Claims of Unity

In presenting the prophecies of the first advent of Jesus, all the prophets played their part. This does not necessarily mean that every book of the Bible contains direct Messianic predictions, or that we have a record of predictions from each of the prophets whom God has used. It simply indicates that all of them introduced messages pertaining to the coming Savior in some phase of their work and teaching. “To Him give all the prophets witness.” Acts 10:43. “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David; as He spake by the mouth of His holy prophets, which have been since the world began.” Luke 1:68-70. “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” “And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me.” Luke 24:27, 44.APAY 10.1

Jesus showed no hesitancy in turning to the record of the prophets and tracing the complete, unified story of the coming Savior, which had been fulfilled in His own life. There was no need to set aside portions as inaccurate and others as needless. The prophets had not made mistakes; their testimonies needed no apology. With a directness characteristic of Bible writings, these men pointed out in detail the events of the life and ministry of Christ long centuries before He was born in Bethlehem. They vividly portrayed His character and told of the influence of His life on other men. From varying viewpoints, but without contradictions, they made hundreds of references to the coming One. All fitted together so perfectly that one can still trace the events and be more certain today than ever before of the common source of inspiration of all the prophets.APAY 10.2