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.
Kingdom
1000 BC – 722 BC · 16 propheciesHis Resurrection & AscensionAscension to Heaven
Fulfilled“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men.”
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Ascension to Heaven
“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men.”
“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.”
The Messiah would ascend to heaven.
Jesus ascended to heaven 40 days after his resurrection.
His Resurrection & AscensionAscension to the Right Hand of God
Fulfilled“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
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Ascension to the Right Hand of God
“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool.”
Psalm 110 is the most-quoted Old Testament passage in the New Testament. David calls the Messiah 'my Lord' and prophesies that God will invite Him to sit at His right hand—a position of supreme authority—until all enemies are subdued.
Jesus ascended to heaven forty days after His resurrection (Acts 1:9-11) and was enthroned at the Father's right hand. Peter cites this psalm at Pentecost as proof of Christ's exaltation. Jesus Himself used Psalm 110 to challenge the Pharisees (Matthew 22:41-46). Hebrews 1:13, 10:12-13, and 12:2 all cite this verse to establish Christ's current reign. Stephen saw the fulfillment visibly at his martyrdom, describing Jesus standing at God's right hand (Acts 7:55-56).
His Resurrection & AscensionBody Would Not See Corruption
Fulfilled“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
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Body Would Not See Corruption
“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
“Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.”
David prophesied that God's Holy One would not experience physical decay in the grave. Peter explicitly cites this at Pentecost as a direct prophecy of Christ's resurrection, noting that David himself died and his tomb remained, so the prophecy could only refer to a future descendant.
Jesus was crucified on a Friday and rose on Sunday morning, meaning His body was in the tomb less than 72 hours. In first-century understanding, bodily corruption was believed to begin on the fourth day (compare John 11:39, where Martha objects that Lazarus 'stinketh: for he hath been dead four days'). Christ's early resurrection ensured His body saw no decay. Peter's sermon at Pentecost (Acts 2) and Paul's sermon at Antioch (Acts 13:35-37) both cite this psalm as direct evidence that the Messiah must rise bodily.
His Resurrection & AscensionGod Redeems Soul from the Grave
Fulfilled“But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.”
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God Redeems Soul from the Grave
“But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.”
“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”
The psalmist declares confidence that God will redeem his soul from Sheol (the grave). While applicable to all believers, this hope is definitively grounded in Messiah's prior conquest of death as firstfruits.
This psalm expresses resurrection hope in the Old Testament era, a hope that required divine action to redeem from Sheol. The New Testament reveals this redemption was accomplished through Messiah's resurrection. Christ, as the firstfruits, guarantees the redemption of all believers' souls from the grave. Jesus's own teaching in Luke 20:37-38 that God is 'the God of the living' and Paul's argument in 1 Corinthians 15 both build on this Old Testament resurrection hope fulfilled in Christ.
His Resurrection & AscensionLeads Captivity Captive
Fulfilled“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive.”
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Leads Captivity Captive
“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive.”
“Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”
The Messiah would triumph over captivity and death.
Jesus conquered death and led believers from bondage to freedom.
His Resurrection & AscensionLed Captivity Captive and Gave Gifts
Fulfilled“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.”
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Led Captivity Captive and Gave Gifts
“Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.”
“Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that ascended is also he that descended up far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)”
David's psalm describes a victorious king ascending to the heights after conquest, leading captives in triumph and distributing spoils. Paul applies this directly to Christ's ascension and the giving of spiritual gifts to the church.
Paul interprets this psalm as a prophecy of Christ's ascension following His descent in incarnation and possibly His descent to Hades. After rising and ascending, Christ distributed spiritual gifts—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Ephesians 4:11)—to equip the church. The 'captivity' led captive is variously understood as defeated spiritual enemies, liberated Old Testament saints, or death itself (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). The fulfillment was publicly manifested at Pentecost with the outpouring of the Spirit.
His Resurrection & AscensionPriest Forever After Melchizedek
Fulfilled“The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
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Priest Forever After Melchizedek
“The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
“And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
An everlasting priesthood requires an eternally living priest. The prophecy that Messiah would be priest 'for ever' necessitates resurrection and perpetual life, since death ends earthly priestly service.
Hebrews 7 develops this argument extensively. Levitical priests died and had to be replaced, but Messiah's priesthood is perpetual because He rose and 'ever liveth to make intercession' (Hebrews 7:25). The Melchizedek typology (Genesis 14) pictures a priest without recorded death, foreshadowing Christ's unending priesthood. This prophecy could only be fulfilled by someone who conquered death—directly implying Messiah's resurrection and ongoing ministry from His ascended position at the Father's right hand.
His Resurrection & AscensionPriestly Intercession Continues
Fulfilled“Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
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Priestly Intercession Continues
“Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
The Messiah's priesthood is eternal.
Jesus serves as eternal high priest, always interceding.
His Resurrection & AscensionRules in the Midst of Enemies
Partially Fulfilled“The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.”
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Rules in the Midst of Enemies
“The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.”
“For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.”
The Messiah would reign even while enemies remain.
Jesus reigns now; enemies will be fully subdued at his return.
His Resurrection & AscensionSeated at God's Right Hand
Fulfilled“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
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Seated at God's Right Hand
“The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.”
“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.”
The Messiah would sit at God's right hand.
Jesus is now seated at the Father's right hand in glory.
His Resurrection & AscensionShow Path of Life Before the Face
Fulfilled“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
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Show Path of Life Before the Face
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
“Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance... This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.”
David's prophetic declaration that God would show him 'the path of life' leading to God's presence and right hand is applied by Peter directly to Christ's resurrection and ascension, which opened the path from grave to glory.
Peter at Pentecost cites this entire context (Psalm 16:8-11) as prophetic of Christ, not David. David died and his tomb remained, so the 'path of life' from grave to God's right hand could only apply to one whose body did not decay. Jesus walked that path—from tomb to ascension to enthronement at God's right hand—exactly as David prophesied. The phrase 'pleasures for evermore' at God's right hand describes Christ's current ascended state and foreshadows believers' future glorification.
His Resurrection & AscensionStone Rejected Becomes Head Cornerstone
Fulfilled“The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”
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Stone Rejected Becomes Head Cornerstone
“The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”
“Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.”
The rejected stone becoming the cornerstone pictures a reversal of fortune only possible through resurrection. The builders (religious leaders) reject the stone (Messiah), but God elevates Him to supreme position.
Jesus applied this psalm to Himself in the Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10-11, Luke 20:17), predicting His rejection and subsequent exaltation. Peter repeatedly cites it after the resurrection (Acts 4:11, 1 Peter 2:7) to explain Jesus's transformation from rejected to head cornerstone. The 'marvellous' reversal (Hebrew 'pala,' often used of divine miracles) specifically points to resurrection as the mechanism by which the rejected stone became supreme. Early Christians understood this as a cornerstone prophecy of Easter's vindication.
His Resurrection & AscensionWould Be Resurrected
Fulfilled“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
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Would Be Resurrected
“For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”
“He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.”
The Messiah would rise before his body decayed.
Jesus rose on the third day, before any decay could occur.
His Resurrection & AscensionSon Raised to Eternal Throne
Fulfilled“And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”
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Son Raised to Eternal Throne
“And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”
“And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.”
The Davidic Covenant promised an eternal throne to David's seed. Paul argues in Acts 13 that this eternal kingship required resurrection—a dead king cannot reign forever. The promise therefore implicitly prophesied the Messiah's resurrection.
Paul's sermon at Pisidian Antioch connects three Old Testament texts (2 Samuel 7, Psalm 2, Isaiah 55:3) to argue that God's covenant promises to David required a resurrected king. Jesus, as David's descendant through Mary and legal heir through Joseph (Matthew 1, Luke 3), rose 'no more to return to corruption' and now reigns at God's right hand. Gabriel's announcement to Mary (Luke 1:32-33) explicitly cites this covenant as fulfilled in Jesus: 'the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David... and of his kingdom there shall be no end.'
His Resurrection & AscensionSends the Holy Spirit
Fulfilled“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.”
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Sends the Holy Spirit
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh.”
“But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh.”
After the Messiah's exaltation, the Spirit would be poured out.
At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out on all believers.
His Resurrection & AscensionResurrection on the Third Day
Fulfilled“After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.”
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Resurrection on the Third Day
“After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.”
“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
Hosea's prophecy of revival on the third day, read corporately as Israel's restoration, is echoed in the Messiah's resurrection on the third day. Paul specifies that the third-day resurrection happened 'according to the scriptures,' indicating the apostles saw this timing as prophetically predicted.
Jesus was crucified on Friday (Preparation Day, Mark 15:42) and rose on the first day of the week (Sunday, Mark 16:2), counted inclusively as the third day. Jesus Himself repeatedly predicted this timing (Matthew 16:21, 17:23, 20:19) and also referenced the sign of Jonah being three days and three nights in the great fish (Matthew 12:40) as parallel. Some scholars also cite the Jonah typology, Abraham's three-day journey to Moriah (Genesis 22:4), and Exodus 19:11 as additional third-day patterns fulfilled in Christ.
Israel Falls
722 BC – 586 BC · 6 propheciesHis Resurrection & AscensionDeath Swallowed Up in Victory
Partially Fulfilled“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.”
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Death Swallowed Up in Victory
“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.”
“So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”
Isaiah prophesied that God would personally defeat death and remove its power. Paul cites this as prophetic grounding for Christ's resurrection as the firstfruits and the guarantee of the general resurrection.
Christ's resurrection is the inaugural fulfillment—death lost its sting for Him first (Acts 2:24). Paul teaches that Christ's resurrection is the 'firstfruits' (1 Corinthians 15:20) guaranteeing believers' future resurrection. The complete swallowing of death awaits the final resurrection and new creation (Revelation 21:4). Hebrews 2:14-15 confirms Christ 'destroyed him that had the power of death' through His own death and resurrection, fulfilling the Isaianic promise inaugurally while the consummation is still future.
His Resurrection & AscensionGiven the Name Above All Names
Fulfilled“His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
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Given the Name Above All Names
“His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
“God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.”
The Messiah would be given the supreme name.
The name of Jesus is exalted above every other name.
His Resurrection & AscensionGreat Shepherd Brought Again from Dead
Fulfilled“Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?”
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Great Shepherd Brought Again from Dead
“Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?”
“Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.”
Old Testament shepherd imagery applied to the deliverer who leads God's people through waters (Isaiah 63) finds fulfillment in the New Testament's Great Shepherd brought back from the dead. The pattern of Moses being brought up from the sea with his flock prefigures Christ being brought up from death with His people.
Hebrews 13:20 explicitly connects Old Testament shepherd prophecies (including Isaiah 63:11 and the shepherd imagery in Ezekiel 34 and Zechariah 13:7) to Christ's resurrection. God 'brought again from the dead' the Great Shepherd, fulfilling the pattern. Jesus claimed this identity in John 10 ('I am the good shepherd... I lay down my life for the sheep... I have power to take it again'), directly predicting His resurrection as Shepherd. Peter also identifies Christ as 'the chief Shepherd' (1 Peter 5:4), ruling from the ascended position.
His Resurrection & AscensionHighly Exalted
Fulfilled“Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.”
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Highly Exalted
“Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.”
“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.”
After suffering, the Messiah would be exalted to the highest place.
God exalted Jesus to the highest place after his humiliation.
His Resurrection & AscensionIntercedes for Believers
Fulfilled“He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
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Intercedes for Believers
“He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
“It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”
The risen Messiah would continue interceding for his people.
Jesus continually intercedes for believers before the Father.
His Resurrection & AscensionSuffering Servant Shall Prolong His Days
Fulfilled“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
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Suffering Servant Shall Prolong His Days
“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.”
“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Isaiah's Suffering Servant dies as a sin offering, yet afterward 'sees his seed,' 'prolongs his days,' and is 'satisfied.' A dead servant cannot see descendants or prolong his days—unless he rises.
Isaiah 53 is the clearest Old Testament prophecy of substitutionary atonement, and verses 10-11 explicitly require post-death continuation. After being made a sin offering, the Servant sees His spiritual 'seed' (offspring, children in the faith), lives on ('prolong his days'), and is 'satisfied' with the outcome. This pattern matches Christ's death, resurrection, and ongoing work seeing His redeemed people grow in number. Philip used Isaiah 53 to preach Christ to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:32-35). Early Jewish interpretation (including Targum Jonathan) identified this Servant as Messiah before later rabbis shifted to a corporate Israel reading.
Judah Falls & Exile
586 BC – 400 BC · 5 propheciesHis Resurrection & AscensionAncient of Days Gives Dominion to Son of Man
Partially Fulfilled“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom which shall not be destroyed.”
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Ancient of Days Gives Dominion to Son of Man
“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom which shall not be destroyed.”
“Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.”
Daniel's night vision shows the Son of Man ascending on clouds to the Ancient of Days to receive everlasting dominion. This ascension to receive kingship is fulfilled in Christ's post-resurrection ascension.
Jesus's favorite self-designation was 'Son of Man,' a direct claim to this Daniel 7 vision. At His trial before Caiaphas (Matthew 26:64), Jesus cited Daniel 7 along with Psalm 110, claiming the ascension and enthronement Daniel foresaw. The Ascension (Acts 1:9) visibly fulfilled the cloud-riding ascent to receive the kingdom. Christ now reigns (Ephesians 1:20-22, Hebrews 2:8-9), though the full manifestation of all nations serving Him awaits the Second Coming. The angels' promise in Acts 1:11 that Jesus would return 'in like manner' confirms this ongoing Daniel 7 trajectory.
His Resurrection & AscensionGiven All Authority
Fulfilled“And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him.”
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Given All Authority
“And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him.”
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
The Messiah would receive all authority and dominion.
After resurrection, Jesus declared all authority given to him.
His Resurrection & AscensionMessiah Cut Off But Not for Himself
Fulfilled“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end thereof wars and desolations are determined.”
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Messiah Cut Off But Not for Himself
“And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end thereof wars and desolations are determined.”
“Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
Daniel prophesied that Messiah would be 'cut off' (a Hebrew term often meaning violent death), but crucially 'not for himself'—meaning His death would be substitutionary. The subsequent ongoing role of Messiah in Daniel's 70 weeks framework implies resurrection.
The Hebrew word 'karat' (cut off) frequently denotes covenantal death penalty. Jesus was 'cut off' through crucifixion around AD 30-33, not for His own sins but for the sins of others (Isaiah 53:8, 2 Corinthians 5:21). The ongoing messianic work described in Daniel 9:24 (finishing transgression, making reconciliation, bringing everlasting righteousness) could not be accomplished by a permanently dead Messiah, necessitating resurrection. Paul explicitly links death and resurrection together as the twin acts that secure justification: He died for our sins and rose for our justification.
His Resurrection & AscensionPierced One Would Be Seen Again
Partially Fulfilled“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one mourneth for his firstborn.”
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Pierced One Would Be Seen Again
“And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one mourneth for his firstborn.”
“And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”
Zechariah prophesied that the people would one day look upon the one they had pierced and mourn. The reference to a continuing person who was pierced and yet still seen implies survival beyond death—a resurrection requirement.
John cites this prophecy at the crucifixion when Roman soldiers pierced Jesus's side (John 19:34-37). A first fulfillment occurred at the resurrection when Thomas saw and believed after touching Jesus's wounds (John 20:27). Revelation 1:7 applies the full mourning aspect to Christ's Second Coming, when national Israel will recognize their crucified Messiah. The prophecy requires that the pierced one continue to exist to be seen again, making it an implicit resurrection prophecy fulfilled at Easter and awaiting final fulfillment at Christ's return.
His Resurrection & AscensionWill Return for His People
Awaiting Fulfillment“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives.”
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Will Return for His People
“And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives.”
“This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
The ascended Messiah will return visibly.
Jesus will return to the Mount of Olives as he departed.
Spanning 2100 BC to 100 AD of biblical history.
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