The Prophecy Timeline
Messianic prophecy in the order it was spoken: from the patriarchs to the fall of Jerusalem. Each era carries the promises made inside it, in its own words, with the passage where the New Testament says it landed.
Patriarchs
2000 BC – 1400 BC · 1 prophecyHis MinistryWalks on Water
Fulfilled“Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.”
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Walks on Water
“Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.”
“And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.”
Only God treads on the waves; the Messiah would demonstrate divine power.
Jesus walked on water, displaying divine authority over nature.
Exodus & Law
1400 BC – 1000 BC · 1 prophecyHis MinistrySpeaks with Authority
Fulfilled“I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”
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Speaks with Authority
“I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”
“For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.”
The Messiah would speak God's words with divine authority.
Jesus spoke with unique authority that amazed his listeners.
Kingdom
1000 BC – 722 BC · 7 propheciesHis MinistryCalms the Storm
Fulfilled“He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”
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Calms the Storm
“He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”
“And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”
The Messiah would have authority over nature.
Jesus calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee with a command.
His MinistryCleanses the Temple
Fulfilled“For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”
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Cleanses the Temple
“For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”
“And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep... And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.”
The Messiah would zealously cleanse the temple.
Jesus drove out the money changers, cleansing God's house.
His MinistryFaces Opposition from Leaders
Fulfilled“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed.”
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Faces Opposition from Leaders
“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed.”
“The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus... both Herod, and Pontius Pilate.”
Rulers would conspire against the Messiah.
Jewish and Roman leaders conspired together against Jesus.
His MinistryFeeds Multitudes
Fulfilled“I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.”
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Feeds Multitudes
“I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.”
“And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down... When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments.”
The Messiah would miraculously provide bread.
Jesus fed 5,000 and 4,000 with miraculous multiplication of bread.
His MinistryHated Without Cause
Fulfilled“They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head.”
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Hated Without Cause
“They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head.”
“But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.”
The Messiah would be hated without legitimate reason.
Jesus was hated despite doing only good.
His MinistryTeacher of Parables
Fulfilled“I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old.”
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Teacher of Parables
“I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old.”
“All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them.”
The Messiah would teach in parables.
Jesus' primary teaching method was parables.
His MinistrySpeaks in Wisdom
Fulfilled“Doth not wisdom cry?... She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city... Unto you, O men, I call.”
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Speaks in Wisdom
“Doth not wisdom cry?... She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city... Unto you, O men, I call.”
“For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.”
The Messiah would embody divine wisdom.
Jesus confounded all opponents with his wisdom; he is Wisdom incarnate.
Israel Falls
722 BC – 586 BC · 14 propheciesHis MinistryBears Our Sicknesses
Fulfilled“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.”
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Bears Our Sicknesses
“Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows.”
“He cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.”
The Messiah would bear our sicknesses and sorrows.
Jesus healed diseases and ultimately bore our sins on the cross.
His MinistryHeals the Brokenhearted
Fulfilled“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted.”
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Heals the Brokenhearted
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted.”
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted.”
The Messiah would bring healing to the brokenhearted.
Jesus ministered to the grieving, sinful, and marginalized.
His MinistryLoved by the Father
Fulfilled“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth.”
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Loved by the Father
“Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth.”
“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
The Father delights in the Messiah.
God audibly declared his love for Jesus at his baptism.
His MinistryMinistered to the Poor
Fulfilled“But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth.”
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Ministered to the Poor
“But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth.”
“Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.”
The Messiah would minister especially to the poor.
Jesus prioritized ministry to the poor and marginalized.
His MinistryMinistry Begins in Galilee
Fulfilled“Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali... The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.”
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Ministry Begins in Galilee
“Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali... The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.”
“And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet.”
The Messiah's ministry would bring light to Galilee.
Jesus began his public ministry in Galilee, around the Sea of Galilee.
His MinistryMinistry of Miracles
Fulfilled“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.”
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Ministry of Miracles
“Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.”
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”
The Messiah would perform miraculous healings.
Jesus healed the blind, deaf, lame, and mute throughout his ministry.
His MinistryNot Believed
Fulfilled“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?”
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Not Believed
“Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?”
“But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled.”
Despite miracles, many would not believe in the Messiah.
Despite overwhelming evidence, most of Israel did not believe in Jesus.
His MinistryOpens Blind Eyes
Fulfilled“To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”
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Opens Blind Eyes
“To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.”
“He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.”
The Messiah would give sight to the blind.
Jesus healed many blind people, including the man born blind in John 9.
His MinistryPerforms Signs and Wonders
Fulfilled“Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel.”
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Performs Signs and Wonders
“Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel.”
“Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you.”
The Messiah would perform miraculous signs.
Jesus performed countless miracles, signs, and wonders.
His MinistryProclaims the Year of the Lord's Favor
Partially Fulfilled“To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God.”
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Proclaims the Year of the Lord's Favor
“To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God.”
“To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”
The Messiah would proclaim a time of God's favor.
Jesus proclaimed favor but stopped before 'day of vengeance' - that awaits his return.
Jesus deliberately stopped mid-verse, showing the gap between first and second comings.
His MinistryRaises the Dead
Fulfilled“Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.”
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Raises the Dead
“Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.”
“And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth.”
The Messiah would raise the dead.
Jesus raised Lazarus, Jairus' daughter, and the widow's son.
His MinistryRejected by His Own People
Fulfilled“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him.”
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Rejected by His Own People
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him.”
“He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”
The Messiah would be rejected by his own people.
The Jewish leaders rejected Jesus and many of his own people did not believe.
His MinistrySets Captives Free
Fulfilled“To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”
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Sets Captives Free
“To proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”
“To preach deliverance to the captives... to set at liberty them that are bruised.”
The Messiah would free those in spiritual bondage.
Jesus freed people from sin, demons, and spiritual oppression.
His MinistryTeaches in Synagogues
Fulfilled“The LORD hath anointed me to preach.”
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Teaches in Synagogues
“The LORD hath anointed me to preach.”
“And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day.”
The Messiah would teach in synagogues.
Jesus regularly taught in synagogues throughout Israel.
Judah Falls & Exile
586 BC – 400 BC · 4 propheciesHis MinistryEnter Jerusalem on a Donkey
Fulfilled“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
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Enter Jerusalem on a Donkey
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
“And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon... the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God.”
The Messiah would enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey.
Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday riding a donkey's colt.
His MinistryRebukes Demons
Fulfilled“And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan.”
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Rebukes Demons
“And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan.”
“And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.”
The Messiah would have authority over demons.
Jesus cast out demons with a word, displaying divine authority.
His MinistryHe Would Enter the Temple
Fulfilled“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple.”
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He Would Enter the Temple
“Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple.”
“And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple.”
The Lord would suddenly come to his temple.
Jesus entered the temple multiple times and cleansed it twice.
His MinistryThe Messenger in the Spirit of Elijah
Fulfilled“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.”
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The Messenger in the Spirit of Elijah
“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.”
“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.”
An Elijah-like prophet would precede the Messiah.
John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah.
Spanning 2100 BC to 100 AD of biblical history.
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