1 in 10 To The 17th Power

The New Testament Book of Acts Chapter 8 contains a report of the salvation of a first century royal treasurer from Ethiopia in verses 26-40. This report reveals that there is proof in the Scriptures that Jesus Christ is the Savior or Messiah of the world. It tells us that a follower of Jesus named Phillip explained to a great Ethiopian royal treasurer who Jesus Christ was. Phillip began his explanation in the Old Testament Book of Isaiah at Chapter 53, verses 7 and 8. This was where the Ethiopian was reading. We aren't told of the precise path that Phillip followed through the Old Testament scriptures in order to explain that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Phillip could have pursued his teaching from many different angles because there's more than 300 prophetic references to the coming Messiah in the Old Testament. These prophecies were written over about a 1000 year period by different people. This study will show how some of the Old and New Testaments scriptures fit together as biblical proof that Jesus Christ is the world's Savior and true God. It will trace a path from some of the Old Testament prophecies concerning Jesus to their fulfillment in the New Testament scriptures. Some of the prophecies of scripture that Jesus Christ fulfilled are as follows: 1. According to Matthew 1:1-2, 5-6 & Luke 3:21-23, 31-32, 34, 38 Jesus Christ the promised Messiah & Deliver of Israel & King-Priest of the world would be a seed or descendant of: a. God the Father (Psalm 2:7; 2 Samuel 7:12-14; 1 Chronicles 17:11-14 in Hebrews 1:5, 5:5) b. Abraham (Genesis 12:3, 18:18, 22:18 in Galatians 3:8,16) c. Isaac (Genesis 21:12 in Romans 9:7-8; Galatians 4:2) d. Jacob (Genesis 35:10-12, 48:4; Numbers 24:17-19 fulfilled in Luke 1:30-33) e. Jesse (Isaiah 11:1-10; Zechariah 6:12-13; Jeremiah 23:5-6 in Acts 13:22-23; Romans 15:12) f. King David and his son King Solomon (2 Samuel 7:12-17; I Chronicles 17:11-15; Psalm 132:11, Psalm 89:3-4, 27; Psalm 110 in Luke 1:30-33; Colossians 1:15; Acts 2:29-36; Hebrews 7:1-3, 17, 21-25; Revelation 5:5) 2. According to Matthew 1:2, 2:6 & Luke 3:23,33 Jesus was from the tribe of Judah. a. Prophesied in Genesis 49:8-10 and Micah 5:2. Fulfillment in Hebrews 7:14 and Revelation 5:5. 3. He was to be born of a virgin in Bethlehem in Judea a. Isaiah 7:14 & Micah 5:2 fulfilled in Matthew 1:18 -25, 2:4-6; Luke 1:26-35; John 7:42; Revelation 2:27 4. He would move to Egypt before returning to settle in Israel. a. Hosea 11:1 & Jeremiah 31:15 fulfilled in Matthew 2:15 -18 5. He would humbly enter Jerusalem riding a young donkey or colt presenting himself as the King of Israel before the time of His crucifixion. (Zechariah 9:9; Jeremiah 23:5-6 fulfilled in Matthew 21:1-5; John 12:12-15; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:28-38) 6. He would heal and preach the good news of salvation from sin to the poor. (Isaiah 61:1-2 fulfilled in Luke 4:18-21) 7. Jewish and Gentile leaders would conspire together to kill him. (Psalm 2:1-9 fulfilled in Acts 4:25-28; Matthew 26:3; 27:1-2) 8. He would be betrayed by a friend who ate bread with him and who would sell him for 30 pieces of silver. The price of his betrayal would be used to purchase a potter's field. (Zechariah 11:12-13; Psalm 41: 5-10; Jeremiah 32: 6-9 fulfilled in Matthew 26:14-16; 27:3-10; John 13:18-30) 9. He would be given gall and vinegar to eat and drink while being executed. (Psalm 69:21 fulfilled Matthew 27:34,48) 10. His hands and feet would be pierced by his executors. (Psalm 22:16 fulfilled Matthew 27:38) 11. His clothing would be divided among his executors by the casting of lots. (Psalm 22:18 fulfilled Matthew 27:35) 12. He would be smitten in the head by enemies. (Micah 5:1 fulfilled Matthew 27:30) 13. He would be spit upon by his enemies. (Isaiah 50:6; fulfilled in Matthew 26:67, 27:30) 14. He would be mocked while being executed. (Psalm 22:7-8 fulfilled Matthew 27:39-43) 15. He would be executed with transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12, Luke 22:37 fulfilled in Matthew 27:38,44) 16. He would die to save others from their sins. (Isaiah 53:5-12 fulfilled in Matthew 20:28; John 8:23-28; Romans 4:24-25, 6:23) 17. His bones wouldn't be broken in his execution. (Psalm 22:17; Psalm 34:20 fulfilled in John 19:33-36) 18. He would make intercession to God for His murderers. (Isaiah 53:12 fulfilled in Luke 23:34) 19. He would express feeling forsaken by God in his execution. (Psalm 22:1 fulfilled in Matthew 27:46) 20. He would hold his peace when falsely accused. (Isaiah 53:7 fulfilled in Matthew 26:63-64; 27:12-14) 21. He would die and be buried with the rich. (Isaiah 53:9,12 ; fulfilled in Matthew 27: 50,57 -60) 22. He would be resurrected from death after 3 days. (Psalm 16:8-11; Jonah 1:17; Matthew 12:40 fulfilled in Luke 24:1-7, 33-43; Acts 2:25-31; 13:32-37; Revelation 1:5, 18, 2:8) 23. He would ascend into Heaven and give spiritual gifts to those who believe in him. (Psalm 68:18; fulfilled in Acts 1:9; Luke 24:50-51; Ephesians 4:7-11) 24. He would ascend to heaven and sit at the right hand of God as Head of His Church until He returns again at the end of the age to destroy His enemies. (Psalm 110:1-7; fulfilled in Hebrews 1:2-3; Ephesians 1:20-21; 1 Peter 3:22; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10; Revelation 1:5-7, 20:11-16) 25. He would make a New Covenant with his obedient believers. (Jeremiah 31:31 fulfilled in Luke 22:20) The statistical odds that one man who has lived since these prophecies were written could fulfill prophecies stating that he be: * born at Bethlehem * preceded by a messenger like John the Baptizer (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:1-3) * entering Jerusalem on a donkey * betrayed by a friend * have his hands and feet pierced * sold for thirty pieces of silver * the silver being thrown to the potter's house to buy the potter's field * silent before his accusers and be crucified with transgressors. If only 8 of the more than 300 prophecies are fulfilled, that calculates to 1 in 10 to the 17th power, and that number looks like this; 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. However, if all of the more than 300 are fulfilled, and all have been fulfilled without fail, save His return, that number is astronomically larger. Such odds give evidence to the fact that Jesus Christ is THE alpha and Omega, THE first and THE last; and that Jesus Christ is THE voice of THE Almighty that speaks to us today through the pages of New Testament scripture saying: "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen: and have the keys of hell and death."(Revelation 1:8,11, 17-18) No false god, Confucius, Buddha, Moroni or Muhammad can make the claims our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ has fulfilled. God bless until our next time...