One in a Million - How Jesus's Life Fulfilled OT Prophecies

This morning we are going to look at four prophecies that were fulfilled by Jesus’s life that was spoken about which are recorded for us in the OT. God revealed these events to the prophets so the world could recognize and know the Messiah when He came.

The first one we will look at is found in Matt. 3.

JOHN THE BAPTIST - THE FORERUNNER OF CHRIST

Matthew 3:1–12 gives us a look into John the Baptist’s preaching that prepared the way for Christ. For four hundred years before John began his prophetic ministry in the wilderness of Judea, there had been no prophet in Israel.

Many in Judea and Jerusalem went out to hear him. John himself made a spectacular appearance, living in rough clothing of camels’ hair with a leather belt about his waist.

His food was locusts and wild honey. His message was abrupt and unyielding; he urged the people to confess their sins (Matt. 3:6; Mark 1:5), and he denounced their religious leaders, especially the Pharisees and the Sadducees, calling them a “brood of vipers!” (Matt. 3:7).

His message was one of repentance and baptism with water as a sign of their spiritual change. John predicted that after him would come the prophesied One, “whose sandals I am not worthy to carry” (v. 11).

Matthew 3:11 NKJV

11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

His message was a practical one. “Anyone who has two shirts should share” (Luke 3:11), and the people should do likewise with their surplus of food.

Publicans were exhorted not to extort taxes but only take what was legal.

Soldiers were told not to do that which was violent and not to falsely accuse others (vv. 13–14).

Matthew, Mark, and Luke each viewed John as fulfilling the prophecies of Isaiah 40:3: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’” (Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4).

Isaiah 40:3 NKJV

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.

John made it clear that he was not the Messiah, but he also anticipated that the true Messiah might appear at any time.

John 1:19–23 NKJV

19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the Lord,” ’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

John 1:24–27 NKJV

24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

John 1:29–31 NKJV

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

JESUS BAPTIZED BY JOHN IN THE JORDAN

In Matthew 3:13–17, when John protested at the thought of baptizing Jesus, he nevertheless was told by Jesus to do so.

After Jesus was baptized, Matthew, Mark, and Luke all recorded the voice from heaven declaring that Jesus was the beloved Son of the Father.

Luke declared that at Jesus’s baptism the Holy Spirit descended on Him as a dove and the voice speaking from heaven was God the Father, a clear indication of the Trinity: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

John also stated the same account,

John 1:32–34 NKJV

32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

The commendation of Jesus by God the Father was anticipated in Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1.

Psalm 2:7 NKJV

7 “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.

Isaiah 42:1 NKJV

1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.

JESUS IN HIS HEALING MINISTRY WOULD FULFILL PROPHECY

Matthew 12:9–20 shows Jesus as a healing servant and thus fulfilling God’s prophecy. Because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the Pharisees plotted to kill Him (vv. 9–14).

Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. He warned them not to tell others about him. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 42:1–4 NKJV

1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles. 2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth. 4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

As Isaiah prophesied, Jesus was a delight to God the Father, beloved and indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He would proclaim justice but would not quarrel or cry out. His would ultimately be the victory (vv. 18–20).

JESUS AS THE GOOD SHEPHERD

In John 10:1–18, Jesus expanded on the fact that He was the Good Shepherd and that His sheep would follow Him.

In verse 5, He said, “But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

John 10:5 NKJV

5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”

When the disciples did not understand this, Jesus enlarged the explanation by declaring, (vv. 7–10).

John 10:7–10 NKJV

7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Jesus was declaring that He is the only Savior and that those who are saved through Him will not only have life but will also have pasture and God’s care. They will have life and have life to the full (v. 10).

In further elaborating on the declaration that He was the Good Shepherd, Jesus declared, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (v. 11).

John 10:11 NKJV

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.

In contrast to false shepherds who flee when the wolf comes and abandon the sheep (vv. 12–13), Jesus said, in (vv. 14–15).

John 10:14–15 NKJV

14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

As the Good Shepherd in dying on the cross, Jesus died for His sheep.

In proclaiming that He was the Good Shepherd, Jesus added, (v. 16).

John 10:16 NKJV

16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

In this prophecy Jesus was anticipating the church, comprising both Jews and Gentiles, in which the wall of partition between would be broken down and they would be one in Christ, be one flock and have one shepherd.

Psalm 23 NKJV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

Jesus then enlarged on His sacrifice of His life, declaring, (vv. 17–18).

John 10:17–18 NKJV

17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

Now with Jesus claiming to be the Good Shepherd along with saying that the Shepherd will lay His life down for the sheep we see that Zech 13:7

Zechariah 13:7 NKJV

7 “Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, Against the Man who is My Companion,” Says the Lord of hosts. “Strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered; Then I will turn My hand against the little ones.

, which prophesied the manner in which Jesus (who had referred to Himself as the Good Shepherd) would be arrested by armed men, and the way in which the apostles would desert Him following the arrest so that they themselves would not be taken into custody (even though they had all claimed only a few hours earlier that they would die with Him rather than deny or disown Him (Matthew 26:35).

In making the claim to the Good Shepherd, Jesus was anticipating His death on the cross when He would lay down His life for the sheep.

In the case of Jesus, however, He not only had the power to lay down His life, but He also had the power to take it up again—something that had never been true of any previous person raised from the dead.

This was to be the supreme proof of His deity, which His disciples recognized. As a study of Christ’s resurrection demonstrates, Jesus was not simply restored to the life He had before His death, but He was also given a new body, the pattern of the resurrection body of the saints that they will receive at the time of the resurrection or rapture.