Prophecies Fulfilled in The Resurrection of Jesus

It is not the death of Jesus that we celebrate. There’s not really anything happy or fun about death. His death was necessary. Without it, there would be no forgiveness for our sin.
Hebrews 9:22

But if it all ended at the grave, there really would have been no reason to celebrate. Fortunately for all of us, it didn’t end there. He died, but death could not hold Him. He was buried, but His body is no longer there. He is alive!! That is why we can celebrate! That is why the family at the funeral home knew they would see their loved one again. Because He died and rose from the dead, we have the promise of eternal life if we have confessed our sin and believed His sacrifice was enough to forgive us our sin.

Jesus predicted several times that He would rise again. He may have told His disciples in order to prepare them for what was about to happen. He also may have said it to comfort them preemptively. The prophecies of His resurrection went much further back though.

Here are just some of the old testament prophecies concerning the resurrection of Jesus. Along with each prophecy, is a new testament reference where the prophecy is fulfilled.

1. Who – Prophecies Fulfilled in the Person of Jesus

He is Alive!

Old Testament Prophecy: Psalm 16:10-11
New Testament Fulfillment: Mark 16:6

Worked out Salvation:

Old Testament Prophecy: Isaiah 59:16
New Testament Fulfillment: Hebrews 9:15

New Covenant:

Old Testament Prophecy: Jeremiah 31:31
New Testament Fulfillment: Matthew 26:28

Send the Holy Spirit:

Old Testament Prophecy: Isaiah 44:3
New Testament Fulfillment: John 20:22

He ascended to Heaven:

Old Testament Prophecy: Psalm 110:1
New Testament Fulfillment: Acts 2:33-35

There are many skeptics out there who do not believe in the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. For some, the many, many prophecies fulfilled to this point in the birth, life, and deathof Jesus would be enough to not doubt the validity of His resurrection.

It is a fact that His body was no longer in the tomb where they placed Him. If He didn’t actually rise from the dead, where is His body?

When the guards reported to the authorities that His body was gone, they reported that a bright light came from the tomb and the stone rolled back. They said that it scared them literally into a kind of coma state.

Matthew 28:4

The authorities paid the guards to say that the disciples came and took the body of Jesus while they were sleeping.

Matthew 28:13

The guards fell asleep while they were guarding a high-profile tomb? That is kind of an odd story to tell. (Ever know someone who would tell a lie, when the truth sounded better?) First of all, if they had fallen asleep, how would they have known who came to get the body? Besides that, the Roman guards took their work very seriously. Their life depended on it.

The Romans created and perfected forms of torturing and killing people. They could be ruthless. They would not have spared their own if they had fallen asleep on the job – especially one this important. Everyone knew that.

Also, there were four of them on the watch together. Those four would stand watch for three hours and then another group of four would take the next three hours. What are the chances of four guards all falling asleep on a three-hour watch especially when it was something this important?

No. They were desperate to make sure that people didn’t believe that Jesus had actually risen from the dead as He and many prophecies had predicted. Unfortunately, despite the many holes in their “guards fell asleep” story, many jumped on board with this theory.

The truth is that the enemy knew that the power of the resurrection of Jesus would change lives forever. It is that same power that continues to change lives today. That same power lives in us (if we have been born again) and gives us hope and strength for today and every day until the return of Jesus.

Speaking of His return… This series will continue with the prophecies fulfilled in the return of Jesus!