Matt 2:1-18

The whole Bible is about Jesus. The Old Testament points to His coming and our need of Him, the Gospels tell us about His first coming and the rest of the New Testament is about how to live in the good of that, as we await His return.

Matthew’s Gospel is full of Old Testament quotes to show how Jesus fulfils O.T. Prophecy. Three of them are recorded here.

His place of birth

The wise men came seeking Jesus – “Where is he who has been born King of the Jews?”. The answer is Bethlehem – a small town about five miles from Jerusalem. Bethlehem means House of Bread, which is poignant as Jesus describes himself as the “Bread of Life”. It was the place where the shepherds lived – the shepherds who raised lambs to be sacrificed for sin in the temple. Jesus is the perfect lamb and the perfect sacrifice. Matthew saw this as a fulfilment of the prophecy in Micah 5:2.

The escape to Egypt

Before Herod starts killing toddlers, Mary and Joseph escape to Egypt with Jesus. That too Matthew sees as a fulfilment of prophecy, this time Hosea 11:1.

The slaughter of children

Herod’s evil slaughter of toddlers to try and kill this coming “King of the Jews” was foreseen by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 31:15.

Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection fulfil some 353 OT prophecies. God had a plan before creation to rescue a people from their sin to be in relationship with Him.

Lord, thank you for your amazing plan for Jesus; the fulfilment of the Old Testament promise. Thank you for making me part of your plan too. Amen