Prophecies about Jesus: He would be the Messiah

People often have job titles at work. Like a manager, a supervisor, or a team leader. And king Charles III, President Biden, and Pharaoh Tutankhamun are known as the King, the President and the Pharaoh.

Did you know that Jesus had a job title? And it wasn’t the sign that was put on His cross – “The king of the Jews”. He was known as the Christ, the Messiah or the Anointed One. How did this come about?

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew verb “to anoint” (“mashach”, Strongs #4886) meant to set someone apart for a role like a prophet, priest or king. For example, Samuel anointed David to be a king (1 Sam. 16:1-13). Elijah anointed Elisha to be a prophet (1 Ki. 19:16). And Moses anointed Aaron and his sons as priests (Ex. 30:30; Lev. 8:10-12). They poured perfumed olive oil on the head of the person (Ex. 30:22-32) to show they were set apart or holy to serve God. The anointed one then spoke, served or ruled as God’s representative to His people. The anointing was part of a public ceremony to show everyone that God had chosen this person for a special task. David refused to harm Saul because Saul was “the anointed of the Lord” (1 Sam. 24:6).

The person anointed was called the “anointed one”. The English word “Messiah” comes from the Hebrew noun for “anointed one” (“mashiach”, Strongs #4899).

In Daniel 9:25-26, Daniel had a revelation from the angel Gabriel about a coming ruler called the “Anointed One” or the “Messiah”, who will be put to death. The English word “Christ” comes from the Greek noun for “anointed one” (“christos”, Strongs #5547). So “anointed one”, Messiah and Christ all have the same meaning.

When Jesus was in Nazareth He read Isaiah 61:1-2a, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Lk. 4:16-21NIV).

Then Jesus said, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing”. He was applying a verse in Isaiah to Himself. He said that He was the anointed one described in Isaiah who could solve all their problems. He also told the Samaritan woman that He was the promised Messiah (Jn. 4:25-26). Of course, He wasn’t anointed with oil, but with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:37-38).

Both Jesus and Paul taught from the Old Testament that Jesus was the Messiah who would die and rise from the dead (Lk. 24:46; Acts 17:2-3). When Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ (or Messiah), Jesus ordered the disciples not to tell anyone because the Jews were looking for a leader to rescue them from the Romans. Instead, Jesus identified Himself as the “Son of Man”. But later at His trial Jesus told the high priest that He was the Messiah (Mk. 14:61-62).

Jesus fulfilled the role of prophet, priest and king. His role was divinely appointed. Like a prophet, His teaching was from God the Father (Jn. 7:16). Like a priest, He reconciles us to God and intercedes for us (Heb. 7:21). And like a king, He rules at the right hand of God (Phil. 2:9-11). His role was foreshadowed by the prophets, priests and kings of Israel in the Old Testament. They are types or pattern prophesies of the anointed one.

The Messiah was “anointed” first to rescue His people spiritually from sin and Satan (Jn. 8:31–36). He accomplished this salvation through His death and resurrection (John 12:32; John 3:16). Later, He will deliver His people from their physical enemies, when He sets up His kingdom on the earth (Isa. 9:1–7).

The Messiah of the Old Testament is associated with promises to restore Israel and set up a righteous kingdom over all the world ruled by a descendant of David (Jer. 33:6-26). At the second coming of Christ and the millennial kingdom His role as a king will be evident to all.

Prayer

Father God, we give thanks for the examples of the prophets, priests and kings in the Old Testament and the promise of a Messiah who would fulfill these roles. Thanks for sending Jesus as the Anointed One, the Messiah, and the Christ with the special task of being both God and human in order to rescue us spiritually by taking the punishment that we deserve. That’s good news and deliverance for us all. We thank you He has visited once as a prophet and a priest and is coming again to rule as a king. And we can serve Him today as Lord of our lives. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Written, January 2024