Isaiah's Prophecies of the Mortal Messiah

Although Isaiah lived about seven hundred years before Jesus’s birth, he was a prominent witness for the Messiah, or Jesus Christ. Isaiah prophesied of many aspects of the mortal Messiah’s life—that He would be preceded by a “voice crying in the wilderness” (40:3), be born of a virgin, be named Immanuel, come through David’s line, and dwell in Galilee. He foretold that the Messiah would be full of power and understanding and that He would preach the gospel to both the meek and to those with hard hearts. He would be persecuted, smitten, spit upon, and killed. His sufferings and death would be for transgressors and sinners. He would be numbered with transgressors and make His grave with the rich.

Isaiah is a remarkable witness for Jesus Christ. Through the ages, his prophecies have benefited and inspired millions. Songwriters and poets have used his words when composing their works; and teachers and preachers have stirred people with their sermons and lessons wherein they taught Isaiah’s Messianic prophecies.

Furthermore, both prophets and Apostles have cited Isaiah in preaching and in testimony. The Apostles and gospel writers Peter, Matthew, Luke, John, and Paul recorded the fulfillment of many of Isaiah’s prophecies that pertained to Jesus Christ. By citing Isaiah’s prophecies of the mortal Messiah, these writers demonstrated that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah, of whom Isaiah had prophesied seven centuries earlier. So vital are Isaiah’s Messianic prophecies that even Jesus Christ Himself cited this Old Testament prophet and then declared that the prophecies were fulfilled in Him (see Matt. 13:13–15).

The list in the accompanying chart is not comprehensive but representative.