Advent Prophecies - First Prophecy of the Coming Messiah

We are in the Advent season. Advent means “coming” or “arrival.” A wonderful time to celebrate the first coming of Jesus. He came to this earth as a baby. Wrapped in swaddling clothes. Lying in a manger. In the coming weeks, let’s look at some of the prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the birth of Jesus. Did you know that Deuteronomy 18:21-22 says that a false prophet should be stoned? God took prophecy very seriously and this verse speaks to the severity of mishandled prophecies during Bible times. You know a prophecy is true if it comes to pass. All of the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus’ life came true. Over 300 of them. Written hundreds of years before Jesus actually arrived. Fulfilled in exact specificity. Friends, this does not “just happen.” I think, in part, God cared so much about the correct stewardship of prophecy because He knew it would be a tremendous tool in pointing the world to Jesus as Lord. God used prophecy to orchestrate the arrival of Jesus by giving whispers of what he would be like so that when he came, no one would miss his coming. All Old Testament prophecies about Jesus should begin in Genesis 3:15. This is the Gospel of Jesus proclaimed in the midst of the Fall. It is the first prophecy indicating his coming arrival. Right after the Fall, the curse of sin enters the world. God speaks a prophecy of one who will come into the world, a man born of a woman. Though his heel will be bruised, he will crush the head of the enemy. The one born of the woman is Jesus. He came through Mary, a Jew from Israel. He was certainly bruised by the enemy on the cross, but rose up from the dead in resurrection power and glory, proclaiming victory over the power of sin, death, and the devil. In that moment, Jesus Christ bruised and crushed the head of the enemy and flipped the script on who had the final word. Romans 16:20 is the fulfillment of this Old Testament prophecy, reminding us all that “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” Not only did Jesus take back what was lost when he came back to life, but he gave us an indicator of what is to come when he comes back again and puts an end to this world’s brokenness forever. As we celebrate this time of year, celebrate your recovery from your brokenness. Your healing. The power Jesus has given you over death…forever!