Taken from Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History chapters two and three.
Jesus' birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection were all prophesied in the Hebrew scriptures of the Old Testament. Most Christians are at least aware of those prophesies, if they have read the New Testament. Yet perhaps they are not aware that His human and divine nature was foretold, and that even His name was mentioned, and that the prophets prophesied that His followers would be called by a new name. Yes, all of this was prophesied and more. Let me explain.
The fact that Jesus would have both a human and a divine nature was prophesied from the earliest of times in the Garden of Eden. For, at the beginning of the world God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." Genesis 1:26 This verse shows that Jesus would come as a man. For, speaking to the serpent, God said, "He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." (Genesis 3:15)
This man, who eventually became known as Jesus, pre-existed with God, and made many appearances upon this earth in ancient days, long before Jesus was actually born of the virgin Mary. As Jesus Himself said, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." John 8:56
Jesus was referring to Genesis chapter 18. We read, "Then the LORD (Yahweh), appeared to him (Abraham), by the terebinth trees of Mamre." (Genesis 18:1) It is obvious that "the LORD" appeared as a man, for Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw three men! "So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him." (Genesis 18:2) One of these men had to be Jesus. Abraham recognized Him. He said, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Genesis 18:25) The New Testament bears record that Abraham was talking with Jesus, for it is written, "because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained." (Acts 17:31)
The man, Jesus, appeared many times in the Old Testament. But of course, He was always recognized as God by those who saw Him! For example when Jacob wrestled with a man all night long, he said in the morning, "I have seen God face to face, and my soul has lived." (Genesis 32:30)
Joshua saw Him also. And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. (Joshua 513)
Speaking of Joshua, there is something you should know. The name his parents had given him was Hoshea, but Moses changed his name to Joshua. "And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua." (Numbers 13:16) Why did Moses do that? Well, because the name Joshua was prophetic. Joshua was destined to lead the people of Israel into the promised land of Canaan, just as Jesus came to lead us into God's promised rest (see Hebrews 4:8). In Hebrew, the name Joshua is "Yehoshua." It means "Yahweh saves." The name Jesus is a Greek name. Jesus' disciples would have called Him "Yehoshua" because that was His Hebrew name. Did Moses know that the Son of God would come to earth as a man and that His name would be Yehoshua, or Jesus. (see Hebrews 4:8) I think he did! Or at least the Holy Spirit of God did. And so, even Jesus' name was known from antiquity.
The early church believed that God had given them the name "Christian" as a fulfillment of prophesy. You shall be called by a new name (naqab), which the mouth of the LORD will name (shem). Isaiah 62:2 (parenthesis mine) Where naqab means "name" and shem means a distinctive name. The early Christians believed this prophesy had to be about them since "Christ" had become a distinctive and famous name. And that God had supplied the name, since they were named after Christ.
When Herod the Great became king of Palestine, the Jews began to look for their promised Messiah. That's because they knew the prophesy "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes. And to Him shall be the obedience of the people." Genesis 49:10 Herod was not a Jew. So the people believed their Messiah was coming soon. (see Luke 3:15) And, in fact, Jesus was born during the reign of Herod the Great.
next lesson
previous lesson
table of contents