I have a question that is really bothering me. Jesus's fulfillment of the prophecies is key in him being the Messiah. I know that so many of them have been filled. But I was talking to someone who is Jewish and they said that the most important prophecies havn't been fulfilled. For instance, where is says that the messiah will carry the government on his shoulder, and he will be peace to the nations (we certainly don't have peace). Its just been really bothering me lately. Could you please help me to understand how he fulfilled the two prophecies I mentioned?
Answer: The unfulfilled prophecies about the Messiah are to be fulfilled in the coming seven year Tribulation, His Second Coming and the Millennial reign of Christ, which is the coming 1000 year Kingdom God promised.
The fulfilled prophecies all relate to His birth, person, work, message and death. Each have been fulfilled completely.
When Israel rejected Jesus as their Messiah, God postponed the promised kingdom for the Jews and as Acts 2 records instituted the dispensation of the Church Age which we are currently in. This dispensation will end with the Rapture of Christians living and dead in this age. Immediately afterwards the seven year Tribulation will begin (Daniel's 70th Week - Dan. 9:27). After the resurrection of believers in this age, God will once again begin to work with Israel and prophecy will once again go forward.
After Christ's Second Coming, He will purge the earth of sinners and then set up His kingdom on earth. Those who believed during the Tribulation period who were not killed will go into the Millennial kingdom in their natural bodies and will repopulate the world. Christ will rule from Jerusalem with a rod of iron and all the nations will come up and worship Him. Israel will be restored and their will be peace on earth.
Presently, there is only one prophecy that concerns Christians in this age and that is the resurrection (Rapture) of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.