“For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). Those are the words of the angel Gabriel when he foretold of Jesus’ birth. We often celebrate his birth, and we should, but we do not often consider the prophecies surrounding it. Do you know how many messianic prophecies there are in the Old Testament? Some say 500. Some say 476. But, to keep it conservative, most scholars agree on 300. Now, do you realize the mathematical probability for one person to fulfill all 300 prophecies? It is down right near impossible! For one man to fulfill just eight prophecies is one in 100,000,000,000,000,000. That’s 10 to the 17th power. Do you know the mathematical probability of one person fulfilling just one of the prophecies regarding the Messiah’s birth? Take the prophecy of the Messiah being born in Bethlehem according to Micah 5:2, there is a 1 in 300,000 mathematical chance. Guess who did fulfilled all 300 prophecies, including the 10 Messianic prophecies regarding the Messiah’s birth? Jesus. So, how many Messianic prophecies are there concerning the birth of the Messiah? Ten. What are they?
1) There is the prophecy that the Messiah would be filled with power, and peace.
The prophet Isaiah said, “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” (Isaiah 9:6). This prophecy was fulfilled in Luke 4:18 when Jesus was rejected at Nazareth, his hometown.
2) The Messiah would be born through a virgin.
The prophet Isaiah said, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). This was fulfilled in Matthew 1:23 when the angel announced to Joseph that Mary’s pregnancy was of the Holy Spirit.
3) The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.
The prophet Micah said, “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2). This was fulfilled in Luke 2:1-7. Joseph had to report to Bethlehem because of a decree having been made by Caesar Augustus for all to be registered in their hometown. Bethlehem was Josephs hometown, which is why he had to report there. While there Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Christ.
4) The Messiah would have to escape from Bethlehem to Egypt.
The prophet Hosea said, “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son” (Hosea 11:1). This was fulfilled in Matthew 2:13 when King Herod determined to seek the newly born Messiah and have him killed. An angel of God awakened Joseph and told him to flee to Egypt.
5) A star would show the way to the Messiah.
Numbers 24:17 says, “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a septor shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth.” This was fulfilled in Matthew 2:1-2 when the wise men/magi arrived in Bethlehem asking where the Messiah was, for they had followed the star that was leading the way.
6) Gifts would be presented at the Messiah’s birth.
The psalmist wrote, “May the kings of Tarshish and of the coastlands render him tribute; may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts! May all kings fall down before him, all nations serve him” (Psalm 72:10-11). This was fulfilled in Matthew 2:11 when the wise men or magi came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
7) The Messiah would be worshiped by shepherds.
The psalmist wrote, “May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust” (Psalm 72:9). This was fulfilled in Luke 2:8-20 when the good news of Jesus’ birth was announced. The shepherds, upon hearing this announcement, left for Bethlehem to see the Messiah. When they arrived they glorified and praised God.
8) There would be weeping at the Messiah’s birth and murder of innocent babies.
The prophet Jeremiah said, “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more” (Jeremiah 31:15). This was fulfilled in Matthew 2:16 when the soldiers of King Herod killed children two years and under in an attempt to murder the Messiah.
9) The Messiah’s birth would precede the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem.
The prophet Daniel said, “Know therefore and understand that from the going out of the word to restore and build Jerusalem to the coming of an anointed once, a prince, there shall be seven weeks. Then for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with squares and moat, but in a troubled time. And after the sixty-two weeks and anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing. And the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Its end shall come with flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed” (Daniel 9:25-26). We see this fulfilled in Matthew 2:1, 1 Peter 2:24, and Matthew 24:2.
10) The Messiah would descend from Abraham and King David.
God said to Abraham in Genesis 22:18, “In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” And God said to King David in Psalm 132:11, “One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne.” The prophet Isaiah said (11:1), “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his root shall bear fruit.” And God said through the prophet Jeremiah in Jeremiah 23:5, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.” The genealogy found in Matthew 1:1-17 tells us this the one who descended from Abraham and King David is “Jesus..who is called Christ” (Matt. 1:16).
***Credit to CrossWalk.Com for some information***