One of the strong evidences for the truth of Christianity is fulfilled prophecy. Four specific prophecies come to mind that were fulfilled perfectly in Jesus without any effort of His own. First, He was born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-7). No one can control where they are born, but Jesus came that first Noel in Bethlehem, despite the facts that His parents didn’t live there and there was no room in the inn.
Second, as an infant, Jesus’ parents hid Him in Egypt for a time, before returning to Israel. Thus, He fulfilled the prophecy of God, “out of Egypt I called My Son” (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:15).
Third, many prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus’ death. Five hundred years before Christ, the Zechariah gave us these words of the LORD: “they look on Me, on Him whom they have pierced” (Zechariah 12:10). As Jesus hung on the cross, pierced by nails through his hands and feet, a soldier came along and pierced His side with his spear. The Apostle John writes, “these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled . . . ‘They will look on Him whom they have pierced’” (John 19:36-37).
Fourth, though Jesus died for our sins (Isaiah 53:5-6), He rose from the dead that first Easter morning! As David wrote about a thousand years before Christ, “Thou wilt not abandon My soul to Sheol; Neither wilt Thou allow Thy Holy One to undergo decay” (Psalm 16:10). The apostles clarify for us that David was dead and buried, so this prophecy wasn’t about him, but about Jesus, and “the fact that [God] raised Him from the dead” (Acts 13:34).
Examine the facts of fulfilled prophecy. It was all for you, “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)!
