Luke 24:24 and OT Messiah prophecies?
How does Luke 24:24 connect with Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah?

The setting and significance of Luke 24:24

• On resurrection morning, two disciples on the Emmaus road recall: “Some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had described, but Him they did not see.” (Luke 24:24)

• The report of an empty tomb becomes a crucial link between Jesus’ resurrection and what “Moses and all the Prophets” had foretold (Luke 24:27).


Key Old Testament prophecies behind the empty tomb

Psalm 16:10 – “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.”

Isaiah 53:9, 11 – Though buried, the Suffering Servant would “see the light of life” after His anguish.

Hosea 6:2 – “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up.”

Jonah 1:17 (type) – The prophet’s three days in the great fish foreshadow the Messiah’s three-day entombment (cf. Matthew 12:40).


How Luke 24:24 echoes those prophecies

• Empty, yet witnessed: Psalm 16:10 promises preservation from decay; the disciples find an unoccupied tomb confirming that promise.

• Burial with the rich: Isaiah 53:9 foretells a unique grave situation; the women’s earlier testimony (Luke 23:55 – 24:1) and the men’s later visit verify the prophecy’s accuracy.

• Third-day timeline: Luke’s narrative (24:1, 7, 21) stresses “the third day,” mirroring Hosea 6:2 and Jesus’ own application of Jonah’s sign.

• “But Him they did not see”: even this temporary absence matches Isaiah 53:11—the Servant would see life again, but only after suffering and concealment.


Practical takeaways for today

• Scripture interprets Scripture: New-Testament facts (an empty tomb) drive us back to Old-Testament promises, building unshakable confidence in God’s word.

• Eyewitness testimony matters: Luke couples prophetic texts with first-hand investigation, giving faith a solid, historical footing (Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:3).

• Fulfilled prophecy anchors hope: because every resurrection prophecy was literally kept, believers can trust the yet-future promises of Christ’s return and our own resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

How can we apply the disciples' investigative approach to our faith journey?
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