When I think of old news I think of the commercials when someone would share the latest news update. Then another person would reply, “That’s so thirty seconds ago!” It doesn’t take long for news to become old, especially in this day and age. Let’s reflect on some significant old news that never gets old. Well, other than it is old news.
In celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus, we start way back in the beginning. Without much detail, let’s focus on the prophecy of the coming of our Lord Jesus. It is pretty amazing that Jesus fulfilled all (100%) of the prophecy about His coming.
Chances Are Slim
I did some research on a phrase you may have heard. “It is more likely that a 747 would be assembled from a tornado passing through a junkyard than Old Testament prophesy all being fulfilled.” Turns out, the original analogy had been changed. It was focused on Fred Hoyle’s statement based on life being produced from a cell.
But, in Munster’s book, A Sceptic’s Search for God, it is interesting what Munster finds. In his calculations, he finds that the origin of the first life happening by chance is one in ten to the 33,113 power. This equated to winning more than 4700 state lotteries in a row with the purchase of a single ticket for each. Okay, so I digress…a little.
He further concluded “There are enormous statistical issues involved in correct biogenetic sequencing or simultaneous DNA mutation in germ cells. Add to that the addition of life itself to inanimate cells, and… “
“the theory of naturalistic evolution is statistically far less likely than a tornado assembling a junkyard into a Boeing 747.”
That’s a Really Big Number
There were hundreds of Old Testament prophecies about Jesus that He fulfilled. But even just looking at the 48 Messianic prophecies is impressive in itself. Mathematician Peter Stoner studied the probability of one person fulfilling the 48 Messianic prophecies. He found it would be one in 10 followed by 157 zeros. Here is that number:
10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
Isaiah 7:14 AMP
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Listen carefully, the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and she will call his name Immanuel (God with us).
Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV
For to us a Child shall be born, to us a Son shall be given; And the government shall be upon is shoulder, And His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
There shall be no end to the increase of His government and of peace, [He shall rule] on the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From that time forward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.
Micah 5:2 NIV
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
The Reason for the Season
What an amazing God we have. Our God is not just a philosophical ideology to be pondered like all other religions. But our God is the God. The one and only, who became flesh and dwelt among us because He loves His creation that much.
Christmas Challenge Number 1
As you prepare for the Christmas season I challenge you to settle who Jesus is to you. If He’s not God who came to us in the flesh, in whose birth we celebrate during the Christmas season, then He must be discounted due to His claims. Either he is a liar trying to deceive many people or a crazy person who believes even his own lies. The evidence tells us otherwise. So be it.
Check out my blog post – Jesus in Sandals for more.
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