How do Christians reconcile their faith with prophecies that Jesus didn't fulfill?

[unsure_one]

I am looking into Christianity but can't get past some of these unfulfilled prophecies.

Here's a list of a few: https://www.reddit.com/r/atheism/wiki/thelist

The idea that Jesus is the Messiah rests on Him having fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament. If He didn't fulfill some, doesn't that exclude Him from being the Messiah?

 

[vinsight4u]

Many of those listed are set in the future.

 

[unsure_one]

Many of those listed are set in the future.

How do you know?

 

[vinsight4u]

/

 

[dysert]

I believe that all the prophecies that were meant to be fulfilled by this time have been. (There are still some OT prophecies that remain to be fulfilled that will be fulfilled sometime in the future.)

 

[graceandpeace]

I don't place much emphasis on prophecy.

I think what many early Christians did was re-assess the OT in light of Jesus. It was in the stories & imagery of the past that helped Christians make sense of Jesus's message & ministry. For example, Isaiah 53, a commonly cited "prophecy" passage, in its context is about Israel's suffering. Christians read this passage & see Jesus's suffering, for Israel & the whole world.

Ultimately, it just doesn't matter whether one thinks the OT predicted Jesus or not. What matters to Christians is the example Jesus left for us.

 

[unsure_one]

I don't place much emphasis on prophecy.

I think what many early Christians did was re-assess the OT in light of Jesus. It was in the stories & imagery of the past that helped Christians make sense of Jesus's message & ministry. For example, Isaiah 53, a commonly cited "prophecy" passage, in its context is about Israel's suffering. Christians read this passage & see Jesus's suffering, for Israel & the whole world.

Ultimately, it just doesn't matter whether one thinks the OT predicted Jesus or not. What matters to Christians is the example Jesus left for us.

How can you believe Jesus is the Messiah without believing that He fulfilled OT prophecy?

 

[unsure_one]

I believe that all the prophecies that were meant to be fulfilled by this time have been. (There are still some OT prophecies that remain to be fulfilled that will be fulfilled sometime in the future.)

But how do you know which are which?

 

[unsure_one]

They are timed for when Jesus Christ returns or later even as to
when He will set up His kingdom on this earth for the millennium.

Isaiah 2:12 places the time as -the day of the Lord
Other verses show this day won't begin until the great
tribulation has ended and it is time for the church to leave
the earth-meeting Jesus Christ in the air.
Zephaniah 3:9 is also yet to come as God's wrath will begin first.
This will require the 6th seal to be opened and the 7th trumpet
to sound first. This trumpet is after the great tribulation and brings the event of rewarding the saints, which according to Luke
14:14 is when the just will rise from the dead.
The part as to people - plural sense -speaking a pure language
seems to fit with Rev. 14 where an angel..not an eagle -will go
flying and having the everlasting gospel to preach to every
nation -every tongue. Rev. 14 begins at the time of way after
Armageddon is fought.

When you see the words like - day of Christ...day of the Lord...
that day...it shall come to pass...when...then...it shall be...after...,
they are showing events set for specific times.

But wasn't the day of the Lord supposed to occur when the Messiah came? Wasn't that the point of the prophecy?

 

[Shimshon]

But wasn't the day of the Lord supposed to occur when the Messiah came? Wasn't that the point of the prophecy?

Yes, he fulfilled all that was written about him in regards to the forgiveness of sins. When he returns he will fulfill all the rest that deal with judgment and restoration. He made the way, stood at the door and has been calling his own to enter ever since. Because he will return to complete ALL that was foretold to happen in regards to redemption. We have a hope for a future salvation. This hope comes from faith in what he has accomplished, flawlessly.

 

[vinsight4u]

/

 

[Hieronymus]

I believe that all the prophecies that were meant to be fulfilled by this time have been.

Why?

 

[vinsight4u]

/

 

[Hieronymus]

But wasn't the day of the Lord supposed to occur when the Messiah came? Wasn't that the point of the prophecy?

He will come again, so yes.

 

[unsure_one]

He will come again, so yes.

But isn't that an easy answer? All the prophecies Jesus fulfilled you can say "look He fulfilled those prophecies therefore he must be the Messiah". Any prophecies He didn't fulfill? "Oh, he'll do those later".

 

[Hieronymus]

But isn't that an easy answer? All the prophecies Jesus fulfilled you can say "look He fulfilled those prophecies therefore he must be the Messiah". Any prophecies He didn't fulfill? "Oh, he'll do those later".

Why is it "easy"?
And what's wrong with "easy" anyway?

 

[Shimshon]

But isn't that an easy answer? All the prophecies Jesus fulfilled you can say "look He fulfilled those prophecies therefore he must be the Messiah". Any prophecies He didn't fulfill? "Oh, he'll do those later".

it's not that simple. The reason those prophecies were not fulfilled was because they spoke of something other than the prophecies that deal with his sacrifice.

If I told you that first I would prepare the food, then the next day I would cook it. And the first day comes, and I prepare and gather all the food needed for cooking. Why would you not believe I would return the next day to cook?

 

[unsure_one]

Why is it "easy"?
And what's wrong with "easy" anyway?

It's an easy excuse for why Jesus didn't fulfill some of the prophecies: "He'll do them later."

What if every person in history who claimed to be the Messiah could do that?

"I know I didn't fulfill all of the prophecies about me, but I'll do the rest next time." would not be a good excuse.

 

[unsure_one]

it's not that simple. The reason those prophecies were not fulfilled was because the spoke of something other than the prophecies that deal with his sacrifice.

If I told you that first I would prepare the food, then the next day I would cook it. And the first day comes, and I prepare and gather all the food needed for cooking. Why would you not believe I would return the next day to cook?

The prophecies don't appear (to me) to be divided that cleanly into "these prophecies first" and "those prophecies later", but it's something to think about and I will re-read the Old Testament with this in mind.

 

[vinsight4u]

The prophecies don't appear (to me) to be divided that cleanly into "these prophecies first" and "those prophecies later", but it's something to think about and I will re-read the Old Testament with this in mind.

Also note when it says - latter end - latter days.