Claremont Church

Archive for the ‘Prophesies concerning Christ Jesus’ Category

Bethlehem the prophesied place of Jesus’ birth was also referenced in the Old Testament concerning king Herod’s order to execute all male children under the age of two.  He ordered the killings because he wanted to make sure Jesus, who Herod saw as a threat to his rule, was permanently removed.

The first book of the Bible, Genesis tells amongst other stories the one regarding Jacob and his wife Rachel.  Jacob was renamed Israel by God and is where the nation of Israel derives its name.  It is thought that Jacob was born about 2000BC.  Genesis chapter 35 records Rachel’s death and burial.

Genesis chapter 35 verses 19 to 20, So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).  Over her tomb Jacob set up a pillar, and to this day that pillar marks Rachel’s tomb.

Jeremiah chapter 31 verse 15, This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because her children are no more.”

The prophet Jeremiah wrote sometime around 600BC in the Old Testament about Rachel weeping for her children.  Ramah, was near to Jerusalem about 10 miles from Bethlehem; such would be the volume of her figurative weeping.  As the mother of three tribes, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, and favoured wife of Jacob, Rachel is often regarded as the mother of all the tribes of Israel.  Rachel, who all her life had longed for children and who died giving birth to Benjamin; was now said to be weeping over Herod’s slaughter of the children.  This is found in the book of Matthew written some 660 years later in about 60AD.

Matthew chapter 2 verses 16-18, When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.  Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:  “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

The Old Testament also recorded that Jesus Christ would live in Egypt.

Hosea chapter 11 verse 1, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

This verse in Hosea has a double meaning.  It is both referring to Israel as a nation being released from slavery in Egypt (known as the Exodus) and also to Jesus being called out of Egypt.  To be called out must mean that he was there in the first place.  Jesus was also called or alluded to by several titles Son of God, Son of man, Messiah, Immanuel etc.  Here in Hosea, Jesus is called the son of God.  Then we read in the book of Matthew:-

Matthew chapter 2 verses 14 to 15, So he (Joseph) got up, took the child (Jesus) and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

The book of Hosea was written about 715bc and as stated previously the book of Matthew about 60ad.  This prophecy took some 655 years to come to fruition but come to fruition it did.

The Old Testament said that Jesus Christ would also live in Galilee.

Isaiah chapter 9 verses 1 to 2, Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He (God) humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honour Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan– The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Once again the book of Matthew confirms what was written some 690 years previously this time by the prophet Isaiah.

Matthew chapter 4 verses 13 to 16, Leaving Nazareth, He (Jesus) went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali; to fulfil what was said through the prophet Isaiah:  “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.”

All well and good you may say but what is this light?  Jesus Himself recorded in the New Testament book of John stated that He was that light.

John chapter 8 verse 12, When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

All Bible quotes taken from the NIV