MESSIAH, Old Testament Views of the, Sylvester Hassell Believers before the flood dimly beheld him as the suffering but victorious seed of the woman. Abraham rejoicingly saw him as his own seed in whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed. Jacob viewed him as the descendant of his son Judah, the Shiloh, unto whom the gathering of the people should be. Moses saw him as the prophet whom the Lord God would raise up like unto him, from among his brethren, to whom they were to give ear. Job, in the depth of his afflictions, beheld him as his Divine Redeemer, who should stand at the latter day upon the earth. David saw him as his own Son and the Son of God, the anointed King Of Zion, yet agonizing before God,
and pierced in his hands and feet by the assembly of the wicked, and going down into the dust of death, but not seeing corruption, and rising from all the humiliation of his earthly life, and passing, as the King of Glory, within the everlasting gates, and sitting down on the right hand of God, the almighty and gentle Shepherd of Israel, ruling in the midst of his enemies, making his people willing in the day of his power, making them lie down in green pastures, leading them beside the still waters, restoring their souls, leading them in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake, accompanying them all the days of their lives with his goodness and mercy, giving them the victory over every foe, even death, and making them dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Isaiah beheld him as Immanuel, God with us, a child born, a son given, whose name was Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace, the Sure Foundation Stone laid in Zion, tried and precious, and as the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, bruised for our iniquities and healing us with his stripes. Jeremiah saw him as the Lord our Righteousness. Ezekiel beheld him as a man and yet as the Lord, of a bright appearance, seated upon a sapphire throne, and encircled with a rainbow.
Daniel saw him as a little stone cut out of the mountain, breaking in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold of Nebuchadnezzar’s image, and as the Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven to the Ancient of Days, and acquiring universal and everlasting dominion, and as Messiah the Prince, who should come to the holy city, and be cut off but not for himself, and should make an end of sins, and bring in an everlasting righteousness, and seal up the vision and prophecy, a short time before the destruction of the city and sanctuary.
Micah beheld him as the Ruler of Israel, whose goings forth had been from everlasting, coming out of Bethlehem-Ephratah. Haggai saw him as the Desire of All Nations, coming to the second temple, and filling it with greater spiritual glory than the first temple, and in that place giving peace. Zechariah saw him as the King of Zion, just and having salvation, lowly and riding upon a colt the foal of an ass into Jerusalem, betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, pierced by the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but bringing them to mourn with a great and solitary mourning for him, and opening to them a fountain for sin and for uncleanness—as the Shepherd of God, a man, and yet the equal of the Lord of Hosts, smitten by the sword of God, who then turns his hand of mercy upon the little ones. And Malachi beheld him as the Messenger of the Covenant, the Lord suddenly coming to his temple, and purifying the sons of Levi as gold and silver in the furnace, that they might offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness, and as the Sun of Righteousness arising, unto all that fear his name, with healing in his wings.” (Hassell’s History)