The Wonders of God's Word Part III: Prophecies of Christ's Birth

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, andthat every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:8-11 NASB

The name of Jesus is the most powerful ever spoken. Jesus encapsulates who Jesus is; it is not his first name. The Father was very purposeful in the name given to His only begotten Son. The name Jesus was used more than any other in the New Testament. In the Greek, Jesus means Salvation of Jehovah.

Jesus can be found in the Old Testament as well; not just simply references to the Messiah. The name Jesus is actually hidden in the Old Testament, being found about one hundred times from Genesis to Habakkuk. (Herbert Lockyer)

“Every time the Old Testament uses the word “salvation” (especially with the Hebrew suffix meaning “my”, “thy”, or “his”, with very few exceptions (when the word is used in an impersonal sense) it is identically the same word as “Yeshuah” (Jesus). This is actually what the angel said to Joseph—Thou shalt call His name Yeshua (salvation).” Arthur E. Glass

That I may tell of all Your praises, that in the gates of the daughter of Zion I may rejoice in Your salvation (Yeshua). Psalm 9:14 NASB parenthesis mine.

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. Isaiah 12:2 NASB 

Names Given In Birth

Called Christ

Prophecy: 

You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your fellows. Psalm 45:7 NASB

Fulfillment: 

[F]or today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 NASB

 Prophecy:

So you are to know and discern thatfrom the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Daniel 9:25 NASB

Fulfillment:

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Matthew 16:16 NASB

Called Lord

Prophecy:

I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Psalm 2:7

Fulfillment:

[F]or today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:11 NASB

Ye call me Master and Lord…so I am. John 13:13

Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. 1 Peter 3:15

Called Emmanuel (Immanuel)

Prophecy:

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 NASB

Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, It will reach even to the neck; And the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel. Isaiah 8:8 NASB

Fulfillment:

Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: ²³ “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”Matthew 1:22-23 NASB

Governor

Prophecy: 

 He is governor among the nations.Psalm 22:28

Their governor shall proceed from the midst of them. Jeremiah 30:21

He shall be as a governor in Judah. Zechariah 9:7

The government shall be on his shoulder.  Isaiah 9:6

Fulfillment:

Out of thee shall come a Governor. Matthew 2:6

All dominions shall serve and obey him.  Daniel 7:27 with Colossians 1:16

Son

Son of Abraham

In thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:3; 22:18

The Son of Abraham. Matthew 1:1

The blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ. Galatians 3:14

Son of David

I have made a covenant with…David…Thy seed will establish forever. Psalm 89:3

Jesus Christ the son of David. Matt 1:1

Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh.  Romans 1:3

Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

Prophecy:

Who is He that…things too wonderful for me. Job 42:3

Thy testimonies are wonderful. Psalm 119:129

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. Psalm 139:6

Thou hast done wonderful things. Isaiah 25:1

The Lord of hosts, which is wonderful in counsel. Isaiah 28:29

Fulfillment:

The chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did. Matthew 21:15

Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God…by wonders. Acts 2:22

Wonders done by the name of the holy child Jesus. Acts 4:30

Counsellor

Prophecy:

Who…being his counselor hath taught him? Isaiah 40:13

Thy testimonies also are…my counselors. Psalm 119:24

Fulfillment:

Who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.  Ephesians 1:11

The immutability of his counsel. Hebrews 6:17

Christ…the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:24

The Mighty God

Prophecy:

His name shall be called…The mighty God. Isaiah 9:6

Great in counsel, and mighty in work. Jeremiah 32:19

Thy name is great in might. Jeremiah 10:6

Fulfillment:

He that cometh after me is mightier than I. Matthew 3:11

His mighty works were done. Matthew 11:20

All power is given unto me.  Matthew 28:18

In him should all dullness dwell;…The fullness of the Godhead bodily. Colossians 1:19; 2:9

Everlasting Father

The name of the Lord, the everlasting God.  Genesis 21:33

From everlasting to everlasting thou art God. Psalm 90:2

I am the Lord, I change not.  Malachi 3:6

His name shall be called…the everlasting Father. Isaiah 9:6

Fulfillment:

Before Abraham was, I am.  John 8:58

Christ abideth forever. John 12:34

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

The Prince of Peace

Prophecy:

His name shall be called the Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

The mountains shall bring peace to the people.  Psalm 72:3

This man shall be the peace. Micah 5:5

He shall speak peace unto the heathen. Zechariah 9:10

Fulfillment:

Born…a Saviour…on earth Peace.  Luke 2:11-14

In me ye might have peace. John 16:33

Jesus…saith unto them, Peace be unto you. John 20:19, 21, 26

He is our peace…He preached peace.  Ephesians 2:14, 17

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 14:27 NASB

This is far from an exhaustive list of the glorious names of Jesus Christ, and the prophecies foretold concerning Him. I pray this sparks a fire in you to search through the Word of God and find the Jesus Christ of the Old and New Testaments.

In His Grace,

The Scapegoat

Jesus fulfilled the sin offering for us, and absorbed God’s wrath. Our precious Lord accomplished yet another offering on our behalf—the atonement offering.

On the Day of Atonement, there were certain requirements of the high priest and the people. First, it was a day of humiliation for the priest. The priest was required to put off all his priestly garments of glory. Jesus, the King of Glory, laid aside the garments of His glory and left them with the Father; from the foundation of the world; to redeem the world. Jesus’ humiliation on that day cries to us still through His Passion Story in the Scriptures.

On the Day of Atonement, two goats were brought; their fate decided by the priest’s lots. The Lord’s lot would determine which goat would die that day for the sins of the nation. The other would forever be the scapegoat. Aaron the high priest would lay his hand upon the scapegoat and send it into exile in the wilderness or Azazel; representing that the people’s sin is lost in the wilderness—to be remembered no longer. The act of killing the goat, laid the judgment of death upon it—it represented the people’s sin.

The casting of the lots to determine the scapegoat is displayed on the world’s stage between two men; Jesus and Barabbas. Their fate lies in the judgment of the people—who will die and who will escape…the scapegoat. The people’s voice was heard that day in Pilate’s court—choosing a brutal murder to escape forever—laying the sin of the people on Jesus. Jesus would be the sacrifice the Lord’s lot fell upon that day—fulfilling the atonement offering. 

Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish. John 11:50 ESV 

The horns of the scapegoat adorned with a crimson thread of wool…the scarlet thread woven in the tapestry of the Holy Writ…lives held by a string….

“The High Priest tied a crimson wool thread around the horns of the scapegoat and sent him off into the wilderness accompanied by a priest. The goat was escorted for twelve miles to a designated place, where the priest pushed the goat bearing Israel’s sins over a cliff. A portion of the crimson thread was attached to the door of the temple before the goat was sent into the wilderness. When the goat was pushed off the cliff and died, the thread on the door at the temple was said to turn from red to white. This was a divine sign to the people that God had accepted their sacrifice and their sins were forgiven.”[1]

Come now, and let us reason together, Says the LORD, Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

Ancient Rabbinical writings tell of a tradition…forty years before the temple, the thread ceased turning from red to white…That thread is forever white at the fulfillment of the atonement offering by Jesus, when He appeared before the Mercy Seat in heaven and sprinkled His blood before the Father…..

 

In His Grace,

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[1]Booker, Richard, Celebrating Jesus In The Biblical Feasts (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2009), 130-131.