Prophecies of the Messiah

The Scriptures contain an overwhelming and precise witness to the identity and mission of the Messiah. Spanning centuries and composed by many authors, the prophecies of the Old Testament present a detailed portrait that was perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This article organizes a monumental list of over 300 prophecies into distinct categories, providing clear evidence of divine design and foreknowledge.

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I. The Pre-Existence and Divinity of the Messiah

The Old Testament establishes the Messiah not merely as a great man, but as a divine, eternal being, a truth consistently affirmed in the New Testament.

Subject	Prophecy (Old Testament)	Fulfillment (New Testament)
The Messiah Would be Eternal	Psalm 102:25-27a	Colossians 1:17
The Messiah Would be from Everlasting	Proverbs 8:22-23	John 17:5
The Messiah Would be from Everlasting (the “Everlasting Father”)	Isaiah 9:6e	Revelation 1:8
The Messiah Would be from Everlasting	Isaiah 48:16a	John 1:1-2
The Messiah Would be from Everlasting	Micah 5:2c	John 8:58
The Messiah Would be from Everlasting	Habakkuk 1:12	Mark 1:24

The Messiah Would be God Incarnate

Beyond simply being pre-existent, the prophecies declare the Messiah would be God in human form, taking on the role of Creator, Lord, and King.

Subject	Prophecy (Old Testament)	Fulfillment (New Testament)
The Messiah would be the creator of all	Psalm 102:25-27b	John 1:3
The Messiah would be Lord	Psalm 110:1a	Matthew 22:41-45
The Messiah would be God	Psalm 45:6-7b	Hebrews 1:8-9
The Messiah would be both God and man (the “Mighty God”)	Isaiah 9:6d	John 10:30
The Messiah would be both God and man	Jeremiah 23:5-6c	1 Timothy 3:16

The Messiah Would be the Son of God

His unique relationship with the Father is foretold, establishing His identity as God’s only begotten Son.

Subject	Prophecy (Old Testament)	Fulfillment (New Testament)
God would have a Son	Proverbs 30:4b	Matthew 3:16-17
The Messiah would be the Son of God	Psalm 2:7a	Luke 1:31-35
The Messiah would call God his Father	Psalm 89:26	Matthew 11:27

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II. The Time, Lineage, and Birth of the Messiah

The Messianic prophecies narrow the timeframe and genealogical requirements to a degree that eliminates all candidates but one.

The Time of the Messiah’s Coming

Prophetic timelines point directly to the era and even the year of His appearing.

Subject	Prophecy (Old Testament)	Fulfillment (New Testament)
The Jew’s authority to administer capital punishment would be gone when the Messiah came	Genesis 49:10c	John 18:31
The Messiah would be killed 483 years (to the day) after the decree to rebuild the city of Jerusalem	Daniel 9:25	Luke 19:44
The Messiah would be killed before the destruction of the temple	Daniel 9:26c	Matthew 27:50-51