When the Fullness of Time Came
by Ken Dart
God the Father sent His Son, the promised Messiah, from heaven to the earth at the exact moment which He had determined was precisely the right time (Galatians 4:4). The divine plan for the rescuing of lost souls was in place “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4), and that plan required Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and exaltation just as it had been spelled out in the Old Testament scriptures (I Corinthians 15:4). All that happened to Jesus during His brief stay on the earth was according to God’s plan. Just before His return to heaven, Jesus reminded His men that He must fulfill all things that had been written about Him in the scriptures (Luke 24:44), which He did, thus accomplishing His mission (John 17:4). Now, ever since His exaltation (Acts 2:33), He has been reigning as both Lord and Christ (the promised Messiah of the Old Testament) (Acts 2:36) just as God’s prophets had written. Fulfilled prophecy validates every claim Jesus made about His identity and His teaching. It is one of the most powerful weapons in our apologetic arsenal, which we can now use to persuade people that He is God’s Anointed One; Jesus is the Christ!
Here is a partial list of fulfilled Old Testament Messianic prophecies:
| Prophesied | Fulfilled | |
|---|---|---|
| Prophecies Pertaining to His Birth and Early Years | ||
| A descendant of woman | Genesis 3:15 | Galatians 4:4 |
| Born of a virgin | Isaiah 7:14 | Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:26-35 |
| Born in Bethlehem | Micah 5:2-5 | Matthew 2:1-6; John 7:42 |
| Of the tribe of Judah | Genesis 49:10 | Matthew 1:1-2; Hebrews 7:14 |
| Of the lineage of David | II Samuel 7:12; Jeremiah 23:5-6 | Matthew 1:1; Luke 1:27 |
| Children would be slaughtered | Jeremiah 31:15 | Matthew 2:17-18 |
| Called out of Egypt | Hosea 11:1 | Matthew 2:13-15, 19-21 |
| Prophecies Pertaining to His Person | ||
| He is Deity | Psalms 45:6-7; Isaiah 9:6 | Matthew 1:23; Hebrews 1:8-9 |
| His eternal nature | Psalms 102:25-27 | Hebrews 1:10-12 |
| The Preexistent Lord | Psalms 110:1 | Matthew 22:41-45; Mark 12:35-37 |
| Prophecies Pertaining to His Position | ||
| The Promised Seed | Genesis 22:18 | Galatians 3:16 |
| The Anointed One | Psalms 45:7; 89:3-4, 20, 36 | Mark 12:35-37; Hebrews 1:9 |
| The Prophet | Deuteronomy 18:15, 18 | John 6:14; 7:40; Acts 3:22 |
| The Pre-eminent Messenger | Psalms 110:1 | Hebrews 1:13, 1-2 |
| The Lamb of God | Isaiah 53:7 | .John 1:29; Acts 8:32-35 |
| The God Who saves | Isaiah 7:14 | Matthew 1:21; Acts 13:23, 29 |
| The Slain Redeemer | Deuteronomy 21:23 | Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7 |
| Our Great High Priest | Psalms 110:4; Zechariah 6:12-13 | Hebrews 4:14; 5:5-6; 7:17-22 |
| The King on David’s throne | I Chronicles 17:11-14; Isaiah 9:7 | Luke 1:32-33 |
| Reigning as King until the end of time | Psalms 110:1; 8:6 | I Corinthians 15:23-27 |
| The first and last | Isaiah 44:6 | Revelation 1:8, 17 |
| The deliverer | Isaiah 59:20 | Romans 11:26-27 |
| The precious/chief cornerstone | Isaiah 28:16 | Ephesians 2:20; I Peter 2:5-6 |
| The foundation | Isaiah 28:16 | I Corinthians 3:11 |
| Prophecies Pertaining to His Mission and Ministry | ||
| Preceded by “Elijah” | Isaiah 40:3-4; Malachi 4:5-6 | Mathew 17:11-13; John 1:19-24 |
| He came to do the Father’s Will | Psalms 40:6-8 | Hebrews 10:5-7 |
| It began in Galilee | Isaiah 9:1-2 | Matthew 4:12-17 |
| A light to the Gentiles | Isaiah 42:6 | Luke 2:27-32 |
| The hope of the Gentiles | Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalms 18:49; 117:1; Isaiah 11:1, 10 | Matthew 12:21; Romans 15:8-12 |
| He preached the Gospel | Isaiah 61:1-2 | Luke 4:17-21 |
| He declared judgment to the Gentiles | Isaiah 42:1-3 | Matthew 12:15-19 |
| He taught in parables | Psalms 78:2 | Matthew 13:35 |
| He miraculously healed people | Isaiah 53:4 | Matthew 8:17 |
| He is our example | Isaiah 53:7 | I Peter 2:21-22 |
| He judges the wicked | Isaiah 11:4 | II Thessalonians 2:8 |
| Prophecies Pertaining to His Death, Burial, Resurrection, and Exaltation | ||
| Betrayed by a close friend | Psalms 41:9 | John 13:18 |
| Betrayed for 30 pieces of silver | Zechariah 11:12 | Matthew 27:3-4 |
| Betrayal money used to buy a potter’s field | Zechariah 11:13 | Matthew 27:7-10 |
| He was silent before His accusers | Isaiah 53:7 | Matthew 27:12-14 |
| Numbered with the transgressors | Isaiah 53:12 | Luke 22:37; 23:32-33 |
| Interceded for the transgressors | Isaiah 53:12 | Luke 23:34 |
| Given vinegar and gall | Psalms 69:21 | Matthew 27:34 |
| They cast lots for His garments | Psalms 22:18 | John 19:23, 24 |
| No bones were broken | Psalms 34:20 | John 19:33, 36 |
| He was pierced | Zechariah 12:10 | John 19:34, 37 |
| His words from the cross | Psalms 22:1; 31:5 | Matthew 27:46. Luke 23:46 |
| His death was “sin bearing” | Isaiah 53:4-5, 12 | I Peter 2:24; I John 3:5 |
| The means for forgiveness & sanctification | Jeremiah 31:33-34 | Hebrews 10:10-18 |
| His grave was among the rich | Isaiah 53:9 | Matthew 27:57-60 |
| His flesh would not see corruption | Psalms 16:10 | Acts 2:27, 29- 35 |
| He would be raised from the dead | Psalms 2:7 | Acts 13:32-37 |
| His exaltation and coronation | Psalms 110:1-2 | Acts 2:33-36 |
| Prophecies Pertaining to the Way People Treated Him | ||
| Entered Jerusalem amidst jubilation riding on a donkey | Zechariah 9:9 | Matthew 21:5; John 12:12-16 |
| Rulers were against Him | Psalms 2:1-2 | Acts 4:25-28 |
| Rejected by His brethren | Psalms 69:8 | John 7:5 |
| The rejected stone | Psalms 118:22-23 | Matthew 21:42; I Peter 2:5-8 |
| His own people refused to believe Him | Isaiah 6:10; 53:1 | John 1:11; 12:36-41 |
| He was hated without cause | Psalms 35:19; 109:3 | John 15:22, 25 |
| Smitten and slandered | Psalms 35:15-16 | Matthew 26:67; 27:27-31 |
| Mocked and sneered at | Psalms 22:7-8 | Matthew 27:39-43 |
| Deserted by His disciples | Zechariah 13:7 | Matthew 26:31, 56 |
Jesus submitted Himself to the will of God in all things, and in doing so, He fulfilled all prophecy. The inspired record of His life confirms this truth. (Matthew 26:54-56; Mark 1:15; Luke 1:1; 24:44; Acts 3:18; 13:29)
