Isaiah: Prophecies Fulfilled

He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

Isaiah: Prophecies Fulfilled
Isaiah by Jean-Louis Ernest Meissonier, (1838)
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Key words

  • Exile: the condition of someone being sent or kept away from their own country

Many Cuban exiles live in Florida.

  • Foretell: to say what is going to happen in the future

We cannot foretell how the game will end, anyone could win.

  • Infirmity: illness, especially for long periods or because of old age

She suffered from a long list of infirmities.

  • Bear: to accept, tolerate, or endure something, especially something unpleasant

She bore the stress without complaining.

We will search the ends of the earth if we have to..


Read the article to find the answers

  1. Who was Isaiah?
  2. Which of his prophecies do all Jews believe were fulfilled?
  3. Which of his prophecies do only Messianic Jews believe were fulfilled?
  4. What did Jesus read from the book of Isaiah?

Yahweh is salvation

Isaiah was a prophet who lived in 8th century Judah. The name Isaiah means Yahweh is salvation. Yahweh is the Hebrew name for God. The book of Isaiah is the first of the major prophets and contains many prophecies.

Fulfilled prophecies

The Destruction of Babylon

Isaiah contains prophecies of the fall and destruction of the ancient city of Babylon. These prophecies were fulfilled when Babylon was conquered by the Medes and Persians under the rule of Cyrus the Great.

The Return from Exile

Isaiah contains several prophecies concerning the return of the Jewish people from exile in Babylon. These prophecies were fulfilled when Cyrus the Great allowed the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

Fulfilled prophecies (for Messianic Jews)

Rabbinic Jews reject the idea that Jesus is their Messiah, along with the idea that these prophecies were fulfilled. Many also forbid the reading of Isaiah 53 in their synagogues.

The Virgin Birth

Joseph, take Mary as your wife. The Holy Ghost is giving her a son who you should call Jesus because He will save His people from their sins. 

This fulfils the prophecy: 

A virgin will have a son called Emmanuel, which means God with us.

The Ministry of John the Baptist

Isaiah prophesied a voice in the wilderness preparing the way for the Lord. John the Baptist prepared the people for the ministry of Jesus.

As it is written in the prophets, behold, I send my messenger before you. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

The Suffering Servant

Isaiah 53 is often called the "Suffering Servant" passage. It foretells a servant of the Lord who would suffer and die for the sins of others.

He cast out the spirits with His word, and healed all that were sick.

This fulfils Isaiah's prophecy:

He took our infirmities, and bore our diseases.

A Light to the Gentiles

Isaiah prophesied that God's salvation would reach the ends of the earth.

Then Paul and Barnabas boldly said, "Because you consider yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will preach to the Gentiles. The Lord told us that we would be a light to the Gentiles and preach salvation to the ends of the earth."

Jesus quotes Isaiah

Jesus referred to Isaiah several times during His ministry.

Jesus went into the synagogue and read from the book of Isaiah, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, to give sight to the blind, and to free those who are bruised." Everyone fixed their eyes on Him, then He said, "Today this scripture is fulfilled."
You hypocrites! Isaiah prophesied about you, saying, "This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. They worship me in vain. They teach the commandments of men."

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Discussion questions

  • Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
  • Do you know the Bible passage quoted at the top of this article?
  • Have you heard about chapter 53 of Isaiah?
  • Do you know any other prophets?

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