Messianic Prophecy
One of the most powerful and convincing ways of provoking the Bible is true and divinely inspired is through Bible prophecy. There are different types of biblical prophecies one can use: Messianic (Jesus Christ), the people and the land of Israel, surrounding nations, the future of the world and "End Times." I will discuss the Messianic prophecies. These prophecies deal with the predictions concerning Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Messiah in Hebrew means "The Anointed One."
Written over a 1000 year span, the Old Testament contains 300 prophetic references to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. The chance of a man fulfilling just eight of the 300 Messianic prophecies is astronomical. That would be one in one hundred trillion. Jesus Christ fulfilled all three hundred prophecies! This would have been impossible if He was not the Son of God. Below I have recorded prophecies and prophecies concerning his birth, His nature, His ministry, His death and burial and His resurrection.
His Birth
How many times have we heard the story of the birth of Jesus, but people may not understand that His birth was predicted 400 – 1000 years before his birth. These prophecies written between 1450 BC and 430 BC are very detailed in their description of the timing, location and circumstances of his birth and they are all 100% accurate. Predicting something 10 years away would be difficult, but predicting something 4-15 centuries away with perfect accuracy would have to be a God inspired plan.
Share with an unbeliever Micah 5: 2 and then show them the fulfillment of this prophecy in Matthew 2: 1. When you speak of Bethlehem, that certainly should ring a bell with them.
Prophecy – "But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of the universe shall come forth unto me that which is to be ruler in Israel; which moves forth have been from of old, from everlasting" ( Micah 5: 2).
Fulfillment of the prophecy – "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wisdom men from the east to Jerusalem" (Matthew 2: 1).
His Nature
The Bible makes it very clear about the unique nature Jesus Christ. He was born of a virgin. His name would be called Immanuel, meaning "God with us." The spirit of the Lord would rest upon Him in wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He was both Lord and Christ. There are a number of scriptures that verify this. I have listed a couple of scripts you can use to influence the skeptical.
Prophecy – "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool" (Psalm 110: 1).
Fulfillment of the prophecy – "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).
Prophecy – "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).
Fulfillment of the prophecy – "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call him Name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us "(Matthew 1: 22-23).
His Ministry
As stated in the gospels, the preparation for Jesus Christ's ministry began with his baptism in the river Jordan of Judah by John the Baptist. He was thirty years of age at the start of His ministry. Immediately after His water baptism, He was led by the Holy Spirit into the Judean wilderness to fast forty days and forty nights. He then went back to Galilee to preach and recruit His first disciples who traveled with Him. They formed the early core of the early Church.
After the death of John the Baptist, Jesus went to Jerusalem where He ministered. His last week in Jerusalem has been called the Passion Week, culminating with His crucifixion, burial and resurrection. I've listed below two scripts you can use to point out the prediction and fulfillment of His earthly ministry.
Prophecy – "Neverless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, In Galilee of the nations. "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined" (Isaiah 9: 1-2).
Fulfillment of the prophecy – "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan to John, to baptized of him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he Saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased "(Matthew 3: 13,16-17).
Prophecy – "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lamb man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, And streams in the desert "(Isaiah 35: 5-6).
Fulfillment of the prophecy – "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lamb walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them: (Matthew 9:35; 11: 4-5).
His Death & Burial
Fulfilled prophecies of the death and burial of Jesus Christ give another evidence of His glorious place in history. Below are scriptures that you can use to bring truth, hope and light to those in darkness.
Prophecy – "I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting" (Isaiah 50: 6).
Fulfillment of the prophecy – "And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be cruicified" (Mark 15:15).
Prophecy – "For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet" (Psalm 22:16).
Fulfillment of the prophecy – "The other disciples said before unto him, We have seen the Lord. But He said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, And thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. Then saith he (Jesus) to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, But believing "(John 20: 25,27).
Prophecy – "And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was deceit in his mouth" (Isaiah 53: 9).
Fulfillment of the prophecy – "When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilatate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to Jesus. And When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he roled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, And departed "(Matthew 27: 57-60).
His Resurrection
The Resurrection of Jesus Christ sets Christianity apart from all other religions. There is no evidence that any of the founders of other religions were ever resurrected. The empty tomb gives evidence of the Resurrection. Use these prophecies to convince the doubters.
Prophecy – "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption" (Psalm 16:10).
Fulfillment of the prophecy – "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it" (Acts 2:24).
Prophecy – "I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee" (Psalm 2: 7).
Fulfillment of the prophecy – "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own Blood "(Revelation 1: 5).
Ambassadors of Jesus Christ
As ambassadors of Jesus Christ, let us share these prophetical scripts with the lost, allowing the Holy Spirit to convince them that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and that as Sinners they must receive Him as their Lord and Savior to escape hell and be Ready for heaven.
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