Fulfillment of Biblical Prophecies

Last week we learned that the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies make The Holy Bible an amazing book.

We also suggested that a person who seriously studies these prophecies with an open mind, will come to believe that The Lord Jesus Christ is the only person in the history of the world who could fulfill them all–or even a few of them.

This week, let us consider some specific examples of fulfilled prophecies.

1. The Messiah would come into this world as a man and not in some other form such as an angel.
   Genesis 3:15 The Lord God said to the serpent (Satan) "And I (God) will put enmity (hostility) between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it (Christ) shall bruise thy head (Satan), and thou (Satan) shalt bruise his heel (Christ)."
   Here in the third chapter of the Bible we have the foretelling of Christ’s birth to a human mother. Many centuries would pass before the fulfillment of this prophecy that the Messiah would come as a man.
   John 1:14 "And the Word (The Lord Jesus Christ) was MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us, …full of grace and truth."
   Galatians 4:4 "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman…"
   Philippians 2:7 Christ "…was made in the likeness of men:"
   Thank God that Christ became a man. Christ had to experience the same things as you and me–the joys and sorrows of this life. Thus we have a Savior who understands our joys and our sorrows. The Apostle Paul expressed this wonderful truth in Hebrews 4:15,16 "For we have not an high priest (Christ) which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities (weaknesses); but was in all points tempted (tested) like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
2. The Messiah would come through the Jewish nation.
   Out of hundreds of nations, God separated one small nation, the Jewish nation, through which the Messiah would come.
   Genesis 12:1-3; 12:7a
   Genesis 22:16-18. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, "And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord… That in blessing I will bless thee… And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;… "
   So, 1,500 years before Christ came to this earth, we have the amazing prophecies/predictions that God would bless Abraham, make him a blessing, give him the land of Canaan and bless the world through him and his "seed". In the New Testament the Apostle Paul makes it clear that God has fulfilled His promises made to Abraham and that Christ is the promised "seed".
   Galatians 3:8,16. "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ."
   Jesus was born into a Jewish family, thus fulfilling the 1,500 years old prophecy that the Messiah would come through the Jewish nation. But Christ came into this world not only to bring blessing to the Jews, but to all nations. God’s plan is for the gospel to be preached to all nations, Jews and Gentiles. Salvation is available to all who will truly BELIEVE that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3,4).
   Galatians 3:22 "But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that BELIEVE."
   Thank God that his salvation is not restricted to certain people or to any one nation. Salvation is available to everyone who truly believes in The Lord Jesus Christ–the one who has fulfilled the ancient prophecies in every detail.

Dr. Russell Harpur