A MESSENGER WOULD PRECEDE HIM
PROPHECY: “A voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord. Make straight in the desert a
highway for our God.” Isaiah 40:3 "I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then
suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to His temple. The Messenger of the covenant whom you desire will
come." Malachi 3:1
FULFILLMENT: “John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand!’” Matthew 3:1-2
Isaiah and Malachi mention a messenger who will appear directly before the Messiah. This messenger was John
the Baptist whom the Bible describes as a prophet of the wilderness who warned the Jews to turn from their
apostasy. The word suddenly in Malachi refers to the imminent coming of the Messiah once this messenger
appears. From the writings of Josephus, we know John the Baptist and Jesus were contemporaries of one another.
Skeptic Interjection: Is it possible Jesus paid John to act as His messenger?
Answer: It's highly unlikely considering the volatile religious and political scene during this time. False prophets
were put to death under the accusation of blasphemy. The Bible also documents John's inquiry of Jesus as to
whether or not He was the actual Messiah. John was willing to die if needed but he was not willing to die for a lie.
HE WILL HEAL THE SICK
PROPHECY: “Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame
will leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb will sing for joy.” Isaiah 35:5-6
FULFILLMENT: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the
dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.” Matthew 11:5
HE WILL SPEAK IN PARABLES
PROPHECY: “I will open my mouth in a parable. I will utter dark sayings of old.” Psalm 78:2
FULFILLMENT: “All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not
speak to them.” Matthew 13:34
The New Testament shows Jesus' use of parables (metaphor) during His teachings. He used analogies to help His
listeners better understand the spiritual principles of His sermons.
HE WAS TO ENTER JERUSALEM ON A DONKEY
PROPHECY: “Behold, your King is coming to you. He is just and having salvation, humble, lowly, and riding on a
donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9
FULFILLMENT: “And they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus
on him.” Luke 19:35
The prophecy in Zechariah reveals the attitude the Messiah will have during His first coming. The Jews were
expecting a glorious, triumphant Messiah who would overthrow Roman rule and establish the sovereign kingdom
of Israel. But Zechariah states the Messiah’s first appearance would be for the purpose of bringing salvation to
mankind with a spirit of humility.
Skeptical Interjection: Jesus was not an earthly king. How could the prophecy refer to Him?
Answer: The verse in Zechariah refers to a king- yet one who is humble, lowly, and riding on a donkey. Once
again, we must understand the Bible refers to two Messianic appearances: the first advent of humility, the second
advent of triumph. Jesus was considered the spiritual king of Israel and an earthly descendant of King David.
HE WILL BE REJECTED BY THE JEWS BUT ACCEPTED BY THE GENTILES
PROPHECY: "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering." Isaiah 53:3
“The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” Isaiah 60:3
FULFILLMENT: "He came to that which was His own, but they did not receive Him." John 1:11 “For so the Lord
has commanded us, ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles that you should be for salvation to the ends of the
earth.’ Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord.” Acts 13:47-48
This is an interesting prophecy because its fulfillment can still be seen today. The Christian (Gentile) Bible
consists of an Old Testament beginning with Genesis and ending with Malachi and a New Testament beginning
with Matthew and ending with Revelation. The orthodox Jewish Bible does not contain the Christian New
Testament because it does not accept the divinity of Jesus Christ. This prophecy was not only fulfilled in Jesus'
time, but is still currently being fulfilled in our time as well.
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