WHY YOU CAN TRUST THE BIBLE

True Christianity is a faith built on a solid foundation of facts. Take biblical prophecy, for example. Only God could say, “Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure.” Isaiah 46:9-10. And He proved it by telling His prophets future events—hundreds of them—and then bringing them to pass in exact detail.

Like the prophecies concerning the coming of the Messiah. The Old Testament is filled with specific predictions concerning the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He alone fulfilled them in His first coming to earth. More prophecies will be fulfilled when He comes again.

Yes, you can trust the Bible. And you can trust in Jesus. Following are more of the incredible and indisputable prophecies that foretold the Messiah’s identity and ministry. Review Part 1 for the first eight signs. We continue with point nine.

9. BORN IN BETHLEHEM—A TINY CITY ONLY GOD WOULD HAVE CHOSEN

The Prophecy—Micah 5:2

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me the One to be ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting.”

And It Happened —Luke 2:4

“Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David,”   

10. THE MURDER OF Innocent CHILDREN by a king who wished to

       destroy the infant Jesus

The Prophecy—Jeremiah 31:15

“A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.”

It Was Fulfilled—Matthew 2:16-18

“Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: “A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

11. The messiah would be INTRODUCED BY A MESSENGER

The Prophecy—Malachi 3:1

 “Behold, I send My messenger, and he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple, even the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. Behold, He is coming, says the Lord of hosts.”

John Was That Man—Luke 7:24, 27

“When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?...This is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’”

12. tHE Messiah WOULD BE A Prophet

The Prophecy—Deuteronomy 18:15

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear.”

Christ Fulfilled The Promise—Acts 3:20,22

“And that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before… For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you.”

13. HE WOULD Also BE A PRIEST forever

The Prophecy—Psalm 110:4

“The Lord has sworn and will not relent, you are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

And God Did It—Hebrews 5:5,6

“So also, Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’  As He also says in another place: “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

 14. THE Messiah would make a humble and TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM 

The Prophecy—Zechariah 9:9

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

It Happened With Jesus—Mark 11:7,9,11

“Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and He sat on it…Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’…And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve."

15. the Messiah would be REJECTED BY the Jewish leadership

The Prophecy—Isaiah 53:3

"He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him."

Another Incredible Fulfillment—John 1:11

“He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.”

16. the Jewish Messiah would be A STUMBLING STONE TO ISRAEL’S LEADERS

The Prophecy—Psalm 118:22

“The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.”

An Exact Fulfillment—I Peter 2:7

“Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.’”

17. HIS love and LIGHT WOULD not only REACH Israel but also the whole world

The Prophecy—Isaiah 60:3

“The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

Christ’s Disciples Knew It Happened—Acts 13:47

“For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

TO BE CONTINUED

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ" (I Corinthians 11:1)
The ST. PAUL SCHOOL, with Frank Eiklor, Eileen Young and Cecilia Contreras