Unique among all books ever written, the Bible accurately foretells specific events-in detail-many years, sometimes centuries, before they occur. Approximately 2,500 prophecies appear in the pages of the Bible, about 2,000 of which already have been fulfilled to the letter—NO ERRORS. 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). The decree regarding the restoration of Jerusalem was issued by Persia’s King Artaxerxes to the Hebrew priest Ezra in 458 BC, 483 years later the ministry of Jesus Christ began in Galilee.
On March 14th 445BC King Artaxerxes gave the command to Nehemiah to go and clean out the rubble and rebuild the wall. (Sir Henry Rawlinson found the documentation to support this in Persia about 1836AD.) The 483 years predicted to finish this was 360-day, lunar months, so 360 X 483 years = 173,880 days. That brings us to April 6th 32AD. This is what happened on April 6th 32AD “…they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for Him to ride on. As He rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of Him. When He reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of His followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen. “BLESSINGS ON THE KING WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD! PEACE IN HEAVEN, AND GLORY IN HIGHEST!” (Luke 19:35-38) Just a few days later they shouted to crucify this King, “Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” (Luke 23:20-21)
This was the TRIUMPHAL ENTRY of Jesus coming into Jerusalem on Psalm Sunday A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION, the first time Jesus was PUBLICLY PROCLAIMED as King of Kings. Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 1,000,000. In approximately 700 BC, 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 Christ is one of the most widely known and widely celebrated facts in history. Probability of chance fulfillment = 1 in 1,000,000.
In the fifth century BC, 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). “Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself... the Chief Priests decided to use the money to buy THE POTTER’S FIELD as A BURIAL PLACE FOR FOREIGNERS.” (Matthew 27:5-7)
The Bible, the most accurate book ever written, teaches us that we need to, “…learn this lesson from the fig tree (Israel): As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see ALL THESE THINGS (listed above) you know that IT (the catching away of the church) IS NEAR, right at the door. Truly I tell you, THIS GENERATION will certainly not PASS AWAY until ALL THESE THINGS have happened.” (Matthew 24:32-34) How long is a generation? “We live to be about 70. Or we may live to be 80, if we stay healthy.” (Psalms 90:10 NIrV) Israel became a Nation for the second time in about 2,000 years on May 14th, 1948, 76 years ago this May!!! “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham