The Bible is a collection of 66 books
Written at various times over almost sixteen hundred years
Written by about forty different authors from many different walks of life.
(shepherd, herdsmen, judge, prophet, priest, king, physician, tax collector, fishermen)
Written in different places representing three continents (Asia, Africa, and Europe)
Using three different languages. (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek)
Yet, despite its diversity, the Bible tells a single unfolding story:
God the Son became human.
His motivation was love for fallen humanity.
His mission was to provide a way of salvation from sin
Prophets told forth God’s mind and will for mankind
They also foretold the future.
We will deal only with foretelling the future
Predictions are messianic and nonmessianic prophecies.
We will deal only with messianic, that is prophecies about the coming Saviour
One scholar lists 191 prophecies concerning the Messiah and Saviour.
Each was literally fulfilled in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus of Nazareth
There are several earmarks of a supernatural prediction
First, not a vague guess or conjecture, a reading of the trends.
Second, they involve human contingencies that are normally unpredictable.
Not Scientific predictions (an eclipse).
Third, it is a highly unusual event, not normally expected. Sometimes the miraculous nature of the prophecy is manifest in the length of time in advance the prediction is made, so as to reduce the probability of guessing.
Is 7:14 – Matt 1:18,23;Luke 1:31,34,35 – “God with us” (Deity)
Is 9:6 – John 1:14 – child born (humanity), son given (Deity)
Is 11:1;Je 23:5 – The Branch
Is 49:1;Luke 1:31 – Called and Named
Lu 2:7
Jn 1:10
Jn 1:14
Jn 16:28
Ac 2:30
Ro 1:3
Ro 8:3
Ro 9:5
Ga 4:4
Php 2:7
1 Ti 3:16
He 2:14
He 5:7
He 7:14
He 10:20
1 Pe 1:20
1 Jn 1:2
1 Jn 4:2
1 Jn 5:20
2 Jn 1:7