Is Jesus truly the Messiah?
It’s amazing how many people are eager to predict your life. While still a young teenager I received two predictions, one from my hairdresser, the other from my English high school teacher. Neither of them were very flattering!
My hairdresser foresaw that my hair would start to retreat in my thirties, and would disappear completely by the age of fifty.
I was quite encouraged by this prophecy.
My high school English teacher foresaw that I would never be able to speak English. There was simply no hope for me.
Again, another very encouraging prediction!
Were they accurate prophecies?
Their veracity would be either proven or disproven in the years to come.
I am happy to say that though my hair is thinning slightly, it is still clinging to all parts of my head, without the help of scotch tape or invisible glue, and I am now over fifty years old. As for my English, well, you can be the judge of that!
No wonder skepticism reigns in our society! Doubt is on the rise with such false prophesies, but imagine how it would have mushroomed if such predictions had been given centuries ago … “There will be a man in the 21st century, Rob Chaffart will be His name. He will be bald by age 50, and he will NEVER be able to speak English!”
At the same time however, if something were to be predicted to the minutest detail, and its realization matched it perfectly, there should be no doubt of its veracity.
Now we are ready to approach the topic: Is Jesus truly the Messiah?
I am aware that we could spend thousands of pages solely on that topic, for there are literally hundreds of Messianic prophecies in the Bible. For sake of space, we will look at just two today.
It cannot be argued that Jesus was quite different from most of us. One day John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to Jesus with the following question: “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matt 11:3 NIV)
Doubting is quite normal, especially in a world filled with subterfuge. However once the facts are verified, there can be no longer any doubt. It’s either true or false.
“Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 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. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.” (Matt 11:4-6 NIV)
After Jesus’ crucifixion, two of His disciples were on their way to Emmaus. Jesus came up and walked with them. It wasn’t surprising that their topic was about the Messiah: “‘Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”‘
‘What things?’ He asked.
‘About Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied. ‘He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.'” (Luke 24:18-24 NIV)
The testimony of witnesses was not enough for them that Jesus was truly the Messiah. What helped them believe were the messianic prophecies written centuries ago. These prophecies are the beacons that Jesus truly is the Messiah.
“He said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (Luke 24:25-27 NIV)
The Apostle Paul’s weapon of choice to demonstrate that what he said was true always consisted of Scripture, God’s Word, the Bible.
“He reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. ‘This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,’ he said.” (Acts 17:2-3 NIV)
“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11 NIV)
What do these Scriptures testify?
Find out for yourself and compare these with the testimonies found in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. You will be truly amazed!
Here are the two promised major prophecies about the suffering Messiah.
A prophecy from Isaiah from 742-700 B.C.
“He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord ‘s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isa 53:2-12 NIV)
A prophecy from King David who reigned from 1000 to 962 B.C.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, and am not silent.
3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel.
4 In you our fathers put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 They cried to you and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not disappointed.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by men and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads:
8 “He trusts in the Lord ;
let the Lord rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”
9 Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you
even at my mother’s breast.
10 From birth I was cast upon you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
11 Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.
12 Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
13 Roaring lions tearing their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
14 I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted away within me.
15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.
16 Dogs have surrounded me;
a band of evil men has encircled me,
they have pierced my hands and my feet.
17 I can count all my bones;
people stare and gloat over me.
18 They divide my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing.
19 But you, O Lord , be not far off;
O my Strength, come quickly to help me.
20 Deliver my life from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
22 I will declare your name to my brothers;
in the congregation I will praise you.
23 You who fear the Lord , praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
24 For he has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.
25 From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows.
26 The poor will eat and be satisfied;
they who seek the Lord will praise him –
may your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the Lord ,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
28 for dominion belongs to the Lord
and he rules over the nations.
29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him –
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness
to a people yet unborn –
for he has done it. (Ps 22:1-31 NIV)
How can we explain such prophecies? Explanation would only be speculation, unless we compare it with Jesus’ suffering on the cross. Check it out. Don’t be shy. It’s all written in the gospels. See for yourselves. These prophecies, as well as all the others, can only make sense if we look at what Jesus did for us on the cross. (For more of such prophecies and their fulfillment, check http://so4j.com/prophecies-of-jesus-death-resurrection-fulfilled.php )
Jesus died for our sins so that we could live for eternity. He reconciled us with our Maker, setting us on the path to meet eternity with reassurance. He died just for you and His resurrection is His guarantee to you for eternity. Find out who that Messiah truly is.
Beware of false prophets who preach a different message. They are the ones who will leave you bald, as well as confused about what language you speak!
Rob Chaffart