koberstein
Active member
- The Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). The average population of Bethlehem from the time of Micah to the present (written in 1958, see below for details) divided by the average population of the earth during the same period = 7,150/2,000,000,000 or 2.8×105.
A messenger would prepare the way for the Messiah (Malachi 3:1). One man in how many, the world over, has had a forerunner (in this case, John the Baptist) to prepare his way? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×103.
The Messiah was to enter Jerusalem as a king riding on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). One man in how many, who has entered Jerusalem as a ruler, has entered riding on a donkey? Estimate: 1 in 100 or 1×102.
The Messiah would be betrayed by a friend and suffer wounds in His hands (Zechariah 13:6). One man in how many, the world over, has been betrayed by a friend, resulting in wounds in his hands? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×103.
The Messiah would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12). Of the people who have been betrayed, one in how many has been betrayed for exactly 30 pieces of silver? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×103.
The betrayal money would be used to purchase a potter’s field (Zechariah 11:13). One man in how many, after receiving a bribe for the betrayal of a friend, has returned the money, had it refused, and then experienced it being used to buy a potter’s field? Estimate: 1 in 100,000 or 1×105.
The Messiah would remain silent while He was afflicted (Isaiah 53:7). One man in how many, when he is oppressed and afflicted, though innocent, will make no defense of himself? Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1×103.
The Messiah was to die by having His hands and feet pierced (Psalm 22:16). One man in how many, since the time of David, has been crucified? Estimate: 1 in 10,000 or 1×104. - Josh McDowell, author of Evidence that Demands a Verdict, points to the research of Peter Stoner who calculated the chances of one human being fulfilling even a few of the 300 plus prophecies concerning the Messiah in the Hebrew Scriptures. Stoner, chairman of the mathematics and astronomy departments at Pasadena City College until 1953 and later professor emeritus of science at Westmont College, California, reported, “A verified analysis was conducted by the American Scientific Affiliation that concluded that the probability of just eight prophecies being fulfilled in one person is 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000!” The eight prophecies chosen are listed above, with the calculation of probability. Multiplying all these probabilities together produces a number (rounded off) of 1×1028. Dividing this number by an estimate of the number of people who have lived since the time of these prophecies (88 billion at time of Stoner's writing in the 1950s) produced the probability of all eight prophecies being fulfilled by chance in the life of one person. That probability is 1in 1017 or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000… one in a hundred quadrillion. In a forward to Stoner's book, Science Speaks, Dr. Harold Hartzler, an officer of the American Scientific Affiliation, confirmed that the manuscript had been carefully reviewed by a committee of his organization and that “the mathematical analysis included is based upon principles of probability which are thoroughly sound.” He further stated that in the opinion of the Affiliation, Professor Stoner “has applied these principles in a proper and convincing way”.
