There are those in Christendom who teach that the Israel of the Bible has been spiritualised. They say the Church is the new Israel. They may overlook this exchange between Jesus and his first disciples:

When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. (Acts 1:6-7)

As mentioned in the previous post, the death of Jesus served to free Israel for remarriage. In the passage just quoted, Jesus’ response to the question does not refute the underlying assumption: that the kingdom will at some time be restored to Israel.

The Messiah was to take up the throne of David. I’ve previously mentioned Genesis 49:10 which says “unto him [Shiloh] shall the gathering of the people be.” Isaiah is more explicit:

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

Ezekiel also speaks in terms which suggest the Messiah taking up the Crown of Israel:

Thus saith the Lord GOD; Remove the diadem, and take off the crown: this shall not be the same: exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.

I will overturn, overturn, overturn, it: and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him. (Ezekiel 21:26-27)

And Jeremiah says:

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

If the Jewish beliefs were correct and the Messiah was yet to come, how would he be treated upon His arrival? How would they recognise Him when they rejected Jesus, who fulfilled the prophecies?

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)

Mary’s husband, Joseph, was descended from Coniah whose seed were denied the throne, so Jesus could not be Joseph’s child:

Is this man Coniah a despised broken idol? is he a vessel wherein is no pleasure? wherefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into a land which they know not?

Thus saith the LORD, Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah. (Jeremiah 22:28, 30)

Jesus was descended from David through David’s son, Nathan, and Jesus’ mother, Mary.

Perhaps they can say that Isaiah is not a true prophet. Can they say the same about Moses?

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)

The Messiah in the person of Jesus was certainly to suffer at the hands of Satan. We also have Daniel:

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:25-27)

These verses from Daniel warrant detailed examination. They could be the subject of a separate post; there are sources which seem to apply correct principles here, here and here. We find the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecies and the beginning of the fulfilment of the other prophecies in Luke:

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:30-35)