Biblical Prophecies of the Messiah Savior

I recently compiled a few verses from the Bible showing Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament Messianic prophecies.

Messiah is Hebrew for Anointed One, and is translated Christ in the New Testament. It refers to the Priestly King that all the Old Testament prophets wrote about, and who all Israel had been expecting for thousands of years.

The first mention of a Savior was in Genesis 3:15, where God told the serpent that the seed of the woman would deal a crushing blow to his head. That promise was the foundation upon which the entire Old Testament was built, and of which the New Testament joyfully announces its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Here are just a few passages showing how these things are written:

Jesus told his disciples, "These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." (Luke 24:44). In fact, Jesus affirmed that the entire purpose of his life and ministry was to fulfill Biblical prophecy. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17). And taking the twelve, he said to them, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished (Luke 18:31).

Consider a few of the prophecies claimed to have been fulfilled by Christ. (Note: these prophetic passages taken from the Old Testament were written about 400 years before the time of Jesus Christ. The New Testament passages look at Jesus from an eye-witness perspective and reveal how he actually did fulfill what had already been foretold concerning the Messiah):

1) That he would be a descendant of Abraham:
The LORD said to Abraham, And in your Seed [offspring] shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because you have obeyed My voice. (Genesis 22:18 LITV). The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the Son of David, the son of Abraham. (Matthew 1:1). But the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed (it does not say, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, "And to your Seed," which is Christ). (Galatians 3:16 LITV).

2) That he would be from the Israelite tribe of Judah:
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (Genesis 49:10). Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli... the son of Judah (Luke 3:23,33). For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah (Hebrews 7:14).

3) That he would be the offspring of David:
When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. (2 Samuel 7:12). The LORD swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: "One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne. (Psalms 132:11). The Book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the Son of David (Matthew 1:1). And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?" (Matthew 12:23)

4) That he would be born in the Judean town of Bethlehem:
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days (Micah 5:2). Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, (Matthew 2:1).

5) That he would be born to a virgin and would be called "God with us":
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14 ESV). Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 1:18 ESV). All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:22-23 ESV).

6) That his forerunner would come from the desert to prepare the way of the Lord:
The voice of him who cries in the wilderness: Prepare the way of Jehovah; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3 LITV). "Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple (Malachi 3:1 ESV). In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.'" (Matthew 3:1-3 ESV).

7) That his ministry would be in Galilee where Gentiles lived, and there he would display his glory:
But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations [Gentiles]. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. (Isaiah 9:1-2 ESV). This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11 ESV).

8) That he would shepherd and feed his people:
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. (Psalms 23:1-2 ESV). And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. (Ezekiel 34:23 ESV). When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things... Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. (Mark 6:34-42 ESV). Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number... Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!" (John 6:10-14 ESV).

9) That God would raise him up from the Jews as a prophet like Moses, and that he would speak God's words:
"The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers--it is to him you shall listen... I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:15-19 ESV). For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?" (John 5:46-47 ESV). The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment--what to say and what to speak. (John 12:48-49 ESV).

10) His rejection by the Jews was foretold in Scripture:
The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. (Psalms 118:22 ESV). He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3 ESV). And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31 ESV). Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?... When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. (Matthew 21:42,45 ESV).

11) That he would suffer at the hands of Jews and Gentiles, be crucified along with wicked men, have his garments divided by lots and die for sinners:
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?... All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!"... they have pierced my hands and feet... they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. (Psalms 22:1,7-8,16,18 ESV). And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth... he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:9,12 ESV). And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots... So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying,... "He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:35,41,43-46 ESV). For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors.' For what is written about me has its fulfillment." (Luke 22:37 ESV).

12) That he would rise from the dead:
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol [the place of the dead], or let your holy one see corruption. (Psalms 16:10 ESV). But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. (Psalms 49:15 ESV). For you have delivered my soul from death, yes, my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of life. (Psalms 56:13 ESV). You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. (Psalms 71:20 ESV). Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." (Matthew 28:7 ESV). This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. (Acts 2:23-24 ESV). He [David] foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. (Acts 2:31-33 ESV).