The Prophesies about Jesus

 

Article by Victor S E Moubarak - LINK HERE 

Did you know that there are more than 300 prophesies about Jesus in the Old Testament that He fulfilled in His life?

Some prophesies He had no personal control over. 

 

Prophesies about where He would be born. The manner of His death and suffering, where He would be buried. The fact that on His death the Romans would not break His legs as they did to the other two crucified with Him. The fact that the Roman soldiers would divide His clothes amongst themselves and gamble for His robe whilst He hung from the Cross. And so on. 

 

The prophet Micah a contemporary of Isaiah, wrote some seven hundred years before Jesus was born (Micah 5:2): Bethlehem you are one of the smallest towns of Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.

 

Isaiah 7:14 says: a young woman, (meaning virgin in the Greek translation), who is pregnant will have a son and will name Him Emmanuel.

 

Isaiah 9:6 reads: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

Psalm 41:9 (written by King David) predicts that Judas will betray Jesus in the words, "Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me."

 

The Psalms by King David were written some thousand years before the birth of Jesus. In fact King David predicted in details the crucifixion of Jesus one thousand years before His birth and six hundred years before the Persians invented this horrific method of execution.

 

Psalm 22 depicts aspects of crucifixion well before this method of execution was devised and used by the Romans.

 

In Psalm 22:16-17, it says: "Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me ... They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment."

In Psalm 22:8 King David says: "He trusts in the Lord, they say, let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."

In Psalm 22 Verses 3-5 describe the man on the cross as more than a man. It address him as Israel’s God:

"Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; In you our ancestors put their trust ... ... ... "

The Psalm describes many physiological effects associated with death by crucifixion—asphyxiation and heart failure, along with extreme dehydration. 

See verses 14–15, 19):

"I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth ... ... ... All my bones are on display."

The fact that these effects of execution by crucifixion were predicted long before crucifixion was invented or employed makes the predictions all the more remarkable. 

Note also in verses 17–18:

"People stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment."

And in verses 7–8:

"All who see me mock me; They hurl insults, shaking their heads. 'He trusts in the Lord,' they say, 'let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him. ' "

Here's another significant detail often missed. The Psalm identifies the executioners as Gentiles. The Jewish leaders had no authority to kill Jesus. Only the Romans (Pilate) had that authority. It is he who condemned Him to death. Note the word "dogs" in Verse 16. This was the term used by the Jews when referring to the Gentiles.  

Verse 16: "Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet."

Note also that the psalmist declares the means of execution: the piercing of the victim’s hands and feet.

Like so many of David’s psalms, this one turns from sorrow to joy. Verses 27–31 declare that people from all over the world will hear about the crucifixion and Resurrection. 

"All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him. Posterity will serve Him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!"

Isaiah too, seven hundred years before Christ, predicted: 

 ISAIAH 53 Verse 3 onwards (abridged) 

He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.

Like one from whom men hide their faces,

He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Surely He took on our infirmities

and carried our sorrows;

yet we considered Him stricken by God,

struck down and afflicted.

But He was pierced for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,

and by His stripes we are healed.

We all like sheep have gone astray,

each one has turned to his own way;

and the LORD has laid upon Him

the iniquity of us all.

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 her shearers is silent,

so He did not open His mouth.

... ... ... 

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,

and with a rich man in His death,

although He had done no violence,

nor was any deceit in His mouth.

Consider the mathematical odds or probabilities that Someone born many years after the predictions have been made would fulfill so many of them.

 

The probabilities must be millions to one. Unless this Man is truly the Son of God, as predicted, and the predictions were inspired by the Holy Spirit.