The story of Jesus being born, living his life, and dying for our sins is something we often talk with our kids about. Be it in Children’s Church, Sunday School, or Bible class… we are always bringing the stories back to this: God sent his Son to be born on Earth, and then to take away our sins. The kids know this, but do they know about the verses prophesying Jesus?
In the Bible– all throughout the old testament– there are verses prophesying Jesus’ birth and life.
I love to take my students through these verses, because it shows that God had a plan all along. God knew what was going to happen, and he made it happen.
The other lesson I like to pull out of these is how long it took for Jesus to come to Earth. There are verses prophesying Jesus’ birth thousands of years before his birth.
Why is this important? Sometimes God gives us a promise, and we want it to be immediate. But it isn’t always immediate– sometimes it takes a while before the promise will be fulfilled. He does, however, always fulfill his promises.
Along with the verses below, you can grab a free printable of the verses by clicking here. You can give this to your students to help them remember, or put it on the wall to decorate your classroom!
What should I do with these verses?
So if you’re thinking, “Verses about prophesying is great, Becca, but what do I do with them?”
I have an answer for you.
Actually I have two.
- Do Sword Drills! Sword Drills are a fun game to learn about the Bible. You can read all about them by clicking on this post. You can also get a free set of Sword Drills by clicking here. Basically, students race to be the first person to find the verse in the Bible. This helps cut down on the endless turning of pages that normally happens.
- Easter egg hunt! I do this most years. I put the verses– or just the reference– inside of Easter eggs and hide them around the room. The students find them, and then read through them. This is a really fun opener to a lesson– plus it gets kids up and active.
Verses Prophesying Jesus
“Then God said, ‘Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him'”
genesis 17:19
All the way back with Abraham and Isaac, God already knew that one day he would send Jesus down to Earth. Jesus would be part of the lineage, and would allow the covenant to continue.
Literally, in the first book of the Bible God already had his plan figured out.
That’s some serious planning.
“When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”
2 Samuel 7:12-13
Not only did God plan to continue the covenant, but he also already established that Jesus would create a kingdom that rules forever.
I always find these verses funny in a sad kind of way, because I assume that people read them and thought actual, physical kingdoms– but that’s now what God had in mind.
“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
isaiah 7:14
Out of all of the verses prophesying Jesus, this is probably the most important one. It tells exactly what will happen– hundreds of years before it actually happens.
“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”
hosea 11:1
Out of Egypt I called my son.
God already knew that Jesus would have to go to Egypt, but would return when called.
Also, is it coincidence that Jesus went to Egypt, and the Israelites also went to Egypt? Probably not.
Also read: 10 Best Verses about Fear
“In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.”
isaiah 11:10
I love the part of this that says “the nations”. It signifies that it will not just be the Jews who are with Jesus who live in this kingdom.
Instead, everyone gets a chance to spend their lives as Christians.
Christianity isn’t limited to any one type of person.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners”
isaiah 61:1
In Luke 4:16-21, Jesus actually tells the people at the synagogue that this has been fulfilled.
That’s super cool. Just saying.
He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed”
daniel 7:13-14
This is another of the verses prophesying about Jesus that focuses on the fact that Jesus is bringing the nations together.
All nations and people of every language worship him.
“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
zechariah 9:9
Some of these verses are just so specific– like this one!
Jesus will come into the city riding on a colt. Not just a donkey– but a young donkey that hasn’t been ridden.
And the people will rejoice.
“And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord”
zechariah 11:12-13
This verse foreshadows the fact that Jesus will be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. Again, super, super specific.
“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him.”
Deuteronomy 18:15
Jesus is coming out of the Israelites– listen to him.
I love that God felt the need to tell the people to listen to Jesus.
“I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”
isaiah 22:22
And finally, what Jesus opens no one can shut. We are not part of the body of Christ, and no one can take that away.
These are not all of the verses that prophesy Jesus’ birth, life, and death, but it is a few. Which one is your favorite? Let us know!
Also, you can tag pictures of your FREE printable PDF on Instagram @beccasbibleclass Don’t have it yet? Click here to download!
Happy teaching!