As a Messianic organization that highlights Messianic Prophecy in the Bible, it is our responsibility to educate both Jews and non-Jews about the birth of the Messiah, the prophecy about His birth. 

Though Yeshua was likely born on or just before the Festival of Sukkot (commemorating when God tabernacled with His people) in September/ October, today is the day when millions are more open to hearing about the day of His birth.

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  (Isaiah 9:6)

At this time, all around the world, Believers are commemorating the birth of Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus the Messiah), who brought hope of a restored relationship with God for all humankind.

“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.”  (Matthew 2:10)

As a ministry of Jews to Jews, we don’t celebrate Christmas, because we know that he was born at a different time of the year; however, every day should be a day of celebrating Yeshua!  The Jewish people here in Israel know that it is Christmas “outside of Israel,” and it is a great day to share the Good News with Israelis as they are open to speaking about this subject.

They don’t care what day He was born on — they just want to know more.

His birth is so wondrous and puts such joy in the hearts of Christians that at this time of the year countless carols and hymns are sung about this amazing prophetic fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

This music of praise and thanksgiving is entirely fitting!  Even the angels sang at His coming!  Though He was born as a baby, they knew that He would fulfill everything said about Him and that victory was certain.

Adoration of the Magi, by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo

Two thousand years ago, angels appeared to Jewish shepherds who were watching over their flocks near Bethlehem.  They announced the birth of the Jewish Messiah in fulfillment of Isaiah 9:6.

“Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”  (Luke 2:10–12)

The shepherds, who were at first frightened by the astonishing appearance of the angels, received the news with great joy and rushed to pay homage to the newborn King.

The Amazing Accuracy of Messianic Prophecy

Today, in this world of fear and anxiety, the good news of Yeshua’s birth is still being received with joy.

All over the globe, many Christians celebrate the birth of Yeshua (Jesus), who fulfilled dozens of Messianic prophecies of the Tanakh (Old Testament) that are central to Judaism and Messianic hope and expectation.

Here are a few of those amazing Bible prophecies:

• The prophet Micah accurately foretold that the Messiah would come out of Bethlehem:

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for Me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (Micah 5:2)

A modern-day reenactment of the circumstances surrounding the birth of Yeshua

The prophet Isaiah foreshadows His supernatural conception, revealing that He would be born of a virgin (also translated maiden):

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign.  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel [God with us].”  (Isaiah 7:14)

• Jeremiah prophesied that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David:

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”  (Jeremiah 23:5)

• The prophet Daniel, who was also visited by an angel, provided a clear time frame for the Messiah’s coming, dating it from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem during the Babylonian exile:

Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and for your holy city for putting an end to the transgression, for making an end of sin, for forgiving iniquity, for bringing in everlasting justice, for setting the seal on vision and prophet, and for anointing the Especially Holy Place.  (Daniel 9:24)

Jerusalem

“As clearly as Daniel could have stated it, he taught that 483 years after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem had been issued, Messiah would be here on earth,” Arnold Fruchtenbaum writes in Messianic Christology: A Study of Old Testament Prophecy Concerning the First Coming of the Messiah.

If the Messiah did not come during the 69-weeks-of-years period, then Daniel would, perhaps, have to be considered something of a false prophet.

“Since Daniel 9:24–27 speaks of events that must be fulfilled before the destruction of the Second Temple (which took place in 70 CE), the question that must be asked is this:  If Jesus did not fulfill Daniel 9:24, who did?”  Michael Brown asks in Answering Jewish Objections to Jesus, Volume 3.

“Who was it that ushered in everlasting righteousness and made atonement for iniquity before 70 CE if not Jesus the Messiah?  In reality, if he did not fulfill Daniel 9:24, then no one fulfilled it and the prophecies of Daniel cannot be trusted,” Michael Brown states.

Michael Brown

Messianic Prophecy: The Savior of Jews and Gentiles

As the prophets foretold, Yeshua was a Jewish male of the line of David born to a virgin in Judea in the city of Bethlehem.

The timing of His birth perfectly fulfills Daniel’s time line.

But despite the astonishing fulfillment of so many Messianic prophecies in the Bible, Yeshua was not received nationally by the Jewish People; even so, a great number of first century Jews followed Yeshua, retaining their Jewish identity.

And while the Jewish People as a nation still await the coming of the Messiah, many Gentile Christians have warmly embraced Him.

The acceptance of Yeshua by the Gentiles is also fulfillment of Bible prophecy:

I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand.  I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.  (Isaiah 42:6–7)

It is too small a thing for you to be My servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept.  I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.  (Isaiah 49:6)

Through Yeshua, people of every nation can experience the blessings of Abraham.

Yeshua came as a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6), first to the Jew, then to the Gentile (Romans 1:16).

A greater fulfillment of this is yet to come.  When Yeshua returns, all of the nations will be in submission to His authority and will worship the Lord in Jerusalem:

In the last days the mountain where the Lord’s Temple is located will be famous.  It will be the most important mountain of all.  It will stand out above the hills.  All of the nations will go to it.  (Isaiah 2:1–2)

Sadly, however, Christians quite often remove Yeshua entirely from His Jewish context and present Him as a Gentile, causing Him to be unrecognizable to the Jewish People.

While that is perhaps unintentional, over the last several years a very definite distortion campaign has been underway that attempts to undermine the power of fulfilled Messianic prophecy.

Although the Muslim Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque currently sit on the Temple Mount, and there is much Muslim opposition to Jewish prayer there, the Bible states that the Third Temple will be built on the Temple Mount in the last days.

This season of remembering Yeshua’s prophesied birth should also cause us to look forward to His soon return, which the Hebrew prophets describe in detail as a time of trouble and glory.

Zechariah states that He will return when the nations come against Jerusalem.

“And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east.”  (Zechariah 14:4)

The Prophet Ezekiel states that when the Messiah returns, the Temple will have been rebuilt: “The Glory of the Lord entered the Temple through the gate facing east.”  (Ezekiel 43:4)

In that day the Jewish People will recognize that Yeshua, who was born in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago, is the Messiah they have been waiting for!

And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced.  Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.  (Zechariah 12:10)

“For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”  (1 Peter 1:23)

During this holiday season, we can take comfort in knowing that Yeshua will return soon to set up His kingdom.

In that day, He will rule and reign as King of Israel on the throne of David.

And as the Messianic Prophecy of Isaiah 9:6 indicates, all of Israel will receive Him and the entire earth will bow to His Kingship.  Maranatha (the Lord is coming)!

“For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder.  And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  (Isaiah 9:6)