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 realized, simply because they relate to events immediately before, during and after the second coming of Messiah (which hasn’t happened yet but will happen).
As Christians, we believe our Savior’s name is the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s 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 Messiah when He came. These are events written in the Bible, hundreds and even thousands of years before they would take place in time. Think about that. Only God could reveal such amazing detail to His prophets, millennia in advance of the historical 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 prophet (Deut. 18:15-19; Isa. 61:1, 2), a priest (Psalm 110:1-7) and a king (Gen 49:10; Isa. 9:6,7).
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
Ps. 69:19 – Matt. 27:28-31 – Shame and dishonor
Ps. 35:11 – Mark 14:56 – False witnesses
Ps. 22:1 – Matt. 27:46 – He cries out to God
Ps. 22:8 – Matt. 27:43 – Challenge for God to save Him
Ps. 22:14 – Jn. 19:34 – Water flows out of wound
Ps. 22:16 – Matt. 27:35 – They crucify Him
Ps. 22:17 – Matt. 27:36 – They stare at Jesus on the cross
Ps. 22:18 – Jn. 19:24 – Gambled for His clothes
Ps. 22:31 – Luke 23:4 – Jesus declared faultless
Isa. 50:6 – Matt. 27:26-30 – Spat on and mocked
Isa. 52:14 – Jn. 19:5,14 – A broken man, yet King
Isa. 53:4, 5 – Matt. 8:17; 1 Pet 2:24 – He bears our sins & sicknesses
Isa. 53:7 – Matt. 27:13, 14 – He opened not His mouth
Isa. 53:7 – Jn. 1:29 – Jesus the Lamb of God
Isa. 53:8 – Jn. 11:50-52 – Jesus died not for Himself but for His people
Isa. 53:9 – Matt. 27:57-60 – Laid in a rich man’s tomb
Isa. 53:12 – Luke 22:37 – Numbered with the transgressors
Isa. 53:12 – Luke 23:34 – Jesus prays for His killers
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. 38:11 – Luke 23:49 – Friends stand afar off
Ps. 109:25 – Matt. 27:39, 40 – Mocking heads
Ps. 31:5 – Luke 23:46 – He gives up His spirit
Exo 12:46 – Jn. 19:36 – His bones not broken
Gen. 3:15 – Jn. 19:18 – Satan bruises Jesus’ heel on cross
Amos 8:9 – Matt. 27:45 – Darkness at crucifixion