chapter 2 verse 7 says, Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. There had actually been a passage of time between Jesus' birth and this period. Says, And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search carefully for the young child. And when you have found him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship him also.

When they heard the king, they departed, and behold the star which they had seen in the east, went before them till it came and stood over where the young child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and fell down and worshipped him. And when they had opened their treasuries, they presented gifts to him, gold, frankincense, myrrh. Those all have actually significance to his kingship and his crucifixion. That's for another day. Verse 12, Then being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, take the young child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. It says, When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt I called my son.

Again, brethren, one of the most compelling aspects of the Old Testament is that it is filled with prophecies that point directly to Jesus Christ. Some fulfilled during his first coming, some yet to be fulfilled in a second. And again, we stand in a place unique in history that we can look backward and we can anticipate forward. Truly, it's a blessing to know things that were not always understood. These things are more than just points of history. They're actually divine signposts pointing and guiding down the path, down the plan of salvation that God had ordained from before the foundation of the world. Divine signposts pointing us to the life, death, and resurrection of the promised Messiah. Prophecy number six, Rachel weeping for her children. Rachel weeping for her children. Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 15. Jeremiah 31 verse 15. Thus says the Lord, a voice was heard in ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping. Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more. This verse originally refers to the exile of Judah, a time of the Babylonian siege on Judah, the captivity. As people are bringing drug out of the land into captivity, the city is surrounded, essentially. Frankly, people were starving and dying, and in a rather distressing scene, actually, many children were lost. And this refers to Rachel symbolizing the mothers of Israel, lamenting the loss of their children during the Babylonian siege and captivity. But additionally, in duality, the New Testament also shows this verse to be a messianic prophecy. Matthew chapter 2 in verse 16.

Here we have the fulfillment.

The fulfillment that's connected directly to Jesus Christ. Matthew chapter 2 and verse 16. Let's pick up where we left off.

Matthew 2 and verse 16. Now Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry, and sent forth and put to death all the male children who are in Bethlehem, and all its districts from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, A voice was heard in ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great morning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they are no more. You know, a very horrific time, very distressing time, frankly, and a satanic event, actually. Understand, there were things that took place in the life of Jesus Christ that were things that God brought about divinely to be fulfilled, and there were actually things that were done by Satan in a direct attempt to stop what God was doing through the life of Jesus Christ. And this was a satanic activity. Satan was the influence behind this as he tried to subvert God's plan of salvation through the death of Jesus as a baby. And Matthew portrays this prophecy, the weeping of Rachel, as a symbol of the grief of mothers whose children were slain by Herod's soldiers.

You know, I think it's a principle surrounding Jesus' life that we don't always give much thought to about the fact that persecution and loss actually surrounded Jesus' early life. You know, there's this attempt to kill him, to destroy him, and surrounding that even is the collateral damage, maybe we could say, of those who suffered loss. But understand as well, this is prophesied, and it's understood to be the work of Satan. Hold your finger, Hill, a moment, and go to Revelation chapter 12 and verse 4. Revelation 12 verse 4, a prophecy of the dragon, actually that spans thousands of years. But Revelation 12 and verse 4, speaking of the dragon, it says, his tale drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. Okay, speaking of the rebellion of then the demons, a third of the angels which rebelled. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born. Satan was there seeking the death of Jesus Christ to thwart the plan of God from his birth. And he acted through Herod in an attempt to wipe out the one who would be king here in this event. And then as the prophecy goes on, but this one eventually says he died and he was caught up to heaven, then the prophecy carries on forward. But he was in this moment and in this place seeking the destruction of Jesus. In this event, Rachel weeping for her children. Prophecy number seven.

The Messiah would be announced by an Elijah like Harold.

The Messiah would be announced by an Elijah like Harold. Isaiah chapter 40 in verse three.

Isaiah 40 in verse three.

It says, Again, this is a prophecy that actually moves through time, includes Jesus' first and second coming, but it speaks about a preparation, a call for preparation. It's a call signaling that God's salvation is near and that people must make ready, make way for his coming.

An imagery of making rough terrain smooth and leveling out hills and valleys suggests that obstacles both physically and spiritually need to be removed in order to make way for God's presence.

Okay, so this was the work of John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus Christ.

Historically, when you had kings that would wander, not wander, but travel around their kingdom, okay, not just in Israel, but other places as well, the kings went out with their entourage, and you often had people that prepared the way. The party that went before, and you're going through the roads to the mountains and the valleys, they're clearing the stones out of the way, they're filling the holes in the road because the king's coming through so that it would be smooth to hasten his arrival. In my mind, I can't remember, I should have looked it up, it seems a number of years ago we had one of the presidents of the United States come through Spokane, and I remember at the time they mapped out the route where he was going, and it's not only security and motorcades and all this kind of things, but they went along and they patched up all the potholes and resurfaced some of these streets, you know, along the route that the president of the United States would take through Spokane, prepared the way for the king, president in our case. But Jesus Christ here was the one the father would send, the one who was the Messiah, and there again, one went forth before him to prepare the way of the Lord, and that was John the Baptist. Matthew chapter 3 in verse 1.

Matthew chapter 3 in verse 1, In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John the Baptist's role in announcing Jesus Christ was that of a forerunner or a preparer. You know, he worked to soften up the hearts of the people, make them ready to receive who Jesus Christ was in the message that he brought. John taught repentance, repent for your sins. Remember, he was baptizing people in the Jordan, but he said, There's one coming after me who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. And so following Jesus' death and resurrection, this was preparatory work for actually salvation that people could receive as they of repentant heart were willing to go through this process for the remission of their sins. Again, it pointed to what Jesus Christ would ultimately fulfill. Prophecy number eight. The Messiah would begin his public ministry in the region of Galilee.

The Messiah would begin his public ministry in the region of Galilee. Isaiah chapter nine, verse one and two.

Isaiah nine, verse one and two. Nevertheless, says the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, as when at the first he lightly esteemed the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward more heavily oppressed her by the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, in Galilee of the Gentiles. Verse two, the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light, and those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined, pointing ultimately then to Jesus Christ. Of course, he is the light of the world. Fulfillment is in Matthew chapter four, verse 12 through 17.

Understand again, this isn't coincidental. There's actually a very specific reason why Jesus' ministry began in the region of Galilee. Matthew chapter four, verse 12 through 17.

Says, now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he departed to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying, the land of Zebulun, the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, says the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned. Verse 17, from that time Jesus began to preach and to say, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The fact that Jesus' ministry would begin in the region of Galilee was significant. Zebulun and Naphtali in that region of Galilee actually had been influenced by foreign powers, historically, particularly the Assyrians, right, who had come in in their history and invaded. So you had a mixture in Galilee. You had Jews, you had other Israelites, and you had Gentiles. And Jesus' message, as we know, went out beyond just the physical nation of Israel. This was the starting point among the mixed populations, again making it a fixed and a very proper starting place for his ministry, which eventually would extend out to all. And that leads us to prophecy number nine, that the Messiah's redemptive work would include the Gentiles.

The Messiah's redemptive work would include the Gentiles. And understand, that's a huge deal, right? The nation of Israel, God's covenant people. They were looking for the deliverer. They were looking for the king. They were looking for the one who would lead them forward unto salvation, historically through these prophecies. But were they looking for someone to bring glory to the Gentiles? Was that the mindset? Was that the thought of the Jews of Jesus' day? You know, Gentiles just essentially means nations, other nations. There's Israel, and then there's the other nations, and the other nations are then the Gentiles. But the Messiah's work would include them. Isaiah 42 says, Behold my servant whom I uphold, my elect one in whom my soul delights.

I've put my spirit upon him, and he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. First too, he will not cry out nor raise his voice, nor cause his voice to be heard in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench. I gave a sermon on that probably back in 2020 about the bruised reed. You know, a reed is something they would use. Maybe it would be for a walking stick or building and other things, but a bruised reed would be cracked. It would be damaged. You wouldn't use that in any meaningful way, right?

You would just kind of take that and snap it over your knee and toss it in the kindling pile, and that's us, symbolically, right? The injured people needing the healing of the Messiah. Bruised reed he would not break, and smoking flax he would not quench.

You know, kind of think of that oil lamp with that whack, wax, flax wick. That's what we're saying, right? Flax wick that would come out, and over time if it's burned down, if it's not functioning properly, it's smoking, and as more of an annoyance than anything, you would kind of take and, you know, just put that out. But that was not Jesus Christ's work. He came to heal the brokenhearted and to restore. And it's such a beautiful prophecy. By bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench. He will bring forth justice for truth.

He will not fail to or be discouraged till he is established justice in the earth, and the coastlands, you know, sea to sea, shall wait for his law. Again, this is prophetic. Verse 1 said he will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. As prophecy points to the coming Messiah who would not only redeem Israel, but also extend God's plan of salvation to all who would believe, to all who would be willing to come under his sacrifice.

The Gentiles grafted in part of the Israel of God. We find the fulfillment in Matthew chapter 12. Matthew chapter 12 verse 14 through 21. Matthew chapter 12 and verse 14. Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against him how they might destroy him. But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew from there, and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all. Verse 16. Yet he warned them not to make him known, because you see there were times where he said, look, it's not my time.

And if he was made known, some of them might say, let's crown him king now. And others would say, let's kill him now. Jesus had a work to fulfill, and this was not yet the time. Verse 17 then, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by Isaiah 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 will declare justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel nor cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and smoking flax he will not quench, till he stands forth justice to victory, and in his name Gentiles will trust. Again, it highlights that Jesus' message was intended to extend beyond Israel, offering salvation to all peoples, no matter their ethnic nor cultural background, and fulfilling the promise of justice and hope for all.

Indeed, you could do an extensive study in the New Testament showing that Jesus' ministry was intended to go forth and included salvation to the nations, ultimately what God will fulfill in its fullest extent when his kingdom is established. The tenth and final prophecy we'll look at today is the Messiah would be the Lamb of God. The Messiah would be the Lamb of God. You know, the concept of the Lamb is rooted in so many Old Testament prophecies.

Isaiah 53, which we won't turn to today because we're actually going to spend some time in that in the next message as it points to the suffering servant and his crucifixion, but Isaiah 53 verse 7, a portion of it says, he was led like a lamb to the slaughter. Additionally, the Passover lamb of Exodus 12, I would say let's all be refreshing ourselves in these things, was also significant foreshadowing of Jesus Christ, pointing to the perfect sacrifice whose blood would be spilled so that you and I can live. And then Genesis chapter 22, we know the story of Abraham. God had instructed him to offer his son Isaac, and as they're on the way, Isaac asks his father, where's the lamb for the burnt offering? And Abraham replies, my son, God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering. That's Genesis chapter 22 verse 7 and 8. This also is a forerunner of God providing his own son as the ultimate sacrificial lamb. So just consider all of this is built into the understanding and the emphasis behind John the Baptist's words as he introduces and announces Jesus Christ. I want to conclude here today John chapter 1 verse 29.

John chapter 1 and verse 29 says, the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Here John is recognizing Jesus as the fulfillment of the old covenant sacrificial system, the fulfillment of the old covenant sacrificial symbolism. It was types, it was typology, and it pointed to him. And indeed what it is he would fulfill. As a prophesied lamb of God, he would be the one to die for the sins of all humanity.

And so that's where we will pick it up next time in part two.

Brethren, as we approach the Passover, once again this year, it's vital that we understand who it was that God sent to be the Savior of the world. Who is the one that was his anointed? We need to recognize the validity of the one we look to as the Messiah. Jesus Christ wasn't just some random man who coincidentally or accidentally fulfilled some Old Testament prophecies. No, indeed these pointed to him. It was testified and prophesied that he would live, die, and be resurrected again after three days for the sins of the world. He is the one the Scriptures point to decisively.

He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in the last days for you and me.