The central thread of God’s plan of salvation—and how prophecy fits into it:
· The coming of Jesus,
· The role of Israel,
· Renewal through the Spirit, and
· The hope of the coming Kingdom
The Bible is interwoven with prophecies—messages from God revealed through prophets about His plan for humanity, the people of Israel, the coming of the Messiah, the Kingdom of God, judgment, and the renewal of heaven and earth. These prophecies are not isolated predictions, but together form a divine story of love, justice, salvation, and hope. In this article, we delve into several prophecies from both the Old and New Testaments and discover their relevance for today.
Prophecies about God’s Plan and Jesus Christ
Old Testament Announcement of the Messiah
Starting in Genesis 3:15 we find the first promise of a Redeemer—”the seed of the woman” who will crush the serpent’s head. This early prophecy points forward to Jesus, who would break the power of sin and death.
Other prophecies about the Messiah:
Isaiah 7:14 – “Behold, the virgin will conceive and bear a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Isaiah 53 – describes the suffering Servant who bore our sicknesses and was pierced for our transgressions.
Micah 5:1 – names Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Messiah.
New Testament: Fulfillment in Christ
Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are direct fulfillments of these prophecies:
Matthew 1:22-23 quotes Isaiah at the birth of Jesus.
John 1:29 – “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
Luke 24:27 – Jesus explained to the disciples on the road to Emmaus what all the Scriptures taught about him. Prophecies about Israel and the Jewish People
God chose Israel to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6). Despite apostasy, God promised restoration:
Ezekiel 36:24-28 – God will gather His people from the nations, give them a new heart, and put His Spirit within them.
Romans 11 – Paul explains that God has not rejected Israel. The hardening is temporary, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come.
Modern Context: The return of the Jewish people to Israel (from 1948 onward) is seen by some as a fulfillment of restoration prophecies. At the same time, the call to repent and to Jesus as the Messiah remains essential (Acts 4:12).
Future Prophecies and End Times
Promise of Second Coming and Judgment:
Daniel 7:13-14 – The Son of Man will come in the clouds to receive an eternal kingdom. Matthew 24 – Jesus speaks about signs of the end times.
Revelation – gives a prophetic picture of the judgment, the second coming of Christ, the new heaven and earth.
Hopeful expectation:
Revelation 21:4 – “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
2 Peter 3:13 – “We are waiting… for a new heaven and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”
How do we understand these prophecies today?
Christ as the key – All prophecies find their core in Jesus (Luke 24:27).
Prophecies are multi-layered – Some are partially fulfilled (such as the restoration of Israel), others await complete fulfillment (such as the Second Coming).
Direct our lives – Prophecies call to holiness, vigilance, and hope (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11). Encouragement and Steadfastness – In a chaotic world, prophecies remind us of God’s sovereign plan (Isaiah 46:9-10).
Personal Application – They point us to repentance, forgiveness, new life, and our calling as light bearers in the world (Philippians 2:15).
Summary of Key Thematic Lines
The Bible contains hundreds of prophecies, spread throughout nearly every book of the Bible, with varying purposes:
Messianic Prophecies
About the birth, life, suffering, death, resurrection, and second coming of Jesus Christ.
Examples: Isaiah 7, Isaiah 9, Isaiah 53, Micah 5, Zechariah 12, Daniel 9, Psalm 22.
Prophecies about Israel
Addressed to the people of Israel about exile, restoration, judgment, and blessing. Examples: Deuteronomy 28–30, Ezekiel 36–37, Isaiah 11, Jeremiah 31.
Prophecies about the nations
Directed to foreign nations (Babylon, Egypt, Assyria, Tyre, etc.) with an announcement of judgment or doom.
For example: Isaiah 13–23, Ezekiel 25–32, Amos 1–2.
Prophecies about the Kingdom of God and the end times
What will happen at the end of time: Second Coming, judgment, New Jerusalem.
Bible books such as Daniel, Zechariah, Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians, Revelation.
Personal or immediate prophecies
Directed to kings, individuals, or specific situations (e.g., Samuel to Saul, Elijah to Ahab).
Often with immediate fulfillment within a short period of time.
Important to realize:
Not every prophecy has yet been fulfilled. Some prophecies were completely fulfilled in Jesus’ first coming, while others are partially fulfilled or still future.
Prophecy is not only predicting the future—it is also God speaking to His people about His will, judgment, call to repentance, and promises of grace.
Prophecies point to Christ—According to Luke 24:27, “Moses and all the prophets” refer to Jesus. He is the center of the prophetic message.
If you want to delve deeper, you could, for example:· Create a chronological overview of prophecies and their fulfillment;
· Conduct a study by prophet (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, etc.);
· Examine prophecies in the New Testament (including Jesus, Paul, and John);
· Learn about typology (where events/symbols point to greater fulfillments, such as the Passover as a type of Christ).