The Bible tells a beautiful, interconnected story. Even in the Old Testament, you can spot hints of what was coming—Jesus. His story unfolds in the New Testament, but the Old Testament has many moments that seem to whisper about His arrival.
Let’s look at 15 times the Old Testament pointed to Jesus’ coming. Looking back, it’s amazing to see how God was preparing His people for the Savior all along.
The Seed of the Woman
“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” – Genesis 3:15
After Adam and Eve’s downfall, God made a promise. The woman’s offspring would crush the serpent’s head. This initial prophecy points to Jesus, who would beat Satan and sin. When humans first failed, God hinted at His plan to send a Savior.
The Virgin Birth
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” – Isaiah 7:14
Isaiah predicted a virgin would have a son named Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” Jesus’ birth through Mary fulfilled this. It’s mind-blowing that this key detail about Jesus’ birth was foretold hundreds of years before it happened.
Abraham’s Sacrifice of Isaac
“Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” – Genesis 22:2
God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac. This story foreshadows God’s sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, for us. Isaac was spared, and Jesus took our place, showing how much God loves people.
The Passover Lamb
“Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.” – Exodus 12:7
The Israelites escaped death during Passover by smearing lamb’s blood on their doorposts. This action points to Jesus as the final sacrifice, whose blood would rescue us from everlasting death (Exodus 12:1-14).
The Bronze Serpent
“The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.” – Numbers 21:8-9
When snakes bit the Israelites, they found salvation by gazing at a bronze serpent on a pole. Jesus mentions this event later, explaining that He would also be raised up (on the cross), and anyone who believes in Him would escape spiritual death.
The Promise of a Prophet Like Moses
“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in His mouth. He will tell them everything I command Him.” Deuteronomy 18:18
Moses informs the people that God will bring forth a prophet similar to him, and this prophet is Jesus. Moses guided the Israelites out of Egypt, and in the same way, Jesus guided us to freedom from sin and death.
The Suffering Servant
This prediction in Isaiah 53 vividly describes Jesus’ pain and sacrifice. Isaiah talks about a servant who would suffer injuries for our wrongdoings, which points straight to Jesus’ death on the cross to bear the sins of the world.
The Root of Jesse
Isaiah speaks of a shoot emerging from the stump of Jesse, the father of King David, symbolizing a new beginning from David’s lineage. This branch represents Jesus, a descendant of David, who would bring hope, justice, and peace to the world through His reign. Isaiah 11:1-10 highlights the qualities of this promised Messiah—wisdom, understanding, and righteousness—who would restore harmony and offer salvation, fulfilling God’s covenant with His people. Through Jesus, this prophecy finds its ultimate fulfillment, offering hope to all nations.
The Stone the Builders Rejected
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” – Psalm 118:22-23
Psalm 118 describes a stone that people turned away but ended up as the cornerstone. Jesus represents this stone—many rejected Him, yet He forms the base of our faith. Even when people missed His importance, He became key to God’s salvation plan.
The Betrayal for Thirty Pieces of Silver
“I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.” – Zechariah 11:12
Zechariah predicted a shepherd would face betrayal for thirty silver pieces. This points straight to Judas selling out Jesus for the same amount, revealing that God knew about the details of Jesus’ betrayal beforehand.
The Piercing of His Hands and Feet
“Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.” – Psalm 22:16
David wrote in Psalm 22 about pierced hands and feet long before crucifixion existed. This remarkable prediction looks ahead to Jesus’ crucifixion, where nails pierced His hands and feet on the cross.
The Sign of Jonah
“Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.” – Jonah 1:17
Jonah’s three-day stay in the fish’s belly symbolizes Jesus’ three days in the tomb before He rose again. Just as Jonah came out of the fish, Jesus came back to life, bringing new hope.
The Rejected King
“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces, he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.” – Isaiah 53:3
Isaiah predicted the Messiah would face rejection and contempt from people. This matches what Jesus experienced during His life on earth. People mocked and crucified Him even though He was the King of Kings.
The Ruler from Bethlehem
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” – Micah 5:2
Micah predicted the arrival of a leader from Bethlehem, and many years later, Jesus was born in this tiny village. It’s amazing to think that His modest place of birth was part of God’s plan from the start.
The New Covenant
“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts.I will be their God, and they will be my people.” – Jeremiah 31:33
Jeremiah speaks of a new covenant where God promises to place His law within the hearts and minds of His people, marking a deeper, more intimate relationship. This prophecy foreshadows the transformation brought by Jesus’ sacrifice, where the rigid adherence to the old law is replaced by a life lived through grace. Under this new covenant, faith and internal transformation take precedence as God’s presence becomes personal and direct, and believers experience a closer relationship with Him, guided by His will from within.
God is Always Two Steps Ahead of Us
It’s incredible how the Old Testament set the stage for Jesus’ coming way before His birth. Each of these instances shows the deep connections in the Bible, and how God’s plan to send Jesus was always at work. May these fulfilled prophecies remind us that God keeps His word, and that He had also been getting things ready for us from the start.
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Jannah is a dedicated Christian content writer with growing experience, driven by her love for sharing the message of faith. She brings dedication and passion to every piece she writes, drawing from her background as a former lector. Jannah is committed to creating meaningful and inspiring content that reflects her Christian values.