The anticipation of the Messiah, a central theme in Jewish expectation, is deeply rooted in the promises found throughout the Old Testament. These promises foretell the coming of Christ, who would appear amongst the Jewish people, fulfilling God's covenant and bringing salvation not only to Israel but to all nations.

Prophetic Foundations

The promise of the Messiah's appearance is first hinted at in the early chapters of Genesis. In Genesis 3:15, God declares to the serpent, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." This protoevangelium, or "first gospel," is seen as the initial promise of a Redeemer who would come from the seed of the woman, ultimately fulfilled in Christ.

The Abrahamic Covenant

God's covenant with Abraham further solidifies the promise of the Messiah. In Genesis 22:18, God tells Abraham, "And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." This promise is reiterated to Isaac and Jacob, establishing a lineage through which the Messiah would come. The Apostle Paul, in Galatians 3:16, identifies this "offspring" as Christ, affirming the fulfillment of this promise.

The Davidic Covenant

The promise of a Messiah is also central to the covenant God made with David. In 2 Samuel 7:12-13, God promises David, "When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He will build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever." This covenant is understood to point to Jesus Christ, the Son of David, whose kingdom is eternal.

Messianic Prophecies

Numerous prophecies throughout the Old Testament speak of the coming Messiah. Isaiah 7:14 prophesies, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel." This prophecy is echoed in the New Testament, where Matthew 1:23 identifies Jesus as the fulfillment of this promise.

Isaiah 9:6-7 further describes the Messiah: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore."

The Fulfillment in Christ

The New Testament writers affirm that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of these promises. In Luke 1:32-33, the angel Gabriel announces to Mary, "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end."

The Gospel of John also emphasizes this fulfillment, as seen in John 1:11, "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him." Despite the initial rejection, the promise of the Messiah's appearance amongst the Jews is a testament to God's faithfulness and the unfolding of His redemptive plan through Jesus Christ.Isaiah 59:20
And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and to them that turn from transgression in Jacob, said the LORD.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Zechariah 14:4
And his feet shall stand in that day on the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall split in the middle thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Progress of the Gospel
... But the fulfilment of the promises respecting MESSIAH'S Kingdom is ... to ask, Why has
the Gospel of Christ spread no ... I mean the state of the Jews, who, though ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/messiah vol 2/sermon xxxii the progress of.htm

The Progress of the Gospel from the Death of Christ to the Death ...
... but they claimed some interest in "the promises made unto ... As the unconverted Jews
did not admit that Jesus was ... of the book of the Acts respecting which there ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/killen/the ancient church/chapter iv the progress of.htm

Psalm LXXXIX.
... 4203] that the promise of God respecting the fruit of ... All these things happened to
the Jews, Christ yet not ... not be supposed to have fulfilled His promises in it ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lxxxix.htm

Preached Before the Governor, and Council, and the House of ...
... said, what can these feeble Jews do, pretending to ... of the American colonies, which
promises to be ... of all the important particulars respecting God's peculiar ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/preached before the governor and.htm

That the Scriptures are Divinely Inspired.
... patterns and shadow, who are Jews "according to ... again, makes a similar revelation
respecting Jerusalem, saying ... a higher grade of intelligence, promises to those ...
/.../origen/origen de principiis/chapter i that the scriptures are.htm

A Defence of the Doctrine of Justification, by Faith in Jesus ...
... of a man, by the dictates of human nature, respecting the law ... and that we are encouraged
to by the best of promises. ... he, is that of going to God by Christ, &c. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a defence of the doctrine.htm

Exposition of the Doctrines of Grace
... that what our blessed Lord said to the Jews of old ... runs thus""Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ and thou ... for he who believeth and is baptized shall be saved ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/exposition of the doctrines of.htm

A Discourse
... Josephus, in his Antiquities of the Jews, book 8 ... These are promises to the church
for her suffering of ... Word, but light was against light, respecting the divers ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse.htm

The Miracles
... matters of doubt, between Jews and heathens, Jews and Christians ... "God must fulfil
His promises," etc ... Thus we cannot say to Jesus respecting Antichrist, "You have ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pascal/pensees/section xiii the miracles.htm

To Pammachius against John of Jerusalem.
... the Lord himself says concerning the Jews, [4993] "the ... of the whole Church, such
views respecting the faith ... glorious advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/to pammachius against john of.htm

Why do most Jews reject Jesus as the Messiah? | GotQuestions.org

What are Khazar Jews / Khazars? | GotQuestions.org

Are Jews saved because they are God's chosen people? Will Jews go to Heaven even if they do not trust in Jesus? | GotQuestions.org

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