Biblical Prophecy
Two kinds of Biblical prophecy, both pointing to Jesus, are awesome proof that the Bible could only have been inspired by an all-knowing God.
1. We have at least 45 or more things that were prophesied in the Old Testament that were fulfilled hundreds of years later in the New Testament when Jesus lived His 33 years of life on the Earth.
2. We have prophecy made in the New Testament that tells us the events that will lead up to Jesus’ return to the Earth.
Here is a partial list of the things prophesied in the OT that were later fulfilled in the NT.
Event: Born in Bethlehem
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Mic 5:2)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Lk 2:4-5,7)
Event: Born of a virgin
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Isa 7:14)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Lk 1:26-27,30-31)
Event: Messiah called Immanuel
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Isa 7:14)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Mt 1:23)
Event: Preceded by a messenger
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Mal 3:1)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Lk 7:27)(Mt 11:10)
Event: Rejected by His own people
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Isa 53:3)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Jn 1:11)(Lk 23:35)
Event: Jesus would speak in parables
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Ps 78:2)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Mt 13:35)
Event: Entry riding on a donkey
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Zech 9:9)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Mk 11:7.9.11)
Event: Sold for 30 pieces of silver
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Zech 11:12-13)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Mt 26:15)
Event: Spat upon and smitten
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Isa 50:6)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Mt 26:6-7)
Event: Pierced through hands and feet
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Zech 12:10)(Ps 22:16)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Jn 20:27)
Event: Given vinegar and gall
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Ps 69:21)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Mt 27:34)
Event: Soldiers gambled for clothes
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Ps 22:17-18)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Mt 27:35-36)
Event: No broken bones
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Ps 34:20)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Jn 19:32-33,36)
Event: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Ps 22:1)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Mt 27:46)(Mk 15:34)
Event: Into your hands I commit my spirit
Prophesied In The Old Testament: (Ps 31:5)
Fulfilled Years Later In The New Testament: (Lk 23:45)
Here is a partial list of things the Bible prophesies in the New Testament that will happen right before Jesus’ return to Earth. Many Christians believe we are living in the last days before Jesus’ return. These are taken from (Mt 24)(Mk 13)(1 Tim 4:1-5)(2 Tim 3:1-5)(2 Th 2:1-12)(1 Jn 2:18). Do these sound like what is going on today?
There will be an increase in:
wars and rumors of wars
famine
pestilence
persecution of Christians
false prophets
people saying they are Christ
earthquakes
antichrists
People in the last days will be:
Covetous, proud, boasters, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, slanderers, without self control, brutal, haters of God, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure more than God, holding to a form of godliness
People will say it is wrong to:
Eat certain foods (an increase in vegetarianism today)
Be married (more and more people living together today)
The Gospel will be preached to the world.
In the parable of the fig tree (Mt 24:32-34)(Mk 13:28-30)(Lk 21:29-32), Jesus was saying the rebirth of Israel would proceed His return and the generation that saw it would not pass from the Earth. Israel became a nation (rebirth) on May 14, 1948. What is the length of a generation? That is up for debate. 🙂
Apart from spoken prophecy, it is also interesting to note how other things pointed to Jesus in the Old Testament. For example, three things that happened while the Israelites were in the desert: the Manna the Israelites ate, the rock they drank water from, and the Tabernacle and its furnishings.