Several prophets in the Bible are related to Christmas because their prophecies are seen as foretelling the birth, life, and ministry of Jesus Christ. Here are some of the most prominent:
* Isaiah: Isaiah is arguably the most important prophet for Christmas. His book contains numerous prophecies that Christians believe are directly fulfilled in Jesus:
* Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Prophesies the virgin birth and the name "Immanuel," meaning "God with us.")
* Isaiah 9:6: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Describes the nature and role of the coming Messiah.)
* Isaiah 11:1: "There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit." (Points to Jesus' lineage from the line of Jesse, the father of David.)
* Isaiah 53: While not directly about the birth, this chapter describes the suffering servant, which Christians believe is a prophecy of Jesus's sacrificial death.
* Micah:
* Micah 5:2: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." (Predicts that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem.)
* Jeremiah:
* Jeremiah 31:15: "This is what the Lord says: 'A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.'" (This prophecy is referenced in Matthew 2:18 concerning Herod's massacre of infants in Bethlehem.)
* Malachi:
* Malachi 3:1: "See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,' says the Lord Almighty." (This is often interpreted as referring to John the Baptist, who prepared the way for Jesus.)
* Malachi 4:2: "But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall." (Some interpret "sun of righteousness" as a reference to the Messiah.)
* David (through the Psalms): While David was a king, many of the Psalms are considered prophetic:
* Psalm 2: Speaks of the Messiah as God's son and king.
* Psalm 22: Describes the suffering of the Messiah, with details that resonate with the crucifixion account.
* Psalm 110: Presents the Messiah as both king and priest.
The New Testament writers frequently quoted and alluded to these Old Testament prophecies to demonstrate that Jesus was the promised Messiah. These prophecies contribute significantly to the Christian understanding of Christmas as the fulfillment of God's promises.