10 events that Jesus prophesied

Not only did Jesus predict things that came true when He was on earth, but He predicted future events that happened after His death as well.

1. His Words Would Be Everlasting

Jesus said that “heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). Jesus lived in the first century A.D with a few followers while His country was enslaved to Rome. He couldn’t spread His message using modern technology, and had no way to distribute His words to the rest of the world at the time but He knew His words would be everlasting. This prophecy has certainly been fulfilled as the Bible is the best-selling and most widely distributed book in the world. Millions of people have read the Bible which has been translated into 698 languages so far. The words of Jesus are still very relevant today as His offer of eternal life is to people of all future generations as well. Eternal life is obtained by joining the eternal priesthood of God called the Melchizedek Priesthood of which Jesus is in the position of high priest. “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38-39

2. Mary of Bethany

Mary of Bethany anticipated the death of Jesus and washed His feet with expensive oil. The disciples rebuked her, but Jesus stopped them and said she had done a good thing. “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for me. For the poor you have with you always; but you do not always have me. For when she poured this perfume upon my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” (Matthew 26:11-13). Jesus said her story would be told through the generations, and it has, even 2000 years later.

3. Jesus’ betrayal by one of His disciples and His disciples would all leave Him

And as they were eating, he said, “Truly I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.” And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began to say unto him every one, “Is it I, Lord?” (Matthew 26:21, 22). Judas was the disciple that betrayed Jesus. “While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:47, 48). Jesus said that after He was betrayed His disciples would leave Him even though they assured Him that they wouldn’t. “Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee” (Matthew 26:31, 32). This was fulfilled when Jesus was arrested. “Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.” (Matthew 26:56).

4. Peter would deny Him three times

Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “This very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times” (Matthew 26:33, 34). That was exactly what happened. “Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.” (Matthew 26:74, 75).

5. Jesus would Suffer at the hand of the religious rulers

“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes.” (Matthew 16:21). The religious rulers allowed Him to be beaten the night He was arrested. “The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” And they said many other insulting things to him (Luke 22:63-65).

6. Jesus would die in Jerusalem

Many attempts were made on Jesus’ life outside the gates of Jerusalem, but He said that that His death would take place inside Jerusalem. “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed.” (Matthew 16:21). “Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.” (Mark 15:40, 41).

7. Jesus would die at Passover by being crucified

Jesus knew when and how He would be killed, and that would be during Passover and by crucifixion. “You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” (Matthew 26:2). “It was the third hour when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (Mark 15:26, 27). “It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour.”Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.” (John 19:14-16).

8. Jesus would be resurrected from the dead on the third day

Jesus said that He would be resurrected three days after His crucifixion. “The Jews then said to him, “What sign do you show us as your authority for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking of the temple of his body. So when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.” (John 2:18-22). “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.” (Matthew 16:21). “After Jesus was crucified, the people remembered His prophecy. “On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember, while he was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise’ (Matthew 27:62,63). The religious leaders were the ones that had Jesus arrested and sent Him to Pilate for execution. After He died, Jesus rose on the third day, and the angel at His tomb confirmed the news. “He is not here; for he is risen, as he said” (Matthew 28:6).

9. The coming of The Holy Spirit

Although His disciples didn’t understand what it meant at the time, Jesus prophesied that The Holy Spirit would come and be their helper. “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26). This prophesy was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost just as Jesus said. “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).

10. Within One Generation the City of Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed.

“For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground “(Luke 19:43,44). But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near (Luke 21:20). These events occurred in the same generation that Jesus was speaking about. In 70 A.D, the city was surrounded and destroyed by a Roman called Titus. After invading Jerusalem, he also destroyed the temple. “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” (Matthew 24:34). “Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and his disciples came to him to show Him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down’ (Matthew 24:1, 2).