Jacob had twelve sons. Messiah was not to spring from any other of the twelve, but from Judah.-Jesus Christ claimed Judah as his ancestor in a direct line.(3) Messiah was to be sprung from Jesse, the father of David, king of Israel.-Jesus Christ was his descendant.(4) Jesse had eight sons. David was the youngest. From none of the seven elder, but from David alone, was Messiah to derive his origin.-Jesus Christ was the son of David.(5) Messiah was to be born in a poor and mean condition, when the family should be reduced to a very low estate.-Jesus Christ, both on his father and mother's side, was of very low and mean appearance, though descended from such illustrious ancestors.(6) Messiah was to have a messenger going before him, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.Christ had a messenger going before him, who fully bare witness to his pretensions.(7) The forerunner of Messiah, was either to be Elijah himself, or one in the spirit of Elijah.-John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, was altogether in the ́spirit of that great prophet. (8) The forerunner of Messiah was to preach in the wilderness, and to prepare the minds of the people for his coming.-John the Baptist did preach in the wilderness of Judea, and professed himself to be sent to prepare the Jews for the advent of Christ. (9) (3) Compare Genesis xlix. 8-12, with Matthew i. 1–16. (4) Compare Isaiah xi. 1, with Matthew i. 1-16. (5) Compare 1 Samuel xvi. 1-13; 2 Samuel vii. 12-15; Psalm lxxxix. 19-37; Matthew i. 1-16. (6) Compare Isaiah liii. 2; Luke i. 48, 52; ii. 7, 24. (7) Compare Malachi iii. 1 with John i. 19-34, and iii, 26 -36. (8) Compare Malachi iv. 5, 6, with Mark i. 1-8. (9) Compare Isaiah xl. 3-5, with Matthew iii. 1–6. The forerunner of Messiah was to be considerably successful in his office.-John the Baptist was treated with great respect by his countrymen, and made large numbers of disciples. (80) Messiah was not to be born at Jerusalem, the capital of his kingdom, but at Bethlehem, an obscure country village. Jesus Christ was born at Bethlehem, by a very peculiar providence.(1) Messiah was to go down into Egypt, and to be called out from thence.-Jesus Christ went down into Egypt, soon after his birth, and was called out from thence by an angel of the Lord.(2) Messiah was to be a preacher of the law of God to his countrymen in the great congregation.-Jesus Christ was indefatigable in his ministrations, both in the temple, and in all other places, were the people were disposed to hear him.(3) The tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali were first to be greatly distressed, and afterwards highly honoured and exalted, by the appearance of Messiah among them. These tribes principally suffered in the first Assyrian invasion under Tiglath Pilezer, and were afterwards among the first that enjoyed the blessing of Christ's preaching the gospel, and exhibiting his miraculous works among them.(4) Messiah was to converse and preach the gospel in the region of Galilee. Jesus Christ lived and conversed so long in that obscure and despicable part of the land of Israel, that he was, by way of contempt, denominated a Galilean.(5) (80) Compare Isaiah xl. 3-5, with Luke iii. 21. (3) Compare Psalm xi. 9, 10, with the four gospels. (4) Compare Isaiah ix. 1-4; 2 Kings xv. 29; 1 Chron. v. 26, and Matt. iv. 12-16 (5) Compare Isaiah ix. 1, 2, with Matthew ii. 22, 23; and Matthew iv. 23-25. Messiah was to have a temple to which he should come, when he made his appearance in human flesh.Jesus Christ as the Son of God, claimed the temple of Jerusalem as his own, in a sense no mere mortal could presume. (6) Messiah was to be the Servant of God, whose name is the Branch.-Jesus Christ was emphatically the Servant of God, and the Day-Spring from on high.(7) Messiah is spoken of by the ancient prophets under the characters of an angel-a messenger-a redeemer -an interpreter-one of a thousand-a plant of renown-a captain-the beloved of God-the true David. Jesus Christ was all of these, and whatever else was peculiar to the character of that august Being; as will more fully appear from the following instances (8) Messiah was to be the messenger of the covenant between God and his people.-Jesus Christ was that messenger.(9) Messiah was to sustain the office of a prophet, when he came to redeem mankind.-Jesus Christ sustained that office in all its extent. (90) Messiah was also to sustain the office of a priest when he appeared upon earth.-Jesus Christ was a (6) Compare Malachi iii. 1, with Luke ii. 49; and Matthew xxi. 12, 13. (7) Compare Isaiah iv. 2; xi 1; Jeremiah xxiii 5; Zechariah ii. 8; vi 12; Isaiah xlii. 1; Matthew xii. 18; and Luke i. 78. -The word translated Branch signifies also the East, or DaySpring. (8) Compare Genesis xlviii. 16; xxxiii. 24–30; Hosea xii. 3, 4; Ex. xxiii 20-23; Malachi iii. 1; Job xix. 25; xxxiii. 23; Ez. Xxxiv. 23, 24, 29; Joshua v. 13, 14; Isaiah xlii. 1; Rev. i. 1; Matthew iii. 17; Hebrews ii. 10. (9) Compare Jeremiah xxxiii. 20, 21; Malachi iii. 1; Isaiah Ixiii 9; Hebrews viii. 7-13; x. 9; xiii. 20, 21. (90) Compare Deuteronomy xviii. 15, 18; Acts iii. 22; Luke xxiv. 29; Matthew xxiv. Priest, and offered, not indeed the blood of bullocks, and of goats, but his own most precious blood. (1) Messiah, though a priest, was not to be of the tribe of Levi, and after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Melchizedeck.-Jesus Christ was of the tribe of Judah, and had an everlasting priesthood, after the order of Melchizedeck.(2) Messiah was, moreover, to sustain the office of a king, when he took on him human nature for the salvation of his elect.-Jesus Christ was a King, even while upon earth; and, now that he is in heaven, his dominion extends over all worlds.(3) Messiah was to be a righteous king, and emphatically the Prince of Peace.-Jesus Christ was eminently distinguished as a righteous person, and the great Peace-Maker both on earth and in heaven.(4) The kingdom of Messiah was to be universal and Everlasting-Jesus Christ has a kingdom, that, in due time, shall be universal in its extent, and eternal in its duration.(5) Messiah was to be the Sun of Righteousness, who should arise upon the world with salvation in his rays. Jesus Christ was the Light of the world, who illuminateth every man that cometh into it. Messiah was also to be the East, or Morning Star.— Jesus Christ is called the Day-Spring from on high, and the bright and Morning-Star.(6) (1) Compare Zechariah vi. 13; Hebrews ix. 11-14. (2) Compare Genes s xiv. 18; Psalm cx. 4; Hebrews vi. 20; vii. 1-28. (3) Compare Psalm ii. 6; Zechariah vi. 13; ix. 9; with Luke i. 32, 33; John xx. 36, 37; and Rev. xx. 16. (4) Compare Isa ah xxxi. 1; Psalm xlv. 1-17; lxxii. 1—19; Jeremiah xxiii. 5; Zechariah ix. 9; Isaiah ix. 6; Luke ii. 14; Ep. ii. 4-22. (5) Daniel v i. 27; Luke i. 32, 33; Rev. v. 12-14. (6) Compare Malachi iv. 2; John i. 5, 9; viii. 12; ix. 5; xii. 35, 46; Is. ix. 1, 2; Luke i. 78; and Rev. xxii. 16. Messiah was to be emphatically the Just-OneJesus Christ not only answered the description, but is repeatedly called by that name.(7) Messiah, to whom belonged the land of Judea, was to be denominated Emmanuel.-Jesus Christ was the proprietor of that holy land, and was expressly called by the name of Emmanuel. (8) Messiah was to be a great Shepherd, and to lay down his life for the sheep.-Jesus Christ was the great and good Shepherd, and shed his blood in defence of his flock.(9) Messiah was not only to be a righteous King, and execute judgment and justice in the earth; but his name was to be Jehovah our Righteousness.-Jesus Christ is made of God righteousness to every one that believes in his name.(100) Messiah was to be, like the lion, which is the king of animals, of a noble and generous spirit.-Jesus Christ was the Lion of the tribe of Judah.(1) Messiah was to be anointed with the Holy Ghost, in a larger degree than any other man ever was.-Jesus Christ was favoured in this respect beyond all other persons that ever lived.(2) Messiah was to be of a meek and lowly disposition, humbling himself for the redemption of the world.— Jesus Christ was meek and lowly in mind, and answered the prophetic description in every respect.(3) (7) 2 Samuel xxiii. 3; Isaiah xi. 5; Acts iii. 14; vii. 52; xxii. 14. (8) Compare Isaiah vii. 14; viii. 8; Matthew i. 23; and John i. 11. (9) Compare Zechariah xiii. 7; Isaiah lx. 11; and Ez. xxxiv. -23, 24; with John x. I-18. (100) Compare Jeremiah xxiii. 5, 6, with 1 Corinthians i. 30. (1) Compare Genesis xlix. 9; and Rev. v. 5. (2) Compare Psalm xlv. 7, with Matthew iii. 16, 17; and John iii. 34. (3) Compare Zechariah ix. 9; Matthew xi. 28, 29; John xiii. 1217; 2 Corinthians viii. 9. M |