Do Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah really point to Jesus?
The Bible Says:
* "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, (Jesus) expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself" (Luke 24:27). The Bible also says that Apollos showed "from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ" (Acts 18:28 NKJV).
Prophecy About the Messiah
1. born in Bethlehem Micah 5:2 -- Matthew 2:1
2. Born of a virgin Isaiah 7:14 -- Matt. 1:18 -23
3. Of David's linage Jeremiah 23:5 -- Rev. 22:16
4. Attempted murder by Herod Jeremiah 31:15 --
Matt 2:16-18
5. Betrayal by a friend Psalm 41:9 -- John 13:18, 19, 26
6. Sold for 30 silver coins Zech. 11:12 --
Matt. 26:14 - 16.
7. Pierced Zech. 12:10 -- John 19:16 - 18, 37
8. Lots cast for His clothes Psalm 22:18 -- Matt. 27:35
9. No bones broken Psalm 34:20; Ex. 12:46 --
John 19:31-36
10. Buried in a rich man's tomb Isaiah 53:9 --
Matt. 27:57-60
11. Year, day, hour of His death Daniel 9:26,27;
Exodus 12:6
Matthew 27:45 - 50
12. Raised the third day Hosea 6:2 -- Acts 10:38-40
Amazing Fact!
Dr. Peter Stoner, former chairman of the departments of mathematics, astronomy and engineering at Pasadena College in California, worked with 600 students applying the "principle of probability" to the prophecies of the Messiah.
They chose just eight from the hundreds available and determined that the chances of all eight being fulfilled in one man in a lifetime is:
1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000!
What would happen if we included all of the more than 300 Messianic prophecies? We would not have enough pages to print that number in this magazine! The fact is that the odds are so astronomical, there is no way that Jesus was just a coincidence.
What world events brought the Bible's power and appeal into sharp focus?
The Bible says:
* The fool has said in his heart, "There is no God" (Psalm 53:1 NKJV).
The failure and collapse of atheistic communism has spotlighted the Bible. Built on a foundation of Marxism, the former USSR failed miserably.
Closely related, evolution, Marxism's first tenet, is also losing its credibility. The more science advances, the more this theory crumbles under the weight of truth. Just one example among thousands: Molecular biologists have shown that even a single cell of life is busier and more complex than New York City's vast transportation network at rush hour -- the accidental origin of life is a mathematical absurdity.
Amazing Fact!
The first book printed on movable type was the German Bible by Johannes Gutenberg in 1455. Between 1815 and 1975, 2.5 billion Bibles were printed, and it remains the most widely distributed and influential book in the world.
Amazing Fact!
The Bible, in part or whole, has been translated into nearly 2,000 languages. The first complete English versions of the Bible were made by John Wycliffe in 1379.
Why does the Bible have such universal appeal?
The Bible says:
* "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105).
*These things have I spoken unto you ... that your joy might be full" (John 15:11).
* "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I Am, there ye may be also" (John 14:3).
The Bible answers our most important questions regarding life, such as:
1. "Where do I come from?" God created us in His image. (We did not accidentally begin from some primevil ooze.) We are sons and daghters of God, the Mighty King (Galatians 3:76). We are so precious to God (Isaiah 13:12) that He gave His Son to die in our place for our sins so we could live forever (John 3:16).
2. "What am I doing here?" Learning to trust and love God and love our fellow man (Romans 8:29).
3. "Where am I going?" Jesus will come very soon to dispense one of two rewards -- everlasting life or death. (John 14:1-3: Rev. 22:12).
And, weary seekers of the best,
We come back laden from our quest
To find that all the sages said
Is in the book our Mothers read. by John Greenlief Whittier
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