Is there proof Jesus is the Messiah? Does believing in Him require “blind faith?” No. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. Some people mock the idea of Jesus as Savior, calling it a “fairy tale crutch for the weak.” Others claim Jesus is nothing more than a mythical figure – a superstition, no different than the Greek or Roman gods. Even worse, some people who do believe in Jesus say, “There’s no evidence to prove it’s true. You just have to accept it on faith.” But is that really the case? Absolutely not.

While faith is an essential element to following Jesus, Christian faith is more like trust than a blind belief with no evidence (Hebrews 11:1). There’s plenty of evidence Jesus is the Messiah, and some of the most convincing evidence is fulfilled prophecy. As we approach Easter, what better time to examine the prophecies fulfilled by the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus?

The Suffering Messiah

When Jesus came, His followers thought He would conquer Israel’s earthly enemies and establish an everlasting kingdom. They were right. But they were wrong about the timing. First and foremost, Jesus came as a blood sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world. Had they known the following prophecies, perhaps they would have understood what Jesus meant when He said He would be killed and rise on the third day (Matthew 16:21).

Known as the prophecies of “the suffering Messiah,” these events were foretold hundreds of years before the crucifixion. In fact, these prophecies are so detailed and specific, you might think they’re New Testament verses about the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus. Obviously, they’re not. But they prove beyond all doubt who the Messiah is. Here are just a few of them:

Betrayed by a Friend – King David said a trusted friend would betray the Messiah. This would be a person so close they shared each other’s food (Psalm 41:9). This is exactly what happened to Jesus. A thousand years after David made this prophecy, Jesus dipped His bread in a bowl and handed it to Judas (John 13:21-30). Judas took the bread and left to betray Jesus.

Betrayed for 30 Pieces of Silver – When Judas betrayed Jesus, he did so for the exact sum of 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-15). Five hundred years earlier, the prophet Zechariah foretold this exact price. He said the Messiah would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12).

Thrown into the Potter’s Field – At the same time, Zechariah revealed another amazing detail. He said the 30 pieces of silver would be thrown in the potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13). In ancient times, the potter’s field was a graveyard for unknown people. People dug up clay to make pottery, and the leftover field was only useful as a burial ground. When Judas realized what he had done, he tried to give back the 30 pieces of silver. When the religious leaders refused it, Judas threw the money down in the Temple. Not wanting to put blood money in the Temple treasury, the leading priests used the money to buy a potter’s field for the burial of foreigners (Matthew 27:3-8). This decision fulfilled Zechariah’s prophecy.

Rejected – Hundreds of years before Jesus, Isaiah described the Messiah as “despised and rejected.” He said He would be a man familiar with the deepest sadness and people would turn their backs on Him (Isaiah 53:3). When Pilate presented Jesus to the people, he said, “Here is your king.” But the people demanded He be crucified. “Crucify your king?” Pilate asked. But the people said, “We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:14-15). They rejected Jesus as king. The leaders of His day despised Him. Yet Peter said, “the stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone” (Acts 4:11).

Silent in Front of His Accusers – Isaiah said the Messiah would be silent when faced by His accusers, much like a sheep is silent before the shearers (Isaiah 53:7). Jesus fulfilled this prophecy too. The high priest Caiaphas asked Jesus, “What do you have to say for yourself? How do you answer these charges?” and Jesus was silent (Matthew 26:62-63).

Accused by False Witnesses – King David said false witnesses would accuse and slander the Messiah (Psalm 35:11). He said they would claim, “We saw Him do it with our own eyes” (Psalm 35:21). This also happened to Jesus. The religious leaders couldn’t find any evidence against Him. So false witnesses made up stories (Mark 14:56).

Pierced Hands and Feet – King David said the Messiah’s hands and feet would be pierced (Psalm 22:16). This also happened to Jesus. He was nailed to a cross (John 19:17-18). Crucifixion required the Roman soldiers to drive nails through His hands and feet. When King David made his prophecy, this method of execution didn’t exist. Nevertheless, the crucifixion of Jesus fulfilled this prophecy.

Given Vinegar to Drink – King David said the Messiah would be given gall (poison) for food and sour wine to quench His thirst (Psalm 69:21). This happened to Jesus. While He was being crucified, the soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall (poison). But when He tasted it, He refused to drink it (Matthew 27:34). Then someone filled a sponge with sour wine and held it up to Jesus on a stick so He could drink it (Mark 15:36).

His Clothes Divided – King David said others would cast lots for the Messiah’s clothes at His execution (Psalm 22:17-18). This also happened to Jesus. When the Roman soldiers crucified Him, they divided His clothes among themselves. But His robe was a single garment, and they didn’t want to tear it. So rather than tear it, they threw dice to see who would get it (John 19:23-24).

His Side Pierced – Five hundred years before the crucifixion, Zechariah said the people of Israel will look upon the Messiah they have pierced and mourn for Him as for an only son (Zechariah 12:10). This happened to Jesus as well. Checking to make sure He was dead, one of the Roman soldiers pierced Jesus with a spear (John 19:34).

Buried in a Rich Man’s Tomb – Hundreds of years before Jesus, Isaiah said the Messiah would be treated like a common criminal and buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9). The Bible tells us this happened to Jesus. After the crucifixion, a rich man named Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for Jesus’s body. Joseph wrapped the body in a clean sheet of linen cloth and placed it in the tomb he had prepared for himself. Then he rolled a boulder into the entrance to seal it (Matthew 27:59-60).

Risen from the Dead – A thousand years before the resurrection, King David said the Messiah’s body would not be left among the dead. He said God would not allow His Holy One to rot in the grave (Psalm 16:10). And Psalm 49 said God will restore the Messiah’s life, saving Him from the power of the grave (Psalm 49:15).

Three days and three nights after the crucifixion, Mary and Mary Magdalene went to see Jesus. When they arrived at His tomb, a great earthquake shook the ground. An angel rolled a rock away from the tomb’s entrance and told them Jesus had risen from the dead just as He had promised (Matthew 28:5-7).

Conclusion

These prophecies point to one man as the Messiah—Jesus. How can anyone read them and still reject Him as the Messiah? The odds of one person fulfilling all of these prophecies is beyond chance. How many people can claim specific details of their life were foretold hundreds of years before their birth? Jesus can.

Yet many people still dismiss Him. They call Him a “good teacher,” but say He was a mere man. That’s impossible. Jesus claimed to be God in the flesh – the Great I AM in the form of a man. If that’s not true, how is He a “good teacher”? Anyone who would lie about such a thing is evil. Such a person is not a “good teacher.”

But there’s no need to worry. Jesus didn’t lie. He was and is God in the flesh. Bible prophecy proves it. No other man in all of human history fulfilled the Messianic prophecies, and no other man can. The Messiah had to come at a specific time in history (Daniel 9:25). Jesus did.

The Messiah had to be born in a specific place in a certain way (Jesus was). (Micah 5:2, Isaiah 7:14). The Messiah had to be crushed and made an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:10). He had to overcome the power of the grave (Psalm 49:15). And He had to be the Savior of the world (Luke 2:11). Thank God Almighty, Jesus is!

Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus: One Man’s Search for Truth and Life Purpose as well as Signs of the Second Coming: 11 Reasons Jesus Will Return in Our Lifetime. Receive his book 7 Signs of the End Times for free when you sign up for his monthly newsletter.

 

 

 

What is the number one prophetic sign? What sign more than any other, points to the soon return of Jesus Christ? While any number of signs are present, I believe one stands out above all others. In fact, Jesus Himself told us what it is.

When the disciples said, “Tell us the signs of your coming and the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3), Jesus detailed a number of things to look for. He then said, “When you see all these things, you can know my return is near. I’m right at the door” (Matthew 24:33).

He also said, “When all these things begin to happen, look up for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:28).

This means the number one sign of Jesus’ return is all the signs appearing together.

Both Jesus and the prophets told us what signs to look for, and the appearance of just one is reason enough to take notice. But the arrival of one sign after another should really get your attention. This convergence of signs is the number one prophetic sign – the number one reason

to believe Jesus is right at the door.

The Convergence of Signs

The Bible tells us a number of events will take place just prior to the return of Jesus. Generations of Christians lived and died without witnessing one of these signs. Yet our generation is witness to all of them. Those signs include:

Israel Back in the Land – God promised to bring the Jewish people back into the land of Israel before He returned (Jeremiah 23:7-8). He said He would call them from “among the nations” (Ezekiel 39:28), from “the farthest corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:12), and from “north, south, east, and west” (Psalm 107:3). He promised to welcome them home from the lands where they were scattered (Ezekiel 20:34). When they did, He promised to return and establish His everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 11:11-12).

The Jews Back in Jerusalem – Jesus said armies would surround Jerusalem, destroy the city, and enslaves its citizens. This happened in A.D. 70 when the Roman legions did exactly that. Jesus then said people other than the Jews would control Jerusalem for a time, then the Jewish people would once again control Jerusalem. When they did, Jesus promised to return (Luke 21:24-28). Since 1967, the Jewish people have been in possession of Jerusalem.

The Gospel Preached Throughout the World – When asked about the end of the age and the signs of His coming, Jesus said to look for a very specific sign. He said the gospel will be preached throughout the entire world. Every nation will hear it. And then? And then, the end will come (Matthew 24:14). For centuries after the crucifixion, the gospel was confined to a small area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In the past two centuries, Christians have brought the gospel to every nation in the world. Today, missionaries are in every nation. The Bible is translated in hundreds of languages, and the message of Jesus is sent around the world by radio, TV, satellite, and the Internet. Our generation is literally on the verge of spreading the gospel to every last person on earth.

An Increase in Travel and Knowledge – Six hundred years before Jesus, an angel gave Daniel a special message. He said “travel and knowledge” will increase in the end times (Daniel 12:4). For centuries of human history, dramatic gains in travel and knowledge did NOT take place. Yet the last two hundred years have seen explosions in the speed and frequency of travel as well as the amount and availability of knowledge.

Arrival of the Exponential Curve – Jesus said a variety of global signs will come before His return and the end of the age. These signs will be spiritual, natural, societal, and political in nature. And He said they would appear in a distinct way – “like birth pains” (Matthew 24:3-8).

This means the frequency and intensity of these signs will increase as we near His return. Our generation has seen the exponential increase in war and famine Jesus said to look for. In the 20th Century alone, more people died from war and famine than lived on the earth when Jesus spoke these words.

Israel Surrounded by Enemies – The Bible says enemies will surround Israel in the end times. Those enemies will say “Come, let us wipe away the nation of Israel. Let’s destroy the memory of its existence” (Psalm 83:4) and “Let us take for ourselves these pasturelands of God” (Psalm 83:12).

Ezekiel said Israel’s neighbors will say “God has given their land to us” (Ezekiel 11:14-17),  and “Israel and Judah are ours. We will take possession of them. What do we care if their God is there?” (Ezekiel 35:10). Ever since the rebirth of Israel in 1948, the daily headlines have included these Bible verses. Israel’s Muslim neighbors claim the land of Israel for themselves, and they have no regard for the God of Israel.

Israel’s Exceedingly Great Army – Ezekiel said, in the end times, Israel will field “an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10). Zechariah said Israel will be like a fire among sheaves of grain, burning up the neighboring nations (Zechariah 12:6) and even the weakest Israeli soldier will be like David (Zechariah 12:8). Since 1948, Israel has fought no less than four conventional wars against its neighbors. Despite being outnumbered more than 50 to 1, Israel has achieved overwhelming victory every time.

Rise of the Gog of Magog Alliance – The Bible says a military alliance that includes Russia, Iran, Turkey, and a number of Muslim nations will attack Israel “in the latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8) when God brings His people home from among the enemy nations (Ezekiel 39:27). Today, we see those very nations coming together – an alliance that has never existed in world history.

Rise of a United Europe – The Bible says a revived Roman Empire will come to power in the end times (Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 17). According to Daniel, it will be a ten nation alliance of weak and strong nations. Some parts will be as strong as iron, while other parts will be as weak as clay (Daniel 2:42). We see the beginning of this alliance in the European Union – a coalition of weak and strong nations struggling to stay together.

The Rise of Global Government – The Bible says a single government will rule the world politically (Revelation 13:7), religiously (Revelation 13:8), and economically (Revelation 13:16‐17) in the last days. It will rule over “all people, tribes, and languages” on the face of the earth (Revelation 13:7). Its authority will be so complete no one will be able to buy or sell anything without its permission (Revelation 13:16‐17). For centuries, a true global government was impossible. Today, world leaders openly discuss it.

Denial of the Signs – Almost two thousand years ago, Peter issued a warning. He said in the last days people will mock the idea of Jesus returning. They will make fun of those who believe in the Second Coming and say exactly what we hear today – things like, “I thought Jesus was coming back? What happened to His promise? Generation after generation has said He’s coming. Yet, since the beginning of the world, everything has remained the same!” (2 Peter 3:3‐4).

Conclusion

Despite the naysayers, Jesus is coming, and ours is the generation that will witness His return. The convergence of all these signs confirm it. Jesus Himself said to look for these signs, and when you see them, He said you can know His return is near. He’s right at the door (Matthew 24:33). In fact, He said the generation witnessing these signs will not pass away before He returns (Matthew 24:34).

“But Britt,” you might say. “These are the same signs you keep pointing out. You keep saying the same thing over and over.” That’s right. I do. And that’s because the truth doesn’t change. These signs were present yesterday, and these same signs will be present right up until the rapture. But keep this in mind – for 1,878 years of Christianity (A.D. 70 – A.D. 1948), none of these signs were present. Today, all of them are.

I repeat myself because this is a message people need to hear. It’s the message every Christian should brand in his or her heart. Advertisers say you need to hear a message at least seven times before it sinks in. Looking around, I don’t think it’s sunk in. Too many people are asleep when it comes to the signs of the Second Coming.

Sadly, many of these people are Christians. If you’re one of them, it’s time to wake up. Jesus warned us not to be caught sleeping when He returns (Mark 13:36). He commanded us to watch. Today, the signs of His return are all around us. Jesus is coming, and it can’t be said enough… Now is the season of His return.

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Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus: One Man’s Search for Truth and Life Purpose as well as Signs of the Second Coming: 11 Reasons Jesus Will Return in Our Lifetime. Receive his book 7 Signs of the End Times for free when you sign up for his monthly newsletter.