In the Old Testament, there are 300 references to 61 prophecies about the coming Messiah. Matthew 21 includes the Messianic prophecy from Zechariah 9:9. Jesus very specifically and intentionally instructs His disciples to bring Him the donkey to fulfill this prophecy. An unbeliever may say, “Donkeys were a common form of transportation at the time. This very well could have been a coincidence.” Dr. Peter Stoner, mathematician and scientist, would disagree. Dr. Stoner used probability to evaluate eight Messianic prophecies and the likelihood they could be accomplished by one man. The probability of one man’s fulfilling eight of the 61 prophecies was 1 in 10¹⁷. Another way to think of that number would be to lay out silver dollars two feet deep covering the state of Texas. Mark one of these with a star, and the likelihood of a blind man finding it is the same as the likelihood that eight of 61 Messianic prophecies could be fulfilled in one man.

Our Sovereign Savior requested that donkey, knowing the same voices shouting “Hosanna” one day would turn to “Crucify Him” the next. In each fulfilled prophecy, in each step toward Jerusalem, you can hear the love song of redemption and how Christ chose to save all of humanity.

• Has anyone ever questioned your faith or said that events in the Bible didn’t actually happen? How did you respond?
• What would you want to do differently next time?