Prophecy: Fingerprint Evidence Of The Messiah Series

The Messiah would have a forerunner that comes to prepare the way before Him (Malachi 3:1, Isaiah 40:3-5)

He would be anointed by the Spirit, which will be given to Him to rest upon Him (Isaiah 11:2, 42:1, 61:1-2, Psalm 45:6-7)

He would work in the regions of Zebulun, Naphtali, and Galilee (Isaiah 9:1-2)

He would have great zeal for the house of God (Psalm 69:9)

He would teach in parables (Psalm 78:2, Isaiah 6:9-10)

He would be a healer, a worker of miracles (Isaiah 35:4-6, 29:18)

He would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey, coming to bring salvation to His people (Zechariah 9:9)

PROPHECIES REGARDING THE RECEPTION OF THE MESSIAH

He will be rejected by the people (Psalm 118:22-23, Isaiah 53:1-3)

Be hated for no reason (Psalm 35:19, 69:4)

Be rejected even by his own brothers (Psalm 69:8)

HE WILL BE PUT TO DEATH

He would be betrayed by a close associate for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12-13, Psalm 41:9, 55:12-14)

He would be accused before false witnesses (Psalm 27:12, 35:11)

He would be beaten and spit on (Isaiah 50:6)

He would be as a lamb on the way to it's execution and slaughter (Isaiah 53:7)

At the time of His death, he would thirst, be mocked and insulted by many, he would have His hands and His feet pierced, people would cast lots for His clothing. (psalm 22)

The purpose of His death would be to atone for sin (Isaiah 53:4-5, 10-11)

He would be killed alongside criminals (Isaiah 53:12)

PROPHECIES REGARDING TIME AFTER THE MESSIAH'S DEATH

Be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9)

Would defeat death by being resurrected (Psalm 16:8-11, 49:15, 86:13)

A follower will be replaced (Psalm 109:7-8)

The Kingdom of the Messiah would come about at a specific time, during the time of the Roman Empire (Daniel 2)

The Messiah would reign at the right hand of God (Psalm 110:1)

His kingdom would spread even to the Gentiles (Isaiah 55:4-5; Hosea 2:23)

PROPHECIES REGARDING THE DEITY OF THE MESSIAH

He would be the son of God (Psalm 2:7)

His throne would be everlasting (2 Samuel 7:12-13; Isaiah 9:7)

Immanuel, God with us (Isaiah 7:14, 8:8,10)

Have eternal existence (Micah 5:2)

He would be the everlasting God (Isaiah 9:6)

So this was about 48 detailed prophecies that came all before the time of Christ. The question we must ask is: Did Jesus fulfill them all?

One point I would like to make prior to showing that Jesus fulfilled all these prophecies is:

The mathematical probability that all of these prophesies would be fulfilled in one man is astronomical! What are the chances that all of these prophecies could be fulfilled in one man?

Statistician Peter Stoner reports that the probability of just eight of these prophecies about one person being fulfilled by chance is 1 in 10^17 (Idem, 106-107) That number has 17 zeros! He also reports that the probability of 48 prophecies being fulfilled by chance in one man is 1x10^157 (Idem, 109). 157 zeros!

According to Emile Borel ( a French mathematician), once one goes past one chance in 10^50, the probabilities are so small that it is impossible to think that they will ever occur (Ankerberg et. al., op. cit., 21).