The prophecies (predictions) concerning His birth, His life, the miracles He performed, His words, death, resurrection and ascension set Him apart from all others who ever lived. Let us now examine in detail these aspects.
Prophesy was intended to reveal a message from the true God. How shall we know whether the message in the prophesy is from the true God or not? Here is the test:
God never contradicts Himself. God does not lie. That is the way we check the credibility of prophesies and the prophets who gave the messages.
Jesus said in John 14:29, "I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe Me."
Comparing the prophecies recorded in the Old Testament, and their fulfillment in the New Testament of the Holy Bible hundreds of years later play a vital role in determining who the promised Messiah is according to True God.
Every prophecy that originates from God must come true because God does not lie.
Fortune telling originates from man and therefore its fulfillment depends on chance circumstances. Therefore we have nothing to fear from them.
With that as background let us examine just 3 prophecies concerning the Messiah.
Date of prophesy: ~750 BC.
Message: Promise of a Witness
Date of Event: ~1 BC.
Message: Miraculous conception of the Messenger
Date of Event: ~1 AD
Luke 3:4 and Isaiah 40:3-5, John's Message was: "...A voice of one calling in the desert, prepare the way for the Lord, make a straight path for Him,"
Luke 3:21-22, As John was baptizing a crowd in the Jordan River, Jesus appeared and John baptized Him too. As He was praying after baptism, the Holy Spirit descended on Him (Jesus) in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came from heaven: "You are My beloved Son, ... with you I am well pleased." John was a witness when God announced Jesus as His beloved Son. This fulfilled the prophecy.
Date of prophesy: ~750 BC
This prophecy pinpoints the precise location of the Messiah's birthplace. It is important that all the prophesies concerning the Messiah must be fulfilled in the same person's life in order to identify the Messiah.
Date of Event: ~1 BC
Decree by Caesar Augustus to take a census.
Date of Event: ~1 AD
Mary & Joseph went Bethleham to register under the decree.
Date of prophesy: ~750 BC
Isaiah the prophet wrote the following under the inspiration of God 750 years before the birth of the promised Messiah:
Date of Event: ~1 BC
Date of Event: ~1 AD
Prophecy 1 was fulfilled when the Messenger, John, was born six months before the Messiah. Prophecies 2 and 3 were fulfilled simultaneously when virgin Mary gave birth to a son in Bethlehem of Judea and named him Jesus according to God's instruction.
It is AMAZING, almost UNBELIEVABLE how all these prophesies were fulfilled simultaneously in the same person Jesus Christ!
But nothing is impossible with God! Please read Gospel of Matthew for more information.
Miracles of Jesus bear witness that He is the Messiah, the Son God. Luke 7:22, So he (Jesus) replied to the messengers,
"Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is prreached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
Magic is performed through human trickery. Miracles are performed by God's mighty power. To mention a few, here are some of the miracles of Jesus:
Reaction from people who saw these miracles:
"Since the world began there has never been anyone who could open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, he couldn't do it."
Resurrection of Jesus from the dead proves that He is the Messiah the Savior of the world. He has power over death and defeated death.
Dear friend, Jesus has proved beyond a shadow of doubt that He is the promised Messiah the Saviour of the world. He also said,
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father (God) but through Me" (John 14:6).
Now it is for us to decide whether to receive Him as our personal Saviour and Lord or not. Perhaps you may be asking, "How can I receive Jesus as my Saviour and Lord?"