The Messiah is a person who will come to earth and rule over the world. The Messiah is believed to be the son of God, and will come to restore peace, justice and righteousness.
This battle will be fought by two armies—one led by Michael (the Archangel) and one led by Satan. God’s army will win this battle, but Satan won’t be destroyed immediately because he still has some work to do before he can be destroyed forever. After this battle has been won, all those who have been wronged or hurt during history can receive their punishment or blessing from God according to what they deserve.
This belief comes from the Old Testament, which was written by Jewish people before Jesus was born. In this book, it says that there will be one final battle between good and evil before God rules over his kingdom.
After this punishment/blessing has been given out, Jesus will return in his full glory as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will bring peace on earth for 1000 years before being resurrected for all eternity on a new earth where everything has been made perfect for everyone who wants it (there’s no more pain or suffering).
Prophecy About Jesus’ Birth In Old Testament
God gives us a sneak preview of the Messiah when Jacob provides the future blessings for his sons in Genesis 49. When Jacob comes to Judah, he says:
“The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,
until He comes to whom it belongs
and the obedience of the nations is His” (Genesis 49:10).
This is just one of the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. It is interesting to see the other passages in the Old Testament fill in the picture of this One who is to come, to whom the scepter rightfully belongs. Here are just a few.
Old Testament Prophecies about the Coming of the Messiah
Numbers 24:17,19: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near. A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel . . . a ruler will come out of Jacob . . .”
Psalm 60:7: “Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim is my helmet, Judah my scepter.”
Psalm 2:7-9: “You are my Son, today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance; the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter, you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
Isaiah 42:1,4: “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations . . . He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth…”
But it doesn’t stop there. In the New Testament, we see the fulfillment of the whispered Messiah in the Old Testament.
Signs of the Messiah Fulfilled in the New Testament
Revelation 21:23-24: “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its light. The nations will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it . . . “
Revelation 22:2: “On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing 12 crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.”
Jesus’ authority, power, and rulership are different from the earth’s system. While it is absolute, it is good, it is invitational, and it is healing. Jesus is the only rightful ruler of the world. He is the only rightful ruler of my heart. He deserves my utmost obedience. The obedience of the nations is rightfully His.
Over the years, He has seen so much disobedience. I can’t imagine the atrocities He has witnessed. The nations and rulers have wielded power for selfish gain and fleshly exploits. So few, even in Israel’s kingly line, really reflected the true King’s heart. What grief He has carried. Isaiah 42:4 says that He “will not falter or be discouraged” until He establishes justice on earth. I am so thankful that this is promised and is a sure thing. I get very discouraged and wonder if He is paying attention to the injustices that are being perpetrated in our world.
Studying the Bible is essential because of how important God is.
We should give our full attention to the Bible since it contains God’s message to humanity. We need to get in touch with him. Since we aim to take his words to heart, we will be giving them our full and undivided attention.
What a priceless piece of advice! A biblical passage describes them as “more to be desired than gold, even much fine gold; also sweeter than honey and drippings of the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10). More than the biggest joys that our world wants—money and food—the Bible satisfies us.
Paul told young pastor Timothy that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). As you speak, God “breathes out” each individual word in the Bible. It is absolutely original in this respect. That statement is true of the Bible but not of any other literature.
Reading the Bible is not the same as studying it.
The Bible is just another document, therefore we read it as quickly as possible. In contrast, we don’t rush through Bible study. We search for answers to the world’s mysteries as we attempt to make sense of it. What they say is given serious consideration.
Ephesians 1:1-14 can be read in 30 seconds, yet the lessons it contains will last you a lifetime. The Gospel of John can be read in its entirety in roughly two hours. But its complexity ensures that you’ll never get bored exploring it.
The reward of maturing in God’s word will be ours for as long as we live.
It’s important to devote a lot of time to Bible study and have faith in what you’re reading.
We put in the time and effort necessary since we value education highly. However, relying on God also calls for us to ask for wisdom.
Paul urged Timothy to “think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (2 Timothy 2:7). God endows us with wit, but we have to put it to use.
The evangelist George Whitefield began devoting himself to reading the Bible on a regular basis once he became a Christian. Author says, “I began to read the Holy Scriptures upon my knees, laying aside all other books and praying over, if possible, every line and word… I daily received fresh life, light, and power from above.” Take note of how modest he is.1
Whether or not we choose to get on our knees to study, that’s where our focus ought to be.
And so we wait for Him to set this world right. We heard whispers throughout the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Messiah, then we saw signs of the Messiah fulfilled in the first Advent recorded in the Gospels. And we eagerly await His second Advent, where His rulership will finally bring healing, heart-filled obedience, and light to this sin-sick world. Maranatha!
Do Old Testament prophecies about the coming of the Messiah make you long for His second coming and convict you to share the gospel with unreached people groups around the world?
