Old Testament Scriptures Predicting Jesus

[sugarssweetpea]

This question was in a bible study I took & I thought it would be cool to post the question here.

What Old Testament Scriptures predict Jesus?

"But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Isreal, whose origins are from old, from ancient times." ~ Micah 5:2

[best]

I don't remember the number off hand (something like 126 I think) but to say there are over 100 places in the OT that tell of the coming of Christ.
Born of David's line.
Born of a virgin birth.
Will ride an untrained colt into the city.
Will come out of Egypt.
Will die on the cross (Psalm 22)
...

Many through time have fill some of the prophecies foretold but only Jesus has filled them all.

[augustine]

Oh! I like this question!

Your important book here is Isaiah.

Isaiah is one of the areas where the Jewish Bible and the Christian Bible differ greatly. Depending on the way your Christian denomination picks translations, your bible will have a few different books between 2 Kings and Isaiah. Versions of the Bible favored by Catholics more here books than those favored by Protestant denominations and the Jews jump directly to Isaiah from 2 Kings. This has to do with the criteria of the translations used as the source more than that one book might contain heretical teachings.

While Isaiah is considered a difficult Old Testament book to read, it is also the most often quoted as a source of evangelism for the coming of a Messiah. Some say it is definitive proof that all that came before was meant to prepare for the coming of the Christ, others will argue that each reference really just refers to another person of historical significance at that time. This thread is simply some quotes from the book with what I believe and not to argue.

Okay. Here is some things about Isaiah. So even though it is not so easy to read, there are some very good things!

Chapter 7 says: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14 Immanuel means "God is with us".) Isaiah is not just counseling King Ahaz, but also is confirming the early promise in 2 Samuel from God to the House of David that he will raise the heir of the David as his Son. (2 Sam 7:12-16)

Thats really is good enough for me, but there is more. The coming of Jesus is prophesied over and over again in Isaiah until Book 53 which is very short and appears to tell the story of the Passion, finally ending with: "Because he surrendered himself to death and was counted among the wicked; And he shall take away the sins of many, and win pardon for their offenses."

I could quote the entire chapter, but this is probably easier:
USCCB - NAB - Isaiah 53

After, Isaiah describes how things will be in the Kingdom of God after the Christ's arrival for twelve more chapters. Like I have said, not simple to read like some of the other other books with battles and adventures, but very important if you wish to connect the Old Testament to the New Testament. I think of Isaiah as like it is "Testament Glue". It puts the halves together into a wonderful and continuous whole!

So, thank you for making me pull out my Bible and thinking about Jesus. Today is the Feast of the Ascension when all His Disciples (us!) are reminded that we are called to live our lives as a testament to His Sacrifice so that others may see the good it brings the world. I am so glad to do this today!

Pax Christi,
Dietrich