Question:

How can we be sure that the current books of the Major & Minor Prophets are actual words of the Hebrew Prophets? Christians interpret predictions of Israel’s glorious future fulfilled in the Church, but it’s their interpretation because prophets apparently never meant that. Jews are still looking for fulfilment of the glorious future predictions. Any person who is not a Jew or Christian would find these predictions of Israel’s glorious future false predictions which did not occur. What’s your opinion?

Answer:

One can argue that we cannot be absolutely, 100% positive that every single word in the prophetic books of the Old Testament are the actual words of the Hebrew prophets.  However, the evidence quite strongly supports this conclusion.  Some say that this is a matter of interpretation.  I will agree that different people interpret the prophecies differently, but the facts VERY strongly support the Christian interpretation of this matter.  Jesus said in John 5:39, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”  Jesus backed up these words through his fulfillment of prophecies, and these fulfillments are not a matter of “interpretation.”  For example, it was prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem in Micah 5:2. It just so happens that Jesus was born in Bethlehem.  It was prophesied that the Messiah would be silent when accused, that he would be “pierced,” and that he would rise from the dead in Isaiah 53:1-12.  Jesus did all these things, or had them done to him.  It was prophesied in Psalm 22:16-18 that Messiah would be crucified by piercing hands and feet, and that his garments would be divided and gambled over. These things happened as well.  It was prophesied that Messiah/king would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey in Zechariah 9:9. This happened as well.  It was prophesied that Messiah would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver and that the money would be used to buy a potter’s field in Zechariah 11:12-13.  Guess how much Jesus was betrayed for, and guess what was done with the money!  And this is just the beginning.  Jesus fulfilled many dozens of prefigures and foreshadows in addition to dozens of specific prophecies.  If you are interested in this topic you can read a LOT more material on prefigures and foreshadows of the Messiah in my book From Shadow to Reality, available here:  https://www.ipibooks.com/products/fromshadowtoreality

There are so many reasons to conclude that the prophets were indeed inspired by God when they spoke and wrote and also that the Christian interpretation of those prophecies is the correct one.  I am aware that Jews claim that Jesus did not fulfill the messianic expectation, but they are simply wrong.  They claim that he was prophesied to come as a conquering king.  Well, this is in fact true, at least in a sense, but his kingdom is not a physical one.  It is not of this world.  A very basic reading of the Old Testament will confirm that Jesus’ kingdom was always intended to be a spiritual one.  Many examples of this are found in the book I mention above.  The Jews who continue to reject Jesus are simply wrong on this, and the evidence proves this convincingly.  There are NO unfulfilled messianic prophecies. Period.  End of story.  There are a small number of misinterpreted messianic prophecies, as is shown by the undeniable and very specific fulfillment of the prophecies above, as well as many, many more.  The conclusion is clear in my opinion.  You can decide, of course!

John Oakes