It bolsters my faith looking at the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled in
his sayings and actions while here on earth. His exactness, for
instance, of acquiring a donkey to ride into Jerusalem is astounding. I
find that my mind has a hard time wrapping around the miracles which
Jesus performed, sometimes stating them by habit but then when thinking
about it, feeling completely overwhelmed. A man blind from birth having
his eyes completely healed…almost as if they were recreated.
When I envision John’s pen putting down his testimony, written down so
that others may believe, I wonder at all the content. How did he decide
between hundreds of important events to put down only a few—knowing by
the Spirit that this would be effective.
The fact that even the prophecies fulfilled by the enemies of Jesus
were placed there as proof of Jesus being the Christ, the Son of God,
and also effective testimony that we can believe Him. Astounding.
Going back over some of my John outline,
I noticed that I messed up
when it came to the prophecies fulfilled by enemies. In my zeal, I
started making connections to fulfilled prophecies instead of simply
prophecies, which John specifically said were fulfilled. Hey, I never
said my posted studies are a perfect finished work. Honestly, all Bible
Studies and Theological Statements should be a Work In Progress with a
big sign that says "May Experience Renovation".
Therefore it
is my intent, to list the prophecies fulfilled by the enemies of
Jesus which attest to his deity. Personally fulfilling prophecies is
one (miraculous) thing, but to have your enemies do the same would be
hard to refute.
1. One Man To Die For All (John 11:49-52 and John 19)
This prophecy uttered by Caiaphas the high priest is hard. Firstly, a
man who was undeniably not a believer spoke it. Secondly, it was
uttered in a meeting of the Sanhedrin and when whoever (Nicodemus?
Another contact?) told John about it, the Holy Spirit made sure that
John recorded that this was actually a real prophecy by a greater
authority. Sure the man likely said it with a sneer and showing the
pure logic of his statement, but it was words given by another. Mind
you, I’m not saying who the authority was—but the Spirit recorded that
this was an authentic prophecy eventually fulfilled by Jesus’ enemies
(John 19).
2. Their Hearts Were Hardened (Is 6:9-10; 53:1 and John 12:37 – 41)
I won’t spend time on this because I’ll have a Calvinist all over me
because I didn’t treat it properly in one paragraph. Needless to say,
the people continued in their unbelief and God sealed them up in it…he
was done. The public ministry closed and now there was nothing else to
be revealed lest the people repent. Hard words and there’s support for
it in Pharaoh.
3. Betrayed By His Friend (Ps 41:9 and John 13:18, 26, 27)
Also pretty hard when you see that Jesus was actually offering his
friend a way out in the dipping and offering him the bread. Yet Judas
was set, so much so that after having received the bread Satan himself
enterred him. The guy spent 3 and a half years with Jesus, chosen as a
disciple, told the secrets of the kingdom, saw all the wonders and
never believed.
4. Cast lots for clothing (Ps 22:18 and John 19:23, 24)
Jesus had a nice seamless woven tunic which he had kept for who knows
how long. Nothing is said about who wove it (though I wouldn’t be
surprised if Mary did it—a single woven piece…man, that must’ve taken
some time). Be that as it may, the soldiers could have fought for it,
arm wrestled for it, or even acquiesced to the strongest man among
them. Instead they drew straws—cast lots specifically.<
5. Sour Wine Give to Drink (Ps 69:21 and John 19:28-30)
This evidence was spurred by Jesus’ words. The Spirit found the need to
record that all that had to be done was complete, so Jesus had to
finish up the last bit and asked for a drink. They didn’t give him
water, or reject him—he let them fulfill the prophecy on their own.
They went and offered him the vinegar that was nearby.
6. No bones broken (Ps 34:20 and John 19:32, 33, 36)
Jesus was already dead. He had given up the ghost. All we have are the
onlookers (specifically Mary and John besides others) morbidly watching
the soldiers break the legs of the living Dead Men. The soldiers get to
Jesus and they could’ve decided to break the legs anyway, just in case
but instead they get a spear and jam it in His side. Sure they were
probably piercing the heart, or getting rid of excess fluid, but they
still did it, fulfilling prophecy without meaning to.
7. Look on Him whom they have pierced (Zech 12:10 and John 19:34, 35, 37)
What were they even doing? Why stop and look at Him? This is what they
regularly do—this kind of butcher work. Thing is, the other gospels
would have us see an earthquake and hear him shout out in such a manner
during that darkness that one of the soldiers would gasp saying “Surely
this was the Son of God!” Maybe fear motivated the piercing and
subsequent uneasy staring at the Son of God whom they had pierced.
-r-
You can also argue that the Kind of Death He Would Die ( John 18:32; 19)
was fulfilled by the Jewish Leadership in making sure that He would be
given over to be crucified. Only reason I didn’t include it was because
I couldn’t find a specific verse in John which says "this is the type
of death I will die".