Photo courtesy of John Morgan.

We hope you enjoy this re-post from December 25, 2012. Be blessed! The Today’s Quote From God Team

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. – Michah 5:2, KJV

For centuries the “smart people” of society have called into question the reality of Christ’s birth, life, sacrifice and resurrection. In recent years, they’ve taken their assault into the Christmas season, doing everything in their power to take the “Christ” out of “Christmas.” No matter how successful the “smart people” become at controlling the Christmas narrative, they will never be able to take away the mathematical reality of Jesus Christ’s existence.

In the mid-20th century, scientist Peter Stoner authored the book, Science Speaks. Stoner served as Chairman of the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy at Pasadena City College until 1953. He also served as Chairman of the science division at Westmont College from 1953-57. In Science Speaks, Stoner analyzed the statistical probabilities surrounding Jesus Christ’s fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. He found that the odds of one man fulfilling just eight of the Old Testament prophecies was one in one hundred million billion, or 10 to the 17th power. (Source, The Case for Christ, pg. 183, original source, Science Speaks). To better describe what these odds mean, Stoner devised the following metaphor:

“Suppose that we take 10 to the 17th power silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man.”

As if this number was not high enough, Stoner proceeded to calculate the odds of one man in history fulfilling forty-eight of the Old Testament prophecies pertaining to the Messiah. This number equates to one chance in a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion. This number is equal to the number of minuscule atoms in a trillion, trillion, trillion, trillion, billion universes the size of our universe, a number that is truly impossible for the human mind to comprehend. (Stroebel, The Case for Christ, pg. 183)

The Old Testament records not eight, not forty-eight, but more than three hundred prophecies concerning the first advent of the Messiah. Jesus Christ completely fulfilled each and every one of them. It is simply inarguable that Jesus Christ is exactly who he claimed to be, the Son of God and the Savior of the world!

Jesus Christ is real. The math proves it. But, more importantly, He proves it every day by transforming lives of despair and destruction into lives of joy and hope.

If you have received Christ as your Savior, then you have already received the greatest gift anyone can give you – eternal life. So before you enjoy a gift exchange this Christmas Day with your loved ones, take time to thankfully meditate upon the event that made that most precious of gifts possible – the very birth of our Lord.

Happy Birthday, Lord!