One of the most convincing proofs that the Bible is truly the Word of God is the number of prophecies fulfilled during Jesus’ life. Daniel prophesied the coming of the one and only Jewish Messiah before the temple’s demise. The Old Testament prophets declared He would be born in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2) to a virgin (see Isaiah 7:14), be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (see Zechariah 11:12-13), die by crucifixion (see Psalm 22), and be buried in a rich man’s tomb (see Isaiah 53:9). Jesus Himself predicted He would be crucified and rise from the dead three days later. ‘The Jews then responded to him, “What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken’ (John 2:18-22 NIV). Napoleon Bonaparte said: ‘I know men, and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for him.’
