From the earliest pages of Scripture, there has been a longing for a Deliverer, a Messiah. The anticipation of the Messiah is woven throughout the Old Testament and finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. However, many misunderstood the nature of His coming, expecting a conquering king when He came first as a sacrificial Lamb.
The First Promise of the Messiah: Genesis 3:15
The prophecy of a coming Redeemer begins immediately after the fall of man. In Genesis 3:15, God declares to the serpent:
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”
This is the first glimpse of the Messiah. The “Seed of the woman” speaks of a human deliverer who would ultimately crush Satan’s power, though suffering in the process.
The Covenant with Abraham: The Blessing to All Nations
God further clarified His plan through His covenant with Abraham:
“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” (Genesis 22:18)
This “seed” is ultimately fulfilled in Christ (Galatians 3:16), showing the global scope of the Messiah’s mission.
The Prophecies of a Coming King: David’s Line
The promise of the Messiah continued with King David. God established a covenant with him, saying:
“And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.” (2 Samuel 7:16)
This prophecy points forward to Jesus, the eternal King from David’s line, as confirmed in Matthew 1:1.
The Suffering Servant Foretold: Isaiah 53
While many Jews awaited a warrior to deliver them from Roman oppression, Isaiah prophesied a suffering servant, a Messiah who would bear the sins of the people:
“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)
This passage reveals the sacrificial nature of the Messiah’s mission, emphasizing spiritual deliverance over political.
The Prophecy of the Virgin Birth: Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah also foretold the miraculous birth of the Messiah:
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)
Fulfilled in Matthew 1:23, Jesus’ birth through the virgin Mary was a divine sign of God’s presence with us.
The Messiah’s Birthplace: Micah 5:2
The prophet Micah specified the birthplace of the coming Messiah:
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2)
Jesus was born in Bethlehem, fulfilling this precise prophecy (Luke 2:4-7).
The New Testament Fulfillment: Jesus as the Messiah
Jesus Declares Himself as the Messiah
In John 4:25-26, Jesus explicitly identifies Himself as the Messiah:
“The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’… Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.'”
The Testimony of John the Baptist
John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, proclaimed Him as the Lamb of God:
“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
Jesus’ Fulfillment of Isaiah 61
Jesus declared Himself as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in Luke 4:18-21:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor… Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
Why Did Many Jews Reject Jesus as Messiah?
The Jewish expectation of the Messiah was shaped by Roman oppression and the hope for a military deliverer like David. They misunderstood the spiritual nature of His mission, seeking physical liberation instead of spiritual redemption.
John 1:11 describes this rejection clearly:
“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”
However, Jesus came first as the Lamb to deal with sin, and He will return as the conquering King in His Second Coming (Revelation 19:11-16).
The Messiah as Both King and Sacrifice
The dual nature of the Messiah as both suffering servant and conquering King is crucial. The Old Testament gives us both pictures:
The Suffering Servant: Isaiah 53
The Conquering King: Zechariah 14:3-4
Jesus fulfilled the suffering servant role during His first coming and will return as the conquering King in His second coming.
My Final Thoughts
The Messiah is the central narrative of Scripture. From Genesis to Revelation, God promised a Savior who would deal with sin, conquer death, and restore fellowship between God and man. Jesus fulfilled these prophecies perfectly. He came not as a temporary political liberator but as the eternal Savior of souls.
Though the Jews looked for a warrior, Christ came as a sacrificial Lamb, demonstrating that the greatest victory is not over earthly oppressors but over sin and death itself. One day, He will return to reign as the victorious King, fulfilling every remaining prophecy. Until then, we live in the reality of His completed work on the cross and the hope of His return.
