O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shiningIt is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth!
When we look back with awe at what transpired in that little town of Bethlehem, we sometimes forget that we look back at what Israel had been looking forward to! Told of many of the attributes of the coming Messiah by Isaiah, they waited for some 700 years from the time he penned the words ‘til the time they were fulfilled! While we all know a spattering of what Isaiah said, God on the Net took time to put it all together, as the excerpt below shows!
"What is a prophecy?"
A prophecy is the future told in advance by God through a prophet.
Isaiah 48:2-5 [3] I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. [4] For I knew how stubborn you were; the sinews of your neck were iron, your forehead was bronze. [5] Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, `My idols did them; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.'
"Does the Old Testament contain any prophecies about the Messiah?"
Yes! The Old Testament contains about FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE prophecies about the Messiah. Here is a small sample (in roughly chronological order):
BE BORN AS A HUMAN MALE
Isaiah 9:6-7 [6] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. [7] Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. ... 700 B.C.
BORN OF A VIRGIN
Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. 700 B.C.
FROM THE HOUSE OF JUDAH
Isaiah 37:31 Once more a remnant of the house of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above. 700 B.C.
FROM THE ROOT AND STUMP OF JESSE
Isaiah 11:1-5 [1] A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. [2] The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD-- [3] and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; [4] but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. [5] Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. 700 B.C.
FROM THE HOUSE OF DAVID
Isaiah 16:5 In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it--one from the house of David--one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness. 700 B.C.
BE FROM NAZARETH OF GALILEE
Isaiah 9:1-2 [1] Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan -- [2] The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. 700 B.C.
What they waited for nearly a millennia to receive, we have had two millennia to be blessed by! We know, however, that God has a Chosen People, and a Holy City! That’s why as we celebrate “the reason for the season,” we should remember, as Psalm 122:6 tells us, to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
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