Hebrew prophecy, especially in written form, is important to students of the New Testament, as well as of the Old. It forms a vital part of the Hebrew heritage, which influenced and inspired Christianity. And, in turn, Christianity provides its fulfillment.
Christ Jesus clearly considered prophecy as essential to founding his work and teaching. He said (Matt. 5:17): "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." Far from destroying the law or prophecy, the Master completed and fulfilled them, proving their value and permanence from a spiritual standpoint.
At the commencement of his public ministry he appeared in the synagogue in Nazareth, reading a passage from the Hebrew Scriptures (Isa. 61:1, 2) and explaining that the familiar words he read were now receiving fulfillment (Luke 4:16-21). Not only had "the Spirit of the Lord... anointed [him] to preach the gospel to the poor," but also to bring healing and freedom. As Christ Jesus' ministry proceeded, he referred repeatedly to the prophetic teachings, providing explicit quotations from them and constant fulfillment of their predictions regarding the nature of his work.
