The Bible, if inspired by God, should contain prophecy that is unique in its nature. The Bible’s prophecy, distinct in its detailed and precise foretelling, has consistently confounded its critics. It encompasses prophecies about individuals, lands, nations, and the predicted Messiah, setting it apart from any other form of prediction.

For a prophecy to be valid, it must meet certain criteria. First, it must be a specific, detailed declaration instead of being nebulous, vague, or general. The particulars of the prophecy should be so many and minute that there shall be no possibility of accounting by shrewd guesswork for the accuracy of the fulfillment. The prophecy must be more than a good guess or a conjecture. It must possess sufficient precision to be capable of verification utilizing the fulfillment. 

Second, there must be sufficient time between the prophetic statement and its fulfillment. Suggestions about what “might” happen in the future are not prophetic pronouncements. Instead, the prophecy must precede the fulfillment in a significant fashion, and there must be no chance of the prophet having the ability to influence the outcome. 

Another crucial aspect of a valid prophecy is its clarity and understandability. Prophecies must be clear enough for the observer to link the pronouncement with its fulfillment. If a prophecy is not clear enough to allow the observer to depict its fulfillment, then its effectiveness and impact on the reader are compromised. 

Fourth, the prophecy must not have historical overtones. In other words, true prophecy should not be based on past (or current) societal or economic conditions. Nothing in previous history should have made it possible to forecast a similar event in the future. 

Furthermore, a clear, understandable, and exact prophecy must have a fulfillment that is equally clear, understandable, and exact. It is not enough to suggest that a certain event came true with a “high degree of probability.” The fulfillment must be unmistakable and must match the prophecy in every detail, thereby validating the prophecy and reinforcing its divine origin.

The Old Testament contains more than three hundred messianic prophecies. Testimony about Jesus was the chief purpose of prophecy. To Him, all the prophets gave witness (Acts 10:43). The Prophesied One would be born of a woman (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 4:4), of the seed of Abraham (Genesis 22:18; Luke 3:34), of the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Hebrews 7:14), of the royal lineage of David (2 Samuel 7:12; Luke 1:32), in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1), to the virgin Mary (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:22), to bruise the head of Satan (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 2:12-14). 

His Galilean ministry was foretold (Isaiah 9:1-2), and a forerunner was prophesied to announce His arrival (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew 3:1-3). He would appear during the days of the Roman reign (Daniel 2:44; Luke 2:1) while Judah still possessed her king (Genesis 49:10; Matthew 2:22). He would be killed some 490 years after the command to restore Jerusalem at the end of the Babylonian captivity (457B.C.), i.e., A.D.30 (Daniel 9:24ff.). He was to be both human and divine; though born, He was eternal (Micah 5:2; John 1:1, 14); though a man, He was Jehovah’s “fellow” (Zechariah 13:7; John 10:30; Philippians 2:6). He was to be gentle and compassionate in His dealings with mankind (Isaiah 42: 1-4; Matthew 12:15-21). He would submit perfectly to His heavenly Father (Psalm 40:8; Isaiah 53:11; John 8:29; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22).

Biblical prophecies are repeatedly presented and fulfilled with exacting detail. Jeremiah wrote, “When the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that Jehovah hath truly sent him” (28:9).

By: Justin Odom