Jesus Christ is mentioned in the Old Testament over 150 times. That’s an astonishing number of times for a person who wasn’t supposed to exist yet.
In fact, Jesus is mentioned in the Old Testament more than any other person—even Abraham or Moses!
It’s easy to see why he would be mentioned so often: Jesus was the one who created our world, and he gave us everything we needed to live on it. He specifically told us that he would return someday and that we should be ready for him. He also promised us eternal life if we accepted his gift of salvation.
This is why it’s important that you know about Jesus Christ—not just because he existed (and lived among us!), but because of what he did for us: He died on the cross so that we could have eternal life with God once again.
Was Jesus Mentioned in The Old Testament
The name also appears 30 times in the Old Testament in reference to four separate characters—including a descendent of Aaron who helped to distribute offerings of grain (2 Chronicles 31:15) and a man who accompanied former captives of Nebuchadnezzar back to Jerusalem (Ezra 2:2). While the name “Jesus” itself may not appear in the Old Testament, many believe that there are references to Jesus through prophecy, symbolism, and foreshadowing. Here are some key Bible verses that many Christians interpret as pointing to Jesus in the Old Testament:
Key Bible Verses Pointing to Jesus in the Old Testament
1. Genesis 3:15
– “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
2. Isaiah 7:14
– “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
3. Micah 5:2
– “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
4. Isaiah 53:5
– “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
5. Psalm 22:16-18
– “Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”
6. Zechariah 12:10
– “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”
7. Psalm 16:10
– “Because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.”
8. Daniel 7:13-14
– “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
9. Zechariah 9:9
– “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
10. Genesis 22:18
– “and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”
| Key Verse | Description |
|---|---|
| Genesis 3:15 | Prophesying the defeat of the serpent by the offspring of the woman. |
| Isaiah 7:14 | Foretelling the virgin birth of Immanuel, a sign from God. |
| Micah 5:2 | Predicting the birth of a ruler from Bethlehem who is from ancient times. |
| Isaiah 53:5 | Describing the suffering and sacrifice of the Messiah for humanity’s sins. |
| Psalm 22:16-18 | Portraying the crucifixion scene with details that align with Jesus’ death. |
How Many Times Is Jesus Mentioned In The Old Testament
Introduction
Jesus Christ is the most well-known character in the Bible. Although his appearance is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (and elsewhere), he appears in many other places in the Bible. However, it isn’t always obvious that it’s him who’s being referred to because his name was translated into Hebrew characters rather than Greek ones as Jesus Christ. So how many times is Jesus mentioned in the Old Testament? Let’s take a look at some examples:
Genesis
Genesis 3:15
The New Testament makes reference to this verse, which has been interpreted as referring to Jesus. It states that the seed of Eve would crush the head of the serpent and that a woman’s child would rule over all.
Genesis 22:18
This verse says that God will provide himself with a lamb for sacrifice and be judged by Abraham “to see if I will take notice of you..” Some scholars say this refers to Christ’s atonement for sin on our behalf through his sacrifice on the cross (John 1:29).
Numbers
The book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Bible and the third book of the Torah. Jesus is mentioned in this text as an angel who helped guide Moses and his people to freedom from slavery in Egypt.
Isaiah
- Isaiah, the prophet, talks about Jesus in the Old Testament
- Isaiah mentions the Messiah
- Isaiah mentions the suffering of the Messiah
- Isaiah mentions the death of the Messiah
- Isaiah mentions the resurrection of the Messiah
Ezekiel
The first mention of Jesus in the Old Testament comes from Ezekiel, who was the last prophet and lived during the Babylonian exile. The next time that we see a reference to Jesus is in Daniel 7:13–14, where we find one like the Son of man coming with clouds to receive dominion over all things. Some Christians have cited this passage as support for Christ’s predicted return when He comes back with His angels to rule the Earth for His kingdom.
Hoshea
The Book of Hoshea is the last book in the Old Testament and it consists of just two chapters. It takes its name from the prophet Hoshea, whose name means “salvation.”. This book’s final four verses appear to be an addition by someone other than the original author. They appear at the end of chapter three and continue into chapter four. This is called telescoping because it involves skipping over some material that you would normally include in order to bring your story up-to-date or make changes based on later experiences since you wrote down your earlier version(s)
Jesus is mentioned in the Old Testament, but it isn’t always obvious.
Jesus is mentioned in the Old Testament, but it isn’t always obvious. In fact, some of the references are pretty hard to spot. Here are a few places where you can start looking for him:
- The birth of Jesus is prophesied in Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” This prophecy was fulfilled when Mary conceived Jesus through the power of God (Matthew 1:18).
- Psalm 2 speaks of Christ as “the Mighty One,” who sits at God’s right hand until he comes again (verse 6). He also rules over all creation (verses 8–9) and will be victorious over evil (verses 10–12). The text points to Jesus’ exaltation after His death on earth and ascension into heaven—which makes sense because this psalm was likely written during that period!
Conclusion
Jesus is mentioned in the Old Testament, but it isn’t always obvious. What we’ve figured out is that by looking at the names and meanings of the people and places in these verses, we can find Jesus more easily than if we just read through them blind. As you can see from these examples, even though Jesus isn’t explicitly named anywhere in these verses, he’s there if you know where to look!