THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS
A Based Consideration for Skeptics and Believers
Christmas is a season of wonder, mystery, and hope. For Christians, it celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah foretold in ancient prophecies. But let’s be honest: for skeptics, it can feel like a nice story wrapped in sentimentality—a sort of ancient Hallmark moment rather than a historical event with profound implications.
Yet, what if we considered those ancient prophecies not as mere folklore but as intentional signs pointing to something extraordinary? And what if we approached their fulfillment with the same logic and scrutiny we apply to the great mysteries of our time? Could the birth of Jesus really be the culmination of divine planning, visible in the tangled threads of history and scripture?
Let’s unwrap this mystery together, diving into the incredible odds of these prophecies aligning in the person of Jesus. Along the way, we’ll also explore how their fulfillment offers a profound message about your worth, my worth, and the immeasurable intentionality of God.
Eight Prophecies and Their Secular Contexts
Over 300 prophecies in the Old Testament are believed to point to the Messiah. Here are eight particularly compelling ones, along with approximate dates of composition established through secular scholarship. Consider that these writings emerged in an era without modern communication, where ideas were confined to specific cultures and shared by only a select few. Additionally, each prophecy’s fulfillment carries evidence or credible accounts that strengthen its case.
The Birthplace (Micah 5:2)
Prophecy: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel.”
Date: Written around 700 BC, as determined by linguistic analysis and historical context.
Fulfillment: The Gospels of Matthew and Luke independently identify Bethlehem as Jesus’ birthplace, verified by early Christian traditions and consistent with Roman census records requiring Joseph and Mary to travel to their ancestral town. Archaeological evidence confirms Bethlehem’s existence as a historic village during this period.
Remarkable: Bethlehem was a small, insignificant town—a highly unlikely choice for the birthplace of a great ruler.
The Virgin Birth (Isaiah 7:14)
Prophecy: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Date: Written between 740-700 BC, based on historical references to the reigns of Judah’s kings.
Fulfillment: Both Matthew and Luke explicitly reference Mary’s virginity in their accounts, a claim corroborated by early Christian writings and universally held in the early Church despite its controversial nature. The virgin birth’s theological implications also align with the claim of divine intervention. While modern skeptics debate its possibility, the persistence of this claim in early Christianity—despite societal skepticism—lends it credibility.
Remarkable: Such a miraculous event defies natural explanation and adds an element of divine intentionality.
The Lineage (Genesis 49:10)
Prophecy: “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come.”
Date: Estimated at around 1400 BC, based on oral tradition and early Hebrew writings.
Fulfillment: Jesus’ genealogies in Matthew and Luke both trace his lineage through Judah. This lineage was carefully preserved by Jewish tradition, and its accuracy is supported by the emphasis placed on genealogical records in first-century Jewish culture.
Remarkable: This prophecy emphasizes a specific tribal lineage long before centralized kingdoms emerged.
The Descendant of David (2 Samuel 7:12-13)
Prophecy: “I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, your own flesh and blood, and I will establish his kingdom.”
Date: Written around 1000 BC during King David’s reign, as evidenced by archaeological and historical analysis.
Fulfillment: Both genealogies of Jesus in the New Testament affirm his descent from David, a claim that aligns with Jewish messianic expectations. Early Jewish-Christian controversies do not dispute this lineage, suggesting its authenticity was widely recognized.
Remarkable: This promise connects the Messiah to a royal lineage recognized throughout Jewish history.
The Timeframe (Daniel 9:24-27)
Prophecy: Predicts the Messiah’s arrival and death before the destruction of the Second Temple.
Date: Written around 530 BC, based on the book’s Babylonian exile context.
Fulfillment: Jesus’ ministry occurred in the first century AD, and his death predates the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70. The timeline aligns remarkably well with Daniel’s prophetic vision, and the precision of this timeframe adds weight to its authenticity.
Remarkable: The Second Temple’s destruction is a well-documented historical event that underscores this prophecy’s accuracy.
The Betrayal (Zechariah 11:12-13)
Prophecy: “They paid me thirty pieces of silver… and the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter.’”
Date: Written around 500 BC, confirmed by historical and linguistic evidence.
Fulfillment: The Gospels record Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, which he later threw into the temple and which was used to purchase a potter’s field. The specificity of the amount and subsequent actions align strikingly with Zechariah’s prophecy. Early Christian writings reference this event consistently, indicating its historical significance.
Remarkable: This prophecy matches Judas’ betrayal of Jesus, including the exact sum and subsequent events.
The Crucifixion (Psalm 22:16-18)
Prophecy: “They pierce my hands and my feet… They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”
Date: Written around 1000 BC, during King David’s reign.
Fulfillment: The Gospels describe Roman soldiers casting lots for Jesus’ clothing during the crucifixion, an event corroborated by the historical Roman practice of dividing a prisoner’s belongings. Crucifixion as a method of execution did not exist in David’s time, making this prophecy remarkably prescient. Archaeological evidence and historical records of Roman crucifixion further support this fulfillment.
Remarkable: This describes crucifixion centuries before it was a known form of execution.
The Resurrection (Psalm 16:10)
Prophecy: “You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.”
Date: Written around 1000 BC, attributed to King David.
Fulfillment: The resurrection of Jesus is central to Christian belief, with early disciples proclaiming it despite persecution. The empty tomb and numerous post-resurrection appearances recorded in multiple sources lend credibility to this event. Jewish and Roman sources acknowledge the rapid spread of this belief, even among skeptics.
Remarkable: This prophecy aligns with the resurrection claim central to Christianity.
Probability and the Power of Numbers
Let’s talk math. Dr. Peter Stoner, a mathematician, calculated the odds of just eight of these messianic prophecies being fulfilled in one person. The result? One in 10 to the 17th power—that’s a one followed by 17 zeros. To visualize this, imagine covering the state of Texas with silver dollars two feet deep. Mark one coin, blindfold yourself, and pick it at random. The odds of picking the marked coin are the same as one person fulfilling eight prophecies.
Now, consider that Jesus fulfilled not just eight but over 300 prophecies. The magnitude of this probability staggers the imagination. If fulfilling eight prophecies is akin to finding one marked coin in Texas, fulfilling 300 is like finding a single atom in the observable universe—a space so vast it contains an estimated 10^80 atoms. At some point, the "just a coincidence" argument collapses under the weight of statistical impossibility. Chance ceases to be an explanation. Intentionality becomes the only reasonable conclusion.
This astonishing probability invites us to confront a profound question: What kind of power or purpose could orchestrate such precision over centuries, through different writers, cultures, and contexts? The fulfillment of these prophecies points to a divine authorship—one whose intentionality is not only visible in mathematics but also written into the fabric of history itself. Numbers don’t lie, but they do invite us to wonder: Could all of this be pointing us to Christ, the Messiah?
The Cosmic Canvas
The universe itself whispers of divine intentionality. Picture the cosmos: billions of galaxies spinning in perfect balance, stars igniting in bursts of radiant energy, and planets orbiting with clockwork precision. Within this vast expanse, the fine-tuning of physical constants stands as a marvel of improbable calibration.
Consider the force of gravity, the charge of an electron, or the speed of light. Scientists like Stephen Hawking and Paul Davies have noted that if even one of these constants were slightly different, life as we know it would be impossible. The odds of such perfection are staggering, yet here we are, contemplating them.
Take the expansion rate of the universe after the Big Bang. If it had been slower by just one part in 10^55, the universe would have collapsed under its own gravity. Faster by the same fraction, and no stars or galaxies would have formed. Imagine threading a needle from across the galaxy—such is the precision required. It’s as if the universe itself was calibrated with life in mind.
Even more astonishing, this vast and intricate cosmos is home to us—creatures capable of perceiving its beauty, pondering its mysteries, and yearning for its Creator. The heavens declare the glory of God, and every fine-tuned constant seems to echo His voice: “You were made for this, and I made this for you.”
The Biological Blueprint
Life itself amplifies this wonder with staggering precision and beauty. Imagine a single cell—so small it would take over a million to cover the head of a pin—yet within it lies a universe of complexity. At its heart is the human genome, a molecular masterpiece containing over 3 billion base pairs of DNA. These sequences hold the instructions for everything from the rhythm of your heartbeat to the hue of your eyes.
This microscopic library doesn’t just suggest order; it shouts it. Every strand of DNA encodes a language, a code so intricate and precise that its origins defy the notion of randomness. It is not merely biological data but a symphony of information that sustains life itself.
Francis Collins, who led the Human Genome Project, calls DNA the “language of God,” a poetic yet profound acknowledgment of its purpose and design. DNA’s elegant architecture reflects not only intentionality but artistry—a divine script written into the fabric of creation.
The odds of such complexity arising by chance are so astronomically slim that even the most skeptical mind must pause. Could such precision and creativity emerge from chaos? Or does it echo the same intentionality seen in prophecy and history—a whisper from the Creator that life, like the cosmos, is no accident but a gift?
Life’s complexity is not a contradiction to faith but an invitation to awe. It is as though the Creator encoded in our very being a message: “You are fearfully and wonderfully made.” And this same intentionality, woven into the tapestry of biology, points us back to the manger—to the One who entered this intricate creation to redeem it.
The Moral Universe
If the physical and biological universes reflect order, what about the moral universe? Humanity has an innate sense of good and evil, justice and injustice—an awareness so universal it transcends culture, religion, and philosophy. From the earliest cave paintings to modern blockbuster films, the human story has always been framed by a shared moral drama. We celebrate heroes who sacrifice for the good of others, and we abhor villains who act out of greed or malice. Why do we instinctively recognize these distinctions?
Consider the billions spent annually on movies and books that depict battles of good versus evil. Whether it’s the courage of Frodo in The Lord of the Rings or the redemption of Tony Stark in Avengers: Endgame, these stories resonate deeply because they reflect a moral framework we all share. It’s as though the very fabric of human consciousness is attuned to the principles of justice, mercy, and sacrifice.
Cecil B. DeMille famously said, “We cannot break the Ten Commandments. We can only break ourselves against them.” This truth is punctuated in every biography, every story of triumph or tragedy. History’s greatest failures—from personal betrayals to global injustices—stem from disregarding this moral order. Our brokenness often arises when we presume to redefine right and wrong on our terms, disregarding a moral and spiritual order that exists independently of our preferences.
This universal moral law points beyond us. It suggests that we are not the authors of morality but its stewards, living in a universe imbued with purpose and accountability. Without such a lawgiver, moral distinctions lose their grounding and become arbitrary. Yet, this shared understanding persists, regardless of time, place, or belief system. As Saint Paul wrote in Romans 2:15, the law is “written on their hearts.”
Could this moral awareness be a signpost pointing to our Creator? The same God who ordered the stars and encoded DNA also imprinted His law within us. This moral compass calls us to something higher, reminding us that we are not only created by God but called to reflect His justice, mercy, and love.
Identity and Fulfillment in a Consumer-Driven World
At the heart of the Christmas story is the search for identity and fulfillment—a pursuit often exploited during this season. Advertisers whisper to us that we are incomplete and offer products as the answer. Yet, if we are honest, how often do those offerings truly satisfy? Each fleeting promise of happiness leaves us yearning for more. Could it be that we were made not simply for more, but of more?
Colossians 1 proclaims that in Christ, “all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible… All things have been created through him and for him.” Christmas is Christ breaking into our world of unfulfillment and amnesia, awakening us to our unsurpassed nature in God. He reveals our capacity for the deepest desires of intimacy—to know and to be known.
This is why Christ came into the world, with all the signs and wonders pointing to Him. Faith does not demand we disregard science or verifiable facts but invites us to engage with them. They all point to Christ and our being created in and for Him. All that remains is to receive the gift.
Wonder and Worth
So this Christmas, whether you approach the manger with faith, doubt, or a mix of both, let the story invite you into wonder. Consider the improbability of the universe itself, the intricate complexity of life, and the fulfillment of ancient prophecies in Jesus. Reflect on what it says about a God who leaves nothing to chance. And marvel at the idea that this same God looks at you with intentionality and says, “You are worth it.”
Perhaps it’s not so much a question of whether we can believe, but whether we can allow ourselves to wonder again. After all, the greatest mysteries—from the alignment of stars to the alignment of prophecies—are not puzzles to be solved but gifts to be received. This Christmas, believe.
Merry Christmas.