ÒTHE ONLY EXPECTED MAN IN THE WORLDÕS HISTORYÓ

 

SCRIPTURES: Luke 24.44-49; I Peter 1.10-12; II Peter 1.16-21; Revelation 19.9-10

 

INTRODUCTION: The Bible from Genesis to Revelation is the revelation of IsraelÕs Messiah, Òthe desire of all nationsÓ (Haggai 2.7), the Savior of the world.   ÒMessianic prophecy is the most important of all themes, for it is the ideal of redemption given by the creator to our race at the beginning of its history, and it ever abides as the goal of humanity until the divine plan has been accomplished.Ó    (C.A. Briggs, Messianic Prophecy)

 

Rejection of Incarnation: (1) Hindu rejection--Incarnate Christ; (2) Muslim rejection--Crucified Christ; (3) Buddhist rejection--Resurrected Christ; (4) Technological manÕs rejection--Incarnation as Myth.

 

I.  Prophecy of The Seed - Genesis 3.15; Galatians 3.19  

 

    A.  Restore Communion and Fellowship

    B.  Remove the curse of sin

    C.  Conquer death - universally

 

II.  The Seed of Abraham - Genesis 12.1-3             

 

     A.  Hope grounded in Promise

     B.  Promise is a personal Messiah

 

III.  Judah, the Royal and Messianic Tribe - Genesis 49.8-10                 

 

     A.  Saved Joseph - Genesis 37.26-27

     B.  Scepter shall not depart - Genesis 49.8-10

 

IV.  Prophet Like Moses - Deuteronomy 18.15-19

 

     A.  God has visited His people - Luke 7.16

     B.  The coming Prophet - John 6.14

     C.  Prophet like Moses (deliverer, silent, intercessor/mediator)

 

V.  Light in Darkness - Judges 2.11-14, 16 - IsraelÕs Darkest Hour

 

     A.  Song of Hope - Hannah - II Samuel 2.1-10

      B.  Hope in DavidÕs Descendant - II Samuel 7.11-16; Jeremiah 33.17ff.; Ezekiel 34.23ff;

   Ezekiel 37.24-25             

 

VI.  Messianic Prophecy in The Psalms

 

        A.  Purpose of MessiahÕs Coming - Psalms 40; 69; 70

        B.  MessiahÕs Sonship and Birth - Pss. 2; John 1.49; Acts 4.23ff.

        C.  MessiahÕs Deity and Humanity - Pss 45; 110 (Prophet and Priest)

        D.  MessiahÕs Betrayal and Crucifixion - Ps 41.9ff; 22.1ff; 34.20

        E.  MessiahÕs Resurrection - Pss 16

        G.  MessiahÕs Kingdom - Pss 72           

 

VII.  Messianic Prophecy in PreExilic Prophets (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah

 

VIII.  Messianic Prophecy During the Assyrian and Babylonian Invasions

 

IX.   Messianic Prophecy During and After Exile (Ezekiel, Daniel, Haggai, Malachi)

 

X.  We Have Found the Messiah

 

A.  Four men have sought universal empires--Alexander, the Great, Caesar, Napoleon and

Adolph Hitler (the Drei Reich); all are buried failures.

       B.  We have a multitude of details as to the appearance of Christ.  It was foretold:

              1.  The Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham and of Jacob and of the stem of Jesse

(Gen 22.18; Num 24.16,17,19; Isa 11.1) 

              2.    He would come during the time of the second Temple (Hag 2.9; Mal 3.1

3.    The Scepter should not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes (Gen 49.1,10).

4.  His birthplace would be in Bethlehem, an obscure village in Judea (Mic 5.2)

5.        His birth would be miraculous--conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of a Jewish virgin, and His  name would be called ÒEmmanuelÓ: Son of God and Son of Man (Isa 7.14; Dan 3.25; 7.13; Zech 4.6, 

6.        He would be the Mediator of a new and everlasting Covenant that would include the

Gentiles as well as Jews (Isa 49.6-9; Jer 31.30-33; Zech 9.11; Mal 3.1).

7.    That He would unite in Himself all the offices that existed among Israel, such as Prophet (Deut 18.15-18), Priest (Ps 110.4), King (Isa 33.22), Lawgiver, Judge and

       Redeemer.

8.    That He would perform miracles (Isa 35.5,6; 42.1-7).

9.    That He would be Redeemer of both soul and body (Job 19.25,26; Ps 17.15).

10. That He would be a light to the Gentiles and the glory of Israel (Isa 46.13; 49.6)

11. That He would be sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zech 11.12,13).

12. That He would be silent before His accusers (Isa 53.7)

13. That He would be scourged and spit upon (Isa 50.6)

14. That His body would not see corruption (Ps 16.10)

15. That His hands and feet would be pierced (Ps 22.16)

16. That He would be reviled (Ps 22.7,8)

17. That He would be given gall and vinegar (Ps 69.21)

18. That His garments would be divided (Ps 22.18)

19. That His bones would not be broken (Ps 34.20)

20. He would be put to death and numbered among the transgressors; cut off, but not for

 Himself (Isa 53.12; Dan 9.24-26)

21. He would ascend into heaven, to be the Great High Priest and Intercessor (Ps 2.6,7;

    68.18; 110.1,4)

22. He would come again in glory to judge the nations (Ps 50.3-5; Ezek 21.27; Zech

 14.1-7)

23. His dominion would cover the earth (Ps 22.27; 72.11; Dan 7.13-16; Mal 1.11)

 

Conclusion: ÒOur post-Biblical history is full of great leaders.  I think of the aged priest Mattathias with his five stalwart sons, the Maccabees (142 B.C.); of the gentle Rabbi Hillel (75 B.C.); of Rabbi Akiba, who hailed Bar-Kochba as the promised ÒStar of JacobÓ and who died a martyrÕs death for God and his country (135 A.D.); of Saadiah ben Joseph, one of the Geonim (892 A.D.); of Moses ben Maimon, commentator and philosopher and called by many Òsecond MosesÓ (1135 A.D.); of Moses Mendelssohn, father of modern Judaism (1729); . . .and I ask, which of these our great leaders could we rightly acclaim as satisfying, or having satisfied our peopleÕs long deferred hope?  Which of these has been the means of rekindling our slumbering fires of devotion to God...ÓOur hope is in Jesus of Nazareth, and in Him alone, this is He of whom Moses and all the prophets wrote!  He is the Prince of Peace, the King of Israel, the Lord our Righteousness, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!Ó  (A. Kligerman, OT Messianic Prophecy (Zondervan Press)

 

James D. Strauss

Lincoln Christian Seminary

Lincoln, IL 62656