Who was the Messiah and his attributes according to the Old Testament prophecies, and what did he come to do?
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"Messiah" is the Hebrew word that means "anointed one." "Messiah" in Greek is "Cristos," In the English it's "Christ." And in the Arabic it's "Masih."
The purpose for this article is not to determine who the Messiah was in name, for the Koran and the New Testament of the Bible already agree on this point - that Jesus, the son of Mary, was the Messiah, the anointed one. Rather, the purpose for this article is to determine who the Messiah was in definition, in make-up - if he was God in the flesh (as the Injil claims), or just another prophet (as the Koran claims).
We will explore what the prophets of the Old Testament of the Bible said of the Messiah - of his character, his attributes, and his make-up. We will see how the Messiah was defined prophetically. Now if Jesus Christ didn't fulfill the Messianic prophecies of the Old Testament, then he could not have been the Messiah. Since the Koran and Injil already admit that Jesus was the Messiah, the next step is to apply to Jesus what the messianic prophecies said about him and stick with them, or else one would have to forfeit the claim that Jesus was the Messiah - in consequence, ignoring the Koran and the Injil.
If you are truly seeking God's truth, go over the following passages of Scripture prayerfully, with a heart after God.
If you review the following with sincerity, I guarantee your life will be changed.
1 Chron. 17:11-13 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. [12] He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. [13] I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee. (Matt. 1:1; 9:27; Lu. 1:32,33; Heb. 1:5).
*[Jesus claims that God is His Father, as you will see below].
Psalm 2:7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. (Matt. 3:17).
Psalm 2:12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (John 30:21).
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. (Lu. 1:31,32; 4:22; Mt. 13:54; 11:20; John 8:58; 17:5; 16:33; 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Rom. 1:3,4).
*[The Prince is the Messiah according to Dan 19:25; Acts 5:31].
What does the New Testament say:
Hebrews 1:5-8
For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? [6] And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. [7] And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. [8] But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.
Matthew 3:17
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Luke 1:31-33
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. [32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: [33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
What does Jesus say:
John 3:15-18
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
[18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 8:58
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 17:5
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
Matthew 7:21
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 10:32-33
Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. [33] But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 11:25
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
John 10:30
I and my Father are one.
2 -God is coming - He will be the Messiah
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Lu. 1:35; Mt. 1:18-23).
*[Immanuel means 'God with us'].
Isaiah 35:4-10
Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. [5] Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. [6] Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. [7] And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. [8] And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. (Mt. 1:21; 11:4-6).
*[Jesus, the Messiah, when He came, opened the eyes of the blind, opened the ears of the deaf, healed the lame, and saved mankind, just as this prophecy says that God will do when He comes].
Job 19:25
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter dayupon the earth:
*[The redeemer lived back then, but he will live at the latter day on the earth - you can use your own logic for that one. Jesus claimed to live before Abraham as you will see below].
Isaiah 40:3
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Jn. 1:23).
*[Jesus says that this verse is fulfilled by John and Jesus. See below].
Isaiah 40:9-11
O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! [10] Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. [11] He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young. (Jn. 1:36; 19:14; 10:10-18).
*[Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepard as seen below].
Isaiah 50:2,6
Wherefore, when I came, was there no man? when I called, was there none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because there is no water, and dieth for thirst. [6] I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. (Mt. 27:26).
*[God is the One speaking in this passage].
Isaiah 52:10
The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
Jeremiah 23:5-6
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. [6] In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Lu. 3:23-31; Jn. 13:13; 1Tim. 3:16).
Micah 5:2
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Mt. 2:1-2; Jn. 15:10; Jn. 8:58).
Zech. 9:9-11
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. [10] And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from river even to the ends of the earth. [11] As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. (Mt. 21:8-10; Jn. 12:12-13; 5:30; Lu. 19:10; Mt. 21:6-9; 11:29).
*[Jesus fulfilled this prophecy by riding into Jerusalem on a colt. See below].
Zech. 12:10
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Jn. 19:34-37; 10:30; 1:11).
*[God is the one speaking here].
Malachi 3:1
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. (Mt. 11:10; Mk. 11:15-16; Lu. 4:43).
Isaiah 25:8-9
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.
[9] And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. (1Cor. 15:54).
Psalm 45:6-11
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. [7] Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. [8] All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. [9] Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. [10] Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; [11] So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. (Heb. 1:8,9; Mt. 3:16; Lu. 2:11).
*[The king is the Lord, and He is worshiped. Jesus is called the king. See below].
What does the New Testament say:
Matthew 1:23
Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
What does Jesus say:
Matthew 11:10
For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Mark 1:2-3
As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. [3] The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Luke 4:18
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
John 10:11
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
John 10:14
I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
John 8:58
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
John 17:5
And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
3 - We are saved because of the Messiah
Genesis 22:8
And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. (Jn. 1:29).
Genesis 22:14
And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen. [Jehovah-jireh means 'the Lord WILL provide]. (Jn. 1:29; Gen. 22:8).
*[God will provide the ultimate sacrifice for Himself, because man cannot do it on his own].
Isaiah 59:15-16
Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the Lord saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
[16] And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him. (Jn. 6:40; Mt. 10:32).
*[Again, man could not ultimately intercede for himself. Therefore God's own arm had to bring righteousness. Jesus is God's right arm figuratively as you will see below].
Isaiah 53:1-12
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? [2] For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. [3] He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
[4] Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. [6] All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. [7] He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. [8] He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. [9] And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
[10] Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. [11] He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. [12] Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Jn. 12:37-38; Lu. 2:7; Phil. 2:7-8; Lu. 4:28-29; Mt. 27:21-23; Lu. 19:41-42; Mk. 14:50-52; Lu. 6:17-19; 1Peter 2:24; Mt. 27:41-43; Lu. 23:33; Col. 1:20; Mt. 27:26; Gal. 1:4; 1Jn. 4:10; Mt. 27:27-31; Mt. 27:12-14; Jn. 1:29; Mt. 26:47-27:31; Jn. 18:13-22; Mt. 27:35; 1Jn. 2:2; Mt. 27:57; Mk. 15:3; Jn. 18:38; Jn. 18:11; Mt. 20:28; Mk. 16:16; Jn. 17:1-5; 12:27; Rom. 5:18-19; 8-9; Heb. 9:28; Mt. 28:18; Lu. 23:46, 32; 2Cor. 5:21; Lu. 23:34).
*[The man talked about in this passage will bear our iniquities for us. He will be a sacrifice, an offering for our sin. And because of this, we will be justified. This man will be our Saviour. However only God is the Saviour as you see in the next verse. God came to earth to be our Saviour and Redeemer, because, as you saw above, only He can provide the sacrifice].
Isaiah 43:11
I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. (Act. 4:12; 5:31; 13:23; Lu. 2:11; Jn. 4:42).
*[Yet Jesus is called the Saviour, as you will see below].
Isaiah 59:20
And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord. (Lu. 2:38).
Isaiah 63:8-9
For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour. [9] In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
Isaiah 49:6
And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth. (Lu. 2:29-32; Acts. 13:47; 15:7-8).
*[God said in the verse above that only He will be the Saviour].
Zech. 3:8-9
Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. [9] For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the Lord of hosts, andI will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. (Jn. 17:4).
*[The iniquity will be removed by the sacrifice, the stone, the Branch. Jesus is the stone as you will see below. Eph. 2:20; Psalms 118:22 ].
Psalm 118:22
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. (Mt. 21:42,43).
Zech. 9:9-11
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass. [10] And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from river even to the ends of the earth. [11] As for thee also, by the blood of thy covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water. (Mt. 21:8-10; Jn. 12:12-13; 5:30; Lu. 19:10; Mt. 11:29; 21:6-9).
*[The King will come riding on a colt bringing salvation. Only God is the King and only God brings salvation].
Malachi 4:2
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.
Hosea 13:14
I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
*[God is saying that He will redeem them. That is exactly what Jesus said he came to do].
Joel 2:32
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Rom. 10:13).
What does the New Testament say:
Luke 2:11
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
*[Who is born: the only God - Saviour - who is Christ (Messiah in the Hebrew) the Lord (Isaiah 9:6)].
John 4:42
And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
*[They are talking about Jesus saying that He is the Christ (Messiah), the only Saviour (God) of the world].
Acts 5:31
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
*[Because of Jesus, the Messiah, the Saviour, there will be forgiveness of sins because of the sacrifice that God Himself promised].
Acts 13:23
Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:
*[Jesus was the promised Saviour promised to the prophets of old].
Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Ephes. 2:20
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.
What did Jesus say?
John 3:15-18
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
[18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
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