By some counts, there are over 300 messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. That’s why in the New Testament we often find statements like this: “These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled” (John 19:36). Some messianic prophecies in the Old Testament are fairly straightforward; others are more indirect. Here are some pointers on identifying prophecies of the Messiah:
Study the Word. This should go without saying, but, in understanding the Bible, there’s no substitute for actually reading the Bible and prayerfully seeking wisdom from on high (James 1:5). Some messianic prophecies in the Old Testament are clearly identified as such by the prophets who wrote them. The word Messiah means “Anointed One” or “Chosen One,” and those titles are found in several prophecies. Daniel 9:25–26 is an important prophecy about the Messiah’s death. Psalm 2:2 also refers to the Lord’s Anointed.
Of course, context is always important when we interpret Scripture. Not every mention of an “anointed one” in the Old Testament is a reference to the promised Messiah. King Cyrus of Persia is called God’s anointed one in Isaiah 45:1, and so is King Saul in 1 Samuel 24:10; both those kings were chosen by God for special work, which is the underlying meaning of being “anointed.”
David’s references to God’s anointed one in Psalm 132 are an example of how the title can have a dual meaning. David prays, “For the sake of your servant David, do not reject your anointed one” (Psalm 132:10). Here, David makes reference to himself twice, calling himself God’s “servant” and God’s “anointed one”—David had been literally anointed by the prophet Samuel to be king (1 Samuel 16:13). But the word David uses is the Hebrew word for “Messiah,” and Psalm 132:10 can easily be applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. What makes this passage even more fascinating is that, immediately following the mention of David as the anointed one, Psalm 132 starts talking about the Messiah: one of David’s descendants will rule from the throne (Psalm 132:11), and David’s dynasty will be unending (verse 12). Then, a twist: the Lord Himself will rule from Zion forever (verses 13–14); as King, the Lord will bring abundance, salvation, and joy (verses 15–16); this King who comes from David will have divine strength, and all His enemies will be defeated (verses 17–18). Verse 17 contains another mention of God’s “anointed one.” Put all this together with the fact that the Messiah was commonly referred to as “the Son of David” (see Matthew 22:42), and Psalm 132 is clearly a messianic prophecy. David, God’s anointed one, was promised that an even greater Anointed One would sit on the throne of Zion forever.
Learn the various titles of the Messiah. Some messianic prophecies in the Old Testament use different names for the Messiah. For example, Isaiah 42:1 speaks of the Messiah as the “Servant” of the Lord. The prophecy of Numbers 24:17 calls the Messiah the “Star” that comes from Judah. In Isaiah 11:1, the Messiah is a “Branch” that bears much fruit. Often, the Messiah is presented in the Old Testament as a king who will rule in righteousness (see Isaiah 9:6–7; 32:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 9:9).
Compare Scripture with Scripture. Some messianic prophecies in the Old Testament are identified by New Testament writers. Matthew is especially helpful in linking Old Testament prophecies to their fulfillment in the life of Christ. Jesus’ birth is the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 (cp. Matthew 1:18–23). Jesus’ flight to Egypt turns out to be the fulfillment of an indirect prophecy in Hosea 11:1 (cp. Matthew 2:15). Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem is linked to Zechariah 9:9 (cp. Matthew 21:1–5). Jesus’ death on the cross fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies, including Psalm 34:20 and Zechariah 12:10 (cp. John 19:31–37).
At times Jesus quoted a messianic prophecy and applied it to Himself. In the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus read a messianic passage from Isaiah 61 and said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Just before His arrest, Jesus quotes Zechariah 13:7, stating that prophecy is about to be fulfilled (Matthew 26:31). He also quotes Isaiah 53:12 (in Luke 22:37), and when we study the whole of Isaiah 53, we discover that much of that chapter corresponds directly to Jesus’ passion. When Jesus quotes an Old Testament passage and says that He is the fulfillment of it, we know for sure that passage was messianic.
Sometimes Jesus’ allusion to a passage clues us in that we’re dealing with a messianic prophecy. For example, on the cross Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). As it turns out, those are the exact words of Psalm 22:1. When we turn to Psalm 22, we find many details of the crucifixion: the mocking Jesus endured (Psalm 22:7; cp. Matthew 27:38–44), Jesus’ thirst (Psalm 22:14; cp. John 19:28), the piercing of His hands and feet (Psalm 22:16; cp. John 20:20), and the casting of lots for His garment (Psalm 22:18; cp. Luke 23:34). Jesus’ agonized cry serves as a signpost pointing us to a treasure trove of messianic prophecies in the Psalms.
Look for themes, similar circumstances, and matching details. Some messianic prophecies in the Old Testament take the form of types. The Old Testament sacrifices are definite types of the Messiah who would shed His blood for our sin. The temple’s lampstand, altar of incense, and table of showbread are also clear types of Christ’s light, intercession, and provision.
Joseph’s dreams of his family bowing down to him in Genesis 37 came true, even though Joseph’s brothers hated him. The rejection and eventual exaltation of Joseph can be seen as foreshadowing the rejection of Christ and His exaltation to the right hand of God. In the same way, Boaz’s actions in the book of Ruth can be viewed as an indirect prophecy of the work of Christ on our behalf. The life of Joshua, so full of faith and victory, can also be seen as a precursor to Christ—especially when we consider that Joshua and Jesus are both forms of the same Hebrew name, Yeshua. Viewing the stories of Joseph, Boaz, and Joshua as messianic “prophecies” requires a certain amount of inference, but it is not a misuse of Scripture to acknowledge parallels exist. Jesus Himself used elements of the story of Jonah as a prophecy of His resurrection (Luke 11:29–30).
Messianic prophecies deal with some aspect of the Messiah’s nature, ministry, or associations. For example, Genesis 3:15 predicts a serpent-crushing Savior who will be the “seed of the woman.” This prophecy suggests the virgin birth as well as Christ’s victory over Satan. Jeremiah 31:15 predicts Herod’s massacre of the children in Bethlehem (see Matthew 2:16–18). And Isaiah 35:5–6 prophesies that the Messiah would heal the blind, lame, and mute (cp. Luke 7:22).
On the road to Emmaus, Jesus told two of His disciples, “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44). The whole Old Testament—Law, Prophets, and Writings—contains messianic prophecies. And all of those prophecies “must” be fulfilled. The study of prophecies and their fulfillment is really the study of God’s faithfulness. In particular, the messianic prophecies reveal God’s faithfulness in saving His people. Such a study is infinitely rewarding.
The Parable of the Great Banquet is found in Luke 14:15-24. It is similar to the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14), but with some significant differences. The story in Luke’s Gospel was told at a dinner that Jesus attended. Jesus had just healed a man with dropsy and taught a brief lesson on serving others. Jesus then says that those who serve others “will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:14). At the mention of the resurrection, someone at the table with Jesus said, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God” (verse 15). In reply, Jesus tells the Parable of the Great Banquet.
In the parable, a man planned a large banquet and sent out invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to contact each of the invited guests, telling them that all was ready and the meal was about to start (verses 16-17). One after another, the guests made excuses for not coming. One had just bought a piece of land and said he had to go see it (verse 18). Another had purchased some oxen and said he was on the way to yoke them up and try them out (verse 19). Another gave the excuse that he was newly married and therefore could not come (verse 20).
When the master of the house heard these flimsy excuses, he was angry. He told his servant to forget the guest list and go into the back streets and alleyways of the town and invite “the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame” (verse 21). The servant had already brought in the down-and-out townspeople, and still there was room in the banquet hall. So the master sent his servant on a broader search: “Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full” (verses 22-23).
Jesus ends the parable by relating the master’s determination that “not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet” (verse 24).
The statement that prompted the parable is key. The man who, in verse 15, looks forward to dining in the Messianic kingdom probably subscribed to the popular notion that only Jews would be part of that kingdom. The parable Jesus tells is aimed at debunking that notion, as the following explanation makes clear:
The master of the house is God, and the great banquet is the kingdom, a metaphor that was suggested by the speaker at the table. The invited guests picture the Jewish nation.
The kingdom was prepared for them, but when Jesus came preaching that “the kingdom of heaven is near”
(Matthew 4:17),
He was rejected.
“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him”
(John 1:11).
The excuses for skipping the banquet are laughably bad.
No one buys land without seeing it first, and the same can
be said for buying oxen. And what, exactly, would keep a newly
married couple from attending a social event?
All three excuses in the parable reveal insincerity
on the part of those invited.
The interpretation is that the Jews of Jesus’ day had no valid excuse
for spurning Jesus’ message; in fact, they had every reason to accept
Him as their Messiah.
The detail that the invitation is opened up to society’s maimed and downtrodden is important. These were the types of people that the Pharisees considered “unclean” and under God’s curse (cf. John 9:1-2, 34). Jesus, however, taught that the kingdom was available even to those considered “unclean” (cf. Acts 10). His involvement with tax collectors and sinners brought condemnation from the Pharisees, yet it showed the extent of God’s grace (Matthew 9:10-11). The fact that the master in the parable sends the servant far afield to persuade everyone to come indicates that the offer of salvation would be extended to the Gentiles and “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people” (Romans 15:10).
The master is not satisfied with a partially full banquet hall; he wants every place at the table to be filled. John MacArthur’s comment on this fact is that
“God is more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.”
Those who ignored the invitation to the banquet chose their own punishment—they missed out. The master respects their choice by making it permanent: they would not “taste of my banquet.” So it will be with God’s judgment on those who choose to reject Christ: they will have their choice confirmed, and they will never taste the joys of heaven.
The basic message of the Parable of the Great Banquet could be stated this way: “The tragedy of the Jewish rejection of Christ has opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles. The blessings of the kingdom are available to all who will come to Christ by faith.”
The inclusion of the Gentiles is a fulfillment of Hosea 2:23, “I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’” God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), and “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).
Study the Word. This should go without saying, but, in understanding the Bible, there’s no substitute for actually reading the Bible and prayerfully seeking wisdom from on high (James 1:5). Some messianic prophecies in the Old Testament are clearly identified as such by the prophets who wrote them. The word Messiah means “Anointed One” or “Chosen One,” and those titles are found in several prophecies. Daniel 9:25–26 is an important prophecy about the Messiah’s death. Psalm 2:2 also refers to the Lord’s Anointed.
Of course, context is always important when we interpret Scripture. Not every mention of an “anointed one” in the Old Testament is a reference to the promised Messiah. King Cyrus of Persia is called God’s anointed one in Isaiah 45:1, and so is King Saul in 1 Samuel 24:10; both those kings were chosen by God for special work, which is the underlying meaning of being “anointed.”
David’s references to God’s anointed one in Psalm 132 are an example of how the title can have a dual meaning. David prays, “For the sake of your servant David, do not reject your anointed one” (Psalm 132:10). Here, David makes reference to himself twice, calling himself God’s “servant” and God’s “anointed one”—David had been literally anointed by the prophet Samuel to be king (1 Samuel 16:13). But the word David uses is the Hebrew word for “Messiah,” and Psalm 132:10 can easily be applied to Jesus Christ in the New Testament. What makes this passage even more fascinating is that, immediately following the mention of David as the anointed one, Psalm 132 starts talking about the Messiah: one of David’s descendants will rule from the throne (Psalm 132:11), and David’s dynasty will be unending (verse 12). Then, a twist: the Lord Himself will rule from Zion forever (verses 13–14); as King, the Lord will bring abundance, salvation, and joy (verses 15–16); this King who comes from David will have divine strength, and all His enemies will be defeated (verses 17–18). Verse 17 contains another mention of God’s “anointed one.” Put all this together with the fact that the Messiah was commonly referred to as “the Son of David” (see Matthew 22:42), and Psalm 132 is clearly a messianic prophecy. David, God’s anointed one, was promised that an even greater Anointed One would sit on the throne of Zion forever.
Learn the various titles of the Messiah. Some messianic prophecies in the Old Testament use different names for the Messiah. For example, Isaiah 42:1 speaks of the Messiah as the “Servant” of the Lord. The prophecy of Numbers 24:17 calls the Messiah the “Star” that comes from Judah. In Isaiah 11:1, the Messiah is a “Branch” that bears much fruit. Often, the Messiah is presented in the Old Testament as a king who will rule in righteousness (see Isaiah 9:6–7; 32:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 9:9).
Compare Scripture with Scripture. Some messianic prophecies in the Old Testament are identified by New Testament writers. Matthew is especially helpful in linking Old Testament prophecies to their fulfillment in the life of Christ. Jesus’ birth is the fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 (cp. Matthew 1:18–23). Jesus’ flight to Egypt turns out to be the fulfillment of an indirect prophecy in Hosea 11:1 (cp. Matthew 2:15). Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem is linked to Zechariah 9:9 (cp. Matthew 21:1–5). Jesus’ death on the cross fulfilled many Old Testament prophecies, including Psalm 34:20 and Zechariah 12:10 (cp. John 19:31–37).
At times Jesus quoted a messianic prophecy and applied it to Himself. In the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus read a messianic passage from Isaiah 61 and said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). Just before His arrest, Jesus quotes Zechariah 13:7, stating that prophecy is about to be fulfilled (Matthew 26:31). He also quotes Isaiah 53:12 (in Luke 22:37), and when we study the whole of Isaiah 53, we discover that much of that chapter corresponds directly to Jesus’ passion. When Jesus quotes an Old Testament passage and says that He is the fulfillment of it, we know for sure that passage was messianic.
Sometimes Jesus’ allusion to a passage clues us in that we’re dealing with a messianic prophecy. For example, on the cross Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). As it turns out, those are the exact words of Psalm 22:1. When we turn to Psalm 22, we find many details of the crucifixion: the mocking Jesus endured (Psalm 22:7; cp. Matthew 27:38–44), Jesus’ thirst (Psalm 22:14; cp. John 19:28), the piercing of His hands and feet (Psalm 22:16; cp. John 20:20), and the casting of lots for His garment (Psalm 22:18; cp. Luke 23:34). Jesus’ agonized cry serves as a signpost pointing us to a treasure trove of messianic prophecies in the Psalms.
Look for themes, similar circumstances, and matching details. Some messianic prophecies in the Old Testament take the form of types. The Old Testament sacrifices are definite types of the Messiah who would shed His blood for our sin. The temple’s lampstand, altar of incense, and table of showbread are also clear types of Christ’s light, intercession, and provision.
Joseph’s dreams of his family bowing down to him in Genesis 37 came true, even though Joseph’s brothers hated him. The rejection and eventual exaltation of Joseph can be seen as foreshadowing the rejection of Christ and His exaltation to the right hand of God. In the same way, Boaz’s actions in the book of Ruth can be viewed as an indirect prophecy of the work of Christ on our behalf. The life of Joshua, so full of faith and victory, can also be seen as a precursor to Christ—especially when we consider that Joshua and Jesus are both forms of the same Hebrew name, Yeshua. Viewing the stories of Joseph, Boaz, and Joshua as messianic “prophecies” requires a certain amount of inference, but it is not a misuse of Scripture to acknowledge parallels exist. Jesus Himself used elements of the story of Jonah as a prophecy of His resurrection (Luke 11:29–30).
Messianic prophecies deal with some aspect of the Messiah’s nature, ministry, or associations. For example, Genesis 3:15 predicts a serpent-crushing Savior who will be the “seed of the woman.” This prophecy suggests the virgin birth as well as Christ’s victory over Satan. Jeremiah 31:15 predicts Herod’s massacre of the children in Bethlehem (see Matthew 2:16–18). And Isaiah 35:5–6 prophesies that the Messiah would heal the blind, lame, and mute (cp. Luke 7:22).
On the road to Emmaus, Jesus told two of His disciples, “Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms” (Luke 24:44). The whole Old Testament—Law, Prophets, and Writings—contains messianic prophecies. And all of those prophecies “must” be fulfilled. The study of prophecies and their fulfillment is really the study of God’s faithfulness. In particular, the messianic prophecies reveal God’s faithfulness in saving His people. Such a study is infinitely rewarding.
The Parable of the Great Banquet is found in Luke 14:15-24. It is similar to the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14), but with some significant differences. The story in Luke’s Gospel was told at a dinner that Jesus attended. Jesus had just healed a man with dropsy and taught a brief lesson on serving others. Jesus then says that those who serve others “will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous” (Luke 14:14). At the mention of the resurrection, someone at the table with Jesus said, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God” (verse 15). In reply, Jesus tells the Parable of the Great Banquet.
In the parable, a man planned a large banquet and sent out invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to contact each of the invited guests, telling them that all was ready and the meal was about to start (verses 16-17). One after another, the guests made excuses for not coming. One had just bought a piece of land and said he had to go see it (verse 18). Another had purchased some oxen and said he was on the way to yoke them up and try them out (verse 19). Another gave the excuse that he was newly married and therefore could not come (verse 20).
When the master of the house heard these flimsy excuses, he was angry. He told his servant to forget the guest list and go into the back streets and alleyways of the town and invite “the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame” (verse 21). The servant had already brought in the down-and-out townspeople, and still there was room in the banquet hall. So the master sent his servant on a broader search: “Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full” (verses 22-23).
Jesus ends the parable by relating the master’s determination that “not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet” (verse 24).
The statement that prompted the parable is key. The man who, in verse 15, looks forward to dining in the Messianic kingdom probably subscribed to the popular notion that only Jews would be part of that kingdom. The parable Jesus tells is aimed at debunking that notion, as the following explanation makes clear:
The master of the house is God, and the great banquet is the kingdom, a metaphor that was suggested by the speaker at the table. The invited guests picture the Jewish nation.
The kingdom was prepared for them, but when Jesus came preaching that “the kingdom of heaven is near”
(Matthew 4:17),
He was rejected.
“He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him”
(John 1:11).
The excuses for skipping the banquet are laughably bad.
No one buys land without seeing it first, and the same can
be said for buying oxen. And what, exactly, would keep a newly
married couple from attending a social event?
All three excuses in the parable reveal insincerity
on the part of those invited.
The interpretation is that the Jews of Jesus’ day had no valid excuse
for spurning Jesus’ message; in fact, they had every reason to accept
Him as their Messiah.
The detail that the invitation is opened up to society’s maimed and downtrodden is important. These were the types of people that the Pharisees considered “unclean” and under God’s curse (cf. John 9:1-2, 34). Jesus, however, taught that the kingdom was available even to those considered “unclean” (cf. Acts 10). His involvement with tax collectors and sinners brought condemnation from the Pharisees, yet it showed the extent of God’s grace (Matthew 9:10-11). The fact that the master in the parable sends the servant far afield to persuade everyone to come indicates that the offer of salvation would be extended to the Gentiles and “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people” (Romans 15:10).
The master is not satisfied with a partially full banquet hall; he wants every place at the table to be filled. John MacArthur’s comment on this fact is that
“God is more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.”
Those who ignored the invitation to the banquet chose their own punishment—they missed out. The master respects their choice by making it permanent: they would not “taste of my banquet.” So it will be with God’s judgment on those who choose to reject Christ: they will have their choice confirmed, and they will never taste the joys of heaven.
The basic message of the Parable of the Great Banquet could be stated this way: “The tragedy of the Jewish rejection of Christ has opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles. The blessings of the kingdom are available to all who will come to Christ by faith.”
The inclusion of the Gentiles is a fulfillment of Hosea 2:23, “I will say to those called ‘Not my people,’ ‘You are my people’; and they will say, ‘You are my God.’” God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), and “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13).