| The
Prophecies of Jesus Christ’s 1st Coming (continued)
THE
MESSIAH’S BIRTH PROPHECIES
The scribes and Jewish religious leaders knew the time that
the Messiah’s ministry would come on the scene, right
to the year, just as they knew the town he would be born in.
Daniel 9:24-26, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy
people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression,
and make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity,
and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up
the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. Know
therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the
commandment to restore [margin: build again Jerusalem]
and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be
seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall
be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And
after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but
not for himself: and the people of the prince [reference to
the Romans] that shall come shall destroy the city and the
sanctuary [this happened in 70A.D.]; and the end thereof shall
be with a flood [prophetic term in the Bible for an army],
and unto the end of the war, desolations are determined.”
From this prophecy the Jewish leaders and teachers of the
Law knew the Messiah was coming-down to the exact year of
the start of his ministry. In prophecy one prophetic year
is equal to 360 prophetic days. One prophetic day is equal
to one normal year. In verse 25 where it says “from the
going forth of the commandment to restore and to build [rebuild]
Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks,
and threescore and two weeks:…” This commandment
to restore Jerusalem and the temple is the very same commandment
spoken of in Ezra 1:1-11 and II Chronicles 36:22-23. This
commandment is dated as having gone out in 457BC, the first
year of Cyrus the Persian and is recorded in Ezra 1:1-3, which
states “Now in the first year of Cyrus the king of Persia,
that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be
fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus the king
of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his
kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, ‘Thus saith
Cyrus the king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven hath given
me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to
build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah…”
Now lets figure this out. It is really simple. 7 weeks + 62
weeks = 69 weeks. 69 weeks times 7 [converting weeks to days]
= 483 days. 483 prophetic days = 483 years. Going 483 years
forward in time from 457 B.C. is done by subtracting 457 from
483 which = 26. But since there is no year zero, you add 1
to the 26 giving you 27 A.D., the year Jesus started his ministry.
By this calculation his death was in the spring of 31 A.D.
Some disagree, making their calculation dating from another
decree from another later Persian king to go and rebuild the
wall, received by Nehemiah. But dating from the later decree
doesn’t really fit the instructions found in Daniel 9:25.
So in the year 27 A.D. Jesus was walking up to John the Baptist
to get baptized. If the scribes had been on the ball, they
would have known to be on the lookout for him. Isn’t
this amazing? The Creator God inspired these prophecies to
be penned many hundreds of years in advance of their being
carried out, from the year of the start of Jesus ministry,
to the eventual destruction of the Romans in 70 A.D., it all
happened. In verse 26, the word “prince” is referring
to the Roman prince, and not the Prince of Peace. Verse 27
takes us up to the beginning of the tribulation when a world
superpower will step onto the scene in Jerusalem after the
Jews have built a temple or tabernacle and restarted the “morning
and evening” sacrifices. Verse 27 states that this “he”,
referring to the leader of this restored Roman system, will
cause “the sacrifice of oblation to cease…”
stopping the evening and morning sacrifices being carried
out by the Levitical priesthood yet to be set up by the Jews
sometime in the near future [they’re working on setting
this all up right now].
THE MESSIAH’S BIRTHPLACE FORETOLD, AS WELL AS WHO HE
WAS BEFORE HE WAS BORN AS A HUMAN
Micah 5:2, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though
thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee
shall be come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;
whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
So we see Bethlehem is prophecied to be the birthplace of
the Messiah, and everybody in the world knows Jesus of Nazareth
was born in Bethlehem, whether they’re Christian or not.
The Arabs know it, the Jews know it. The Christmas story has
been carried far and wide. But few know where to spot this
prophecy, penned many hundreds of years before the event.
It also identifies the Messiah as “having been from of
old, from everlasting. John in John 1:1-11 identifies the
one who was born as Jesus of Nazareth before his human birth
as the one referred to in the Old Testament as the Lord God
or the Lord, or YHVH, and called him the Word of God, which
in the Greek is called the Logos. When born of Mary, the Word
or Logos became God the Son. God the Son, along with God the
Father and the Holy Spirit-the Triune God-Three-in-One-has
existed forever. Matthew 2:1-6, “Now when Jesus was born
in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold,
there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where
is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his
star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod
the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all
Jerusalem with him [all the ruling class worried they’re
going to lose their jobs?]. And when he had gathered all the
chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded
of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him,
‘In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the
prophet, ‘And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art
not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall
come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.’”
John 1:1-11, “In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the
beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without
him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life;
and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in
darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was
a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for
a witness of that Light, which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made
by him, and the world knew him not. But as many as received
him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even
to them that believe on his name: which were born not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but
of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and
we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of
the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of
him, and cried saying, ‘This was he of whom I spake,
He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was
before me.’” This is an amazing description of who
Jesus was and is, having “been from of old, from everlasting”.
THE MESSIAH’S VIRGIN BIRTH
Isaiah 7:13-16, “And he said, ‘Hear ye now, O house
of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will
ye weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself shall give
you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall call his name Emmanuel [Hebrew for “God with
us”]. Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know
to refuse the evil, and choose the good. For before the child
shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land
that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.”
Before Jesus was born, both the northern kingdom of Israel,
and the southern kingdom of Judah had lost their kingly rulers,
Israel in 721 B.C. to the Assyrian empire, and Judah to king
Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonian empire. Neither line
of kings was restored in the land of Palestine from these
dates onward. Another thing, the Jews refused to believe that
Jesus was born of a virgin, therefore they called him a bastard,
but it is a historic fact that king Herod believed, so much
so that he had all the infant boys from two years and under
killed in all the land surrounding Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Let’s turn to Matthew 1:18-25; 2:1-18 and see the fulfillment
of this prophecy, and some more. Matthew 1:18-25, “Now
the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother
Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she
was found with child of the Holy Ghost [“Ghost”,
middle English, taken from the German word Gheist, which directly
translates to the word “Spirit”. Greek: Spirit].
Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing
to make her a publik example, was minded to put her away privily.
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of
the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou
son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for
that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she
shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS
[that is SAVIOR (probably the meaning of the Hebrew name Joshua,
which was the Hebrew equivalent for the name Jesus)]: for
he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was
done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord
by the prophet, saying, ‘Behold, a virgin shall be with
child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his
name Emmanuel’, which being interpreted is, God with
us. [Isa. 7:13-16, which we just read.] Then Joseph being
raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden
him, and took unto him his wife: and knew her not till she
had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name
JESUS.” Matthew 2:1-18, “Now when Jesus was born
in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold,
there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where
is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his
star in the east, and are come to worship him.'’ When
Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and
all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief
priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of
them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him,
‘In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the
prophet, ‘And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda: for
out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people
Israel.’ Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise
men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said ‘Go and search
diligently for the child; and when ye have found him, bring
me word again, that I may come and worship him also.’
When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the
star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it
came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw
the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when
they were come into the house, they saw the young child with
Mary his mother [notice Mary and Jesus had now moved from
the manger or sheepfold to a house (some scholars believe
this manger was no more than one of the local smelly caves
used as sheepfolds)], and fell down, and worshipped him: and
when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto
him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned
of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they
departed into their own country another way. And when they
departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph
in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, and take the young child
and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until
I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to
destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his
mother by night, and departed into Egypt: and was there until
the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken
of the Lord by the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt have
I called my son.’ [Numbers 24:7-8] Then Herod, when he
saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth,
and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem,
and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under,
according to the time which he had diligently inquired of
the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by
Jeremy the prophet [Jeremiah 31:15], saying, ‘In Rama
was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great
mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be
comforted, because they are not.’ But when Herod was
dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to
Joseph in Egypt, saying, ‘Arise, and take the young child
and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are
dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose,
and took the young child and his mother, and came into the
land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign
in Judea in the room of this father Herod, he was afraid to
go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream,
he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: and he came and
dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called
a Nazarene [margin: that is, Branch or Separated one].’”
Micah 5:2, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou
be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall
he come forth unto me that is to be ruler of Israel; whose
goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting”
[“whose goings forth have been from of old, from
everlasting” i.e. Jesus is God, YHVH, as we have
just seen, and in John 1:1-11.]. Zechariah 3:8, “Here
now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that
sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold,
I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.” Zechariah
6:12-13, “And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh
the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The
BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall
build the temple of the Lord: Even he shall build
the temple of the Lord; and he shall bear the glory, and shall
sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon
his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them
both.” Jesus will be King of kings upon his return, and
is even now our High Priest, fulfilling part of Zechariah
6:13. Hebrews 4:14-16, “Seeing then that we have a great
high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son
of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an
high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne
of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help
in time of need.” John 7:42, “Hath not the scripture
said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of
the town of Bethlehem…” Numbers 24:7-8, “He
shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall
be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag,
and his kingdom shall be exalted. God brought him
forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength
of a unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and
shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his
arrows.” [Remember in a passage that contains both prophecies
of the Messiah’s first and second coming in the same
passage, the first coming prophecy for this study will be
bolded, while the 2nd coming part will be in plain text.]
Isaiah 9:2, 6-7, “The people that walked in darkness
have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the
shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined…For
unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder [cf. Zechariah
14:9]: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
[Who was, is, Jesus of Nazareth? Was he just another human
being like the rest of us? Isaiah was told by God to call
him “Wonderful Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace.” Jesus was and is God, the
second person of the Godhead.] Of the increase of his government
and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David,
and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with
judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The
zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
JOHN THE BAPTIST FORETOLD
Isaiah 40:3-5, “The voice of him that crieth
in the wilderness, ‘Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley
shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made
low: and the rough places plain [or a plain place]: and the
glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see
it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”
Verse 3a applies to Jesus first coming, as we shall see, and
was fulfilled by John the Baptist. Verse 3b-5 applies to the
2nd coming. To see how those verses are fulfilled, turn to
the other study in this section, “Prophecies of Jesus
Christ’s 2nd Coming.” Again, the Jews were very
confused by these prophecies that combined prophecies of both
the 1st and 2nd coming of the Messiah within one prophetic
text. They overlooked the elements of his first coming and
what it was for because in many instances, as you see, the
2nd coming descriptions overshadowed in glory the first coming
descriptions. As well, in their circumstances under Roman
dictatorship, they wanted a physical-military savior, not
someone who would save them from their sins. They hungered
for and desired to have the basic freedoms they had enjoyed
under the two kingdoms, the House of Israel and the House
of Judah-the basic freedoms we now enjoy as Americans, Britons
and Europeans in our respective democracies. So the Jews basically
overlooked the humble descriptions of their Messiah’s
first coming. Let’s turn now to Matthew and see how verse
3a was fulfilled. Matthew 3:1-5, “In those days came
John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and
saying, ‘Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias [Isaiah],
saying, ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare
ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ And
the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a
leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts
[Lev. 12:22] and wild honey.” John 1:23-27, “He
said, ‘I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Make straight the way of the Lord’, as said the prophet
Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And
they asked him, and said unto him, ‘Why baptizest thou
then, if thou be not the Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?’
John answered them, saying, ‘I baptize with water: but
there standeth one among you, whom ye know not: he it is,
who coming after me is preferred before me, who’s shoe
latchet I am not worthy to unloose.”
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