In light of the Harold Camping debacle (I fully endorse Dr. James White’s open letter to Camping found at a time when many in the world are scoffing at the truth claims of the Bible, how good it is to remind ourselves that God’s word stands alone as the ultimate source of revelation for the future.

We should always remember that around 80% of the Bible’s predictions have already been fulfilled. That does not mean that the Bible is only 80% accurate. Far from it in fact. I venture to say that the Bible is 100% accurate and will be proven to be so as time transpires. The remaining 20% of Bible prophecy are yet to be realised, simply because they relate to events immediately before, during and after the second coming of Messiah.

As Christians, we believe our Savior’s name is the Lord Jesus Christ. Its important to understand that “Christ” is not Jesus’ last name, but rather a title. The word “Christ” comes from the Greek word “Christos” which is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word for Messiah. When we say, “Jesus Christ” we are literally saying, “Jesus the Christ” or “Jesus the Messiah.” But are these claims valid? Can we be sure that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah?

Through what we call Messianic Prophecies, God provided a sure and certain way to recognize His Messiah when He came. These are events written in the Bible, hundreds and even thousands of years before they would take place in time. Only God could reveal such amazing detail millennia in advance of the events.

God had declared that His Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham (Gen. 22:18), from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10), and a son of David (Jer. 23:5,6; 1 Chron. 17:10b-14). God had also said that the Messiah would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14), in the surroundings of poverty (Isa. 11:1-2), in Bethlehem, the city of David (Micah 5:2). He would be proceeded by a herald (Isa. 40:3-5, Mal. 3:1), be seen riding on a donkey (Zech 9:9, 10) and would be present 483 years after the decree was made to rebuild Jerusalem, after the Babylonian captivity (Dan. 9:24-27). He would be a king (Gen 49:10; Isa. 9:6,7), a priest (Psalm 110:1-7) and a prophet (Deut. 18:15-19; Isa. 61:1, 2).

But there’s more. He would be legally tried and condemned to death and would suffer and die (Isa. 50;4-9; 52:13-53:12, Psalm 22), by means of piercing his hands and feet (Zech. 12:10; 13:7; Psalm 22), His death would be substitutionary (in the place of others), He would be buried in a rich man’s tomb and He would be resurrected from the dead (Isa. 52:13-53:12; Psalm 16:1-11; Psalm 22).

All in all, around 330 prophecies such as these were fulfilled by Jesus in His first coming, and as I have indicated above, many more will be fulfilled when He comes back to earth.

Amazingly, more than 30 prophecies were fulfilled in just one day – the day Jesus Christ died!

Ps. 41:9 – Mark 14:10 – Betrayed by a friend

Zech 11:12 – Matt 26:15 – Price: 30 pieces of silver

Zech 11:12 – Matt 27:3-7 – Money used to buy a field

Zech 13:7 – Mark 14:50 – Shepherd killed, Sheep flee

Isa 50:6 – Matt. 27:26-30 – Spat on and mocked

Ps 69:19 – Matt 27:28-31 – Shame and dishonor

Ps 35:11 – Mark 14:56 – False witnesses

Ps 22:18 – Jn 19:24 – Gambled for His clothes

Isa 53:7 – Matt 27:13, 14 – He opened not His mouth

Ps 109:24 – Matt 27:32 – Too weak to carry cross

Ps 69:3 – Jn 19:28 – Jesus thirsty

Ps 69:21 – Jn 19:29 – Given vinegar to drink

Ps 22:17 – Matt 27:36 – They stare at Jesus on the cross

Ps 22:16 – Matt 27:35 – They crucify Him

Ps 22:14 – Jn 19:34 – Water flows out of wound

Ps 38:11 – Luke 23:49 – Friends stand afar off

Ps 109:25 – Matt 27:39, 40 – Mocking heads

Ps 22:8 – Matt 27:43 – Challenge for God to save Him

Isa 53:7 – Jn 1:29 – Jesus the Lamb of God

Isa 53:12 – Luke 23:34 – Jesus prays for His killers

Ps 22:1 – Matt 27:46 – He cries out to God

Isa 52:14 – John 19:5,14 – A broken man, yet King

Isa 53:4, 5 – Matt 8:17; 1 Pet 2:24 – He bears our sins & sicknesses

Ps 22:31 – Luke 23:4 – Jesus declared faultless

Ps 31:5 – Luke 23:46 – He gives up His spirit

Exo 12:46 – Jn 19:36 – His bones not broken

Isa 53:12 – Luke 23:33 – Numbered with the transgressors

Daniel 9:26 – Jn 11:50-52 – Jesus died not for Himself

Gen 3:15 – Jn 19:18 – Satan bruises Jesus’ heel on cross

Isa 53:9 – Matt 27:57-60 – Laid in a rich man’s tomb

Amos 8:9 – Matt 27:45 – Darkness at crucifixion