The prophecies of the Bible are amazing. Eight hundred years before Jesus was born, the prophet Micah predicted His birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Then Caesar sent out a decree, as recorded in Luke 2:1, that all the world should be registered. So Mary left Nazareth and went to Bethlehem where she gave birth to Jesus, because her husband Joseph, a descendant of David, had to return to his birthplace for the census. Amazing!
You can turn to Psalm 22, which was written a thousand before the crucifixion of Christ, and find a detailed description of death by crucifixion. This was written before crucifixion was ever even known as a form of execution in Palestine. The Jews did not crucify; they stoned. Yet Psalm 22 records these words, “They pierced My hands and My feet” (22:16). It was prophesied that the soldiers would cast lots for His garments, ten centuries before the actual event (22:18). The Bible prophesied in Zechariah 12:10, “They will look on Me whom they pierced.” Of all the wounds that could contibute to death, this one would be unusual. But it happened! The Old Testament description sounds like the writer had been standing at the foot of the cross!
