HE WOULD BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM
PROPHECY: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will
come for Me One who will be Ruler in Israel, whose origins are from of old, from the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2
FULFILLMENT: “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea." Matthew 2:1
By pinpointing the exact city of birth, God eliminates all the other cities in the world.
Skeptic Interjection: Bethlehem Ephrathah can refer to either the city of Bethlehem or to a descendant of
Bethlehem and Ephrathah.
Answer: Ephrathah (the ancient name of Bethlehem) can refer to either the city of Bethlehem or it can refer to
the Biblical characters of the same name. The key for our answer is the word or. Micah is referring to the city of
Bethlehem- not the individuals.
Skeptic Interjection: Bethlehem was the birthplace of King David. How do we know this verse even refers to
Jesus?
Answer: David was a mortal human being who possessed both a physical beginning and end but the verse in
Micah refers to someone who is eternal: from the days of old, eternity. Second, the Book of Micah was written
centuries after the life of David but the verse in question mentions one who will come (future tense)!
HE WOULD COME TO ZION
PROPHECY: "Rejoice greatly Oh daughter of Zion! Shout Oh daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming
to you!" Zechariah 9:9
FULFILLMENT: “And so all Israel will be saved as it is written: 'The Deliverer will come from Zion. He will turn
godlessness away from
Jacob. And this is My covenant with them when I take away their sins'" Romans 11:26-27
HE WOULD RETURN FROM EGYPT
PROPHECY: "Out of Egypt I called My Son." Hosea 11:1
FULFILLMENT: "So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt where he stayed
until the death of Herod." Matthew 2:14-15
With King Herod's growing paranoia over the jeopardy of his throne, he issued a decree to kill all male children
under the age of two years old. To escape Herod's wrath, Joseph took his family and escaped to Egypt.
Skeptic Interjection: The verse in Hosea is a reference to the Egyptian exodus. How is it a Messianic prophecy?
Answer: The prophecy in Hosea serves as a double reference to both the Egyptian exodus and the future
Messiah. The singular use of My Son as compared to My children shows the intent of a double reference to a
single individual as well as the people of Israel. Like we mention earlier, historic applications were understood by
the Jews of antiquity as a reference to the coming Messiah. The book of Hosea is also classified as a prophetic
book which uses metaphor throughout its text.
HE WOULD BEGIN HIS MINISTRY IN GALILEE
PROPHECY: "...In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will
honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan." Isaiah 9:1
FULFILLMENT: “Now when Jesus heard that John had been put into 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. From
that time Jesus began to preach and to say, 'Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" Matthew 4:12-13,17
"After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee proclaiming the good news of God." Mark 1:14
Mark explains although Jesus had traveled previously, He did not begin His ministry until entering Galilee.
Skeptic Interjection: The above prophecy states God will honor Galilee. What does this have to do with the
Messiah? Could it be a reference to King Hezekiah?
Answer: The verse in Isaiah may not seem like a Messianic prophecy until we read the context of the verse.
When we read further into the chapter we are told: "Unto us a Child is born. To us a Son is given. The
government will be on His shoulders. He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom establishing and upholding it with justice
and righteousness from that time on and forever." Isaiah 9:6-7
Once the context of the verse is taken into consideration we can clearly see this chapter is a Messianic passage.
The person foreseen by Isaiah would have the government against Him (both the Israelites and the Romans
persecuted Jesus) and His kingdom would be eternal. Hezekiah, though a righteous king, was still an earthly
king with a temporary throne.
HE WOULD BE A NAZARENE
PROPHECY: "A Shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse. From his roots a Branch will bear fruit." Isaiah 11:1
FULFILLMENT: "And He went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the
prophets: He will be called a Nazarene." Matthew 2:23
Skeptic Interjection: The Old Testament makes no mention of a place called Nazareth or the Nazarene people.
Answer: Our answer lies in the origin of the word Nazarene. The Hebrew translation of branch in the above
prophetic verse is netzer. In our fulfillment verse, the Greek word for Nazarene is Νazaphnoe, coming from the
Aramaic twig or branch. The King James Version of the Bible, published in 1611, translates the original Greek
word as a person from Nazareth but modern scholars now believe this translation to be incorrect. The Greek
word for a citizen of Nazareth is Nazarethaios. But Matthew uses Νazaphnoe (branch), not Nazarethaios (a person
from Nazareth). The error lies within the well-intentioned 17th century translators.
Skeptic Interjection: Are you saying Jesus was never associated with the city of Nazareth?
Answer: The Bible and Matthew both make it clear Jesus was a citizen of Nazareth, of Galilee, of Judea. I am
simply explaining the connection Matthew makes between the city of Nazareth and its root word meaning branch.
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