These 10 Bible prophecies were fulfilled in the early 1900s as millions of Jews worldwide returned to their ancient homeland.
1. The people of Israel again would be a united people
Bible passage: Ezekiel 37:15-19
Written: between 593-571 BC
Fulfilled: since late 1800s
In Ezekiel 37:15-19, the prophet said that God would make the people of Israel a united people again. During Ezekiel’s time, the people of Israel had already divided themselves into two separate kingdoms. And both kingdoms had been conquered by foreign invasions, which resulted in many people being exiled. The southern kingdom was called Judah and the northern kingdom kept the name of Israel, although it was often referred to as Ephraim. This prophecy began to be fulfilled in an important way during the late 1800s, when leaders of the Zionist Movement began uniting exiled Jews around the world for the common goal of creating a new and independent Israel. This must have been quite a challenge because the Jews had been scattered to countries on six continents, where they spoke different languages and lived in different cultures. The Zionist Movement marked the first time in many centuries that the Jews had been united in such a significant way.
Ezekiel 37:15-19
The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, take a stick of wood and write on it, `Belonging to Judah and the Israelites associated with him.' Then take another stick of wood, and write on it, `Ephraim's stick, belonging to Joseph and all the house of Israel associated with him.'
Join them together into one stick so that they will become one in your hand. When your countrymen ask you, `Won't you tell us what you mean by this?' say to them, `This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph--which is in Ephraim's hand--and of the Israelite tribes associated with him, and join it to Judah's stick, making them a single stick of wood, and they will become one in my hand.'
2. Ezekiel said the Jews would return to Israel
Bible passage: Ezekiel 20:34
Written: between 593-571 BC
Fulfilled: late 1800s to today
In Ezekiel 20:34, the prophet said God would gather the people of Israel from around the world and bring them home to Israel. The people of Israel (today they are often called Jews) were forced out of their homeland in ancient times by the Assyrians, Babylonians and Romans. But, during the late 1800s, Jews returned by the thousands to the Holy Land, which at that time was controlled by the Ottoman Empire. During the early 1900s, Jews returned by the tens of thousands when the land was controlled by the British. And they returned by the hundreds of thousands after Israel had declared statehood in 1948.
Ezekiel 20:34
I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered--with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath.
3. Jeremiah said the Jews would buy back land
Bible passage: Jeremiah 32:44
Written: sometime from 626 to about 586 BC
Fulfilled: late 1800s, 1900s
In Jeremiah 32:44, the prophet delivered a promise of restoration, about 2600 years ago. At that time, Jews were being forced out of their homeland by the invading Babylonians. Many were taken as captives to Babylon. But, Jeremiah assured them that they would be able to return in the future and buy land in their homeland. After the collapse of Babylon, many Jews returned to Jerusalem and the surrounding area. They were forced into exile again by the Romans in 135 AD (about 1970 years ago). During the last years of the Ottoman Empire, which ruled over the land of Israel four 400 years, ending in 1918, thousands of Jews returned to their ancient homeland and bought parcels of land from absentee landlords who lived in cities such as Beirut and Damascus. The Jews were forced out of their homeland twice, and each time they returned in large numbers in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy.
Jeremiah 32:44
Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds will be signed, sealed and witnessed in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev, because I will restore their fortunes, declares the Lord."
4. The people of Israel would be persecuted in many nations
Bible passage: Deuteronomy 28:65-67
Written: perhaps 1400 BC
Fulfilled: 1940s, 1930s, 135 AD, 721 BC, etc.
In Deuteronomy 28:65-67, the Bible said that the people of Israel would be scattered among nations and persecuted. They were exiled and scattered from their homeland in ancient times by the Assyrians, Babylonians and Romans. The exiles were intensely persecuted in Europe and Russia during the Crusades and Pogroms.
During the Holocaust of World War II, the Nazis killed about one-third of the world’s population of Jews. The Nazis called it "The Final Solution" and their goal was to kill all Jews. Winston Churchill, a former prime minister of England, said: "The Final Solution is probably the greatest, most horrible crime ever committed in the whole history of the world."
During the mid-1900s, many Jews sought to relocate from Europe to the most distant countries in the hopes of outrunning the expansion of Nazi Germany. This led to new influxes of Jews to North and South America, Australia and even China.
Many of the exiles chose to return to their ancient homeland to escape persecution. But persecution followed. At that time, the land of Israel was called Palestine. It was controlled by the British and a majority of people living there were Arab, including the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem who urged Hitler to deal with the Palestine's Jews with "the same method that the question is now being settled in the Axis countries. (Genocide)".
In 1948, the Jews declared independence for Israel. But the persecutions didn’t cease. Shortly after the re-establishment of sovereignty for Israel, hundreds of thousands of Jews were forced out of the Arab nations in which they had lived in exile for many centuries.
Deuteronomy 28:65-67
Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the Lord will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart. You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life. In the morning you will say, "If only it were evening!" and in the evening, "If only it were morning!"--because of the terror that will fill your hearts and the sights that your eyes will see.
5. Isaiah said God would preserve the Jews
Bible passage: Isaiah 66:22
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: 1940s, 1930s, 135 AD, 721 BC, etc.
In Isaiah 66:22, the prophet said that the people of Israel would endure and survive as a people, despite the persecutions they would face, as foretold by other prophecies. Isaiah delivered this prophecy 2,700 years ago. Since then, the people of Israel, who today are commonly called Jews, have been massacred at various times by the thousands, by the hundreds of thousands, and by the millions. In ancient times, the Assyrians virtually erased from history 10 of 12 tribes of Israel. The Babylonians and Romans exacted heavy damage on what was left of the people of Israel. The Nazis, during World War II, sought to annihilate the entire Jewish race. Even so, the Nazi empire was reduced to ashes shortly before the Jews reclaimed Israel as a sovereign country in 1948. The Jews are still here. And the empires that sought to destroy them are nothing more than pages in history books.
Isaiah 66:22
"As the new heavens and the new earth that I make will endure before me," declares the Lord, "so will your name and descendants endure.
6. Israel would be rebuilt and resettled
Bible passage: Ezekiel 36:33-35
Written: between 593-571 BC
Fulfilled: 1900s
In Ezekiel 36:33-35, the prophet gave another prophecy about the re-population and rebuilding of Israel's ruined cities. American author Mark Twain described the land of Israel as being thoroughly desolate in the late 1800s. Since then, millions of Jews have returned to Israel and have been rebuilding their ancient homeland. Some of the parched desert has been converted into productive farmland. And Israel has undertaken one of the world's largest reforestation programs. Israel's population was 10 times larger in 1998 than it was in 1948.
Ezekiel 36:33-35
"`This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On the day I cleanse you from all your sins, I will resettle your towns, and the ruins will be rebuilt. The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say, "This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited."
7. Isaiah foretold the restoration of Israel
Bible passage: Isaiah 35:1-2
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: 1900s
In Isaiah 35:1-2, the prophet said that although Israel would become a desolate land, its deserts would one day bloom again. This Bible verse foreshadows the restoration of Israel that has been taking place since the early 1900s. Millions of Jews have returned to their ancient homeland and have innovated sophisticated farming techniques and extensive reforestation programs to convert parched desert into productive farmland. More than 200 million trees have been planted in Israel since 1900, according to the Jewish National Fund.
Isaiah 35:1-2
The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.
8. Israel's land would again become fruitful
Bible passage: Zechariah 8:12
Written: between 520 and 518 BC
Fulfilled: 1900s
In Zechariah 8:12, the prophet said that God would allow Israel to become a prosperous land again. Israel had been described as being a wasteland between the time that the Jews had been forced out of their homeland by the Romans (about 1900 years ago) and the time when the Jews began returning to and restoring Israel during the 1900s. Although the restoration continues, Israel is able to export food to many countries.
Zechariah 8:12
"The seed will grow well, the vine will yield its fruit, the ground will produce its crops, and the heavens will drop their dew. I will give all these things as an inheritance to the remnant of this people."
9. The people of Israel would live many days without a king
Bible passage: Hosea 3:4-5
Written: about 750 BC
Fulfilled: Being fulfilled since 70 AD
Hosea's prophecy, found in Hosea 3:4-5, foretells three important events:
1. The people of Israel would lose their sovereignty ("live many days without a king or prince"). A Bible scholar, named John Gill, interprets Hosea 3:4 as meaning that the people of Israel would endure a period of time "Without any form of civil government ... being subject to the kings and princes of other nations."
2. The people of Israel would lose their ability to worship in the manner in which they were accustomed. (example: "without sacrifice ... without ephod").
3. The people of Israel would return to the land of Israel and seek "David their king." (The phrase, "David their king," is often understood to refer the promised Messiah, who the prophets had said would be a descendant of King David).
Each of these three things has happened twice. The first time was about 2600 years ago when the Babylonians invaded the Holy Land, deposed the king, destroyed the city of Jerusalem, and the holy Temple, which was the center of worship for the people of Israel.
The Babylonians also forced many Jews into exile. But, after the collapse of the Babylonian empire, many eventually returned to their homeland and rebuilt Jerusalem and the Temple. A few centuries later, the second Temple had undergone a massive reconstruction, which was completed at about the time of Jesus, which was about 2000 years ago.
From a Christian point of view, Jesus, who is described as being a descendant of King David in the New Testament book of Matthew, is the Messiah who was promised when Hosea spoke of "David their king."
This prophecy is now going through its second fulfillment. During the Roman Empire era, the people of Israel had lost sovereignty over their homeland for the second time, and they had lost their Temple for the second time, when the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
Since the Roman era, the majority of Jews have lived in exile, in countries around the world, where they are subject to the kings and governments of other nations. And, because the Temple has not yet been rebuilt, they continue to be unable to perform various sacred practices that are important to Judaism. (Judaism is the Jewish religion).
But some of this hardship began to change in an important way during the first half of the 1900s, when many Jews from around the world returned to the land of Israel and reclaimed independence over a portion of their ancient homeland. In the year 2004, about one-third of the world's Jewish population lives in Israel, a nation that has been governed by Jews since 1948.
From a Christian perspective, this too is significant because we Christians believe that Jesus is to return a second time, after a significant number of Jews have returned to Israel, to establish a kingdom of righteousness on earth. From a Christian point of view, this prophecy will be completed - again - during the "last days" when Jesus returns.
Hosea 3:4-5
For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred stones, without ephod or idol. Afterward the Israelites will return and seek the LORD their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the LORD and to his blessings in the last days.
10. Israel would rise again
Bible passage: Micah 7:8-11
Written: sometime between 750-686 BC
Fulfilled: beginning late 1800s
In Micah 7:8-11, the prophet said that Israel would one day rise again. During Micah's lifetime about 2700 years ago, the Assyrians were destroying the northern kingdom of Israel. Later, the Babylonians conquered the southern kingdom of Judah. And then, the Romans brought more devastation to Judah. That led to many centuries of exile for the Jews. However, during the past two centuries, many Jews from around the world have returned to their ancient homeland and have reclaimed sovereignty for a portion of the original land of Israel. The declaration of independence in 1948 led to three major wars with the surrounding countries. Each time, tiny Israel prevailed and was able to seize additional land.
Micah 7:8-11
Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord's wrath, until he pleads my case and establishes my right. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness. Then my enemy will see it and will be covered with shame, she who said to me, "Where is the Lord your God?" My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled underfoot like mire in the streets. The day for building your walls will come, the day for extending your boundaries.
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
10 more fulfilled by Jesus
These 10 Old Testament passages were written hundreds of years before Jesus was born. They foreshadowed and foretold details about the persecution, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. ("Resurrection" means to be "brought back to life.")
1. The Messiah would suffer and be rejected
Bible passage: Isaiah 53:3
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Isaiah 52:13-53:12, the prophet foreshadowed the life and mission of Jesus, who was born about 700 years later. In Isaiah 53:3, the prophet said that a servant of God would be rejected and despised. Jesus was indeed rejected by many people living in the land of Israel, and He was later crucified by the Romans.
It has been claimed by some scholars that Isaiah 52:13-53:12 actually refers to Israel as a nation and not to an individual Messiah. But, at least some of the ancient Rabbis believed that this passage from Isaiah is indeed about an individual Messiah. Hal Lindsey, in his book, "The Promise of Bible Prophecy," wrote the following: Rabbi Moshe Alshekh, one of the great seventeenth-century expositors from Safed, Israel, said "Our Rabbis with one voice accept and affirm the opinion that the prophet is speaking of the King Messiah, and we shall ourselves also adhere to the same view.
Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
2. God's servant would be wounded and whipped
Bible passage: Isaiah 53:5
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Isaiah 53:5, prophet described a servant as being punished for the sins of others, and that others would be healed by the wounds of this person. As explained in the Gospel - the four New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - Jesus was crucified for our sins, even though He was sinless. Christians believe that this ultimate sacrifice redeemed us all from sin in the same way that lambs were once sacrificed as a symbolic way of cleansing people from sin. And so, all of us can be accepted into the Kingdom of God, as though we were sinless, if we accept Jesus as our Savior. Christians believe that we are healed through the wounds that Jesus suffered.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
3. God's servant would be silent before His accusers
Bible passage: Isaiah 53:7
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In the book of Isaiah, chapter 53, Isaiah the prophet wrote about a servant of God. Many people believe this was a prophecy about the life of Jesus Christ, who lived about 700 years later. In Isaiah 53:7, the prophet said that the servant would be afflicted and accused, but like a lamb being led to slaughter, he would remain silent. As explained in Matthew 27:12-14, which was recorded about 700 years after the time of Isaiah, this is what happened to Jesus. He was falsely accused but remained silent and did not protest the accusations. Jesus was crucified by the Romans a short time later.
Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
4. God's servant would be buried in a rich man's tomb
Bible passage: Isaiah 53:9
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Isaiah 53:9, the prophet wrote about a sinless servant being put to death with the wicked and buried with the rich. About 700 years after this was believed to have been written, Jesus was put to death along with two criminals and was buried in a tomb owned by a wealthy man, as explained in the New Testament. The New Testament says that Jesus was resurrected three days later and ascended into Heaven.
Isaiah 53:9
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
5. God's servant would be crucified with criminals
Bible passage: Isaiah 53:12
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Isaiah 53:12, the prophet wrote about a servant who would bear the sins of many people and be punished side-by-side with criminals. Christians believe that Isaiah's description of this servant was a prophecy that was fulfilled during the life of Jesus Christ. As explained in the book of Matthew, Jesus, though sinless, was "numbered with the transgressors" and crucified along with two criminals.
Isaiah 53:12
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
6. Jesus was spat upon and beaten
Bible passage: Isaiah 50:6
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Isaiah 50:6, the prophet writes about a servant of God who endures abuse at the hands of sinful people. This servant offers his back to those who beat him, his face to those who rip out his beard, and himself to those who mock and taunt him. Christians historically have believed that this Old Testament passage foreshadowed the life of Jesus Christ, who lived about 700 years after Isaiah. Jesus, as explained in the New Testament, was beaten, mocked and taunted shortly before His crucifixion by the Romans. In Matthew 26:67 NIV, for example, it says: Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?"
Isaiah 50:6
I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
7. Psalm 22 foreshadowed the crucifixion of Jesus
Bible passage: Psalm 22:1,7,8,16,17,18
Written: about 1000 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
People are sometimes curious, when they read Matthew 27:46 or Mark 15:34, why Jesus, while dying on the cross, said "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Those words are actually the first line of Psalm 22, which according to Jewish tradition was written by King David about 1,000 years before Jesus was crucified.
Psalm 22 speaks of a man who cries out to God for deliverance from intense persecution. There are parallels between the details in Psalm 22 and the details written in the New Testament about Jesus' crucifixion, such as:
In Psalm 22:7, it speaks of a man surrounded by others who scorn and despise him. This is what happened to Jesus in Matthew 27:39 and Mark 15:29.
In Psalm 22:7, it speaks of a man being mocked, which is similar in the descriptions of Jesus' crucifixion given in Matthew 27:31, Mark 15:20 and Luke 22:63; 23:36.
In Psalm 22:8, it says, "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." In Matthew 27:43, Jesus’ enemies taunted him by saying, "He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him."
In Psalm 22:16, it speaks of a man who was numbered with the transgressors, meaning an innocent man being regarded as being one of a group of criminals. Jesus too was numbered with the transgressors when he was crucified next to two criminals, as described in Matthew 27:38, Mark 15:27, Luke 23:32 and John 19:18.
In Psalm 22:16, it speaks of a man whose hands and feet are either pierced, or mauled, or disfigured, depending on which is truly the best English translation of the original verse. In John 19:23,34,37 - Jesus' hands and feet were pierced with nails during the crucifixion process.
In Psalm 22:17, it speaks of a man who would be surrounded by others who stared and gloated at him. This too was the situation for Jesus during the crucifixion, according to Matthew 27:36 and Luke 23:35.
In Psalm 22:18, onlookers gamble for pieces of clothing that belonged to the person being persecuted. As explained in Matthew 27:35, Roman soldiers gambled (cast lots) for articles of Jesus' clothing while he was being crucified.
There are other descriptions in Psalm 22 that sound like an accurate description of what would happen to a person being crucified, such as the disjointing of bones, the drying up of a person's strength, an intense sense of thirst, a heart melting like wax (Jesus was stabbed in the heart with a sword during his crucifixion), and being "poured out" of one's body. When Jesus was stabbed in the heart with a sword, blood and water poured out from the wound.
Many Christian scholars have written about their views of the significance of Psalm 22 and the crucifixion of Jesus. The late Charles Briggs, who had been a professor at the Union Theological Seminary, said "These sufferings [of Psalm 22] transcend those of any historical sufferer, with the single exception of Jesus Christ. They find their exact counterpart in the sufferings of the cross.... This ideal is a Messianic ideal, and finds its only historical realization in Jesus Christ."
Psalm 22:1,7,8,16,17,18
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 8 "He trusts in the LORD ; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." 16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
8. Zechariah foreshadowed the crucifixion of Jesus
Bible passage: Zechariah 12:10
Written: between 520 and 518 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Zechariah, chapter 12, the Bible said that there will be a time when the world's nations attack Jerusalem. In Zechariah 12:10, the Bible says that after this attack fails, the people will lament over the one who was "pierced," as one mourns for the loss of a first-born son. Christians traditionally have interpreted this passage as a reference to the return of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was pierced when He was crucified by the Romans about 2000 years ago. Christians believe that Jesus will return in the future to establish an everlasting kingdom.
Zechariah 12:10
"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
9. Isaiah foreshadows the ministry of Jesus
Bible passage: Isaiah 61:1-2
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 27 AD
In Isaiah 61, there are passages that speak of an anointed one who preaches the good news to the poor, frees the people who are imprisoned, heals the blind and releases the oppressed. About 700 years after the time of Isaiah, Jesus relates these Bible passages to Himself:
Luke 4:15-20 (NIV translation):
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.
17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him,
21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
At this point during the ministry of Jesus, he had already been preaching the good news to the poor and he had already healed many people of various afflictions, including blindness, both in a physical sense and in a spiritual sense.
But Jesus had not yet begun the other part of his mission, which includes a "day of vengeance," which Bible scholar John Gill explains as "the day of vengeance of our God; when vengeance was taken on sin, in the person of Christ; when he destroyed the works of the devil, … and who will take vengeance on antichrist at his spiritual coming, and upon all the wicked at the day of judgment."
With this in mind, it is interesting that Jesus stopped reading Isaiah 61 mid way through verse 2, immediately before the mention of a "day of vengeance."
Isaiah 61:1-2
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[1] 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
NIV Footnote: [1] Instead of "prisoners," the Greek Septuagint renders the word as "blind."
10. Jesus' resurrection was foreshadowed in Old Testament
Bible passage: Psalm 16:10-11
Written: about 1000 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Psalm 16:10-11, the Bible talks of God's refusal to let His "Holy One" remain in a grave after death. This Psalm is believed to have been written about 1000 years before Jesus was born. New Testament writers believed that this Psalm foreshadowed the death and resurrection of Jesus. Resurrection means "brought back to life." There are several reports in the New Testament that say that Jesus was killed and placed in a tomb, but that God brought Jesus back to life a few days later. (See Matthew 28:5-8, Mark 16:5-6, Luke 24:1-7, or John 20:1-18)
Psalm 16:10-11
because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Notes: Bible verses are from the New International Version (NIV) translation.
1. The Messiah would suffer and be rejected
Bible passage: Isaiah 53:3
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Isaiah 52:13-53:12, the prophet foreshadowed the life and mission of Jesus, who was born about 700 years later. In Isaiah 53:3, the prophet said that a servant of God would be rejected and despised. Jesus was indeed rejected by many people living in the land of Israel, and He was later crucified by the Romans.
It has been claimed by some scholars that Isaiah 52:13-53:12 actually refers to Israel as a nation and not to an individual Messiah. But, at least some of the ancient Rabbis believed that this passage from Isaiah is indeed about an individual Messiah. Hal Lindsey, in his book, "The Promise of Bible Prophecy," wrote the following: Rabbi Moshe Alshekh, one of the great seventeenth-century expositors from Safed, Israel, said "Our Rabbis with one voice accept and affirm the opinion that the prophet is speaking of the King Messiah, and we shall ourselves also adhere to the same view.
Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
2. God's servant would be wounded and whipped
Bible passage: Isaiah 53:5
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Isaiah 53:5, prophet described a servant as being punished for the sins of others, and that others would be healed by the wounds of this person. As explained in the Gospel - the four New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - Jesus was crucified for our sins, even though He was sinless. Christians believe that this ultimate sacrifice redeemed us all from sin in the same way that lambs were once sacrificed as a symbolic way of cleansing people from sin. And so, all of us can be accepted into the Kingdom of God, as though we were sinless, if we accept Jesus as our Savior. Christians believe that we are healed through the wounds that Jesus suffered.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
3. God's servant would be silent before His accusers
Bible passage: Isaiah 53:7
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In the book of Isaiah, chapter 53, Isaiah the prophet wrote about a servant of God. Many people believe this was a prophecy about the life of Jesus Christ, who lived about 700 years later. In Isaiah 53:7, the prophet said that the servant would be afflicted and accused, but like a lamb being led to slaughter, he would remain silent. As explained in Matthew 27:12-14, which was recorded about 700 years after the time of Isaiah, this is what happened to Jesus. He was falsely accused but remained silent and did not protest the accusations. Jesus was crucified by the Romans a short time later.
Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.
4. God's servant would be buried in a rich man's tomb
Bible passage: Isaiah 53:9
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Isaiah 53:9, the prophet wrote about a sinless servant being put to death with the wicked and buried with the rich. About 700 years after this was believed to have been written, Jesus was put to death along with two criminals and was buried in a tomb owned by a wealthy man, as explained in the New Testament. The New Testament says that Jesus was resurrected three days later and ascended into Heaven.
Isaiah 53:9
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
5. God's servant would be crucified with criminals
Bible passage: Isaiah 53:12
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Isaiah 53:12, the prophet wrote about a servant who would bear the sins of many people and be punished side-by-side with criminals. Christians believe that Isaiah's description of this servant was a prophecy that was fulfilled during the life of Jesus Christ. As explained in the book of Matthew, Jesus, though sinless, was "numbered with the transgressors" and crucified along with two criminals.
Isaiah 53:12
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
6. Jesus was spat upon and beaten
Bible passage: Isaiah 50:6
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Isaiah 50:6, the prophet writes about a servant of God who endures abuse at the hands of sinful people. This servant offers his back to those who beat him, his face to those who rip out his beard, and himself to those who mock and taunt him. Christians historically have believed that this Old Testament passage foreshadowed the life of Jesus Christ, who lived about 700 years after Isaiah. Jesus, as explained in the New Testament, was beaten, mocked and taunted shortly before His crucifixion by the Romans. In Matthew 26:67 NIV, for example, it says: Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, "Prophesy to us, Christ. Who hit you?"
Isaiah 50:6
I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.
7. Psalm 22 foreshadowed the crucifixion of Jesus
Bible passage: Psalm 22:1,7,8,16,17,18
Written: about 1000 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
People are sometimes curious, when they read Matthew 27:46 or Mark 15:34, why Jesus, while dying on the cross, said "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Those words are actually the first line of Psalm 22, which according to Jewish tradition was written by King David about 1,000 years before Jesus was crucified.
Psalm 22 speaks of a man who cries out to God for deliverance from intense persecution. There are parallels between the details in Psalm 22 and the details written in the New Testament about Jesus' crucifixion, such as:
In Psalm 22:7, it speaks of a man surrounded by others who scorn and despise him. This is what happened to Jesus in Matthew 27:39 and Mark 15:29.
In Psalm 22:7, it speaks of a man being mocked, which is similar in the descriptions of Jesus' crucifixion given in Matthew 27:31, Mark 15:20 and Luke 22:63; 23:36.
In Psalm 22:8, it says, "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." In Matthew 27:43, Jesus’ enemies taunted him by saying, "He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him."
In Psalm 22:16, it speaks of a man who was numbered with the transgressors, meaning an innocent man being regarded as being one of a group of criminals. Jesus too was numbered with the transgressors when he was crucified next to two criminals, as described in Matthew 27:38, Mark 15:27, Luke 23:32 and John 19:18.
In Psalm 22:16, it speaks of a man whose hands and feet are either pierced, or mauled, or disfigured, depending on which is truly the best English translation of the original verse. In John 19:23,34,37 - Jesus' hands and feet were pierced with nails during the crucifixion process.
In Psalm 22:17, it speaks of a man who would be surrounded by others who stared and gloated at him. This too was the situation for Jesus during the crucifixion, according to Matthew 27:36 and Luke 23:35.
In Psalm 22:18, onlookers gamble for pieces of clothing that belonged to the person being persecuted. As explained in Matthew 27:35, Roman soldiers gambled (cast lots) for articles of Jesus' clothing while he was being crucified.
There are other descriptions in Psalm 22 that sound like an accurate description of what would happen to a person being crucified, such as the disjointing of bones, the drying up of a person's strength, an intense sense of thirst, a heart melting like wax (Jesus was stabbed in the heart with a sword during his crucifixion), and being "poured out" of one's body. When Jesus was stabbed in the heart with a sword, blood and water poured out from the wound.
Many Christian scholars have written about their views of the significance of Psalm 22 and the crucifixion of Jesus. The late Charles Briggs, who had been a professor at the Union Theological Seminary, said "These sufferings [of Psalm 22] transcend those of any historical sufferer, with the single exception of Jesus Christ. They find their exact counterpart in the sufferings of the cross.... This ideal is a Messianic ideal, and finds its only historical realization in Jesus Christ."
Psalm 22:1,7,8,16,17,18
1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? 7 All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: 8 "He trusts in the LORD ; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." 16 Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. 18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.
8. Zechariah foreshadowed the crucifixion of Jesus
Bible passage: Zechariah 12:10
Written: between 520 and 518 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Zechariah, chapter 12, the Bible said that there will be a time when the world's nations attack Jerusalem. In Zechariah 12:10, the Bible says that after this attack fails, the people will lament over the one who was "pierced," as one mourns for the loss of a first-born son. Christians traditionally have interpreted this passage as a reference to the return of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was pierced when He was crucified by the Romans about 2000 years ago. Christians believe that Jesus will return in the future to establish an everlasting kingdom.
Zechariah 12:10
"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
9. Isaiah foreshadows the ministry of Jesus
Bible passage: Isaiah 61:1-2
Written: perhaps between 701-681 BC
Fulfilled: About 27 AD
In Isaiah 61, there are passages that speak of an anointed one who preaches the good news to the poor, frees the people who are imprisoned, heals the blind and releases the oppressed. About 700 years after the time of Isaiah, Jesus relates these Bible passages to Himself:
Luke 4:15-20 (NIV translation):
14 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside.
15 He taught in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
16 He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.
17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him,
21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
At this point during the ministry of Jesus, he had already been preaching the good news to the poor and he had already healed many people of various afflictions, including blindness, both in a physical sense and in a spiritual sense.
But Jesus had not yet begun the other part of his mission, which includes a "day of vengeance," which Bible scholar John Gill explains as "the day of vengeance of our God; when vengeance was taken on sin, in the person of Christ; when he destroyed the works of the devil, … and who will take vengeance on antichrist at his spiritual coming, and upon all the wicked at the day of judgment."
With this in mind, it is interesting that Jesus stopped reading Isaiah 61 mid way through verse 2, immediately before the mention of a "day of vengeance."
Isaiah 61:1-2
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[1] 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
NIV Footnote: [1] Instead of "prisoners," the Greek Septuagint renders the word as "blind."
10. Jesus' resurrection was foreshadowed in Old Testament
Bible passage: Psalm 16:10-11
Written: about 1000 BC
Fulfilled: About 32 AD
In Psalm 16:10-11, the Bible talks of God's refusal to let His "Holy One" remain in a grave after death. This Psalm is believed to have been written about 1000 years before Jesus was born. New Testament writers believed that this Psalm foreshadowed the death and resurrection of Jesus. Resurrection means "brought back to life." There are several reports in the New Testament that say that Jesus was killed and placed in a tomb, but that God brought Jesus back to life a few days later. (See Matthew 28:5-8, Mark 16:5-6, Luke 24:1-7, or John 20:1-18)
Psalm 16:10-11
because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Notes: Bible verses are from the New International Version (NIV) translation.
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