by Bill Nugent
Article #168
The best evidence for the divine inspiration of the Bible are the many hundreds of predictive prophecies contained in its pages. Let’s focus in on the very best of the best of the Bible’s predictive prophecies in order to understand this supernatural proof in a clear way.
In this article we will take a look at the CROWN JEWEL of Bible prophecy. It has often been mentioned that the Bible is unique among sacred writings in that it contains an immense multitude of accurate predictive prophecies. No other holy book of any other faith contains anything approaching the Bible’s record of prophecy and fulfillment of prophecy. I was shown a list of only about two dozen verses in the Koran that are alleged to be predictive prophecies of future human history. These alleged prophecies in the Koran are rather vague and ambiguous.
If someone approaches you on the street and asks you for the single best evidence for the Christian faith I would recommend that you point him or her to the predictive prophecy contained in the Bible in Isaiah chapter 53. This prophetic passage, written approximately 700 years before the birth of Christ, not only gives a description of some details about the life of Christ but repeatedly describes the fact that Jesus would come to die for our sins. When Jesus suffered and died, He took the penalty that we deserved for our sins upon Himself. In this way, Christ made atonement for us before God the Father.
It is highly significant from a theological perspective that this prophecy so clearly predicts the heart of the Gospel message. (The prophetic passage actually begins in Isaiah 52:13 and continues through all 12 verses of Isaiah 53.) In reading this prophecy which consists of just fifteen verses, I have found no less than twelve direct or inferred references to Jesus suffering for our sins or taking our griefs upon Himself. This matter of repetition is of great theological significance.
In the Hebrew language the importance of things is indicated by repetition. For example, In Genesis 14:10 the treacherous tar pits are referred to in the original Hebrew as “pit pits.” Instead of saying they are “bad pits” or “awful pits” they are “pit pits.”
We see repetition all through the Hebrew scriptures most notably in Isaiah 6:3 which says “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts.” This is called by theologians, the “thrice hagion” and the triple use of the word ‘holy” is meant to intensively emphasize the fact that God is holy.
The Isaiah 53 twelve-fold repetition of the central mission of Jesus to die for our sins is superlative, dramatic and unique. Even the New Testament itself which describes the substitutionary atonement in many passages has no single passage that compares with this twelve-fold repetition contained in Isaiah chapters 52-53! This confirms that the crucifixion of Christ is the central event of all history and that Jesus is indeed, the promised Messiah of Israel who came to redeem all people from their sins.
Just one verse of Isaiah 53, verse 5, contains a fourfold repetition of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice. The verse reads “But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.” [NASB]
The Old Testament commanded that animals be sacrificed in the Jewish temple at Jerusalem. The animal blood sacrifices were a prophetic picture of the ultimate sacrifice which was to come. Jesus fulfilled the prophetic significance of the Jewish sacrificial system when He offered Himself as “an offering for sin” (Isa. 53:10). When Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice there was no more need for the sacrifices of animals. The sacrifice of animals under Judaism ended after the inauguration of the New Covenant.
Isaiah 53 also contains other predictive elements of interest. Isaiah 53:9 reads “His grave was assigned to be with wicked men, Yet with a rich man in His death.” [NASB] This is a clear prediction of Jesus being buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a wealthy man who came to faith in Christ. The fulfillment of this prophecy is recorded in the New Testament in Matthew 27:57-60.
Isaiah 53:10 contains a prediction of the resurrection of Christ. Isaiah 53:10 contains the phrase “He will prolong His days.” [NASB] In other words, God will prolong the days of Christ by raising Him from the dead. The resurrection of Christ certainly has resulted in the prolonging of His days. The days of His life will never end.
Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and He ascended into heaven and He will return to rule and reign on this earth from the throne of David in Jerusalem (Luke 1:32).
As Peter, the apostle, admonished us “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” (First Peter 3:15).
There are many predictive prophecies in the Old Testament that foretold the coming of Christ and gave details such as His virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), The fact that He would suffer death by crucifixion (Psalm 22:1-16), and there’s even a prophecy that foretold the exact time of His coming (Daniel 9:24-26) but the clearest prophecy of all is the incomparable, inescapable, dramatic prophetic passage in Isaiah 53!
Jesus died for our sins. Jesus took the penalty we deserved for our sins upon Himself. We can receive forgiveness of sins if we repent and turn to Christ in faith. I invite you to turn to Christ today to ask for forgiveness of sins.
Steps to salvation:
Jesus said “Ye must be born again” (John 3:7).
Prayer to receive salvation:
“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
To receive the salvation that Jesus purchased for us at the terrible cost of His suffering and death on our behalf I invite you to pray this simple prayer:
“Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for sending Jesus, the promised Messiah, to die for my sins. I admit that I am a sinner. I repent of my sins and I ask for your forgiveness on the basis of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I ask you to fill me with your Holy Spirit to empower me to serve you under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer in the humble sincerity of your heart then you have received everlasting life, which includes power to live right in this life and entrance into heaven in the afterlife!