Some feel that the Bible is an anti-intellectual document and if that's true it's only fair, since so many intellectuals seem to be anti-Bible. Here's a case in point.

There are four passages in the Old Testament that speak of a coming Messiah by referring to Him as "The Branch" but they all portray Him in a different way. Each one previews one of the Gospels.

A bullet proof case for the importance of prophecy.

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

Let’s take just a moment to look beyond the controversy over when the Lord came and focus on why He came.  I think Isaiah gave us the best explanation the Bible offers. What follows is my adaptation of Isaiah 53.

The angel said to me, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:30-33

He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. (Daniel 11:21)

For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders... --Isaiah 9:6

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

In the time after their sin and expulsion from the Garden Adam and Eve must have felt incredible despair. They had experienced life both before and after the curse, the only ones to do so, and had first-hand knowledge of the difference.

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

In the Christian Bible, the concluding chapter in the Book of Malachi contains the final words of the Old Testament. It would be 400 years before God spoke to Israel again and then His purpose would be to announce the birth of the Messiah.

A Bible Study by Jack Kelley

We continue our study of the Book of Malachi with chapter 3. As we’ll see the Lord isn’t finished with His criticism of Israel’s behavior, and as was the case with the previous chapters some of His complaints about them could just as easily be made about us.