As Christians, we believe our Savior's name is the Lord Jesus Christ. Its important to understand that "Christ" is not Jesus' last name, but rather a title. The word "Christ" comes from the Greek word "Christos" which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for Messiah. When we say, "Jesus Christ" we are literally saying, "Jesus the Christ" or "Jesus the Messiah." But are these claims valid? Can we be sure that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah?
Through what we call Messianic Prophecies, God provided a sure and certain way to recognize His Messiah when He came. These are events written in the Bible, hundreds and even thousands of years before they would take place in time. Only God could reveal such amazing detail millennia in advance of the events.
God had declared that His Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham (Gen. 22:18), from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10), and a son of David (Jer. 23:5,6; 1 Chron. 17:10b-14). God had also said that the Messiah would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14), in the surroundings of poverty (Isa. 11:1-2), in Bethlehem, the city of David (Micah 5:2). He would be proceeded by a herald (Isa. 40:3-5, Mal. 3:1), be seen riding on a donkey (Zech 9:9, 10) and would be present 483 years after the decree was made to rebuild Jerusalem, after the Babylonian captivity (Dan. 9:24-27). He would be a king (Gen 49:10; Isa. 9:6,7), a priest (Psalm 110:1-7) and a prophet (Deut. 18:15-19; Isa. 61:1, 2).
But there's more. He would be legally tried and condemned to death and would suffer and die (Isa. 50;4-9; 52:13-53:12, Psalm 22), by means of piercing his hands and feet (Zech. 12:10; 13:7; Psalm 22), His death would be substitutionary (in the place of others), He would be buried in a rich man's tomb and He would be resurrected from the dead (Isa. 52:13-53:12; Psalm 16:1-11; Psalm 22).
All in all, around 330 prophecies such as these were fulfilled by Jesus in His first coming, and many more will be fulfilled when He comes back to earth to reign as King. He will be ruler of the Gentile nations (Psalm 2:7-12), and He will rule over Israel in the Messianic Kingdom (Psalm 110:1-7).
More than 30 prophecies were fulfilled in just one day - the day Jesus Christ died!
Ps. 41:9 - Mark 14:10 Betrayed by a friend
Zech 11:12 - Matt 26:15 Price: 30 pieces of silver
Zech 11:12 - Matt 27:3-7 Money used to buy a field
Zech 13:7 - Mark 14:50 Shepherd killed, Sheep flee
Isa 50:6 - Matt. 27:26-30 Spat on and mocked
Ps 69:19 - Matt 27:28-31 Shame and dishonor
Ps 35:11 - Mark 14:56 False witnesses
Ps 22:18 - Jn 19:24 Gambled for His clothes
Isa 53:7 - Matt 27:13, 14 He opened not His mouth
Ps 109:24 - Matt 27:32 Too weak to carry cross
Ps 69:3 - Jn 19:28 Jesus thirsty
Ps 69:21 - Jn 19:29 Given vinegar to drink
Ps 22:17 - Matt 27:36 They stare at Jesus on the cross
Ps 22:16 - Matt 27:35 They crucify Him
Ps 22:14 - Jn 19:34 Water flows out of wound
Ps 38:11 - Luke 23:49 Friends stand afar off
Ps 109:25 - Matt 27:39, 40 People wagged mocking heads
Ps 22:8 - Matt 27:43 Challenge for God to save Him
Isa 53:7 - Jn 1:29 Jesus the Lamb of God
Isa 53:12 - Luke 23:34 Jesus prays for His killers
Ps 22:1 - Matt 27:46 He cries out to God
Isa 52:14 - John 19:5, 14 A broken man, yet King
Isa 53:4, 5 - Matt 8:17; 1 Pet 2:24 He bears our sins and sicknesses
Ps 22:31 - Luke 23:4 Jesus declared faultless
Ps 31:5 - Luke 23:46 He gives up His spirit
Exo 12:46 - Jn 19:36 His bones not broken
Isa 53:12 - Luke 23:33 Numbered with the transgressors
Daniel 9:26 - Jn 11:50-52 Jesus died not for Himself
Gen 3:15 - Jn 19:18 Satan bruises Jesus' heel on cross
Isa 53:9 - Matt 27:57-60 Laid in a rich man's tomb
Amos 8:9 - Matt 27:45 Darkness at crucifixion
The evidence is overwhelming - Jesus is the long awaited Messiah of Israel and the Savior of the world. The vital question then is this: How do you stand in relationship to Him? Is Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior? If not, the time to make Him so is now.
