While I was still a Christian believer, and still living at home with my parents, I had access to a ‘Messianic Jewish’ (read: Christian Jew) version of the New Testament. This had a list of supposed Old Testament prophesies that had been fulfilled by Jesus as the messiah. I was intrigued by this list of prophecies and hoped to bolster and confirm my faith by looking each of them up and confirming them for myself. I was very disappointed and disillusioned when I did this—even as a believer I couldn’t honestly go up to a non-believer and say ‘such and such bible passage confirms that Jesus was the messiah’. In fact, I was even a bit embarrassed and concerned, though it would be a long time before I would get the courage to express my honest doubt.

I no longer have access to that ‘Messianic’ Bible, but lately someone has posted a video that, among other things, advertises a list of supposed Old Testament prophesies pointing to Jesus Christ at http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/messiah.htm. I am willing to bet that these are, by in large, either not even prophecies at all, have nothing whatsoever to do with any messiah, or are misquotations by whoever wrote the gospel of Matthew (where he often makes claims that such and such event was foretold in scripture).

So, though I don't have the time or energy to go though all of these claims of prophecy, I am going to spot-check them. I’m just going to randomly select about five of them spread throughout the list on the aforementioned webpage, and see if they even match what they are supposed to be foretelling. I’ll quote all the verses in KJV, as this is what the owners of http://www.jesus-is-lord.com insist on. (Have a look at their main site, it is very entertaining—especially to non-believers. I used to have a go with these people when I was a Christian insisting that Christian Rock music is legitimate Christian music…but that story is for another time.)

1. His pre-existence, prophecied Micah 5:2, fulfilled John 1:1, 14

Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Do you see what these two verses have to do with each other? ‘Cause I don’t. If it is the claim that Jesus is eternal—well that is still only a claim and not even proven in any sense of the word.

2. Came to bring a sword, not peace, Micah 7:6, Matthew 10:34-35 (picking two in a row from Micah was not intentional, but I’m going with it.)

Micah 7:6 For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.

Matthew 10:34-35 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

Ok, and this is a prophecy, how? Seems to me Micah was only lamenting what was going on in his own day (and what has happened somehow in every generation) not even talking about the future, much less the messiah.

3. Given vinegar and gall for thirst, Psalm 69:21, Matthew 27:34

Psalm 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

Matthew 27:34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.

Psalm 69 is about a guy who is being persecuted and mistreated, and crying to God for help and vengeance against his persecutors. Look it up if you want more context. The NT passage is from the crucifixion scene, and merely mentioned that the solders gave Jesus gall and vinegar. Again, why this particular is construed as a prophecy, I can’t tell. Especially at the guy in the Psalm says in the next few verses about his persecutors:

22Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.
23Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.
24Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.
25Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.
26For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.
27Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.
28Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

Jesus is supposed to have forgiven his persecutors. Why is the one verse before this singled out as prophecy, and not the whole Psalm?

4. Preached to the poor/brokenhearted/captives, Isaiah 61:1, Matthew 11:5

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Matthew 11:5 The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

Ok, there is a preacher bringing comfort to the downtrodden in the OT, and a preacher healing the sick and preaching in the new. I still see no prophetic line here.

5. Soldiers gambled for his garment, Psalm 22:18, Matthew 27:35

Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

Matthew 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.

Then Jesus had something in common with some poor persecuted guy who wrote a Psalm (If, indeed, this was not added to the story of the crucifixion just so people like the jesus-is-lord folk could say there was a prophesy). I still see no reason whatsoever to think the OT verse is a prophesy or was ever intended to be one.

I think I’ve made my point, there is no need to waste my time on any more of these claims. I could go on and on and on, and I know of other prophecy claims right off the top of my head that I could include. But really, I don’t think we unbelievers and Atheists have anything whatsoever to worry about from biblical prophesy.