God boasts on the fact that He alone can properly interpret history: past, present and future (Isaiah 41:22-24; Isaiah 42:8-9). One of the strongest evidences for the accuracy of the bible is the phenomenon of fulfilled specific prophesies. Other religious books contain a few vague predictions, but they can be interpreted many different ways and are in no way comparable to the huge number of specific prophecies that are found in the Bible which were fulfilled literally (not figuratively).
The Old Testament alone contains no less than 90 prophesies about a coming Messiah (or savior), with 333 details pertaining to his birth, life and crucifixion (hundreds of years before Rome existed, let alone Roman crucifixion!). The chances of all the prophesies about this savior being fulfilled in one person is 1 chance in 84… with 97 0’s after it! Yet all of them were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Now we can chalk that up to chance; however if we do, we are now stepping into the deep waters of blind faith, not reason.
THE BIBLE TRIVIA QUIZ:
If someone asks a question like “how do you know the bible is the word of God”, respond by asking them if you could do a little trivia. Say, “I just want to read you a passage from the bible, and then you can tell me who it’s talking about”.
(don’t tell them what book you are reading from, or whether or not it’s in the Old or New Testament)
“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth…”
So who do you think that verse is talking about? 9 out of 10 people will say, “it’s obviously talking about Jesus”. At which point I would respond with – you are right. It’s obviously talking about Jesus. There is no other historical figure that could match that description. However, the amazing thing is that THAT passage was written over 700 years before Jesus was ever born!
The bible has accurately predicted major, history-changing events with precise detail, thousands of times; including the birth, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. However, there is one thing that the bible prophesied about that hasn’t come true – yet. And that’s the day when Jesus returns to exercise justice by punishing the wicked and those who rebel against him, while also exercising mercy and grace for those who have repented and put their faith in Him.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyNseXdd260&playnext=1&list=PL3B82C219AC3A6847&feature=results_main