How the book of Isaiah foretells the coming of Yeshua the Messiah
aka, Why I love reading Isaiah
Below is an overview of how the book of Isaiah foretells the coming of Yeshua the Messiah—with particular attention to the Davidic bloodline implied in its prophecies—drawing on the Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) and early historical witnesses, and showing how later Scripture confirms these predictions.
1. The “Root of Jesse” and Davidic Lineage
Isaiah 11:1 “A shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse; a branch from his roots will bear fruit.” (CJB)
Davidic Stump: Jesse was King David’s father (1 Samuel 16). By calling the Messiah a “shoot” from Jesse’s stump, Isaiah affirms that the Messiah must arise in David’s line.
Historical Witness: The Dead Sea Scrolls (1 QIsaᵃ, 1st century BCE) preserve this verse nearly word for word, showing Jewish expectation of a Davidic deliverer long before Yeshua’s birth.
New Testament Fulfillment:
Matthew 1:1-16 opens with “a record of the genealogy of Yeshua ... son of David, son of Abraham,” explicitly linking Him to Jesse and David.
Luke 3:23-38 traces Yeshua’s lineage back through David to Jesse and even to Adam, underscoring the universal hope embodied in the Davidic promise.
2. The Virgin Birth Promise
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive, bear a son, and name Him Immanuel.” (CJB)
Immanuel (“God with us”): Foretells a miraculous birth (“young woman”—עַלְמָה, ‘almah’) that signals divine presence among His people.
Historical Text‑Criticism: The Septuagint (3rd century BCE Greek translation) reads παρθένος (parthenos, “virgin”), and this rendering is confirmed in the Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaᵃ).
New Testament Application:
Matthew 1:22-23 explicitly cites this verse as fulfilled in Yeshua’s birth to Miriam (Mary): “All this happened to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child . . .’ ”
3. Titles of the Coming King
Isaiah 9:6-7 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will rest on His shoulders. . . His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” (CJB)
Divine and Royal Titles: These appellations combine deity (“Mighty God”), fatherhood (“Eternal Father”), and kingly rule (“Prince of Peace”), uniquely fitting Yeshua.
Davidic Throne: Verse 7 promises an unending reign “on David’s throne and over his kingdom,” establishing the Messianic axis firmly in David’s lineage.
New Testament Reflection:
While no NT text quotes these exact titles, John 1:14 (“the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we saw His glory”) echoes “Wonderful Counselor” and “God with us.”
The angelic announcement in Luke 2:11—“for today, in the city of David, a Savior has been born for you”—locates the Messiah’s birth in David’s city, Bethlehem.
4. The Suffering Servant
Isaiah 53:3–5 “He was despised . . . a man of suffering, familiar with pain. . . . But He was pierced because of our rebellious acts, crushed because of our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” (CJB)
Substitutionary Atonement: Isaiah’s “Servant” endures suffering on behalf of Israel (and the nations).
Early Jewish Expectation: Although some early Jewish interpreters viewed this figure as Israel personified, the Qumran community scrolls (4Q521) employ Servant language to describe a coming anointed one whose “arm will heal,” suggesting a distinct Messianic interpretation.
Christian Confirmation:
1 Peter 2:24 directly applies “by His wounds you have been healed” (quoting Isa 53:5) to Yeshua’s crucifixion.
Acts 8:32-35 records the Ethiopian eunuch reading Isaiah 53 and Philip explaining it as a prophecy about Yeshua.
5. Anointed with the Spirit
Isaiah 61:1-2a “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me—to bring good news to the oppressed; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted . . .” (CJB)
Messianic Mission: The anointing with the Spirit parallels Psalm 2:2’s kingly anointing and signals the Messiah’s ministry.
Second Temple Practice: Oil-anointing identified kings and priests (1 Samuel 10:1; 16:13). Isaiah extends this to a prophetic Messiah.
Gospel Fulfillment:
Luke 4:18-21: Yeshua reads this passage in Nazareth’s synagogue and declares, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
6. Summary of the Davidic Bloodline
Isaiah 11:1 grounds the Messiah in Jesse’s stock (David’s father).
Isaiah 9:7 promises an everlasting throne “on David’s throne and over his kingdom.”
Matthew 1 and Luke 3 trace Yeshua’s genealogy through David and Jesse, validating Isaiah’s vision.
Historical Continuity:
The Great Isaiah Scroll (1 QIsaᵃ) datum (~125 BCE) preserves all these passages, demonstrating that Jewish scribes transmitted these Messianic prophecies intact for centuries before Yeshua’s advent.
Early church writers (e.g., Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 106) argue from Isaiah’s prophecies to Yeshua’s identity as Messiah and Son of David.
Evaluation:
Isaiah presents a unified portrait of the Messiah, who is both royal (the root of Jesse, the son of David), divine (bearing titles like “Mighty God,” “Eternal Father,” and “Immanuel”), prophetic (Spirit-anointed), and a suffering servant (an atoning sacrifice). The genealogies in Matthew and Luke fulfill the royal aspect, while early historical attestations (the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Septuagint, Josephus, and the early Church Fathers) confirm that these expectations were recognized well before Yeshua’s ministry and then applied to Him by His earliest followers.