On prophecy and salvation
Or, how I learned to stop worrying and trust that God is sovereign over all things, that His mercy knows no bounds and that His grace goes before me.
I was thinking about the myriad prophecies of Christ in the Old Testament and how, over time, as ordained by The Lord, they have been fulfilled.
There are so many references to Jesus throughout the Old Testament (it IS after all “Jesus foretold”). Jesus IS the meta-narrative in the Bible and He shows up foreshadowed, referenced, typed etc in people and events across the OT directly or indirectly pointing to, describing or referencing the work He will complete. Some scholars have discovered as many as 456 verses in verse Old Testament scriptures pointing to or referencing the coming Messiah. Conservatively, He fulfilled at least 300 prophecies in His earthly ministry.
Here are just some of the examples in the Old Testament that point to Jesus Christ:
- Genesis 3:15: This prophecy, known as the “Protoevangelium,” or first gospel, predicts that the offspring of the woman (Eve) will one day crush the head of the serpent (Satan). This is seen as a foretelling of Jesus’ victory over sin and death through his death and resurrection.
- Isaiah 7:14: This prophecy predicts that a virgin will give birth to a son, who will be called “Immanuel,” which means “God with us.” Christians believe that this prophecy was fulfilled when Mary, a virgin, gave birth to Jesus.
- Isaiah 53: This chapter of Isaiah is often referred to as the “Suffering Servant” chapter and is seen as predicting the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross. It describes a figure who was “wounded for our transgressions” and “bruised for our iniquities,” and who would “bear the sin of many.”
- Micah 5:2: This prophecy predicts that the Messiah will be born in the town of Bethlehem. This prediction was fulfilled when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, as recorded in the Gospels.
- Psalm 22: This psalm describes the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross in great detail, including his being forsaken by God, his hands and feet being pierced, and his garments being divided among his tormentors.
These are just a few examples of the many Old Testament prophecies that are believed to point to Jesus Christ. A good list can be found here at GotQuestions.
So, this Christmas season rest easy, know the Peace of a God who is sovereign over all things, who by His mercy and Grace saved you for His good pleasure and glory, from an eternity in Hell.
Read the story of the Christ child, read the plan of the age from Genesis to Revelation and know this, God has ordered all things for His glory and the timeless plan of our salvation is being played out even now, even this Christmas.
Rejoice that unto us a Saviour was born, through whom we have redemption and a promise of glory despite our many sins.
Rejoice, for Christ The King is born.
