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Prophecies and Their Fulfillment

From: Why I Believe the Bible By: Algernon James Pollock

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The great bulk of the prophecies of the Old Testament refer to the coming of the Son of God into this world as Man in order to be the Redeemer. They refer to His Person as God and Man, the place and manner of His birth, the wonder of His life, and above all His death and its sacrificial meaning and His glorious resurrection. We append a few of these prophecies and their fulfillment.

He was to be born in Bethlehem. Mic. 5:2²But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Micah 5:2). Fulfillment. Luke 2:46⁴⁶And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. (Luke 2:46)־.

He was to be born of a virgin. Isa. 7:14¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14). Fulfillment. Matt. 1:18-25¹⁸Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. ¹⁹Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. ²⁰But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. ²¹And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. ²²Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, ²³Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. ²⁴Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: ²⁵And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. (Matthew 1:18‑25).

He was to be sold for thirty pieces of silver. Zech. 11:12¹²And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. (Zechariah 11:12). Fulfillment. Matt. 26:14,15¹⁴Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, ¹⁵And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. (Matthew 26:14‑15). This money was to be cast to the potter. It was to be silver and thirty pieces, and thrown down in the house of the Lord. Fulfillment. Matt. 27:3-10³Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, ⁴Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. ⁵And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. ⁶And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. ⁷And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. ⁸Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. ⁹Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; ¹⁰And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me. (Matthew 27:3‑10).

His hands and feet were to be pierced. Psa. 22:16¹⁶For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. (Psalm 22:16). Fulfillment. John 20:24-29²⁴But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. ²⁶And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. ²⁷Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. ²⁸And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. ²⁹Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (John 20:24‑29).

His side was to be pierced. Zech. 12:10¹⁰And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10). Fulfillment. John 19:34-37³⁴But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. ³⁵And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. ³⁶For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. ³⁷And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced. (John 19:34‑37).

His garments were to be divided among the soldiers, who crucified Him, and for His vesture they were to cast lots. Psa. 22:18¹⁸They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. (Psalm 22:18). Fulfillment. John 19:23,24²³Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. ²⁴They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. (John 19:23‑24).

They were to give Him gall and vinegar as He hung on the cross. Psa. 69:21²¹They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. (Psalm 69:21). Fulfillment. Matt. 27:34³⁴They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. (Matthew 27:34)·

He was to be buried in a rich man's tomb. Isa. 53:9⁹And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. (Isaiah 53:9). Fulfillment. Matt. 27:57-60⁵⁷When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: ⁵⁸He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. ⁵⁹And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. (Matthew 27:57‑60).

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Why I Believe the Bible

• Author's Preface

• Editor's Preface to Third Edition

• Why I Believe the Bible: Introduction

• Most Convincing Testimonies

• Great Test, A

• Elevating Character of the Bible, The

• Conditions Under Which the Bible Was Written, The

• There Are Many Things in the Bible We Cannot Understand

• Analogy Between the Spiritual and the Material

• Old Testament Prepares for the New Testament, The

• Relation of the New Testament to the Old Testament, The

• Quotations From the Old Testament in the New Testament

• Original Books of the Bible Have Tracelessly Disappeared, The

• Were the Inspired Writers of the Holy Scriptures Mere Automatons?

• Methods of Modernism, The

• Who Is the Author of the Bible?

• Bible and Science, The

• Great Significance of Prophecy, The

• Prophecies and Their Fulfillment

• Triune God, The

• Son of God, The

• Christ's Resurrection, the Proof of Divine Approval

• Red Line of Atonement, The

• Final Triumph, The

• That Blessed Hope