40 prophecies that show that Jesus is the Messiah

This article is contributed by Ray Konig, the author of Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Prophet, Jesus the Miracle Worker, and 100 Fulfilled Bible Prophecies.

By Ray Konig
Published: February 4, 2025
Revised: February 5, 2025

How many prophecies are there in the Old Testament of the Bible about the Messiah?

A common answer is more than 300. Throughout the ages, scholars have offered differing answers, often ranging from about 100 to 500, depending on how they define a Messianic prophecy.

On the low end, J. Barton Payne in his Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy, lists 113 Old Testament prophecies that have what he calls a "personal reference to Christ."

On the high end, Alfred Edersheim in his The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, concludes that there at least 456 passages in the Old Testament that Jewish rabbis throughout the ages have interpreted as being about the Messiah.

Scholars have different ways of defining, counting and classifying Messianic prophecies -- prophecies that Christians believe are fulfilled by Jesus.

Below is a partial list of Messianic prophecies, with a summary of how they work as Messianic prophecies, and how they are fulfilled by Jesus:

1. Genesis 3:15 - the Messiah would resolve the problem of sin and reconcile a sinful people with a perfect God

   Genesis 3:15 offers a prophetic preview, which is later clarified throughout the Bible, of the Messiah conquering the problem of sin, which separates people from God. Jesus fulfills this prophecy by serving as the perfect sacrifice, paying the price of the sin for everyone, and offering believers eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven (John 3:16). The key points of Genesis 3:15, of which there are at least six, are revisited and further explained in Isaiah 52:13-53:12, as explained in my book, Jesus the Messiah. Related offsite article: The Messiah will reconcile mankind with God.

2. Genesis 3:15 - the Messiah would be a human being, born of a woman

   The Messiah would be one of us, a human being, rather than a spirit, or angel, or some other type of being. This is indicated when the verse speaks of Eve’s seed or offspring, depending on the English translation. Jesus is fully human and fully God, born of a woman and conceived by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 1:26-38). Jesus literally fulfills this prophecy by being the seed of a woman, as well as the fulfillment of the promise that God is making in Genesis 3:15. These key points are revisited in Isaiah 7:13-14, which predicted the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus. Related offsite article: Isaiah predicted the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus.

3. Genesis 3:15 - the Messiah would be fatally injured while reconciling people with God

   In Genesis 3:15, the you and your refer to the serpent who tempted Adam and Eve to commit the first-ever sin. The he, or it in some translations, allows for the understanding that it is speaking of a singular descendant of Eve. The rest of Bible clarifies that the serpent is Satan (1 Chronicles 21:1), who is the entity that tempts people to sin, and that the he is the savior who is anointed to resolve the problem of sin, which causes a separation between people and God (Isaiah 59:2). The conflict between the Messiah and the serpent (Satan) involves sin, and the cost of sin is death, as is first established in Genesis 2:17. Therefore, the injuries are fatal. Genesis 3:15 is a prophetic preview that the Messiah would resolve the problem of sin, by suffering and dying, as fulfilled by Jesus during the crucifixion (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19). This is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

4. Genesis 17:18-19 - the miraculous birth of Isaac sets a prophetic precedent for the miraculous birth of Jesus

   Isaac was the first and only child born of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. His birth represents a miracle, a fulfillment of a promise that God had made, even though Sarah was already about 90-years old. This sets a prophetic precedent for the birth of Jesus, in that both births involved a miracle. Jesus’ birth is described in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-38. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig, and with this offsite article: Sarah would give birth to Isaac, who would inherit the everlasting covenant

5. Genesis 22:1-18 - the near-sacrifice of Isaac foreshadows the sacrifice of Jesus

   God tests the faith of Abraham in an extreme way, telling him to offer his son as a sacrifice to God, which would mean killing Isaac. After Abraham proves that he is truly obedient to God, God spares Isaac’s life and names Abraham as a forefather to the Messiah. This foreshadows God later allowing his own son, Jesus the Messiah, to be sacrificed as the once-and-for-all atonement for sin (John 3:16). This is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: God's test of Abraham foreshadowed the sacrifice of Jesus

6. Genesis 22:1-18 - God would provide the lamb for sacrifice

   During the near-sacrifice of Isaac, Abraham prophetically says that God himself would provide the lamb for sacrifice (Genesis 22:8). Abraham might have had in mind that God had provided Isaac, through a miracle, but later in the Bible, God reveals that the lamb is Jesus. At the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, John the Baptist announces that Jesus is the Messiah, that he is the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29-34). This is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

7. Genesis 22:18 - Abraham would be the forefather to a worldwide blessing (the Messiah)

   After Abraham passes an extreme test of faith, in which he was asked to sacrifice his own son, God spares the life of his son and reveals that Abraham would be a forefather to the Messiah. The Messiah, as we learn later in the Bible, is the son of God, whom God allows to be sacrificed for the atonement of sin, as part of his plan of salvation. The prophecy in Genesis 22:18 reveals that Abraham would have many descendants, culminating with a worldwide blessing. This detail about having a worldwide spiritual impact is uniquely, and repeatedly, associated with the promised Messiah in other Old Testament prophecies. That is how we know that this prophecy is about the Messiah, that Abraham, because he was willing to sacrifice his own son, would be a forefather to the Messiah, whom God would allow to be sacrificed. Jesus fulfills this prophecy as a human descendant of Abraham and as the divine Son of God, and by having a worldwide spiritual impact, through the spread of Christianity. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

8. Genesis 26:1-5 - Isaac would be the forefather to a worldwide blessing (the Messiah)

   In Genesis 26:1-5, God prophetically informs Isaac that he would be the son of Abraham who inherits the long-term promises that previously had been made to Abraham, including being a forefather to the promised Messiah. Isaac lived about 4,000 years ago. He was Abraham’s second son, but was the first and only child born to Sarah, who was Abraham’s wife. Jesus is later recorded as being his descendant (Matthew 1:2, Luke 3:34). This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

9. Genesis 28:10-15 - Jacob would be the forefather to a worldwide blessing (the Messiah).

   Jacob, like his father Isaac, was a second-born son. But, like his father, he would be chosen by God to be a forefather to a worldwide blessing (the Messiah). Jacob’s name is later changed to Israel and he becomes the father of the 12 Tribes of Israel. As such, with him inheriting this prophetic promise, it becomes clear that the Messiah would be an Israelite. Jesus is listed as a descendant of Jacob (Matthew 1:2, Luke 3:34). This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: Jacob, son of Isaac, inherits the promises (including the Messiah) that God gave to Abraham

10. Genesis 49:10 - the Messiah would be a descendant of Judah

    As Jacob nears the end of his life, he gives a prophecy that his fourth-born son, Judah, would be a forefather to the promised Messiah. This prophecy clarifies the earlier seed prophecies involving Eve, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as being about the Messiah, in Genesis 3:15, Genesis 22:18, Genesis 26:1-5, and Genesis 28:10-15. Each of these prophecies use the Hebrew word zera, within the underlying Hebrew text, which can be translated as seed or offspring. It is a word that often appears in Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. Jesus is a descendant of Judah (Matthew 1:3, Luke 3:33). With Genesis 49:10, it is revealed that the Messiah would be a Jew, as in a member of the Israelite Tribe of Judah. Judah is the son of Jacob, the grandson of Isaac, the great-grandson of Abraham, and a descendant of Eve. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: The Messiah would come from the Tribe of Judah

11. Genesis 49:10 - the Messiah would arrive after a succession of leaders from the Tribe of Judah

    This is a timing prophecy, indicating that the Messiah would appear as the culmination of a succession of rulers from the Tribe of Judah. Many scholars point to events during the time of Jesus as being the time in which the succession of rulers had been completely disrupted. King Herod the Great, a foreigner, was permitted by the Romans to rule over the people of Israel as king. He was the first foreign king to be enthroned in Jerusalem to rule over the Jews in Israel. Also during the time of Jesus, the Romans revoked important autonomy from the leaders of Judaism. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: The Messiah would come from the Tribe of Judah

12. Deuteronomy 18:15-18 - God promised another prophet like Moses

    Moses, who lived about 3,400 years ago, is credited with writing the first five books of the Old Testament. He was a prophet who delivered his people, served as an intermediary between people and God, and performed miracles. No other Old Testament prophet combined all of these roles. In Deuteronomy 18:15-18, Moses gives a prophecy that God would raise up someone like him. His prophecy is fulfilled by Jesus, as explained in the New Testament. Jesus also is a prophet, a deliverer, an intermediary, and a miracle worker. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: God promised another prophet like Moses

13. 2 Samuel 7:11-16 - the Messiah would be a descendant of King David

    In 2 Samuel 7:11-16, the prophet Nathan informs King David (about 3,000 years ago) that his descendants, and not anyone else’s, would inherit his throne. This prophecy reveals that a descendant of David, as in a son born to the House of David, would inherit an eternal throne. The prophecy finds initial and partial fulfillment with Solomon. The ultimate fulfillment is Jesus, who was punished and put to death for the sins of others, and who will reign eternally in God’s eternal kingdom. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

14. Psalm 2:1-3 - foretold of a united opposition to the Messiah

    Many of the psalms in the Old Testament have been acknowledged as being Messianic since ancient times. Psalm 2 speaks of rulers plotting against God and his anointed one, the Messiah. This finds a fulfillment when Pontius Pilate, a governor representing the Roman Empire, and Herod Antipas, an Idumean whom the Romans permitted to rule over parts of Israel, cooperated in sentencing Jesus to death by execution (Acts 4:25-28). Antipas was a son of the late King Herod the Great. Related offsite article: Psalm 2 prophecy that foreshadowed Gentile opposition to Jesus.

15. Psalm 2:7 - refers to the Messiah being the son of God

    This prophecy speaks of a father-son relationship between God and his anointed king, the Messiah. We know that Psalm 2 is about the Messiah because it speaks of a worldwide dominion in verse 8, and that is a task or attribute that is uniquely and repeatedly assigned to the Messiah in other Old Testament prophecies. Remarkably, many scholars and commentators overlook this remarkably important detail. Psalm 2:7 is fulfilled in an ultimate and literal way by Jesus being the son of God. Paul the Evangelist applies this verse to Jesus in Hebrews 1:5. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

16. Psalm 2:8 - prophetically foresaw that the Messiah would have a worldwide dominion

    Psalm 2:8 predicts that an anointed king, who would have a father-son relationship with God the Father, would also have a worldwide dominion. Jesus will complete the fulfillment of this prophecy when he returns for Judgment Day and fully establishes the Kingdom of God. We know that Psalm 2 is about the Messiah because the Old Testament prophets only speak of worldwide impact and worldwide dominion when speaking of the promised Messiah. Remarkably, countless scholars and commentators have embarrassingly overlooked this remarkably important detail, for many, many centuries, as explained in the book, Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

17. Psalm 22 - David writes poetically of a chosen one who is persecuted

    The subject of this psalm by King David is the Messiah, as indicated by verses 9 and 10, which speak of the subject as being chosen by God even before birth, and by verse 27, which speaks of a worldwide spiritual impact. This psalm depicts the Messiah as being harshly persecuted and it includes predictive details that are consistent with a specific form of execution that became popular with the Romans about 1,000 years after the time of David. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

18. Psalm 22:1 - foresees Jesus’ suffering on the cross

    Jesus recites the first line of Psalm 22 while being crucified by the Romans, after being rejected by many as the Messiah who had been predicted and promised by the prophets of the Old Testament. This psalm describes a public execution of a chosen one of God, who has his hands and feet pierced, as in bored through, while being mocked for his faith in God. This is plainly fulfilled during the crucifixion of Jesus. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

19. Psalm 22:6 - foreshadowed that the Messiah would be scorned and despised

    This verse spoke of God’s chosen one as being scorned and despised by his contemporaries. Jesus faced opposition early and often during his public ministry, culminating with his trial and execution. In describing the crucifixion, Matthew notes that passersby hurled insults at him (Matthew 27:39). This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

20. Psalm 22:7-8 - foretold that a chosen one would be mocked for his faith in God

    Matthew notes in his Gospel that people mocked Jesus for his faith in God while he was dying on the cross (Matthew 27:43).

21. Psalm 22:14 - foreshadows the piercing of Jesus’ side by a Roman soldier during the crucifixion

    This verse speaks of the chosen one’s heart being like wax, his bones being out of joint, and of being poured out like water. The process of crucifixion would often force a dislocation of joints, especially in the arms and shoulders. Jesus was pierced on the side with a sword, during the crucifixion, causing blood and water to pour out from the wound (John 19:34-37).

22. Psalm 22:15 - the Messiah would thirst during this time of persecution

    This verse speaks of God’s chosen one, the Messiah, as being persecuted to the point of severe dehydration, as in being dried up, and as having his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. The writers of the Gospels in the New Testament indicated that Jesus suffered severe dehydration during his crucifixion. Also, various scholars have suggested that severe dehydration would be one of the effects of Roman crucifixion.

23. Psalm 22:16 - foretold that the Messiah’s hands and feet would be pierced

    As part of the crucifixion process, the Romans used nails, which were hammered through the victims, as a way to secure the victims to wooden crosses. Jesus, after his resurrection, showed the wounds to his hands and feet (Luke 24:39) and allowed Thomas the Apostle to examine the wounds, to confirm that Jesus had been crucified. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

24. Psalm 22:18 - persecutors would gamble for items of clothing belonging to the Messiah

    This verse depicts persecutors as dividing up and gambling for items of clothing that had belonged to the Messiah. This too happened to Jesus, about 1,000 years after the writing of this prophetic psalm, when Roman soldiers divided up items of Jesus’ clothing, and then gambled for the last remaining item, after he had been crucified (Matthew 27:35, John 19:23-24).

25. Psalm 22:27 - predicted a worldwide spiritual impact

    After Psalm 22 prophetically foretells details that are consistent with Roman crucifixion, in verses 1-18, it predicts a worldwide spiritual impact, in verse 27. After Jesus had been crucified by the Romans, and after he was resurrected, he instructed his followers to evangelize Christianity to the nations of the world. Christianity later became the first religion to spread to people on all of the world’s continents, achieving an unprecedented worldwide spiritual impact. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

26. Psalm 16:8-11 - King David prophesied about the resurrection of God’s chosen one

    King David wrote this psalm about a chosen one of God about 1,000 years before the time of Jesus. It unmistakably speaks of resurrection, that God's chosen one would be restored to life after being dead in a grave. This is fulfilled by Jesus after his crucifixion and burial (Matthew 27-28, Mark 15-16, Luke 23-24, John 19-20). This prophecy is applied to Jesus by Peter the Apostle (Acts 2:25-32) and Paul the Evangelist (Acts 13:32-36). This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: King David prophesied about resurrection.

27. Psalm 118 - provides a framework for understanding the Messianic mission

    Psalm 118 encapsulates the Messianic mission. The subject of this psalm, perhaps written by King David, is severely punished by God for his sins (Psalm 118:18), as was Jesus while paying for the sins of others. And it speaks of not being left for dead but being able to enter the gates of righteousness (Psalm 118:14-20), just as Jesus’ atoning sacrifice allows believers to have eternal life in the Kingdom of God, also known as heaven.

28. Isaiah 7:13-14 - the Messiah would the subject of a miraculous birth to a virgin

    This prophecy predicts a conception and birth of a son born to the House of David, who would be referred to as “God with us,” in the context of being a sign from God. This prophecy predicted the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus. It uses a key word, alma, within the underlying Hebrew text, that is used in the Old Testament (Genesis 24:43) to describe a virgin who is soon to be married. Mary of Nazareth was soon to be married when she became miraculously pregnant with a son who is referred to as “God with us,” by more than 2 billion Christians throughout the world. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: Isaiah predicted the miraculous virgin birth of Jesus.

29. Isaiah 9:1-2 - foretold that the Messiah would have a public ministry in Galilee

    Isaiah, who lived about 2,700 years ago, predicted that the northern part of Israel would be utterly destroyed by the Assyrians, for turning away from God. In Isaiah 9:1-2, Isaiah looks past the predicted destruction and speaks of a time when the Messiah would have a ministry in Galilee, a region in northern Israel. About 700 years later, Jesus carried out much of his public ministry in Galilee, teaching about the Kingdom of God and performing miracles of healing. Although his ministry included places throughout Israel, he performed about half of his miracles in Galilee. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

30. Isaiah 9:1-2 - foretold that the Messiah would be a light to Gentiles

    Isaiah foretold that the promised Messiah would attract Gentiles (non-Jews), that he would draw them to him in bringing God’s salvation to the ends of the earth (Isaiah 11:9-10, Isaiah 42:1-9, Isaiah 49:1-6). In Isaiah 9:1-2, he foretells that the Messiah would be a light to Gentiles. Christianity, which is based on the death, resurrection, and teachings of Jesus, later became the first religion to spread to Gentiles throughout the world. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: The Messiah would appear in Galilee, be a light to Gentiles.

31. Isaiah 9:6-7 - the Messiah would be human and divine

    The prophets of the Old Testament often spoke of the Messiah as having human qualities or as having divine qualities. The prophecy in Isaiah 9:6-7 is one example in which these two attributes are brought together, by speaking of a “son” who would be referred to as “Mighty God.” Although some English translations of the Old Testament have very different ways of translating these verses from the original Hebrew, the English translations offered by the New International Version (NIV), the World English Bible (WEB), and the King James Version (KJV), and many others, translate it in a way that is consistent with Isaiah 7:13-14 and Jeremiah 23:5-6, both of which also predict a son born to the House of David as having titles of divinity. Jesus, who is fully human and fully God, and is also a descendant of David, is the literal and ultimate fulfillment of the literal and ultimate meaning of this prophecy in Isaiah 9:6-7. This prophecy is further explained in Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: Isaiah predicted a son who would be called God.

32. Isaiah 35:4-6 - foretold the Messiah would heal the blind, the deaf, the mute and the lame

    Isaiah spoke of the Messiah as being able to perfect people, healing them of blindness, deafness, muteness and immobility. This describes life in the Kingdom of God, which Jesus provided glimpses of during his public ministry by performing miracles of healing, both spiritually and physically. By some estimates, his public ministry lasted three-and-a-half years, from late AD 26 to early AD 30, about 2,000 years ago. The four Gospels of the New Testament record 50 different occasions in which Jesus performed miracles, offering the most detailed account for any miracle worker in ancient times. Jesus’ miracles are explained in the book, Jesus the Miracle Worker, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: Miracles of Jesus.

33. Isaiah 40:1-9 - the Messiah would be preceded by a messenger

    This prophecy speaks of preparation work being done before the arrival of the Lord. A common practice in ancient times was to send messengers or forerunners ahead to prepare for a king’s arrival. This is fulfilled in the ministry of John the Baptist, who preached in the wilderness of Judea and announced the arrival of someone greater than him, the Messiah. John was the one who announced that Jesus is the Messiah, as in the lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world, in John 1:29-34. He testified that he witnessed God anointing Jesus. It was then that Jesus began his public ministry, as the Messiah. This prophecy, and a similar one in Malachi 3:1, are further explained in the book, Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: The Messiah would be preceded by a messenger.

34. Isaiah 42:1-9 - God’s servant (the Messiah) would be humble and would achieve a worldwide spiritual impact

    This prophecy predicted that God’s servant, who is the Messiah, would be humble and meek and yet would achieve a worldwide spiritual impact. This type of impact is uniquely associated with the Messiah in Old Testament prophecies, which is how we know that this is a Messianic prophecy, although many, many scholars and commentators have failed to recognize this basic fact. Even so, this prophecy predicts that the Messiah would achieve a worldwide spiritual impact without the use of force but through the power of his presence and spoken word. This is fulfilled by Jesus, who now has more than 2 billion followers throughout the world. Isaiah 42:1-9 is one of four Servant Songs prophecies from Isaiah. The others are in Isaiah 49:1-6, Isaiah 50:4-10, and Isaiah 52:13-53:12. This prophecy is further explained in the book, Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: The Messiah would be a light to Gentiles.

35. Isaiah 49:1-6 - God’s servant (the Messiah) would bring God’s offer of salvation to people throughout the world

    In this prophecy, Isaiah revisits the servant of Isaiah 42:1-9 and reveals that he would be the perfect embodiment of Israel, rescue the faithful among Israel, and rescue the faithful among the Gentiles of the world. In verse 6, it is revealed that he would bring God’s salvation to the ends of the earth. This is literally fulfilled by the worldwide spread of Christianity, which teaches that anyone who believes in Jesus, and that he died for our sins, will be granted eternal life in heaven (John 3:16). Christianity became the first religion to establish a worldwide presence, more than 400 years ago. Today, it remains the only religion with majority membership in at least a handful of countries within each of the earth’s inhabitable continents. There are even churches in Antarctica. The name Jesus, in Hebrew, is Yeshua, which can be translated as Yahweh saves or God is salvation. This prophecy is further explained in the book, Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: God's salvation would reach the ends of the earth.

36. Isaiah 50:4-10 - God’s servant (the Messiah) would willingly submit to the will of God and the abuse of people

    Isaiah again revisits the servant from earlier prophecies, in Isaiah 42:1-9 and Isaiah 49:1-6, and reveals details about his obedience and suffering. This servant, who is the Messiah, would be perfectly in tune with the will, teachings and instruction of God and would willingly suffer the abuse of people, in carrying out God’s plan, which is salvation. Jesus fulfilled the details of this prophecy about 700 years after the time of Isaiah. Jesus willingly cooperated as he was arrested, put on trial, falsely accused, falsely convicted, brutally beaten, and executed by the Romans, through crucifixion. This prophecy is further explained in the book, Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig.

37. Isaiah 52:13-53:12 - God’s servant (the Messiah) would be rejected, would suffer and die for the sins of others, and would be restored to life

    Isaiah 52:13-53:12 is often called Isaiah 53 and the Suffering Servant prophecy. This prophecy foretold that the Messiah would be despised and rejected (Isaiah 53:1-3), would suffer and die for the sins of others (Isaiah 53:4-6), and would see the results of his atoning death, indicating resurrection (Isaiah 53:10-12). This remarkable prophecy is fulfilled by Jesus, as explained throughout the New Testament of the Bible. This prophecy has been recognized, since ancient times, as being a prophecy about the Messiah. We see evidence of this in the New Testament, which was written largely by Jews who believed in Jesus. We also see evidence in early writings among Jews who did not believe in Jesus. The Targum Jonathan, for example, which is an Aramaic translation and paraphrasing of parts of the Old Testament, replaces the word servant with the word Messiah in Isaiah 52:13. This prophecy is explained in detail in the book, Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: The Messiah would be despised and rejected.

38. Isaiah 61:1-2a - Isaiah foreshadowed the two phases of the Messianic mission

    The prophecy in Isaiah 61:1-2 speaks of both phases of the Messianic mission. The first part of this prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus’ public ministry, about 2,000 years ago, when he preached about the Kingdom of God. The second part of this prophecy speaks of Judgment Day, when Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead. Jesus read the first part of this prophecy in a synagogue in Nazareth and informed his hometown residents that he was fulfilling that part of the prophecy at that time. The people reacted by violently rejecting Jesus (Luke 4:14-30). Nonetheless, Jesus’ message has since reached people throughout the world, as Christianity is far and away the world’s most widespread religion. This prophecy is further explained in the book, Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: The Messiah would be despised and rejected.

39. Daniel 9:24-27 - pinpoints the time in which the Messiah would appear

    This remarkable prophecy is widely and wildly misunderstood by many scholars and commentators. Even so, a simple, straightforward, plain, literal, and defendable reading of Daniel 9:24-27 yields that it foretold that the Messiah would appear 483 years after a commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. That commandment came from Artaxerxes I (Longimanus), a king who ruled the Persian Empire, which included Israel. He gave two decrees to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, which was still in ruins after having been destroyed by the Babylonians. The first decree was given in about 457 BC. Jesus began his public ministry, as the Messiah, 483 years later, in about the year AD 26. This prophecy is further explained, in detail, in the book, Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite articles: Daniel's Seventy Weeks prophecy: A detailed look at Daniel 9:24-27 and The Messiah would appear 483 years after a call to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.

40. Micah 5:1-4 - the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, as a descendant of King David, and would achieve a worldwide spiritual impact

    In this prophecy, Micah contrasts the powerful city of Jerusalem with the humble town of Bethlehem, and reveals that the promised Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, within the region of Judah, in southern Israel, as a descendant of David. David was ancient Israel’s greatest king. He also was born in Bethlehem, about 3,000 years ago. His promised descendant, Jesus, was born about 2,000 years ago. Just as Israel’s greatest king was found in Bethlehem, so too would the greatest king of all. This prophecy is further explained in the book, Jesus the Messiah, by Ray Konig. Related offsite article: Bethlehem - Messiah's birthplace: A detailed look at Micah 5:2.

© 2025 Ray Konig.

Ray Konig is the author of Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the Prophet, Jesus the Miracle Worker, and 100 Fulfilled Bible Prophecies.