Son Of God

Why are prophetic fulfillments important?

 

Prophetic fufillments are important because they show the miraculous nature of the person of Jesus, they validate Jesus's authority and his messiaship, and show the authority of the old testament.

 

Prophecies show the miraculous nature of the person of Jesus because the probability that Jesus could have fulfilled even eight of these prophecies would be only 1 in 10^17. That's 1 in 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 of a chance. The chances of that is too low to dismiss it as a coincidence, therefore we can conclude that the Jesus fulfilling the prophecies to be miraculous. They validate the authority of Jesus because the bible said he has to fulfill those prophecies in order for him to be who he says he was. Finally, they show the authority of the old testament because prophecies from hundreds of years prior, all being fulfilled during the alloted time period the old testament claimed it would be, and all in one person shows that the old testament did in fact have authority in its claims.

 

What was the prophecy?

 

 This prophecy concerning the Messiah is found in a large part of Psalms 2. The prophecy implies that the anointed one will be the son of God.

 

Old Testament scripture: 

 

Psalms 2: 1-12 (CSB): 1 Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers conspire together against the LORD and his Anointed One:, 3 “Let’s tear off their chains and throw their ropes off of us.” 4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord ridicules them. 5 Then he speaks to them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath: 6 “I have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” 7 I will declare the LORD’s decree. He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance and the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You will break them with an iron scepter; you will shatter them like pottery.” 10 So now, kings, be wise; receive instruction, you judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with reverential awe and rejoice with trembling. 12 Pay homage to the Son or he will be angry and you will perish in your rebellion, for his anger may ignite at any moment. All who take refuge in him are happy.

 

New Testament fulfillment: 

 

Matthew 3:16-17 (CSB): 16 When Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water. The heavens suddenly opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.”

 

There are various other verses attesting to Jesus’ sonship. Two examples of this would be in Mark 3:11 (11 Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God! ”  when the demons attested to his sonship, and in Matthew 26:63 (63 But Jesus kept silent. The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”64 “You have said it,” Jesus told him.“But I tell you, in the future you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? See, now you’ve heard the blasphemy. 66 What is your decision? ” when the high priest attested to his sonship.

 

It is unanimously admitted by modern day opposers to the Christian idea of Jesus being the Messiah, that Psalm 2 was in fact seen by the ancient Jews to be addressing the prophecy of foretelling the messiah.

Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of being the Son of God.

 

Source: Josh McDowell