Why I believe Jesus is the real deal

Once a self proclaimed Atheist asked me "What if Jesus was just an ordinary human being who claimed to be God much like any other god man in history?" Definitely, If God was simply to send someone without any prior notice, it would be impossible for us to identify him, also it would be very easy for an impostor to come and enjoy the limelight. Which is why God in his wisdom left us with numerous ways to identify his son. Many Jews converted to Christianity because they realized that everything that was written about the Messiah in the Old Testament was fulfilled in Jesus. Moreover it was not just the Jews but also the Gentile nations that were expecting a child who would be the king of the Jews. Remember the 3 Kings who came all the way from the East to see if there was a fulfillment of what they had read. 

Firstly it is important to understand that a prophecy is not a mere prediction of the future. It had relevance to the generation in which it was spoken, yet being the Word of God spoken by his appointed prophets it had implications for the future as well. Since they were not completely fulfilled in that generation, they were written down and recorded so that when it was fulfilled all would know that the prophets words were true. There are too many prophecies of Jesus to mention in one blog, so I will go through the main ones:

He would be from the line of David: The gospel of Matthew traces Jesus' lineage back to David. Thus fulfilling the prophecy in 2 Samuel 7:12-16 that the Messiah would be from the descendants of David. 

He will be born in Bethlehem: The Book of Micah 5:1 says that it will be from Bethlehem, which was then considered of least importance, that Israel's ruler would arise. This was no ordinary ruler as he is said to have origins from ancient times. 

He would be like the Son of Man: Daniel 7:13-14 speaks of a vision of one who looked like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. Clouds signify the presence of God but here there was someone who looked like a human being. According to the vision he is presented before God and is given everlasting dominion over the earth and the whole world worships him. Jesus will constantly refer to himself as the "Son of Man", giving the Jews who knew their scripture thoroughly, an indication of who he is. 

Virgin birth: The prophet Isaiah 7:14 speaks of the sign of a child who will be born of a young woman. This child he calls Immanuel meaning 'God with us' symbolizing God's favour on his people. Matthew quotes Isaiah to describe the birth of Jesus born to a virgin, Mary, stressing his divine origin. The word Immanuel mean 'God with us', to this Jesus is the perfect fulfillment as he is literally God abiding among us.

The gifts of the 3 kings:  Isaiah 60:6 speaks about Gentiles bringing gold and frankincense much like what the 3 kings brought for Jesus in the manger. Gold was given to royal kings, frankincense was used for the worship of God and Myrrh was used at the time of burial. The 3 gifts indicate who Jesus is, King, God and Saviour.

His ministry will be in Galilee: In Isaiah 9 the prophet speaks of how the Galilean land of Zebulun and Naphtali which had been invaded by enemies, was in great anguish. However, the prophet says that in later times it will have a great light and great joy. This light came when Jesus began to reside with them at Capernaum and did most of his ministry around the Sea of Galilee.

He will perform miracles as the Spirit of the Lord will be upon him: Isaiah 35:5 speaks of a prophecy where the blind will see, deaf hear, lame walk and dumb speak. When John the Baptist asks if Jesus is really the Messiah, Jesus recounts how his work is in accordance to this prophecy thus proving that he is the one who was to come. Again it is Jesus himself who declares that the prophecy in Isaiah 61:1 was fulfilled in him. The prophecy speaks of the year of the Lord's favour when the anointed one will set free the captives and give sight to the blind. 

Entry into Jerusalem on a donkey: The prophet Zechariah spoke about a king who would victoriously enter into Jerusalem riding on a colt of a donkey just as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.

The opposition to Jesus: Wisdom 2: 12-20 speaks of the 'righteous man' who would accuse the ungodly as sinning against the law of Moses which they profess. The ungodly despise him as he calls God, his father, and claims to have knowledge of God. He becomes a burden to them as he criticizes their ways and so they decide to put him to the test. The ungodly believe that if they torture him he will lose his gentle nature and become just like the ungodly who he despises. They put him to a shameful death as he had professed that he will be protected. In this prophecy we clearly see the opposition Jesus received from the elders, scribes, chief priests and Pharisees. 

Thirty pieces of silver: In the Bible thirty pieces of silver was the small price a master got if his slave was killed by an ox. In the Book of Zechariah 11:4-14 God has Zechariah play the role of a shepherd after which he goes to the people he worked for and asks for his wages to which they give him a small sum of thirty shekels of silver to demean his worth. God tells him to throw it into the temple for the potters. Judas also asked the chief priest what they would give him for betraying Jesus. They considered Jesus, a shepherd of his people, to be worth only the price of a slave and gave Judas the thirty pieces of silver which Judas later threw into the temple when Jesus was condemned to death. 

He will be pierced: In Zechariah 12:10 God says that they will look on the one whom they have pierced and mourn over him as one mourns for an only child. This undoubtedly reminds us of how Jesus was pierced on the cross. 

None of his bones will be broken: In the Book of Exodus, the people were commanded not to break the bones of the Passover lamb. Evidently Jesus the 'Lamb of God' was also spared from his legs being broken on the cross even though the men on his left and right had their legs broken. It also echoes in Psalm 34:20 "He protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken." 

The death and glorification of Jesus: One of the most significant prophecies comes from the book of Isaiah 53:1-12. It speaks of a man who would be rejected by many and looked upon as cursed by God because of the way he was puts to death. However soon the people would realize that they no longer are receiving the consequence of their own sins because this innocent man took upon himself all their iniquities. He became the scapegoat, relating to an ancient Jewish practice where the high priest confessed the sins of the community upon a goat and then drove it into the wilderness where it would die, taking along with it the sins of the people. In the same way they see that his death was unfair as he was innocent yet he suffered the death they should have suffered. 

However, death is not the end for this man as he worked according to God's plan. Although he died childless, the author says 'he shall see his offspring' as he will give life to those who offer his life for their sins, just as the Jews offered a lambs life for their sins. He will be glorified and given a portion among the strong as a reward for his sacrifice. 

It would be impossible for an impostor to fulfill these prophecies as no one can plan their own birth and predict their own death and definitely no ordinary man could cure people the way Jesus cured the blind, lame, deaf and dumb.