Time traveler who foresaw the first Christmas

Isaiah wrote his prophecy 700 years before Jesus’ birth, yet the prophet sounded like a time traveler who actually witnessed the birth, ministry, and execution of Jesus.  Because of this, many scholars call Isaiah’s prophecy “The Fifth Gospel.”  

Isaiah predicted Jesus’ virgin birth: “The Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)… “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Isaiah foretold that Jesus would come from Galilee: “There will be a time in the future when Galilee…will be filled with glory. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light” (Isaiah 9:1-2). Galilee, in northern Israel, was the home base for Jesus’ ministry.  Isaiah even prophesied Jesus’ miracles: “When he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unblock the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy (Isaiah 35: 4-6).

When Jesus began his public ministry, he spoke at the synagogue in Nazareth, his hometown. When Jesus stood up to read, he selected Isaiah 61: 1: “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, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” 

Jesus handed the scroll back to the minister and sat down. With everyone’s eyes in the synagogue fixed on him, Jesus issued this staggering pronouncement: “Today is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4: 21)—meaning Jesus was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.

Isaiah, chapter 53, presaged the crucifixion and death of Jesus.  In these passages, Jesus is described as the Suffering Servant who was “despised and rejected,” who was “wounded for our transgressions,” who was “bruised for our iniquities,” who “was led like a lamb to the slaughter” and who was “buried like a criminal” and “put in a rich man’s grave.” 

Isaiah’s prophecy—written 700 years before Jesus– became reality when an angel announced the Savior’s birth: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:10-14). 

In summation, Isaiah described the suffering and death of Jesus with such theological and historical accuracy that his words read more like history than prophecy. Verifying the authenticity of Isaiah’s prophecy, a scroll containing Isaiah was found among the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947. This particular scroll (a copy of a copy) was transcribed 100 years before the time of Jesus. 

Wishing you and your family the Merriest Christmas Ever and a New Year filled with happiness, prosperity, and good health!