We can learn a lot by looking at fulfilled prophecy.
At His first coming, Jesus fulfilled forty-eight specific prophecies concerning His birth, lineage, life, death, burial, and even His resurrection.
Here are just some of the key Old Testament passages that accurately foretold the details of the Messiah’s first arrival in the world:
- Micah 5:2: Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem
- Isaiah 7:14: Jesus was born of a virgin
- Jeremiah 31:15: Herod’s murder of children in Bethlehem
- Zechariah 11:12-13: Jesus betrayed for thirty pieces of silver
- Psalm 22:16: the piercing of Jesus’ hands and feet
- Psalm 22:18: the casting of lots for Jesus’ clothing
- Psalm 16:10: Jesus’ resurrection
Let’s examine what this sampling of prophetic texts tells us:
Words Matter
Perhaps I’m just stating the obvious, but it’s an important point. The fulfillment of prophecy regarding Jesus’ first coming tells us that words supremely matter when God reveals the future in Scripture.
Jesus fulfilled all the details of the above sampling of prophecies just as He did with all forty-eight of them.
Matthew went to great lengths to show how Christ met the specifics of what the Old Testament prophets wrote. For example, He didn’t ride a horse or just any donkey into Jerusalem, but He rode the “foal of a donkey” just as Zechariah foretold (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:2-5).
Those familiar with my writing know that I emphasize the importance of words in the prophetic texts of the Bible that pertain to the end times. A key reason for doing so comes from the pattern we see with those pertaining to Jesus’ first coming. The Lord fulfilled the precise wording of all those texts.
The Psalms Contain Prophecy
Since the Psalms contain several references to Jesus’ first coming, then we should also expect to see passages there that pertain to many aspects of His Second Coming and reign over the nations. And that is precisely what we discover in the Psalms.
In the introduction, I included three examples of fulfilled prophecies that come from the Psalms. I did this because many in the church today dismiss its prophetic value. They do this is by teaching that the books of the Bible, such as the Psalms, are simply “records of man’s experiences with God.”
That’s wrong on so many levels. For one, it contradicts the words of 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Secondly, the Psalms tell us many things about Jesus’ future reign over the nations of the earth.
Psalms 47-48 tells of a time when the Lord will rule over the nations of the world from a gloriously restored Jerusalem. We find this same prophecy in Zechariah 14:9-21.
Psalm 2 also speaks to this time when Jesus will rule during a time when sin is still possible, which places its fulfillment during the thousand-year reign of Jesus, as we see in Revelation 20:1-10. This is the only time when the words of this Psalm can come to fruition.
Those who dismiss the words of the Psalms as merely records of “man’s experiences with God” not only greatly err in their assessment of Scripture, but also overlook an abundance of unfulfilled prophecies that breathe hope and joy into the everyday lives of believers.
We Can Rely On The Integrity Of Scripture
The record of precise fulfillments of prophecy in Scripture not only provides a pattern for how we should regard texts regarding the end times, but it also confirms the integrity of the Bible.
My friend Andy came to a saving faith in Jesus after someone showed him how precisely Psalm 22 and other texts predicted the crucifixion and suffering of Jesus. The one hundred percent record fulfillment of biblical prophecies verifies its integrity.
Those currently watching for Jesus’ appearing are well aware of how scriptural prophecy is coming to life in world events. Sadly, many are not.
I believe that after the Rapture, multitudes will come to saving faith as they witness the events of the Day of the Lord and realize the amazing accuracy of God’s Word as it tells of the future. Although it will be too late for them to avoid the consequences of living during the Tribulation, they will inherit eternal life.
The Sign Of Fulfilled Prophecy
What do I mean by the sign of fulfilled prophecy?
The record of precise fulfillment of Scriptures pertaining to Jesus’ first coming validates the multitude of signs we see today because they are based on interpreting God’s Word in the exact same way.
Words mattered for all the signs of Jesus’ first coming. They matter now as we live on the shadow of the coming seven-year Tribulation.
Christ’s precise fulfillment of the forty-eight specific prophecies sets the pattern for interpreting biblical references regarding the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Second Coming, God’s restoration of a glorious kingdom for Israel, Jesus; thousand-year reign, and the eternal state as described in Revelation 21.
In every instance where the Bible records the fulfillment of an earlier prophecy, the outcome precisely matches what the Lord said would happen. We follow this same pattern when we examine the book of Revelation, for example, and see the current stage-setting for what it reveals about the future.
Why would God provide a multitude of examples where He literally fulfills His Word if He did not intend for us to take His predictions concerning our glorious future in the same way?
I cannot emphasize this enough: Words always matter when God’s Word reveals the future to us. Always!
The pattern of how the Bible records the outcome of its prophecies is like a gigantic billboard pointing the way for us. Those who turn off the road to pursue symbolical interpretations of Scripture not only deceive themselves, but also lead a great many astray.
So this Christmas season, as you read and contemplate the stories of Jesus’ birth, take a few moments to revel in the hope they provide for you.
The keeping of biblical promises regarding His entrance into the world is more than a little significant. It tells us we can count on the Lord to keep His Word to us. He is coming back, just as He said, to take us to the place He’s preparing for us (John 14:1-3).
