How do we truly know the Bible is God's Word? PROPHECY
I mean, let's get serious. Really G-d's Word? What an outlandish claim, so as to be considered quite preposterous by many! Step a little closer, please...lean in ...'listening? I can give you proofs of the veracity of Scripture.
First, no other religious writing can stand up against the Bible-not the Koran, the book of Mormon, or any of the rest of the 26 holy books. One reason we say that is that none of them contain prophecies made years before-even hundreds of years earlier--that have been fulfilled, and serve to shore up the claims of Scripture. It is what it purports to be: TRUTH.
Indeed the key proofs for scripture are grounded in the hundreds of detailed prophecies contained in the Old Testament, that were written hundreds of years before their specific fulfillment. In fact, 27% of the Bible contains what was predictive prophecy at the time it was written.1 There were five dozen literal prophecies written about the coming Messiah, specifically fulfilled in one Jesus Christ of Nazareth, (we are about to examine some of those as we delve into the gospel of Matthew). God spoke through the Old Testament prophets--Micah, Isaiah, Zechariah, et.al--to prepare the people for the Messiah's birth.
When Jesus Christ was born, He was the fulfillment of about 60 major prophecies concerning the Messiah. These were promises given to God's people. Christianity rides on the fulfillment of these prophecies in our Lord. Is Scripture reliable? Was Jesus who he claimed to be?
Take a look at what God said about the place of prophecy- I have declared the former things from the beginning; they went forth from my mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, lest you should say, "My idol has done them, and my carved image and my molded image have commanded them." Isaiah 48:3,5
And then Jesus said: Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. Matthew 5:17
Look at just eight of the prophecies about Jesus:
--that He would be: Born in Bethlehem prophecy: Micah 5:2: But you, Bethlehem...out of you shall come forth the One to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.
fulfillment: Matthew 2:1, 2:4-8, Luke 2:4-7; John 7:42
That Jesus would be Preceded by a messenger Isaiah 40.3: A voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord...'
Fulfillment: Matthew 3:1-2, 11:10, Luke 1:17; John 1:23
That Jesus would would enter Jerusalem on a donkey Zechariah 9:9: Your King is coming to you...lowly and riding on a donkey...
Fulfillment: Matthew 21:6-11, Luke 19:35-37a
That he would be Betrayed by a friend Psalm 41:9: Even my familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.
Fulfillment: Matthew 10:4
That Jesus would be Sold for 30 pieces of silver Zechariah 11:12: 'if it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.' So they weighed out for my wages 30 pieces of silver.
Fulfillment: Matthew 26:15
That the Money would be thrown down, used to buy a potter's fieldZechariah 11:13: I took the 30 pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.
Fulfillment: Matthew 27:5, 27:7
That Jesus would stand Dumb before His accusers Isaiah 53:7: He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth.
Fulfillment: Matthew 27:12
That Jesus' Hands and feet would be pierced Psalm 22:16: They pierced My hands and feet. >this was not the way of execution at the time this prophecy was written; crucifixion came in with Roman rule
Fulfillment: Luke 23:33
Look at the details of these prophecies--most written some 700 years before the birth of Jesus. Remember that these are just eight of the five dozen prophecies. Jesus Christ was the exact fulfillment of five dozen prophecies/promises spoken hundreds of years before his birth. The chance that any man might have lived and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 10 to the 17th--1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.2
Wow. How do we know that the Bible is God's Word? We can look at prophecy and how it was fulfilled-literally.
1 - Charlie Campbell, "Evidence for the Bible"
2 - Science Speaks, Peter Stoner
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