Editor’s note: This post originally appeared on Think Apologetics. Tabernacle of David considers this resource trustworthy and Biblically sound.
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Here is a helpful clip by Michael S. Heiser again. I always find with either Jewish anti-missionaries or atheists, they always want the what Richard Longenecker calls “mathematical precision.” Longenecker says:
So-called ‘proof from prophecy’ of a direct nature has always been a factor in both a Jewish and a Christian understanding of fulfilment. Sadly, however, some see this as the only factor, and so lay out prophecy-fulfilment relations in a manner approximating mathematical precision. Starting from such basic theological axioms as that there is a God in charge of human affairs and that historical events happen according to his will, they point to a few obvious instances where explicit predictions have been literally fulfilled (as Mi. 5:2, quoted with variation in Mt. 2:5-6) and move on from there to construct an often elaborate and ingenious ‘biblical’ apologetic that is usually more ‘gnostic’ than biblical. To read on, click here:
Anyway, if you want to also know why prophecy seems a bit cryptic of not explicit at times, I also suggest reading Hidden But Now Revealed: A Biblical Theology of Mystery by Beale and Gladd. Then if you are really bored, you can see out post here called “Are There Over 300 Messianic Prophecies?”
