What is a Messianic Prophecy? The word messiah is derived from the Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ (mashiach) which is translated “one who is anointed.” A prophecy is a message that is claimed by a prophet to have been communicated to them by a deity. Throughout the New Testament, we read and study of Jesus: a risen Savior who appeared in order to save the world of their sins. In the Gospels, we read of Jesus' teachings, miracles, and life. The New Testament writers said that Jesus had fulfilled the Scriptures when something in His life was a fulfillment of a prediction by the prophets (for example, when they said that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem). In other times, fulfillment is not about prediction but also pattern. In His role as the Messiah, Jesus fulfills the Scriptures when He lived the life of Israel and its past (He was a Jew), and when He suffered, endured hardship, and lived a perfect life in the obedience of God. The Old and New Testament together bring a way of connecting, weaving, and finding a pattern in both times of Scripture. Messianic Prophecies are a way of seeing examples of how the new law (covenant) fulfills scripture (Jer. 31:31-34), and they amplify the purpose of the writing of the Old Testament.
Examples of Messianic Prophecies paralleled to the New Testament
The Messiah would be Resurrected.
Old Testament Reference – Psalm 16:8-11
New Testament Scripture – Acts 13:25-37
Commentary of Scripture: King David may have seen ahead to his own resurrection—but David’s resurrection was only possible because of the resurrection of his descendant, the Messiah. His vision of his own resurrection and that of the Messiah’s could well have blended into one glimpse of the future.
The Messiah would bring in a new covenant.
Old Testament Reference – Jeremiah 31:31
New Testament Scripture – Matthew 26:28, 2 Corinthians 3:6. Hebrews 8:6-13; 9:15; 12:24
Commentary of Scripture: The expression “new covenant” appears seven times in the New Testament, and the new covenant is even more frequently referred to simply as the “covenant,” with the context showing what is meant. The first big question, when will this covenant begin to take effect, is answered in the text: when Christ comes to fulfill that new law.
The Messiah would be born of a virgin.
Old Testament Reference - Isaiah 7:14
New Testament Scripture – Matthew 1:22-23, Luke 1:31-35
Commentary: It was said that the Messiah would be born of a virgin, and, once again, the OT made this prediction long before it occurred. It is great to see the past and future weave together.
The Messiah would be the Passover Lamb
Old Testament Reference: Exodus 12:1-51
New Testament Scripture: John 1:29, 36; 19:33, 36; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8; 1 Peter 1:19
Commentary: One of the most pervasive images in the New Testament is that of Jesus as our Passover lamb. Recall the story from the book of Exodus. A perfect lamb had to be selected, set aside for several days, then killed and its blood put on the doorposts of the Israelites’ homes so that they would be spared the tenth plague: death of the firstborn.
The Messiah would be a light for the nations of the world.
Old Testament Reference – Isaiah 42:1-7
New Testament Scripture – Matthew 12:15-21; Luke 27-32; John 8:12; Revelation 21:23-34
Commentary: In Isaiah 42:6, we read that the servant will be “a light for the nations.” This actually helps us to understand what kind of justice (Matthew 12:18, 20) God will bring to the Gentiles (the nations of the world), and what kind of “hope” Isaiah says they will have. As the above New Testament verses show, the servant’s light will provide revelation, life, and direction or guidance.
To wrap this all up, above you read examples of some Messianic prophecies, and there are still many to find. When you start to read the Old and New Testament, you start to see that connection. I used to be a ‘New Testament’ only reader kind of guy. I say that to say that I always did Bible classes, devotionals, or sermons solely related to the New Testament more than the Old Testament. But one day when I got a new a Bible, I glanced at my reference column and saw so many quotes from the Old Testament, and I began to see more parallels and connections than I noticed before when reading them. When I took Critical Introduction to the New Testament with Dr. Burleson one semester, he made a funny joke, saying, “Ahh, the New Testament: the better covenant to which to follow.” I thought about that and laughed and realized how true that seemed, but then he said, “Let us not forget the Old Testament and how it shaped and set the stage for where we are at today.” Also true. Now, I have a better appreciation for the Old Testament and do love reading it. It is amazing to see vast connections in the text and to start making those connections and witness such great prophecies come true, even ones fulfilled hundreds of years apart.