February 9, 2011 - On the Road to Emmaus - Communion

February 9, 2011 - On The Road To Emmaus
Jesus in the Old Testament - Communion

John 1:45 (NIV) DECLARATION/WITNESS
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

How Certain Can We Be?
Luke 24:13-32 Emmaus Road: Jesus uses the Old Testament to authenticate Himself

John 5:39 “Search the (OT) Scriptures ...they testify of me.”

2 Pet 1:19 “More sure word of prophecy”


Composite Probabilities
Two events, each with a 50% probability, together have a 25% probability: .50 x .50 = .25
If each had a 10% probability, together they would have 1%: .1 x .1 = .01, or 101 x 101 = 102.

A Sample of 8 Prophecies

1) Micah 5:2 Would be born in Bethlehem 1:200,000
10,000/2 x 109
2) Zech 9:9 King on Donkey 1:100
3) Zech 11:12 30 pieces of Silver 1:1000
4) Zech 11:13 Temple; Potter 1:100,000
5) Zech 13:6 Wounds in hands 1:1000
6) Isa 53:7 No defense though innocent 1:1000
7) Isa 53:9 Died with wicked Grave with rich 1:1000
8) Ps 22:16 Crucified 1:10,000
Total composite probability: 1:1028 or 1028

8 Prophecies
Total population < size="1">11 1028/1011 = 1017
Concept Model: State of Texas covered with silver dollars, 2 ft. deep. [Alternate model: there are only 1017 seconds in the history of the universe!]

16 Prophecies 1028 x 1028 = 1056 1056 / 1011 = 1045
Concept Model: ball of silver dollars: radius 30 times the distance of the Earth to the Sun!

48 Prophecies 1028 x 1028 x 1028 x 1028 x 1028 x 1028 = 10168 10168/1011 = 10157!
(That’s a bigger number than we can grasp)
Concept Model 1) Make a “ball” of every atom in the universe; 1066 2) Make such a ball for each atom of the universe; 1066 x 1066 = 10132 3) Repeat that exercise, every second since the universe began... 10132 x 1017 = 10149 and we’re still short by 100,000,000 times: 108 ...and we’ve still only dealt with 48 prophecies out of over 300 in the Old Testament!

*Adapted from Peter Stoner, Science Speaks.

Supplemental Observations Total Atoms in the Universe: 1066
Total Particles: 1080
Seconds in 10 Billion Years: 1017
Scientific Threshold for the Absurd: >1050

McDowell notes that the Old Testament was completed in about 450 B.C., but if you won't accept that, you can verify that the Septuagint (Greek translation) was begun during the reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus (285-246 B.C.), which means the Hebrew version had to have been completed at least 250 years before Christ was born.
He also notes that while it's true that Jesus could have arranged to fulfill some of these prophecies, He could not have orchestrated the place, time and manner of His birth, that He would be betrayed, the manner of His death, people's reactions to His crucifixion, the piercings and the burial.

If you're not yet amazed, study Daniel 9:24-27, which many believe predicts, to the precise year, the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
Who do you say that He is?

I Corinthians 11:23-26
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.