by William J. Stewart
In 1958, Peter W. Stoner published a book entitled Science Speaks. In it, he looked at the probability of a single man at some point in history fulfilling just 8 of the messianic prophecies in the Old Testament. The odds are not good. The probability that Jesus could fulfill just 8 messianic prophecies is 1 in 1017! If you are unfamiliar with exponents, that is 1/100,000,000,000,000,000. I’ll be frank with you—I don’t understand that number. It’s too big, or I guess I should say, too small. It is the epitome of the proverbial needle in a haystack.
Accordingtothescriptures.org provides a list of 355 Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. If the probability of one man fulfilling 8 prophecies is 1/1017, I can’t imagine what the number would be for one man to fulfill 355 prophecies about the Messiah! And yet, One Man, Jesus the Christ, has fulfilled them all.
Consider a selection of the prophecies spoken about and fulfilled by Messiah.
Born of the seed of woman | Gen 3:15 | Gal 4:4 |
Born of a virgin | Isa 7:14 | Mt 1:18-25 |
Seed of Abraham | Gen 22:18 | Mt 1:1 |
Seed of Isaac | Gen 21:12 | Lk 3:23, 34 |
Seed of Jacob | Num 24:17 | Lk 3:34 |
Seed of David | Jer 23:5 | Lk 3:31 |
Tribe of Judah | Gen 49:10 | Rev 5:5 |
Family line of Jesse | Isa 11:1 | Lk 3:32 |
Born in Bethlehem | Mic 5:2 | Mt 2:1-6 |
Herod’s slaughter of children | Jer 31:15 | Mt 2:16-18 |
Pre-existed creation | Mic 5:2 | 1 Pe 1:20 |
Called the Lord | Ps 110:1 | Ac 2:36 |
Immanuel | Isa 7:14 | Mt 1:22-23 |
Prophet | Deut 18:18 | Ac 3:18-25 |
Priest | Ps 110:4 | Heb 5:5-6 |
Judge | Isa 33:22 | Jn 5:22-23 |
King | Ps 2:6 | Jn 18:33f |
Anointed by the Spirit | Isa 11:1 | Mt 3:16-17 |
Zealous for God | Ps 69:9 | Jn 2:15-17 |
Preceded by a messenger | Isa 40:3 | Mt 3:1-3 |
Ministry to begin in Galilee | Isa 9:1-2 | Mt 4:12-17 |
Ministry of miracles | Isa 35:5-6 | Mt 9:35 |
Teacher of parables | Ps 78:1-4 | Mt 13:34-35 |
In the temple | Mal 3:1 | Mt 21:10-12 |
To Jerusalem on a donkey | Zech 9:9 | Mt 21:1-7 |
Stone of stumbling | Isa 28:16 | 1 Pe 2:6-8 |
Light to the Gentiles | Isa 49:6 | Ac 13:46-48 |
Raised from the dead | Ps 16:8-11 | Ac 2:24-31 |
Begotten Son of God | Ps 2:7 | Ac 13:32-35 |
Ascended to heaven | Ps 68:18 | Eph 2:8-10 |
Seated beside God | Ps 110:1 | Heb 1:3, 13 |
Betrayed by a friend | Ps 41:9 | Jn 13:18-27 |
Sold for 30 pieces of silver | Zech 11:12 | Mt 26:14-15 |
30 pieces thrown in temple | Zech 11:13 | Mt 27:3-5 |
30 pieces buys potter’s field | Zech 11:13 | Mt 27:6-10 |
Forsaken by His disciples | Zech 13:7 | Mk 14:27, 50 |
Accused by false witnesses | Ps 35:11 | Mt 26:59-61 |
Silent before accusers | Isa 53:7 | Mt 27:12-14 |
Wounded and bruised | Isa 53:4-6 | 1 Pe 2:21ff |
Beaten and spit upon | Isa 50:6 | Mt 26:67-68 |
Mocked | Ps 22:6-8 | Mt 27:27-31 |
Fell under the cross | Ps 109:24 | Lk 23:26 |
Hands and feet pierced | Ps 22:16 | Jn 20:24-28 |
Sacrificial lamb | Isa 53:7 | Jn 1:28, 35 |
Crucified with thieves | Isa 53:12 | Mt 27:38 |
Prayed for enemies | Isa 53:12 | Lk 23:34 |
Rejected by His own people | Isa 53:3 | Jn 19:14-15 |
Hated without a cause | Ps 69:4 | Jn 15:25 |
Friends stood at a distance | Ps 38:11 | Lk 22:54 |
People wage their heads | Ps 22:7 | Mt 27:39 |
People stared at Him | Ps 22:17 | Lk 23:35 |
Clothes divided by soldiers | Ps 22:18 | Jn 19:23-24 |
Became very thirsty | Ps 22:15 | Jn 19:28 |
Gall and vinegar offered | Ps 69:21 | Mt 27:34 |
Cry of being forsaken | Ps 22:1 | Mt 27:46 |
Committed self to God | Ps 31:5 | Lk 23:46 |
Bones not broken | Ps 34:20 | Jn 19:32-36 |
Heart broken | Ps 69:20 | Jn 19:34 |
Crucifixion | Ps 22:16 | Jn 20:25 |
His side pierced | Zech 12:10 | Jn 19:34, 37 |
Darkness over the land | Am 8:9 | Lk 23:44-45 |
Buried in rich man’s tomb | Isa 53:9 | Mt 27:57-60 |
Would not see corruption | Ps 16:10 | Ac 2:31 |
The resurrection | Ps 16:9-11 | Jn 20:9 |
Firstborn | Ps 89:27 | Col 1:15, 18 |
From everlasting | Ps 90:2 | Jn 1:1-3 |
The sure foundation | Isa 28:16 | 1 Cor 3:11 |
A rewarder of His people | Isa 40:10 | Rev 22:12 |
Can there be any doubt that Jesus is the prophesied Messiah? Every prophesy which was given about the Messiah has been fulfilled in and around Him.