Predicting Jesus: Finding Hope in the Old Testament Prophecies
December 5, 2022 • by Kim Erickson
Did you know Isaiah wrote about the virgin birth more than 600 years before Jesus was born? To put this prediction into perspective, the United States is only 246 years old. We’d have to experience the Declaration of Independence and everything else in U.S. history more than two times to span the amount of time between Isaiah’s words and the birth of Jesus.
To put the prediction in context, God had just promised the Jewish people he would give them a sign as “deep as Sheol or high as heaven” (Isa. 7:11) to assure them he would not abandon his people or the Davidic covenant (that an ancestor of David would someday rule forever). Next, Isaiah told them, “the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14).
We know that verse, right? We hear it every Christmas. But do we really take notice that it was spoken centuries upon centuries before the baby Jesus was placed in that manger?
What Else Did Isaiah Say About Jesus?
Because Isaiah wrote that he was speaking “in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah” (Isa. 1:1), we can use history books to determine that Isaiah predicted the birth of Jesus about 600 years before that first Christmas.
Isaiah also foretold Jesus with this well-known verse:
“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
(Isa. 9:6).
Hundreds and hundreds of years later, an angel appeared to the shepherds, and told them:
“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12).
Isaiah told the people—twice—that a child would be born. Born. As in a baby. The baby would be a son, given to us. Our Christmas nativity is not a “story.” It is prophecy fulfilled. God-breathed. Incredible. Holy.
“Our Christmas nativity is not a “story.” It is prophecy fulfilled. God-breathed. Incredible. Holy. ”
It Came True. So What?
Perhaps you’re one of the lucky ones. Maybe you grew up in the church or have always believed. I wasn’t. I didn’t. I rejected the idea of the virgin birth, thinking Mary and Joseph spun a tale to cover up an early pregnancy. I rejected the idea of God coming to earth as a baby because it seemed ridiculous to me. Why would the all-powerful, all-knowing God shrink himself down to a baby who was totally reliant on someone else and needed his diaper changed?
I rejected Christianity on the basis of my own logic. So do a lot of people. All around you, in your everyday life, people do not understand why Jesus had to come to earth as a baby. Prophecy can help with their unbelief.
I clung to my unbelief until we lost our three-year-old son, Austin, to strep throat. The Lord stopped me in my tracks that very day, even though I’d rejected him my whole life. I didn’t even think to pray as my son passed from this life, and yet, God loved me enough to show me who he really is and why I need a Savior.
I didn’t have a church, so I knocked on the door of a community church in our neighborhood and asked if they would hold a memorial service for our little boy. God blessed me with a local church who believes and teaches the Bible as the unerring Word of God.
Although I was certain of my faith in Jesus for my salvation, I struggled with whether the Bible was really true for a long time. I grappled with doubts about the Bible as coming directly from God. I figured a bunch of men wrote these things thousands of years ago.
“Why would my new friends at church be so reliant on these ancient writings?” I wondered. So do a lot of people. The people you work with wonder. Your college friends wonder. Maybe even your church friends wonder, too. Our culture wonders why we value the Bible as the God-breathed authority for our lives.
“Studying Isaiah created in me a steadfast assurance that the Bible is from God and about God. ”
The Power of Prophecy
It wasn’t until I studied Isaiah and all the prophecies that came true that I finally let go of my doubts. When I studied the virgin birth, the root of Jesse, the costly cornerstone, and the one who would cry out in the wilderness, I began to see Jesus all through the words of Isaiah.
Isaiah spoke of a Messiah who would heal the deaf, the lame, and the blind. Isaiah 53 has so many details about the suffering and atonement of Christ on the cross, only God himself could have “written” it. Studying Isaiah created in me a steadfast assurance that the Bible is from God and about God.
In fact, through Isaiah, God told the Jewish people, over and over again, that he was telling them before it happened so that they would know there was no other God.
Prophecy exists so everyone can know: there is no other God.
The Character of God
Fulfilled prophecy, however, did more than convince me about the existence of God. It revealed the character of God. His nature, his love, his justice, his mercy, and his compassion all weave through those ancient words.
Studying Isaiah taught me that God always does what he says he’s going to do. I learned that God keeps his promises:
God said a virgin would give birth. She did.
God said a child would be born. He was.
God said a son would be given. He was.
The absolute certainty that God keeps his promises lifted me out of the deep pit of grieving a child. I’ve learned to trust God, even during the darkest hours. The promise of heaven helps me choose joy each day. The yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecy about a new heaven and earth, where there is no more crying, no more pain, no more death, and no more mourning (Rev. 21:1-4), helps me turn off the news, social media, and other distractions—and turn my focus back to God.
What could the steadfast assurance that God keeps his promises lift you out of today? How could you use the promises of God to encourage a co-worker this week?
As you share the gospel this Christmas season, I pray you’ll stand firm on the Word of God and rest in the hope that is found there.
Kim Erickson began following Christ after the death of her three-year-old son. Jesus and the Bible saved Kim from the pit of grieving the loss of a child. Kim began a writing and teaching ministry to help other women find outrageous joy from a deeper relationship with God. You can learn more at www.KimAErickson.com.
Kim is the author of Predicting Jesus: A Six-Week Study of the Messianic Prophecies of Isaiah,His Last Words: What Jesus Taught and Prayed in His Final Hours, and Surviving Sorrow: A Mother’s Guide to Living with Loss. Kim is an attorney and kindergarten teacher. She lives in Florida with her husband, Devin, and son, Ethan. She would love to hear from you through email: kim@kimAerickson.com. You can also find her on Facebook and Instagram.
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