Advent Week 1:
Prophecies of the Messiah

Can we recognize the Messiah?

The cross is central in God’s plan to redeem people.  On the cross, Jesus carried away all the guilt of believers; “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8).  True, but how can we be sure Jesus is the Messiah?

The Messiah would be a descendant of David.  God told David, “I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body. … Your throne will be established forever.” (2Sam 7:12,16; Ps 89:3-4,34-37).  Matt 1:1-25 traces Jesus’ lineage from David.

The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.  Micah predicted, “You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Mic 5:2).  Jesus was born in Bethlehem. (Matt 2:1-8; Luke 2:1-20).

He would do many miracles of healing. (Isa 35:4-6; 61:1-2; Luke 4:16-21; Matt 4:23-25; 9:35)

His main ministry would be in Galilee, along the Jordan River (Isa 9:1-7; Matt 4:13-18)

He would teach many things, including many parables, but would often be misunderstood by his own people. (Ps 78:1-3; Isa 6:9-10; Matt 13, especially verses 10-16; Luke 8:9-10;).

He would be rejected by many people, even his own people. (Isa 53:1-3; John 1:10-13).

Isaiah 53 predicted many more things about the coming Messiah:  

a). He would grow up without special appeal, even being despised (53:1-3);

b). He would carry our sins when innocently killed like a lamb (53:4-8);

c). He associated with wicked and rich people when he died and was buried (53:9-10);

d). He would become so disfigured in his death that it would astound kings (52:13-15);

e). He would come back to life victorious (53:10-12)

Psalm 22 predicted many things about Jesus’ crucifixion hundreds of years before crucifixion had even been invented, though it was finally perfected by the Romans.

a). God turned away from Jesus when he bore our sins on the cross (Ps 22:1; Matt 27:46)

b). People at the cross mocked him (22:6-8,12-13; Matt 27:37-44)

c). All his bones were pulled out of joint (22:14,17; his arms carrying his body weight)

d). His tongue dried up so he couldn’t speak (22:15; John 19:28-30)

e). His hands and feet were nailed to the cross (22:16; Acts 2:23; John 20:25)

f). People gambled for his clothing (22:18; Matt 27:35; John 19:23-24)

Someone would come before him to prepare for him (Isa 40:1-5; Mal 3:1; 4:5-6; Matt 3:1-6)

 He would be meek and lowly (Isa 42:1-4; Matt 11:29-30)

He is actually called the Son of God (Ps 2:1-7; Heb 1:1-5; 5:5)

He would become our high priest (Ps 100:1-4; Heb 5:1-6; 7:12-17)

He would reach many Gentiles and Jews (Isa 49:6; Matt 28:18-20; Luke 2:32; Acts 1:6-8; 13:44-49; 15:7-18)

He will be born of a virgin (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:18-25)

He will die before the destruction of Jerusalem (Dan 9:26; Matt 24:1-3)    

He will be a wise, righteous king God sends following David (Jer 23:5-6; John 14:1-11)

He will enter Jerusalem riding a donkey, and be welcomed as King (Zech 9:9; Matt 21:1-11)

He will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver  (Zech 11:12-13; Matt 26:14-16; 27:3-10)

After Adam and Eve sinned, God put a curse on everything.  He told Satan, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heal.” (Gen 3:15).  Satan bit Jesus very hard on the cross, but in rising from death three days later Jesus actually crushed Satan’s head.

But the only one that is not past tense is our word tetelestai. This word is in the perfect tense. The perfect tense means that the action has been brought to completion, and the effects are felt in the present. So we don’t just translate it as “It is finished,” we translate it as “it has been finished and is completed,” and those effects are still being felt today. So what does this mean for us today?

In the Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, Brown (1999) says, “What is finished? The Law is fulfilled as never before, nor since, in His “obedience unto death, even death of the cross”; Messianic prophecy is accomplished; Redemption is completed”. There is nothing left unfinished. Jesus completed everything for the sake of the world. He paid a debt that we could have never paid back and expects no payment from us. He made a sacrifice that will continue to last until the end of the world. His actions on the cross will cover sins far into the future and continue for eternity.

Another commentary, Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible (2003), says, “It is finished; all the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, which pointed at the sufferings of the Messiah, were accomplished. It is finished; the ceremonial law is abolished; the substance is now come, and all the shadows are done away. It is finished; an end is made of transgression by bringing in an everlasting righteousness. His sufferings were now finished, both those of his soul and those of his body. It is finished; the work of man’s redemption and salvation is now completed.” So what does all of this mean, or why does it even matter? 

Jesus gave up his life so that we are able to be righteous in the eyes of the Father. In Romans 8, starting in verse 1, Paul states, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,  because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” 

And 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus came to be our sacrifice once and for all so that we might be able to dwell with him for eternity. Past, present, and future.

That means that we no longer have to make sacrifices, AND we don't have to worry about being far from God. We are chosen and loved no matter what. Jesus finished it. These effects are going to be felt forever; it is a never-ending action. Jesus paid it all -  for you, for me, forever.

Brown, D., Fausset, A. R., & Jamieson, R. (1999). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible. Zondervan. Henry, M., & Scott, T. (2003). Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible. Thomas Nelson. 

Written by guest contributor: Dr. James Girdwood