Mathematically Speaking

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 Yeshua of Nazareth, 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 Yeshua began in Galilee. (Remember that due to calendar changes, the date for the start of Yeshua'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.) Yeshua's 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 105.)* *

The estimates of probability included herein come from a group of secular research scientists. As an example of their method of estimation, consider their calculations for this first prophecy cited: • Since the Messiah's ministry could conceivably begin in any one of about 5000 years, there is, then, one chance in about 5000 that his ministry could begin in 26 A.D. • Since the Messiah is God in human form, the possibility of his being killed is considerably low, say less than one chance in 10. • Relative to the second destruction of Jerusalem, this execution has roughly an even chance of occurring before or after that event, that is, one chance in 2. Hence, the probability of chance fulfillment for this prophecy is 1 in 5000 x 10 x 2, which is 1 in 100,000, or 1 in 105.

All of the following Messianic Prophesies follow the same formula.

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 Yeshua is one of the most widely known and widely celebrated facts in history. (Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 105.) 

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 1011.) 

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: Yeshua 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 1013.) 

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” In approximately 750 B.C., the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 7:14) spoke of a supernatural birth of a boy child, whose name would mean God With Us. Our Rabbis would tell us that the Hebrew word "Alma" means young maiden and not virgin. What they failed to tell us is that in the Septuagint, (the Jewish translation of the Tenach into Greek, completed around 50 B.C. for the Jewish people of the world who had virtually lost the ability to understand the Hebrew text,) was tranlated as "Virgin". The word those Rabbis used was "parthenos", which only has one meaning- Virgin! What is just as important, though, is the Hebrew word אות (ot), meaning sign. A study of the word in other passages clearly indicate that אות means a genuine miracle, the inevitable conclusion demanded by all the facts that the prediction fortells the miraculous conception and virgin birth of the child here promised. (Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 1013.) 

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Simply stated, when the idea of the verses are blended, the complete thought is that God promises to give his Son in the form of a child to mount the throne of David and to establish peace in Israel. The prophet Isaiah spoke of this (Isaiah 9:6) around 750 B.C. In order for this one to accomplish the work of subjecting Israel's foes, he must be what these words imply, namely, the Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace. (Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 1013.) 

Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has born our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, everyone, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked, but with the rich at his death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When you make his soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, because He poured out his soul unto death, and he was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Contained within this chapter (Isaiah 53), written around 750 B.C., are over 20 individual prophesies. The odds are almost incalculable that these were all "chance fulfillments". Our Rabbis would tell us that the author is speaking of "Israel". You can decide for yourself. 

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they broke, although I was a husband to them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:31-34) 

Surely, I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man. I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the Holy One. Who hath ascended up into heaven, and descended? Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the waters in his garment? Who hath established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his Son’s name, if thou knowest? (Proverbs 30:2-4) 

Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, thou art my Son; this day I have begotten thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give the nation for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession. Thou shall break them with a rod or iron; Thou shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. Now therefore, O ye kings, be wise; Be admonished, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. (Psalm 2:6)