Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in his cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and the name of his son? Tell me if you know! -- Proverbs 30:4
Bible scholars said there were over 400 specific prophesy that Jesus of Nazareth fulfilled. New Testament writers mentioned only few of these fulfilled prophesy because they don't need to elaborate on these things because their intended readers are already aware of the coming Messiah and had been reading or had been listening to oral records from their teachers of the law; and prophesies is obviously being discussed almost daily because they had been waiting for The Christ. Someone that will save them. This coming Messiah is someone that you can overheard being spoken in the market place or told by your parents, if you are living during that time. If Jesus did not fulfill anyone one of this signs, he is surely not he claimed to be because the Apostle are dealing here with Old Testament experts.
Now it is impossible for me to discuss all the 400 prophesies because I am not a Bible scholar but there are obvious verses that can't be denied as "real" fulfillment of a future event written in the past.
First, let me stress the fact that the prophesy concerning the Messiah's arrival were written more than a hundred and even thousands of years before they were fulfilled in the life of Jesus. They were so accurate that Jesus critics claimed it was a conspiracy concocted by Jesus and his followers...or later to be called Christians.
If Jesus and his followers would do these, being followers of Old Testament religion they are not just simply exposing themselves to the discovery of fraud but also attempting an impossible feat. Why? First, they have to silence the crowd too because what Jesus will attempt is very dangerous....he will plan a suicide (by the hands of their enemies both the Jewish Leaders and the Roman Government) and next, far more extravagant is that he will actually survive the sentence after 3 days. Convincing those people who hate you, to make your dreams come true isn't something a normal sane guy would do.
Another they must invent was the 400 earlier prophesies being written more than a thousand years ago by different authors. Jesus must qualify to all these prerequisite qualities beyond any shadow of doubt.
If Jesus then is a fraudster. He is the only person I know who is willing to suffer death...and expect followers and popularity later.
How could someone “arrange” to be born in a specific family? How does someone “arrange” in advance to have his parents give birth to him in a specified city, not their own? How does one “arrange” to be virgin born? How does one “arrange” to be considered a prophet “like Moses”? How does someone “arrange” (a) his own death, including being put to death by the strange method of crucifixion, (b) being put to death, not alone, but with company, specifically two criminals and (c) then “arrange” to have his executioners gamble for his clothes during the execution?
And how does one “arrange” to have God inform and send the proper “messenger” to go before one? How does one “arrange” to be betrayed for a specific amount of money (30 pieces of silver)? How does one “arrange” in advance that his executioners will carry out their regular practice of breaking the legs of the two victims on either side of him, but not his? Finally, how does a pretender to being the Messiah “arrange” to be God? How does he escape from a grave and appear to people after he has been killed?
I don't know about you, after reading the following verses if this could be concocted by a small group of uneducated Jews. Take note that after Jesus died the Jesus Movement immediately flourish so there is no way for any myth to appear. The Book of Acts clearly records how these former cowardice followers became instantly bold in declaring Jesus resurrection and divinity...in the face of those who had witnessed the execution of Jesus. We heard no one rejecting of any gossips that Jesus died and even declare in loud voice that Jesus is ALIVE. In fact, history was silent on this issue. What we learn from ancient historian are they do all dirty tactics and try all they can to silence Christians but never dispute their claims of Jesus coming back to life.
The following are written thousands of years before Jesus came into flesh...
Psalm 22:18
King James Version (KJV)
18They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Psalm 22:16
New International Version (NIV)
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
I will just point out here that the above verse was written nearly 800 years before the invention of the extreme penalty called crucifixion.
Also how can someone plan where he is going to be born, especially if you are not a resident of that place?
Micah 5:2
King James Version (KJV)
2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Matthew 27:3-10
New International Version (NIV)
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” 5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. 6 The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.”7 So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. 8 That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, 10 and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Zechariah 11:12-13
New International Version (NIV)
12 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.
13 And the LORD said to me, “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.
Isaiah 7:14
New International Version (NIV)
14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
9And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death, because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.
10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief. When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
11He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.
12Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He hath poured out His soul unto death. And He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. (Acts 2:32)
Isaiah 53:9-12
21st Century King James Version (KJ21)
9And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death, because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.
10Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief. When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.
11He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied. By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.
12Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He hath poured out His soul unto death. And He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. (Acts 2:32)
The science of probability attempts to determine the chance that a given event will occur. The value and accuracy of the science of probability has been established beyond doubt. For example, probability statistics are the foundation on which all kinds of insurance rates are fixed.
