Foretold And Fulfilled

4.17.15

"Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days."(Acts 3:24)

 In the third chapter of Acts Peter is sharing with the Jews in Jerusalem who are challenging him for performing a healing in the name of Jesus. He confronts them and challenges their participation in the death of Jesus, explaining to them that the things that happened in the life of Jesus were not happenstance, but actions foretold by the prophets of the Old Testament. In his book Science Speaks, author Peter Stoner examines the probability that one man would fulfill the prophecies fulfilled by Jesus. Today we look at eight prophecies related to the life of the Messiah.

1. His Birthplace

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” 
Micah 5:2

We read in Matthew 2 and Luke 2 that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.

2. Forerunner Messenger

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come.” 
Malachi 3:1

John the Baptist was the direct forerunner of Jesus claiming "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Make straight the way of the Lord'" (John 1:23).

3. Triumphal Entry

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 
Zechariah 9:9

John 12 and Matthew 21 both record the details of the entry by Jesus into the Holy City.

4. Betrayed and Wounded

“If someone asks, ‘What are these wounds on your body?’ they will answer, ‘The wounds I was given at the house of my friends.’”

Zechariah 13:6

Jesus was crucified by being nailed to the wooden beams of his cross. Later, Thomas would ask to place his hands into the wounds and he believed. 

5. Betrayed For Thirty Silver Pieces

“If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.”  So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.

Zechariah 11:12

Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces. Matthew 26:15 finds Judas negotiating with the spiritual leaders of the day for the betrayal of Jesus in the amount of 30 pieces of silver.

 6. Betrayal Money Returned

“Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them  to the potter at the house of the Lord.

Zechariah 11:13

In Matthew 27 we read that Judas had second thoughts and tried to return the money. 

7. Silent At Trial Despite Innocence

“He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”

Isaiah 53:7

I have served in jail ministry and as a probation officer in the past. Those who are guilty claim innocence, and I can almost say with certainty every person who even thinks they are innocent will not be silent at trial. 

8. Crucified

Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.

Psalm 22:16

Hundreds of years before crucifixion was used, the Holy Spirit inspired David to describe the way in which the Holy One will be killed. Jesus was hung on a cross and kept there by being nailed through the hands and feet. 

Takeaway From Today

Peter Stoner in his book Science Speaks, the author used the cumulative experience and knowledge of over 600 different college students to calculate the probability that one man could fulfill all eight prophecies listed here. Their answer? The chance is 1 in 10 to the power of 17 or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000! Professor Stoner estimated that if you placed silver dollars across the state of Texas, it cover the state 2 feet deep! The odds of one man fulfilling these eight prophecies would be the same if you selected one of those coins covering Texas and marked it with a red X then asked a blind folded man to reach down and pick up the one with the "x" on his first try! 

This is just the first eight prophecies! And why would God do all of this? Why would Peter reference the fact that prophets have been predicting the treatment of Jesus like this? Because he is laying the strong foundation for the new church that Jesus is THE ONLY WAY to get tot he father in heaven. Jesus was the sent to help us "and lead us from our wicked ways" (Acts 3:26). God want us to know that we know that we know that Jesus is THE WAY to heaven. All other ways are false!