Old Testament Prophecies of Jesus Christ Lesson 5

We will be looking at 4 Old Testament prophecies of Jesus Christ in this lesson that prophesied several hundred years beforehand that Jesus would be a light to the Gentiles

The next four prophecies told beforehand that Jesus would be a light to the Gentiles. In biblical times the Jews referred to all other nations and people as Gentiles. Gentiles were considered to be anyone who wasn’t a Jew. The Jews referred to Gentiles as heathens in the Old Testament. They were called heathen, because they did not worship or believe in the God of Israel. The Jews did not believe that Gentiles could be saved or be of God. .The Gentiles didn’t actually become believers in the God of Israel, or worship the God of the Bible until after Jesus had already ascended into heaven. The interesting thing about this is that before Jesus came, the Gentiles didn’t believe in the God of the Bible, but Gentiles did believe in the God of the Bible after Jesus came. We should consider how many Gentile churches there are in the world today. God prophesied Jesus would be a light to the Gentiles, and that his salvation would reach out to the Gentiles several hundred years before Jesus was born. Here is the first account of Gentiles being saved in Acts 10:44-46 "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision (Jews) which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. This scripture is interesting, because it proves that Gentiles did not worship God until then, because the Jews would not have been astonished or surprised if the Holy Ghost fell on the Gentiles, if they thought Gentiles believed in God before then. This is historical evidence of an Old Testament prophecy being fulfilled. Jesus is the light of the world in John 9:5. Luke 2:30-32 "For my eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." See also John 1:5,9

Isaiah 9:1,2 "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, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." The people who walked in darkness in this prophecy were the Gentiles, who did not believe in God at that time. Jesus was the light they seen in this scripture, and he was the light that shined on them. It also prophesied precisely where Jesus would start his ministry. Jesus started his ministry in Galilee, and Galilee was the land of Zebulun and Naphtali in Isaiah’s time. We should notice the words "in Galilee of the nations," because this would mean Galilee of the Gentiles, because "nations" would mean people other than Jews. The reader should notice Matthew 4:13-16 below where Matthew uses the word Gentiles instead of nations when quoting this prophecy as pertaining to Jesus, when he started his ministry in Galilee.

Galilee was a land which had a huge population of Gentiles. It was the northern region of Palestine which separated the Gentile world from the Judean world. It had a mixed population of Gentiles and Judeans. It was filled with spiritual darkness because of the Gentile population, therefore it was prophesied that Jesus would be a light to the Gentile population which walked in darkness. There is one more thing that really excites and draws my interest in this, and that is the fact that I am a Gentile who believes in Jesus Christ. Here is Matthew 4:13-16 where this prophecy is quoted. Three more prophecies that tell beforehand that Jesus would be a light to the Gentiles will follow.

Matthew 4:13-16 "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 (Isaiah) the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up."

This next prophecy is in Isaiah 11:10

Isaiah 11:10 "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious." Jesus was the root of Jesse, because he was a descendant of Jesse, and he shall stand as an ensign (banner) of the people, to it (him) shall the Gentiles seek. Paul quotes this prophecy as pertaining to Jesus and Gentiles in Romans 15:11, 12 "And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. And again, Esaias (Isaiah) saith, there shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust."

This next prophecy is in Isaiah 42:6

Isaiah 42:6 "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles." See Luke 2:30-32

This next prophecy is in Isaiah 49:6

Isaiah 49:6 "And he said, It is a light thing that thou should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou may be my salvation unto the end of the earth." See Acts 13:47, 48.