prophecies

100 Fulfilled Prophecies Showing Jesus Is the Messiah

3 August 2021

6.5 MINS

Christians believe that Jesus is the Christ or Messiah — the ‘Anointed One’ who was promised long ago in the prophecies of the Old Testament.

This may be an idea you are familiar with. Perhaps you can even name some of those prophecies, like the ones we hear each year at Christmas time. But are you aware of just how many predictions Jesus fulfilled when he walked the dusty roads of ancient Israel?

Conservative counts say that Jesus fulfilled over 300 specific predictions during his earthly life, death and resurrection. Below are featured 100 of these — including when they happened, and where in the Bible they were predicted and fulfilled.

Of course, some of these predictions are ‘spiritual’ in nature, for example that Jesus would be ‘God-with-us’. Granted: prophecies like these must be accepted (or rejected) as a matter of faith. But the majority of the predictions below are about measurable realities in Jesus’ life — like the fact that he was born into a poor family; in the town of Bethlehem; to a particular tribe of Israel; and so on. They are historically verifiable.

Mathematics professor Peter Stoner once gave 600 of his students a maths challenge: to work out the probability that a single person could fulfil just eight of the Messianic prophecies by chance. So what are the odds? Stoner’s students discovered that it would be unthinkably impossible: 10^21, or one chance in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.

We have no way of comprehending the sheer size of this number, so Stoner illustrates it with the following example:

First, blanket the entire Earth land mass with silver dollars 120 feet high. Second, specially mark one of those dollars and randomly bury it. Third, ask a person to travel the Earth and select the marked dollar, while blindfolded, from the trillions of other dollars.¹

This is on par with what Jesus achieved in fulfilling just eight of the prophecies below!

In trying to explain just how blessed we are to live in the aftermath of Jesus’ incredible life, the apostle Peter tells us that these are “things which angels desire to look into”. The prophecies about the coming Messiah remained a mystery for the Jews for centuries. Consider, for example, what the writer of Proverbs 30:4 asked:

Who has ascended into heaven, or descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has bound the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is His Son’s name, If you know?

We know His Son’s name! It is Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus the Christ, Jesus the Son of God. He alone fulfilled this breathtaking list of Messianic prophecies:

Predicted in Genesis 3:15 (c. 1425 BC)
#1 | He would be a descendant of Eve; a human being
#2 | His descent would be reckoned from woman not man
#3 | He would defeat Satan
Fulfilled: Luke 1:31; Luke 3:23-38; Hebrews 2:14

Predicted in Genesis 22:18 (c.1425 BC)
#4 | He would be a descendant of Abraham
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:1-17

Predicted in Genesis 49:10 (c.1425 BC)
#5 | He would come from the tribe of Judah
#6 | He would come before the right to rule departed from the tribe of Judah (c.6-7AD)
#7 | He would be a king
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:1-17; Matthew 27:37; John 12:13; Josephus Antiquities 17:13

Predicted in Numbers 24:15-19 (1405 BC)
#8 | His arrival would be accompanied with a star
#9 | He would come from the nation of Israel
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:2, 9; Matthew 1:1-17; Matthew 27:37; John 12:13

Predicted in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 (1405 BC)
#10 | He would be a prophet like Moses
#11 | He would speak the words of God to Israel
Fulfilled: John 6:14; John 12:49

Predicted in 1 Chronicles 17:10b-14 (c. 450 BC)
#12 | He would be a descendant of David
#13 | He would live eternally
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:1-17; Matthew 27:37; John 12:13; John 1:34; John 8:58; John 20:28

Predicted in Psalm 16:1-11 (c. 1000 BC)
#14 | He would have a unique relationship with God
#15 | He would go to the grave
#16 | His body would not undergo corruption, i.e. He would be raised back to life
Fulfilled: Matthew 11:27; John 17:1-26; Luke 23:46; John 19:30; Mark 16:6

Predicted in Psalm 22:1-31 (c. 1000 BC)
#17 | He would be forsaken by God during a time of great suffering
#18 | He would be reproached and despised by Israel
#19 | He would be mocked and told, “Let the LORD deliver Him, because He delights in Him”
#20 | He would be surrounded by enemies
#21 | He would be poured out like water
#22 | His bones would be pulled out of joint
#23 | His heart would rupture
#24 | He would suffer great thirst
#25 | His hands and feet would be pierced
#26 | His bones would be exposed and become visible
#27 | He would be stared at and looked upon by His enemies
#28 | His enemies would divide His clothing and gamble for it
Fulfilled: Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:29-32; Matthew 27:43; Matthew 27:27-44; Matthew 27:45-50; Luke 23:33; John 19:34; John 19:28; Luke 23:33; Matthew 27:26; Luke 23:35; John 19:23-24

Predicted in Psalm 69:6-21 (c. 1000 BC)
#29 | He would be a stranger to His brothers
#30 | He would be zealous for God’s house (the Temple)
#31 | He would be reproached, shamed and dishonoured
#32 | He would be given gall and vinegar to drink
Fulfilled: John 7:5; John 2:13-17; Matthew 27:29-31, 39-44; Matthew 27:30; John 19:29

Predicted in Psalm 80:17 (c. 1000 BC)
#33 | He would be at God’s right hand, i.e. He would be equal with God
#34 | He would be called the Son of Man
Fulfilled: John 5:17-18; Matthew 8:20

Predicted in Psalm 110:1-7 (c. 1000 BC)
#35 | He would be rejected and have undefeated enemies for a time
#36 | He would ascend to God’s right hand, i.e. He would be equal with God
#37 | He would be a priest according to the order of Melchizedek
#38 | His priesthood would endure forever
Fulfilled: Mark 3:22-30; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Mark 16:19; Matthew 27:37; John 12:13; Hebrews 5:9-10; John 8:58; John 20:28

Predicted in Proverbs 30:4 (c. 950 BC)
#39 | He would be the unique Son of God
#40 | He would have a name that was previously unknown
Fulfilled: John 1:34; Matthew 16:20

Predicted in Isaiah 7:14-15 (c. 712 BC)
#41 | He would be born of a virgin
#42 | His name would be Immanuel or ‘God-with-us’
#43 | He would live a poor life
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:18-22; Matthew 1:23; John 8:58; Luke 2:22-24; Matthew 8:20

Predicted in Isaiah 9:1-7 (c. 712 BC)
#44 | He would minister in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee
#45 | He would be a man
#46 | His name would be ‘Mighty God’ and ‘the Father of Eternity’
Fulfilled: Matthew 4:12-16; 1 Timothy 2:5; John 8:58, John 20:28; Matthew 27:37; John 12:13

Predicted in Isaiah 11:1-2 (c. 712 BC)
#47 | He would be a descendant of David
#48 | He would come at a time when the House of David would be in a state of poverty
#49 | He would be fully anointed by the Holy Spirit
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 2:22-24; Matthew 3:16; Acts 2:33

Predicted in Isaiah 40:3-5 (c. 712 BC)
#50 | He would have a forerunner to announce and prepare for His arrival
#51 | He would be called ‘the LORD’
Fulfilled: Matthew 3:1-6; John 8:58; John 20:28

Predicted in Isaiah 42:1-6 (c. 712 BC)
#52 | He would be God’s chosen Servant
#53 | He would be God’s delight
#54 | He would have the Holy Spirit
#55 | He would not preach in the street like other prophets
#56 | He would be tender and gentle in character
#57 | He would be a light to the Gentile nations
Fulfilled: Luke 23:35; John 17:24; Matthew 3:16; Acts 2:33; Matthew 9:35; Matthew 11:28-30; Acts 13:46-48

Predicted in Isaiah 49:1-13 (c. 712 BC)
#58 | He would be God’s chosen Servant
#59 | He would be despised and rejected by Israel
#60 | He would be accepted and worshipped by the Gentile nations
Fulfilled: Luke 23:35; Mark 3:22-30; Acts 13:46-48

Predicted in Isaiah 50:4-9 (c. 712 BC)
#61 | He would be awoken daily by God and discipled by Him
#62 | He would be struck, humiliated and spat on, and have His beard plucked out
#63 | He would obediently submit to these sufferings despite His innocence
Fulfilled: Luke 5:16; Matthew 27:26-31; John 10:18

Predicted in Isaiah 52:13–53:12 (c. 712 BC)
#64 | His appearance would be disfigured beyond that of any other man
#65 | He would have a normal life and nothing unusual would draw people to Him
#66 | He would be despised, rejected, and acquainted with grief
#67 | He would be considered by others to be cursed and rejected by God
#68 | He would be wounded and bruised to atone for the sin of others
#69 | He would be silent before His accusers, not pleading His innocence
#70 | He would be oppressed, judged and lead away
#71 | He would be put to death
#72 | He would be buried with the rich
#73 | He would see His seed and prolong His days, i.e. be raised from the dead
#74 | He would justify many
#75 | He would submit to these things willingly
#76 | He would be numbered among evil men
#77 | He would intercede for sinners
Fulfilled: Matthew 27:26-31; Matthew 13:54-58; John 18:12-19:30; Matthew 27:39-44; Hebrew 2:17; 1 John 2:2; Matthew 27:12; John 18:1-19:16; John 19:17-18; Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 16:6; Acts 13:38-39; John 10:18; Mark 15:27-28; Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25

Predicted in Isaiah 61:1-3 (c. 712 BC)
#78 | He would be anointed with the Holy Spirit
#79 | He would bring good news to the afflicted and proclaim God’s favour
Fulfilled: Matthew 3:16; Acts 2:33; Matthew 11:4-5; Luke 4:16-21

Predicted in Jeremiah 23:5-6 (c. 570 BC)
#80 | He would be a descendant of David
#81 | He would do justice and righteousness in Israel
#82 | He would be called ‘the LORD our righteousness’
Fulfilled: Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 24:19; John 8:58; John 20:28

Predicted in Daniel 9:24-27 (536 BC)
#83 | He would arrive 483 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem would be issued
#84 | He would be legally executed
#85 | His death would be followed by Jerusalem’s destruction and the dispersion of Israel
Fulfilled: Matthew 27:37; John 12:13; Luke 19:41-44; John 19:17-18; Luke 19:41-44

Predicted in Micah 5:2 (710 BC)
#86 | He would go forth from Bethlehem, the city of David
#87 | His goings forth would be from the days of eternity
Fulfilled: Matthew 2:1-6; Luke 2:1-7; John 8:58; John 20:28

Predicted in Zechariah 9:9-10 (487 BC)
#88 | He would be just and having salvation
#89 | He would come in humility, unlike a normal king
#90 | He would come to Jerusalem riding an unbroken donkey
Fulfilled: Acts 4:12; Matthew 27:37; John 12:13; Matthew 11:28-30; Matthew 21:1-11

Predicted in Zechariah 11:1-17 (487 BC)
#91 | He would come to shepherd Israel
#92 | He would be rejected by Israel, except for a believing remnant
#93 | He would be sold for thirty pieces of silver
#94 | His betrayer would throw that silver to a potter in the Temple
Fulfilled: Matthew 23:37; John 10:11; Luke 19:41-42; Romans 11:25; Matthew 26:14-16; Matthew 27:3-10

Predicted in Zechariah 12:10 (487 BC)
#95 | He would be recognised by Israel only much later, after first being rejected
#96 | He would be pierced
#97 | He who is pierced would be God
Fulfilled: Romans 11:25-27; John 19:31-37; John 8:58; John 20:28

Predicted in Zechariah 13:7 (487 BC)
#98 | His suffering would lead to the scattering and dispersion of Israel
Fulfilled: Luke 19:41-44

Predicted in Malachi 3:1 (c. 430 BC)
#99 | He would be preceded by a forerunner
#100 | He would come suddenly to His Temple
Fulfilled: Matthew 3:1-6; Matthew 21:12

___
¹Peter W. Stoner, Science Speaks (Chicago: Moody Press, 1958), pp. 97-110.

[Photo by MART PRODUCTION from Pexels]

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