In this lesson we will see how the Old Testament prophets prophesied to the people of God concerning the divinity and humanity of Christ before His incarnation. These prophecies show that Christ is God as well as man. He is a God-man, possessing both divinity and humanity.
The New Testament reveals that in the Godhead, Christ is God. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This verse not only speaks of Christ possessing divinity; it also indicates that His deity is eternal and absolute. From eternity past to eternity future He is God. Hebrews 1:3 says that He is the effulgence of God’s glory and the impress of God’s substance. Colossians 2:9 says, “In Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Romans 9:5 is clearer, saying, “Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever.” All these Scriptures sufficiently prove that Crist in the Godhead is God, possessing divinity. While the New Testament clearly reveals Christ’s divinity, the Old Testament clearly prophesies that Christ is God.
Psalm 102:25-27 says, “Of old You laid the foundation of the earth, / And the heavens are the work of Your hands. / They will perish, but You endure; / Indeed all of them will wear out like a garment; / Like clothing You will change them, / And they will be changed. / But You are the same, / And Your years are without end.” These verses prophesy that the Creator is the coming Christ in His divinity. This portion of the Scriptures also prophesies concerning the eternal nature of Christ: He is the eternally unchanging One, and His years are without end. He exists from eternity to eternity as the everlasting One who will never change. The fulfillment of this prophecy concerning Christ is spoken of in Hebrews 1:10-12. Based on this prophecy, we see that Christ is the Creator, who existed even before creation. The entire old creation will be terminated, but Christ will be the same, and His years will be without end. He remains forever and ever, from eternity past to eternity future. This is clear proof of His divinity, proving that Christ is God.
Micah 5:2 says, “You, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, / So little to be among the thousands of Judah, / From you there will come forth to Me / He who is to be Ruler in Israel; / And His goings forth are from ancient times, / From the days of eternity.” According to the record in Matthew, the One from Bethlehem who is the Ruler of Israel is Christ (2:1, 6). However, Micah reveals that He is actually “from the days of eternity.” This means that Christ existed in eternity, before the creation of all things, and that He was preparing to come forth out of eternity into time. Hence, this verse refers to Christ’s eternal nature, and it prophesies concerning Christ’s deity.
Psalm 45:6 prophesies that Christ is God. In this verse the psalmist proclaims, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; / The scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.” In the New Testament this word was fulfilled in Christ the Son. Hebrews 1:8 says, “Of the Son, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.’” This reveals that Christ the Son is God Himself. Furthermore, Christ has the eternal throne in His divinity, and the scepter of His kingdom is upright. Many authorities of earthly governments today are not upright, but Christ’s authority is altogether upright. The main aspect of Christ revealed in Hebrews is of Christ as the Son of God, that is, God Himself. Because of what He is and all the riches in His divinity, Christ has become “so great a salvation” to the believers (2:3).