Messianic prophecy in the Old Testament is very interesting because it often conflates God and the Messiah. It will say that the Messiah does something and that God does it, or it will say that something is done to Messiah and that it was done to God. It also attributes to the Messiah attributes and titles that only apply to God. These are hints that the Messiah is God in human flesh. In other words, the Christian teaching that Jesus is both God and man did not begin with the New Testament. This was prophesied hundreds or thousands of years in advance.
Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon ME whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for HIM, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
This is God speaking here. Is it God (me) who is pierced here or the Messiah (him)? Yes. It's both.
Isaiah 9:6-7 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.
A child will be born, so he's human, yet He will be called the Mighty God and the Everlasting Father. He will sit on David's throne, so he's from the lineage of David. That means he's human. Yet he will establish that throne forever. There will be no end to his government. So how does a mere human reign forever? Are you seeing the hints?
Genesis 22:7-8 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
This entire passage in Genesis 22 is so amazing! The parallels to the sacrifice of Jesus are mind-boggling. It's even the very same mountain! But take a look at the wording here. Abraham speaks prophetically. God will provide Himself a lamb. That's actually a bit vague. Does this mean that God will provide FOR Himself a lamb? Or that He will provide Himself AS the lamb? Yes! It's both. The double entendre is intentional. God Himself became the sacrifice on Mount Moriah to atone for the sins of mankind. He's both the offering and the one being satisfied by the offering.
Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
Here's another interesting conflation between the Lord and the messenger of the Lord (i.e. Messiah). It says the Lord (YHWH in the Hebrew) will come to the temple, but it's the messenger of the covenant. He will come. So is it the messenger or the Lord? Yes. It's both. The messenger is the Lord. The Messiah is sent by God, but also is God.
Psalm 110:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
This seems like an odd passage, yet it is the most quoted Old Testament passage in the New Testament. In fact, Jesus Himself used this passage to prove that the Messiah was always prophesied to be God. You see, everyone knew that the Messiah was prophesied to come from David's line. One of the common titles for the Messiah was the Son of David. Yet here David, under inspiration, speaks of this coming son as his Lord. The LORD (YHWH) speaks to "my lord" (the Messiah). How is the Messiah David's Lord if he is his son? A son is not greater than his father. Unless that son is more than just David's son.
These are just a few of the many passages that hint at the divine nature of the promised Messiah. This is not a later Christian invention. It had been in the Old Testament already, long before Jesus came. So look for this kind of thing when you're reading the Old Testament. Once you start looking for it, it's everywhere.
If you can find more examples, post them in the comments.
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