Descendent Of Abraham

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? 

 

The prophecy concerning the messiah is found in both Genesis 12:2-3 and Genesis 22:18. The prophecy makes it known that the messiah could only come from the descendants of Abraham.

 

Old Testament Scriptures:

 

Genesis 12:2–3 (CSB): ²I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. ³I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

 

Genesis 22:18 (CSB): ¹⁸And all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed my command.”

 

New Testament Fulfillment:

 

Matthew 1:1 (CSB): ¹An account of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:

 

Galatians 3:16 (CSB): ¹⁶Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say “and to seeds,” as though referring to many, but referring to one, and to your seed, who is Christ.

 

In the literal translation of what is translated as “offspring” in Genesis 22:18 it would literally say “seed” because it is not referring to many seeds but rather one particular offspring would bless the whole earth.

 

Since the messiah would be the greatest blessing to the Jews and the whole world; the messiah would have to come through the descendants of Abraham.

Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of being from the line of Abraham and being a blessing to the whole world.

 

Source: Josh McDowell