Prophecies+About+the+Messiah+in+Zechariah

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=**Messianic Prophecies in Zechariah and Fulfillments**=

Zechariah is a book filled with Messianic prophecies. It has the third most in the Old Testament behind the book of Psalms and Isaiah. Zechariah is specific in his prophecies about the coming Messiah because Israel is yearning for the Messiah to come. Zechariah reminds his readers that the Messiah had both an immediate and long-term commitment to His people[i]. The Gospel writers clearly understood that Zechariah devoted a great deal of attention to the theme of the coming Messiah, [ii] for this reason, the Gospel writers are aware that Jesus is fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecies about the Messiah.

**Prophecies and Fulfillments:**
1. Zechariah 2:10-13 – The Messiah on the Throne. Revelation 5:13, 6:9, 21:24 2. Zechariah 3:8 – Messiah would be God’s servant. John 17:4 3. Zechariah 6:12-13 – Messiah would be Priest and King. Hebrews 8:1 4. Zechariah 9:9a – Messiah greeted with rejoicing in Jerusalem. Matthew 21:8-10 5. Zechariah 9:9b – Messiah beheld as king. John 12:12-13 6. Zechariah 9:9c – Messiah would be just. John 5:30 7. Zechariah 9:9d – Messiah would bring salvation. Luke 19:10 8. Zechariah 9:9e – Messiah would be humble. Matthew 11:29 9. Zechariah 9:9f – Messiah would be riding a donkey into Jerusalem. Matthew 21:6-9 10. Zechariah 10:4 – Messiah would be the cornerstone. Ephesians 2:20 11. Zechariah 11:4-6a – When the Messiah comes, Israel’s leaders will be unfit. Matthew 23:1-4 12. Zechariah 11:4-6b – Rejection of Messiah cause God to remove His protection. Luke 19:41-44 13. Zechariah 11:4-6c – Messiah rejected in favor of another king. John 19:13-15 14. Zechariah 11:7 – Messiah to have ministry to the poor. Matthew 9:35-36 15. Zechariah 11:8a – Unbelief forces Messiah to reject the people. Matthew 23:33 16. Zechariah 11:8b – Messiah is despised. Matthew 27:20 17. Zechariah 11:9 – Messiah stops ministering to those who rejected him. Matthew 13:10-11 18. Zechariah 11:10-11a – Again, rejection causes God to remove His protection. Luke 19:41-44 19. Zechariah 11:10-11b – Messiah would be God. John 14:7 20. Zechariah 11:12-13a – Messiah betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. Matthew 26:14-15 21. Zechariah 11:12-13b – Messiah rejected. Matthew 26:14-15 22. Zechariah 11:12-13c – Thirty pieces of silver thrown into the house of the Lord. Matthew 27:3-5 23. Zechariah 11:12-13d – Messiah would be God. John 12:45 24. Zechariah 12:10a – Messiah’s body would be pierced. John 19:34-37 25. Zechariah 12:10b – Messiah would be both God and man. John 10:30 26. Zechariah 12:10c – Messiah would be rejected. John 1:11 27. Zechariah 13:7a – It is God’s will that He die for mankind. John 18:11 28. Zechariah 13:7b – Messiah will die a violent death. Matthew 27:35 29. Zechariah 13:7c – Messiah would be both God and man. John 14:9 30. Zechariah 13:7d – Israel scattered as a result of rejecting Him. Matthew 26:31-56

**Implications of the Prophecies**
There are 30 Messianic prophecies in this little book. There are seven prophecies about the Messiah being either rejected or despised; 4 prophecies about the Messiah being God; three prophecies about the Messiah being king. Referring to Christ as “The Branch” in two passages (Zech 3:8, 6:12), Zechariah emphasizes the saving nature of the Messiah. The Messiah is also referred to as “the Stone” (Zech. 3:9), God’s “Servant” (3:8), “a priest” (6:13), and “a king” (9:9). “The picture of the Messiah in 6:12-13 has been hailed as the most inclusive and complete portrait of the coming King of Israel to be found in the pages of the Old Testament; Joshua the high priest, crowned and honored is a typical of Messiah the Branch, the Priest-King.”[iii] These fulfillments are very important for Christians. These are proof that Jesus is the Messiah because he fulfilled the prophecies about the Messiah. The Jews were looking and waiting for the Messiah, they knew the prophecies and were blinded to see that Jesus was fulfilling them all right in front of them. These are specific prophecies that are fulfilled exactly by Christ. These prophecies solidify his status as the Messiah.

[i] John MacArthur, //The MacArthur Study Bible: Revised & Updated Version.// Revised. (Thomas Nelson, 2006).

[ii] George Klein, //New American Commentary Vol. 21B: Zechariah// (Holman Reference, 2008).

[iii] Charles L. Feinberg, //Minor Prophets// (Moody Publishers, 1990).

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