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| Some people would ask, "Is prophecy real? Is it accurate? How can we know that prophecy is being fulfulled?" The very first prophecy in the bible is in the book of Genesis, Chapter 3, verse 15. Because God had commanded Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of knowledge, and they had done that, God gave us guidelines that we would live by. He also cursed Satan, and gave us our first hint of Jesus Christ. God said, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." Israel is often referred to in the bible as the "woman." Here God is telling us that there will be constant strife between God's people and Satan, and He also tells us that Jesus will inflict a fatal wound on Satan, where Satan is described basically as being a pain. A wound to the head is more likely fatal, where a wound to the heel is not. The old testament is full of prophecies concerning the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. There are even some end time prophecies. All prophecies concerning Jesus coming the first time were fulfilled during His life on earth. These prophecies were amazingly accurate, even to the day. The true length of the prophetic year is vital in determining the chronology of prophecy. The Jews in biblical times used a lunar-solar year with only 360 days. The solar calendar, has 365.25 days. The Genesis history of Noah's flood reveals a thrity-day month and a 360 day year wer in use at that time. The flood waters were at the full for "150 days," a five month interval. Similarly, in the book of Revelation, John refers to the last three and one half years of the Great Tribulation period as "a time, times and half a time" where a "time" stands for a year of 360 days, "times" represents two years and "half a time" means 6 months. The Messiah rode into Jerusalem on the back of a foal on the precise day Daniel's sixy-nine "weeks" of years ended. I will describe more of Daniel's seventy weeks of years on a following page. Other events such as the captivity of Israel up until their return to the promised land were described in the old testament, and fulfilled on the exact days. To understand how hard it would be for prophecy to be fulfilled by chance, we will look at some of the aspects of Jesus's life in prophecy, and how accurately they came to pass. The probability of such happenings are estimated, of course, and come from the book "Armageddon, Appointment with Destiny" by Grant R. Jeffrey. A. The Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah. Probability: 1 in 12 B. He would be born in Bethlehem Probability: 1 in 200 C. He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver Probability: 1 in 50 The combined probability of just these 3 prophecies being fulfilled accurately by chance would be 1 in 120,000, not to mention all the others. Grant R. Jeffrey describes 11 total prophecies concerning Jesus accurately fulfilled. Of course, there are dozens more. But given this, it's easy to realize the truth and accuracy of the bible. Here are some more: Jesus: Preceded by a messenger 1 in 20 Enter Jerusalem on a colt 1 in 50 Be betrayed by a friend 1 in 10 Have His hands and feet pierced 1 in 100 Be wounded and whipped by His enemies 1 in 25 Be spit upon and beaten 1 in 10 Have His betrayal money thrown in the temple and given for a potter's field 1 in 200 Be silent before His accuser's 1 in 100 Be crucified with thieves 1 in 100 Total probability of all prophecies being fulfilled by one person by chance: One in 10 billion times a billion In other words, it's impossible for one person to fulfill so many prophecies by chance! It must be logical to say then, that if the bible clearly and so accurately predicts these events, we can truly believe prophecy is real, it is accurate, and all other prophecies will be fulfilled exactly as they are written. |
| references: Armageddon, Appointment with Destiny by Grant R. Jeffrey and Apocalypse by Grant R. Jeffrey The Holy Bible, King James Version |