Christ In The Old Testament

One can perhaps imagine the shocked looks on the faces of the people that day when Jesus Christ made that statement about Himself from the Book of Isaiah. Many Christians in our time are surprised to discover just how often He was described, in amazing detail, in what we now know as the Old Testament. Just a few examples:

Virgin Birth In Bethlehem and Reside In Galilee

• "Therefore The Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman [KJV and NIV virgin] shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14 RSV)
  [Immanuel is derived from the Hebrew word meaning God is with us - see The Logos]

• "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me one Who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days." (Micah 5:2 RSV)

• "In the former time He brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time He will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined." (Isaiah 9:1-2 RSV)

A Descendant of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah and David

• "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until He comes to Whom it belongs; and to Him shall be the obedience of the peoples." (Genesis 49:10 RSV) [see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and The Chosen People]

• "For to us a child is born, to 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 of peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and for evermore." (Isaiah 9:6-7 RSV) [see King David]

The Crucifixion

• "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth. By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of My people? And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, and there was no deceit in His mouth. Yet it was the will of The Lord to bruise Him; He has put him to grief; when He makes himself an offering for sin." (Isaiah 53:7-10 RSV) [see How Did Jesus Christ Die?, and The Garden Tomb]

• "As many were astonished at Him - His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and His form beyond that of the sons of men - so shall He startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of Him; for that which has not been told them they shall see, and that which they have not heard they shall understand. Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of The Lord been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or comeliness that we should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with His stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 52:14 - 53:1-5 RSV) [see What Did Jesus Look Like?]

• "I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax, it is melted within My breast; My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and My tongue cleaves to My jaws; Thou dost lay Me in the dust of death. Yea, dogs are round about Me; a company of evildoers encircle Me; they have pierced My hands and feet - I can count all My bones - they stare and gloat over Me; they divide My garments among them, and for My raiment they cast lots." (Psalm 22:14-18 RSV) [see Roman Legions]

Fact Finder: Who was "The Rock" that led the Israelites out of Egypt on the Exodus and gave The Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai?
1 Corinthians 10:1-4
See also Rock Of Ages

This Week's Bible Quiz

Who said it? (quotes from the King James Version)

1. "For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf."

2. "I am escaped with the skin of my teeth."

3. "Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee."

4. "Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

5. "Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay."

6. "I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me?"

7. "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil."

8. "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him."

9. "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk."

10. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

For the answers to this May 16 2000 2000 quiz, see the Bible Quiz Answers Page