Reasons I Believe - Part 2: Prophesy


Buon giorno. Are you having a Good Friday? Originally, I was going to repeat my Good Friday post from last year. Instead, I will link to that here and also expand on it.

One of the strongest evidences for the validity of the Bible and of the Christian faith is the fulfillment of prophesy (see the above link). It is amazing how so many details in the "messianic prophesies" were foretold by prophets hundreds of years before they happened. As an introductory lesson, take a look at Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53. Then, compare them with Matthew 26 and 27. Also, compare Zech. 11.12-13 with Matt. 26.14-15 and Matt. 27.3-5.

But those are just some of the "suffering servant" prophesies. Old Testament prophesies of the resurrection were fewer, and it was quite startling that Jesus prophesied his own resurrection!

"Come on, Cowboy Bob! The writers of the Jesus story knew their scriptures and just stuck things in so that they could say, 'Aha! Prophesies fulfilled!'"

I asked around about how to give an answer to such an arrogant, ignorant remark. Greg Koukl of "Stand to Reason" came through for me again (his fabulous answer takes about ten minutes, full three-hour podcast available here):


Again, I hope you'll take the time to check out my article on prophesies from last year. Have a Good Friday.

Comments

Rhomphaia (Sword) said…
I commented on this last night- it vanished! Blogger!

Great Q&A on the recording.

Great job with the Scriptures too.
There's NO way, outside of the Spirit of God, that all of those verses could have been accurate.

This is really an area that the A's and others should study more....

There is no other explanation for the OT and the NT lining up and being written hundreds and thousands of years apart....outside of a real Christ.
4/25/2011 02:24:00 AM
Bob Sorensen said…
I've seen people just brush off the prophesies and make stupid remarks like the one I passed along to Greg Koukl. It's a simple tactic: If you can't find an excuse to disbelieve, just brush it off. But as you say, if they did their homework, they'd realize that this is something very powerful.
4/25/2011 05:59:00 AM
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