Prophecy: Gods signature on the Bible

So, constantly I see atheist on here bashing Christians. I would love for you to do an in depth study of Biblical prophecy, and then come and tell me that God is not real. Lets start with a few already fulfilled prophecy.

Unique among all books ever written, the Bible accurately foretells specific events-in detail-many years, sometimes centuries, before they occur. Approximately 2500 prophecies appear in the pages of the Bible, about 2000 of which already have been fulfilled to the letter—no errors.

The first one I will start with is Jesus Christ as the Messiah. The statistical probability of one man fulfilling or even purposely fulfilling 48 of the 300 Messianic are 1 in 10^157. The ASA confirmed the findings behind the study I pulled the the stats from so good luck arguing this one to me.

Some time before 500 B.C. the prophet Daniel proclaimed that Israel's long-awaited Messiah would begin his public ministry 483 years after the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25-26). He further predicted that the Messiah would be "cut off," killed, and that this event would take place prior to a second destruction of Jerusalem. Abundant documentation shows that these prophecies were perfectly fulfilled in the life (and crucifixion) of Jesus Christ. The decree regarding the restoration of Jerusalem was issued by Persia's King Artaxerxes to the Hebrew priest Ezra in 458 B.C., 483 years later the ministry of Jesus Christ began in Galilee. (Remember that due to calendar changes, the date for the start of Christ's ministry is set by most historians at about 26 A.D. Also note that from 1 B.C. to 1 A.D. is just one year.) Jesus' crucifixion occurred only a few years later, and about four decades later, in 70 A.D. came the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus.

(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 10^5.)*

In approximately 700 B.C. the prophet Micah named the tiny village of Bethlehem as the birthplace of Israel's Messiah (Micah 5:2). The fulfillment of this prophecy in the birth of Christ is one of the most widely known and widely celebrated facts in history.

(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 10^5.)

In the fifth century B.C. a prophet named Zechariah declared that the Messiah would be betrayed for the price of a slave—thirty pieces of silver, according to Jewish law-and also that this money would be used to buy a burial ground for Jerusalem's poor foreigners (Zechariah 11:12-13). Bible writers and secular historians both record thirty pieces of silver as the sum paid to Judas Iscariot for betraying Jesus, and they indicate that the money went to purchase a "potter's field," used—just as predicted—for the burial of poor aliens (Matthew 27:3-10).

(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 10^11.)


Some 400 years before crucifixion was invented, both Israel's King David and the prophet Zechariah described the Messiah's death in words that perfectly depict that mode of execution. Further, they said that the body would be pierced and that none of the bones would be broken, contrary to customary procedure in cases of crucifixion (Psalm 22 and 34:20; Zechariah 12:10). Again, historians and New Testament writers confirm the fulfillment: Jesus of Nazareth died on a Roman cross, and his extraordinarily quick death eliminated the need for the usual breaking of bones. A spear was thrust into his side to verify that he was, indeed, dead.

(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 10^13.)

The prophet Isaiah foretold that a conqueror named Cyrus would destroy seemingly impregnable Babylon and subdue Egypt along with most of the rest of the known world. This same man, said Isaiah, would decide to let the Jewish exiles in his territory go free without any payment of ransom (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1; and 45:13). Isaiah made this prophecy 150 years before Cyrus was born, 180 years before Cyrus performed any of these feats (and he did, eventually, perform them all), and 80 years before the Jews were taken into exile.

(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 10^15.)

The prophet Moses foretold (with some additions by Jeremiah and Jesus) that the ancient Jewish nation would be conquered twice and that the people would be carried off as slaves each time, first by the Babylonians (for a period of 70 years), and then by a fourth world kingdom (which we know as Rome). The second conqueror, Moses said, would take the Jews captive to Egypt in ships, selling them or giving them away as slaves to all parts of the world. Both of these predictions were fulfilled to the letter, the first in 607 B.C. and the second in 70 A.D. God's spokesmen said, further, that the Jews would remain scattered throughout the entire world for many generations, but without becoming assimilated by the peoples or of other nations, and that the Jews would one day return to the land of Palestine to re-establish for a second time their nation (Deuteronomy 29; Isaiah 11:11-13; Jeremiah 25:11; Hosea 3:4-5 and Luke 21:23-24).

This prophetic statement sweeps across 3500 years of history to its complete fulfillment—in our lifetime.

(Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 10^20.)

and the destruction of Tyre by Alexander the Great.

reply to post by ServantOfTheLamb


Also the destruction of Damascus and the people of Egypt would turn against each other. These prophecies are currently unfolding before our eyes. They are right next to each other in the book of Isiah. It also states that Egypt would have a fierce ruler and become desolate as the nile would stop flowing. Ethiopia have just announced the building of a Dam up river from Egypt. The Egyptian govt was strongly opposed to this but now the govt is in shatters the Ethiopians are going ahead with it. Interesting.

Originally posted by greavsie1971
reply to post by ServantOfTheLamb

 

Also the destruction of Damascus and the people of Egypt would turn against each other. These prophecies are currently unfolding before our eyes. They are right next to each other in the book of Isiah. It also states that Egypt would have a fierce ruler and become desolate as the nile would stop flowing. Ethiopia have just announced the building of a Dam up river from Egypt. The Egyptian govt was strongly opposed to this but now the govt is in shatters the Ethiopians are going ahead with it. Interesting.

Ah, it appears I have another well studied brother or sister on here welcome You are also leaving out Ezekiel 38-39 if we want to talk about near future prophecies as well.

Have you seen the patterns of the Blood moon tetrads and the jewish feast ?

So some of the things in the book happened, what about all the things
that did not? do those count as proof the bible is not indeed a book written
by a god? there are ALLOT of those so called prophecy that never did
come true. Or are we to wait another 3000 years until they do then claim
they are correct?

The problem with prophecy is that unless its VERY VERY specific in its
stated fulfillment then its all subject to interpretation, which means you can
never know if its actually correct because its just some persons opinion
on how it reads.

What's the probability of the story of Noah's ark?
What's the probability of not mentioning dinosaurs?

Just curious.

I have never seen a Christian put it like this before. Interesting. This is not the first time I have seen Christians use prophecies in their view that proves the bible as true. I also have seen Jews who disagreed with how the different verse are interpreted. Not being either or even a man of faith; I just like to learn why people having faith and believe in a deity. Anyway this is interesting and I would have to look into prophecy now.

reply to post by ServantOfTheLamb


I am going to write a book of fiction. In the early part of the book I will make up prophecies. In the later part of the book I will make up stories about those prophecies.


(Probability of chance fulfillment = 100%)

Originally posted by jiggerj
reply to post by ServantOfTheLamb

 

I am going to write a book of fiction. In the early part of the book I will make up prophecies. In the later part of the book I will make up stories about those prophecies.


(Probability of chance fulfillment = 100%)

That would be a good rebuttal, but for the fact that it's historical proof that Jesus the man lived and did indeed go to the places listed in the Bible. The miracles He performed can't be proven, but everything that is possible to be proven is.

Originally posted by OccamsRazor04

Originally posted by jiggerj
reply to post by ServantOfTheLamb

 

I am going to write a book of fiction. In the early part of the book I will make up prophecies. In the later part of the book I will make up stories about those prophecies.


(Probability of chance fulfillment = 100%)

That would be a good rebuttal, but for the fact that it's historical proof that Jesus the man lived and did indeed go to the places listed in the Bible. The miracles He performed can't be proven, but everything that is possible to be proven is.

Where is the "proof" that jesus actually existed?
A few very vague references several decades after his death by people that never actually met him is not historical proof.

Originally posted by TheOutcast

Originally posted by OccamsRazor04

Originally posted by jiggerj
reply to post by ServantOfTheLamb

 

I am going to write a book of fiction. In the early part of the book I will make up prophecies. In the later part of the book I will make up stories about those prophecies.


(Probability of chance fulfillment = 100%)

That would be a good rebuttal, but for the fact that it's historical proof that Jesus the man lived and did indeed go to the places listed in the Bible. The miracles He performed can't be proven, but everything that is possible to be proven is.

Where is the "proof" that jesus actually existed?
A few very vague references several decades after his death by people that never actually met him is not historical proof.

Seriously? You're actually asking that? Tell me you are joking, please. Please feel free to do even the smallest bit of research and you will find historians are pretty much unanimous in support of "Jesus" having been a real person. The fact people still ask the question you asked shows the sheer level of intentional willful ignorance that exists.

In recent years, 'no serious scholar has ventured to postulate the non historicity of Jesus' or at any rate very few, and they have not succeeded in disposing of the much stronger, indeed very abundant, evidence to the contrary

Michael Grant

He certainly existed, as virtually every competent scholar of antiquity, Christian or non-Christian, agrees

Bart Ehrman

There are those who argue that Jesus is a figment of the Church’s imagination, that there never was a Jesus at all. I have to say that I do not know any respectable critical scholar who says that any more.

Richard A. Burridge

reply to post by OccamsRazor04
Are you kidding me? LMFAO. There is no real proof. It's just what you hear from others or read inside some books.

No proof exists, never will simply because he never existed. Want to argue that with me? You can't. You trust people too much for me to ever convince you.

reply to post by Meaningless

. . . simply because he never existed.

By "he", you mean Jesus, I assume.
Do you have a theory on how this supposed hoax was perpetrated, then?
Was it Paul who just made the whole thing up, and there was never a Peter or James either?
I personally can not see how it could have been hoaxed.
Can you help me out here on how all this happened, you know, with Christianity and the New Testament just appearing for no apparent reason?

reply to post by TheOutcast

Where is the "proof" that jesus actually existed?

I think you just posted it.
Christopher Hitchens I think is the modern era's greatest prophet for Jesus, with all those great logical arguments for why not to believe, he did anyway, and died a saved Christian.

Originally posted by OccamsRazor04

Originally posted by jiggerj
reply to post by ServantOfTheLamb

 

I am going to write a book of fiction. In the early part of the book I will make up prophecies. In the later part of the book I will make up stories about those prophecies.


(Probability of chance fulfillment = 100%)

That would be a good rebuttal, but for the fact that it's historical proof that Jesus the man lived and did indeed go to the places listed in the Bible. The miracles He performed can't be proven, but everything that is possible to be proven is.

Yes, it's called historical fiction.

Did Vlad the Impaler really exist? Yes.



Was he a vampire? Of course not.

As for predictions, I will claim that the dragon will soon lose ten of its claws. Now, if you really REALLY believe the stories in my book, you will look at the world around you and MAKE my prediction fit some scenario. Or, further in the book I will claim the land of the fire breather has fallen. And you will say, SEE, it was foretold and it came true; it says so right here in the book!

What about failed prophecies? Do those not count?

Here's a good one:

Ezekiel 30
10 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:

“‘I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt
by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.
11 He and his army—the most ruthless of nations—
will be brought in to destroy the land.
They will draw their swords against Egypt
and fill the land with the slain.

Nebuchaenezzar ended up losing when he fought the Egyptians.

reply to post by jiggerj


Just make sure that you are as general and vague as possible when you describe them. It won't hurt to have a little wiggle room when it comes to people interpreting them afterward.

Originally posted by 3NL1GHT3N3D1
What about failed prophecies? Do those not count?

These are some of the most silliest and incoherent explanations I've ever seen to back up their claims. It's obvious that the person who called this one out had absolutely no understanding of what the Bible or John said and what he was talking about.

Jesus will be pierced

John 19:37 claims that Jesus being pierced in the course of his execution fulfills a prophecy: "and, as another scripture says, 'They will look on the one they have pierced.'" The NIV translation in a footnote indicates the source of this prophecy is Zechariah 12:10:

And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. (NIV)

The first observation to make is that the verse in John is an inaccurate quote, leaving out the word "me." This is to alleviate inconsistencies with the one speaking, presumably John, also being the one pierced, claimed to be Jesus. In fact, this relates to the problem inherent in assuming the verse from John refers to Jesus--that the "me" who is pierced cannot be the same as the "him" who is mourned for.

Also the context of Zechariah 12 is of an invading army and is not intended as a prophecy of Jesus.

John 19:36-37

36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

First of all John NEVER claimed to be Jesus. Second of all the verses in John 19 prove that John wasn't talking about himself, but Jesus.

Who makes up this stuff? That's right, the people who have absolutely no understanding of scripture to begin with!

reply to post by Deetermined


You must have missed my edit. There is more than just one failed prophecy on that website, try debunking them all.

reply to post by 3NL1GHT3N3D1


Actually, we've discussed these same prophecies and this link in another thread, but every time any explanation is given, no one wants to listen who doesn't understand the Bible anyway. I'm debating whether I want to dig out all of that information again. I don't have time for it right now, or possibly even today, but I might do it later, just to help benefit this thread.

reply to post by Deetermined


God said Nebuchadnezzar would destroy Egypt, he ended up losing.

God said he would make Egypt desolate, it never happened.

God said he would dry up the Nile, it never happened.

God said he would drive out the Jebunites from Jerusalem "without fail", he failed to do it.

Those are a few that I came across that seem pretty obvious and undeniable.