How does Matthew 28:7 connect with Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah? “Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ See, I have told you.” Why This Verse Matters • It proclaims the resurrection as accomplished fact. • It commissions eyewitnesses to spread the news. • It pinpoints Galilee as the meeting place, hinting at earlier promises. Old Testament Prophecies Echoed in the Resurrection Announcement • Psalm 16:10 — “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.” – Messiah’s body would not see corruption; the angel’s words confirm that fulfillment. • Isaiah 53:11 — “After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied.” – “He has risen” answers Isaiah’s promise that the Suffering Servant would live again. • Hosea 6:2 — “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.” – The “third-day” motif undergirds the angel’s declaration that Jesus is alive and will be seen. • Jonah’s sign (Jonah 1:17; cf. Matthew 12:40) – Three days in the fish prefigured three days in the tomb; Matthew reports the completion of that sign. Galilee and Prophetic Light • Isaiah 9:1-2 — “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… The people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” – Jesus’ post-resurrection rendezvous in Galilee bookends the prophecy: the Light that first dawned there now shines in resurrection glory. “Go and Tell” — A Prophetic Pattern of Good News • Isaiah 40:9 — “Go up on a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news… say to the cities of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’” • Isaiah 52:7 — “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace…” – The women leaving the tomb become the first “heralds of good news,” stepping into the very role Isaiah envisioned. Seeing the Risen Messiah and Psalm 22 • Psalm 22:22 — “I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; I will praise You in the assembly.” – Jesus, alive in Galilee, will soon stand among His disciples (His “brothers”) and declare the Father’s name, exactly as the psalm anticipated. Gathering the Scattered Flock • Zechariah 13:7 — “Strike the Shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.” – The scattering happened at Gethsemane; the angel’s promise of a Galilean reunion signals the Shepherd’s return to regather His flock. Key Takeaways • Matthew 28:7 ties directly to resurrection prophecies (Psalm 16; Isaiah 53; Hosea 6). • The focus on Galilee answers Isaiah 9’s promise that light would dawn there. • The command to “go and tell” fulfills Isaiah’s vision of good-news heralds. • The disciples’ future meeting with Jesus in Galilee aligns with Psalm 22 and reverses Zechariah 13:7’s scattering. Matthew 28:7 doesn’t stand alone; it functions as a hinge linking the risen Christ to the ancient promises, showing that every detail—resurrection, location, commission—was foreseen in Scripture and fulfilled in Jesus. |
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