Can you explain some of the prophecies about Christ?
Question:
The Bible says that Jesus committed mistakes; it's in II Samuel 7:12-17. I'm guessing it was like, in the day that Jesus, when he was 12, went to the place to discuss with the wise men. His parents noticed He was missing when they were going back home already. I think they corrected Him, didn't they? Was it a "mistake" of Jesus? If not, what was it then?
It also says that "He'd be the one who'd build a temple in God's name." What is that temple?
Why does the gospel of Matthew say, "From Egypt I called my Son" if it's referring to Israel? (Ephraim, I am not sure).
Psalms 22:1 is about Jesus because it says the things that He said and the things that happened in it are like the death of Jesus. But Psalms 22:1 says "Why are You so far away from saving me?" How was God far away from saving Jesus? Or was it just something to express how He was feeling forsaken?
I don't believe that Psalms 41 is about Jesus because it says "I said: Mercy, Lord, heal me, because I've sinned against Thee." It's about David, isn't it?
Why doesn't the Old Testament use the term "son" for the Messiah so much as the New Testament does? I've only seen it mentioned in one place, which is in II Samuel 7. Could you point out where in the Old Testament this term is used?
Answer:
"Also the LORD tells you that He will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever" (II Samuel 7:11-16).
Just because a prophecy touches on the Messiah, it doesn't mean that every aspect of the prophecy is about that one person. A part of the problem is the pronouns can cause you to get lost as to who is being talked about. Let me go through this piece by piece.
"Also the LORD tells you [David] that He [the LORD] will make you [David] a house [dynasty]. When your [David's] days are fulfilled and you [David] rest with your [David's] fathers [ancestors], I [the LORD] will set up your [David's] seed [Solomon] after you [David], who [Solomon] will come from your [David] body, and I [the LORD] will establish his [Solomon's] kingdom. He [Solomon] shall build a house for My [the LORD's] name, and I [the LORD] will establish the throne of his [Solomon's] kingdom forever. I [the LORD] will be his [Solomon's] Father, and he [Solomon] shall be My [the LORD's] son. If he [Solomon] commits iniquity, I [the LORD] will chasten him [Solomon] with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. But My [the LORD's] mercy shall not depart from him [Solomon], as I [the LORD] took it from Saul, whom I [the LORD] removed from before you [David]. And your [David's] house [dynasty] and your [David's] kingdom shall be established forever before you [David]. Your [David's] throne shall be established forever" (II Samuel 7:11-16).
God promised David that even after his death, God would watch over David's son, Solomon, as he continued to rule Israel. He would treat Solomon as a father who cares for his own son. That means that God would not only bless Solomon, but He would also discipline Solomon if he ever got out of line. That is the same thing that God did for David, and God said it would not end with David (Hebrews 12:5-14).
By the way, this prophecy was given long before Solomon was born. David had not even met Solomon's mother yet, that doesn't happen until chapter 11. That is why God is assuring David that his own child would be the next one on the throne. You have to remember that Saul was the first king of Israel and David replaced Saul because of Saul's sins. God is telling David that this would not be happening to him and his children.
David is told that Solomon would accomplish what David had greatly desired to do, to build a permanent house, or temple, for God (II Samuel 7:1-7). And this is what Solomon did. Solomon even quotes this prophecy when he completed the task (I Kings 8:19). Take special note of this explanation: "Now He said to me, 'It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he is steadfast to observe My commandments and My judgments, as it is this day'" (I Chronicles 28:6-7).
How is this a prophecy of the Messiah, if it is David and Solomon who are being discussed? God promised David that his throne and kingdom would exist forever, yet David would die -- God mentions it -- and Solomon would die as well. We understand now with hindsight that God foresaw a time when Jesus, the eternal Son of God, would come to earth to be born physically of David's lineage and inherit the throne of David. Jesus would establish a kingdom that would never end. He reigns, not on earth as people supposed, but eternally from heaven. "Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death" (I Corinthians 15:24-26). Thus it is through Jesus that God accomplished the eternal aspects of His promise to David.
The prophecy from Hosea, quoted by Matthew is discussed in "How could "out of Egypt I have called my Son" be about Jesus?"
The prophecy regarding Christ being forsaken by God is discussed in "Did God forsake Jesus on the cross?"
Sometimes God uses the fact that history tends to repeat itself to foretell the future. Psalms 41 as a whole is a song about taking care of the poor. "Blessed is he who considers the poor; the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble" (Psalms 41:1). David illustrates his point by providing a counterexample from his own life when he was gravely ill.
"My enemies speak evil of me: "When will he die, and his name perish?" And if he comes to see me, he speaks lies; his heart gathers iniquity to itself; when he goes out, he tells it. All who hate me whisper together against me; against me they devise my hurt. "An evil disease," they say, "clings to him. And now that he lies down, he will rise up no more." Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (Psalms 41:5-9).
The hypocrisy of David's "friends" stands in stark contrast to people who truly care about their fellow men. You find out who are your true friends when you yourself are in need.
Judas was a man of the same character as David's "friends." He literally repeated history as Jesus pointed out. "I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.' Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He" (John 13:18-19). What Jesus said is that David's psalm was more than just about what miserable friends David had; this psalm also had a hidden prophecy about the Messiah that God planned long ago to fulfill through Judas.
Just because Psalm 41:9 was a prophecy, it doesn't necessarily mean that the entire psalm serves the same purpose. It is not uncommon to find prophecies that have double meaning -- one about the time it is written and a second meaning that comes to past in the future. When you find these double meanings, usually you find that the second, future meaning is more accurately described than the application when it was originally written.
I don't know if I can explain why God chose not to talk about the Messiah in terms of being His Son so much. That it does appear in the Old Testament can be seen in:
- "I will declare the decree: The LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel'" (Psalms 2:7-9).
- "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son" (Hosea 11:1).
- "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this" (Isaiah 9:6-7).
- "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?" (Proverbs 30:4).