Resurrection of the Messiah
"Why should it be thought incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?" The Apostle Paul (Acts 26:8).
In spite of all the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled concerning Himself, it would matter little if He was not raised from the dead, thus conquering death for Himself and all who would follow Him. His resurrection was continually alluded to in the Old Testament, with many "types and shadows," as well as direct prophecies.
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The Messiah would not be bound to the power of death.
Prophecy: "For You will not abandon me to Sheol (the place of the dead), neither will You suffer Your holy one to see corruption (Psalm 16:10). "O Lord, You have brought My life up from Sheol (the place of the dead); You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit (the grave)" (Psalm 30:3).
Fulfilment: "And going to into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting (there) on the right (side), clothed in a (long, stately, sweeping) robe of white, and they were utterly amazed and struck with terror. And he said to them, Do not be amazed and terrified; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth Who was crucified. He is risen; He is not here. See the place where they laid Him" (Mark 16:5-6)."For this reason He says also in another Psalm, You will not allow Your Holy one to see corruptionto undergo putrefaction and dissolution (of the grave)" (Acts 13:35).
The Messiah would destroy the power of death for others.
Prophecy: "Your dead shall live, O Lord; the bodies of our dead (saints) shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy!" (Isaiah 26:19). "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt and abhorrence" (Daniel 12:2)."O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where are your destructions?" (Hosea 13:14)."He will swallow up death in victoryHe will abolish death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the reproach of His people He will take away from off all the earth; for the Lord has spoken it" (Isaiah 25:8).
Fulfilment: "Jesus said to her, I am (Myself) the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes inadheres to, trusts in and relies onMe, although he may die, yet he shall live" (John 11:25). "(It is that purpose and grace) which He now has made known and has fully disclosed and made real (to us) through the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ Who annulled death and made it of no effect, and brought life and immortalitythat is, immunity from eternal deathto light through the Gospel" (2 Timothy 1:10).
"And when this perishable puts on the imperishable and this (that was) capable of dying puts on freedom from death, then shall be fulfilled the Scripture that says, Death is swallowed up (utterly vanquished, forever) in and unto victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).
"...(Jesus) suffered death, in order that by the grace (unmerited favour) of God (to us sinners) He might experience death for every individual person...He (Himself) in a similar manner partook of the same (nature), that by (going through) death He might bring to nought and make of no effect him who had the power of death, that is, the devil; and also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the (haunting) fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives" (Hebrews 2:9,14-15).
The Messiah would be raised on the third day.
There is much "third-day" typepology in the Old Testament, that points to the third-day resurrection of the Messiah. Three is the number of divine perfection. Prophecy: "After two days He will revive us--quicken us, give us life; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before Him" (Hosea 6:2)."Now the Lord had prepared and appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17).
"Jesus answered them, Destroy (undo) this temple and in three days I will raise it up again" (John 2:19). "For even as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:40).
"...they will put Him to death; and when He is killed, after three days He will rise (from death) (Mark 8:31). Fulfilment: "But on the first day of the week at early dawn (the women) went to the tomb, taking the spices which they had made ready. And they found the stone rolled back from the tomb. But when they went inside they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And while they were perplexed and wondering what to do about this, behold, two men in dazzling raiment suddenly stood beside them. And as (the women) were frightened and were bowing their faces to the ground, the men said to them, Why do you look for the living among (those who are) dead? He is not here, but He has risen!
Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be given over into the hands of sinful men (that is, men whose way or nature is to act in opposition to God), and be crucified, and on the third day rise (from death). And they remembered His words, and having returned to the tomb, they reported all these things (taken together) to the eleven apostles and to all the rest" (Luke 24:1-9). "Then He (thoroughly) opened up their minds to understand the Scriptures, And then He said to them, Thus it is written, that the Christ, the Messiah, should suffer and on the third day rise from (among) the dead" (Luke 24:45-46).
The Messiah would ascend to heaven.
Prophecy: "You have ascended on high. You have led away captive a train of vanquished foes;" (Psalm 68:18). Fulfilment: "So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and He sat down at the right hand of God" (Mark 16:19). "And it occurred that while He was blessing them, He parted from them and was taken up into heaven" (Luke 24:51). "And when He had said this, even as they were looking (at Him), He was caught up, and a cloud received and carried Him away out of their sight" (Acts 1:9).