What Is Prophecy
Put simply, prophecy is the prediction of future events based on Bible passages and God's way of warning mankind of His judgement so that everyone has the chance to turn to Him for salvation. It also serves to show the world that God is who says He is and no-one else can equal His power and accuarcy. Today we have the great advantage of historical records, archaeology and geology to ascertain whether prophecies made in the past were accurate. So lets look at some of the prophecies made concerning Jesus and their fulfilment at His first coming:
He would be from the tribe of Judah
(Genesis 49:8-10; Hebrews 7:14; Revelation 5:5)
He would be born in Bethlehem
(Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:4-6; John 7:42)
He would be a descendent of Abraham.
(Genesis 12:1-3; 18:18; 22:18; Matthew 1:1-2,17; Galatians 3:8,16)
He would be a descendent of David.
(2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-13; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14; Psalm 132:11; Luke 1:32-33,67-69; Acts 2:29-30; Matthew 1:17; Romans 1:3)
He would be from Nazareth and be called a Nazarene.
(Matthew 2:23; Luke 1:26-27; John 1:45; Judges 13:5-7,24)
The exact time of His crucifixion was known (483 years from the decree to build the temple, which was around 444 B.C.E.).
(Daniel 9:25; Nehemiah 2:1-8; 5:14)
He would be born of a virgin.
(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-23; Galatians 4:4; Genesis 3:15)
His name would be Immanuel. Immanuel in Hebrew means "God with us."
(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23)
His name would be the Messiah. The word Christ in English comes from the Greek word Christos, which means "The Anointed One." Christos in Greek is the word Mashiach in Hebrew, which also means "The Anointed One." The word Mashiach means "Messiah," who is Yeshua.
(Daniel 9:25-26; John 1:41)
He would be the only begotten Son of God.
(Psalm 2:2,6-7; John 1:14; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:1-2,5)
He would be the Son of God and God would be His Father.
(Psalm 89:26-27; 2 Samuel 7:8,12-14; 1 Chronicles 22:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-2,5; Mark 14:36; John 20:30-31)
He would be circumcised the eighth day according to the law of purification.
(Luke 2:21-24; Leviticus 12:1-6)
He would go to Egypt and return to the land of Israel.
(Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:13-15)
Young babies would die in an attempt to kill Jesus at His birth.
(Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16-18)
He would be preceded by a messenger (a type of Elijah known as John the Immerser [Baptist]) who would prepare the way of the Lord.
(Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:13,76; Matthew 11:7,10)
The messenger, John the Baptist, would be preaching in the wilderness.
(Isaiah 40:3-5; Luke 1:13,80,3:2-6)
He would be a prophet like Moses.
(Deuteronomy 18:15; John 1:45; Acts 3:20-23)
He would be anointed of the Holy Spirit.
(Isaiah 11:1-2; 42:1; Matthew 3:16)
He would preach and teach in the temple.
(Malachi 3:1; Luke 4:16; Matthew 26:55; John 7:28; 8:1-2)
Jesus would be rejected by His own people Israel (corporately). [Note: It should be pointed out that many, many individual Jews were believers in Messiah during the first century. This can be seen very clearly by carefully examining Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Book of Acts.
(Psalm 69:8; 31:11; 88:8,18; Job 19:13; John 1:11; 7:3,5)
Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected.
(Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 3:10-12; Romans 9:11)
He would speak in parables.
(Psalm 78:2-4; Matthew 13:34-35)
The ministry of Jesus would be in Galilee.
(Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:12-16,23)
(Genesis 49:8-10; Hebrews 7:14; Revelation 5:5)
He would be born in Bethlehem
(Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:4-6; John 7:42)
He would be a descendent of Abraham.
(Genesis 12:1-3; 18:18; 22:18; Matthew 1:1-2,17; Galatians 3:8,16)
He would be a descendent of David.
(2 Samuel 7:4-5,12-13; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14; Psalm 132:11; Luke 1:32-33,67-69; Acts 2:29-30; Matthew 1:17; Romans 1:3)
He would be from Nazareth and be called a Nazarene.
(Matthew 2:23; Luke 1:26-27; John 1:45; Judges 13:5-7,24)
The exact time of His crucifixion was known (483 years from the decree to build the temple, which was around 444 B.C.E.).
(Daniel 9:25; Nehemiah 2:1-8; 5:14)
He would be born of a virgin.
(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:20-23; Galatians 4:4; Genesis 3:15)
His name would be Immanuel. Immanuel in Hebrew means "God with us."
(Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23)
His name would be the Messiah. The word Christ in English comes from the Greek word Christos, which means "The Anointed One." Christos in Greek is the word Mashiach in Hebrew, which also means "The Anointed One." The word Mashiach means "Messiah," who is Yeshua.
(Daniel 9:25-26; John 1:41)
He would be the only begotten Son of God.
(Psalm 2:2,6-7; John 1:14; Acts 13:33; Hebrews 1:1-2,5)
He would be the Son of God and God would be His Father.
(Psalm 89:26-27; 2 Samuel 7:8,12-14; 1 Chronicles 22:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-2,5; Mark 14:36; John 20:30-31)
He would be circumcised the eighth day according to the law of purification.
(Luke 2:21-24; Leviticus 12:1-6)
He would go to Egypt and return to the land of Israel.
(Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:13-15)
Young babies would die in an attempt to kill Jesus at His birth.
(Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16-18)
He would be preceded by a messenger (a type of Elijah known as John the Immerser [Baptist]) who would prepare the way of the Lord.
(Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:13,76; Matthew 11:7,10)
The messenger, John the Baptist, would be preaching in the wilderness.
(Isaiah 40:3-5; Luke 1:13,80,3:2-6)
He would be a prophet like Moses.
(Deuteronomy 18:15; John 1:45; Acts 3:20-23)
He would be anointed of the Holy Spirit.
(Isaiah 11:1-2; 42:1; Matthew 3:16)
He would preach and teach in the temple.
(Malachi 3:1; Luke 4:16; Matthew 26:55; John 7:28; 8:1-2)
Jesus would be rejected by His own people Israel (corporately). [Note: It should be pointed out that many, many individual Jews were believers in Messiah during the first century. This can be seen very clearly by carefully examining Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Book of Acts.
(Psalm 69:8; 31:11; 88:8,18; Job 19:13; John 1:11; 7:3,5)
Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected.
(Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 3:10-12; Romans 9:11)
He would speak in parables.
(Psalm 78:2-4; Matthew 13:34-35)
The ministry of Jesus would be in Galilee.
(Isaiah 9:1-2; Matthew 4:12-16,23)
Probability Analysis
If we subject these prophecies to probability analysis we can see just how impossible it is that their fulfilment happened by chance. For an example lets take the first and second prophecies from the list above as examined by Henry M Morris, Ph.D from his book "Science and the Bible"
One can estimate the probability of chance fulfillment of any specific prophecy by determining the number of ways in which the given circumstances might have combined. For example, Jacob's prophecy that Judah would be the progenitor of the Messiah (Genesis 49:10) would have a probability of one out of twelve, since there were twelve tribes out of which the Messiah might have come.
Micah's prediction that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) would have a probability factor of one out of a hundred, on the assumption that there were about a hundred towns and villages in Judah were He might have been born.
Then the combined probability that both events could have been predicted by chance would be 1/12 multiplied by 1/100 or 1/1200. This type of calculation can be extended indefinitely, multiplying individual prophecies together to get the combined probability of all the prophecies being fulfilled by chance by Jesus first coming.
When Henry Morris was teaching his class of students in Christian evidences he gave each student an exercise to evaluate one particular Messianic prophecies probability of chance fulfillment. A typical class of 20 students would analyze about 20 separate prophecies each having been fulfilled at Christ's first coming. The combined probability in one instance turned out to be one chance in 10 to the par of 175. That could be written as "1" followed by 175 "0,s."
To illustrate the magnitude of such a number, imagine a universe that is 5 million-billion-billion light years in radius, all solidly packed with infinitesimal particles, each of which is only 1 fourth of a millionth of a billionth of an inch in diameter. The total number of the particles then turns out to be 10 to the par of 175. Now, imagine one particle is painted red, while all the others are painted white. Stir them up well with a giant paddle and then send a blind man into the great sea of particles to pick just one. The chance that he would pick the red one is the same as the probability that those 20 prophecies could have been fulfilled by chance in the life of one individual.
And that calculation was only based on only twenty of the 300 Biblical prophecies. There can be no rational reason whatever, for anyone of sound mind not to accept the divine inspiration of the Bible.
One can estimate the probability of chance fulfillment of any specific prophecy by determining the number of ways in which the given circumstances might have combined. For example, Jacob's prophecy that Judah would be the progenitor of the Messiah (Genesis 49:10) would have a probability of one out of twelve, since there were twelve tribes out of which the Messiah might have come.
Micah's prediction that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) would have a probability factor of one out of a hundred, on the assumption that there were about a hundred towns and villages in Judah were He might have been born.
Then the combined probability that both events could have been predicted by chance would be 1/12 multiplied by 1/100 or 1/1200. This type of calculation can be extended indefinitely, multiplying individual prophecies together to get the combined probability of all the prophecies being fulfilled by chance by Jesus first coming.
When Henry Morris was teaching his class of students in Christian evidences he gave each student an exercise to evaluate one particular Messianic prophecies probability of chance fulfillment. A typical class of 20 students would analyze about 20 separate prophecies each having been fulfilled at Christ's first coming. The combined probability in one instance turned out to be one chance in 10 to the par of 175. That could be written as "1" followed by 175 "0,s."
To illustrate the magnitude of such a number, imagine a universe that is 5 million-billion-billion light years in radius, all solidly packed with infinitesimal particles, each of which is only 1 fourth of a millionth of a billionth of an inch in diameter. The total number of the particles then turns out to be 10 to the par of 175. Now, imagine one particle is painted red, while all the others are painted white. Stir them up well with a giant paddle and then send a blind man into the great sea of particles to pick just one. The chance that he would pick the red one is the same as the probability that those 20 prophecies could have been fulfilled by chance in the life of one individual.
And that calculation was only based on only twenty of the 300 Biblical prophecies. There can be no rational reason whatever, for anyone of sound mind not to accept the divine inspiration of the Bible.
Jesus Second Coming
If we have established that the prophecies of Jesus first coming were astonishingly and incredibly accurate, we should therefore have no reason to doubt that the prophecies of His second coming would be fulfilled exactly as stated in God's Holy Word.
Is prophecy just doom & gloom?
For a sinful world prophecy should be a reality check of impending judgement, but for the believer prophecy also tells of coming deliverance and a thousand year reign of peace and justice on the Earth.
We read in Revelation 20: v4 - v6:(NIV)
We read in Revelation 20: v4 - v6:(NIV)
v4: I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
v5:(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.
v6: Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
