Meet Your Biggest Booster,
Jesus!
Author, Roger W. Gruen
Publisher, Commendations Incorporated
Copyright 2010 by Commendations Incorporated
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All Rights Reserved.
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Boost Four
The Apostle Paul exhibited the attitude that true-believers have toward the Bible in one of his letters to a young preacher named Timothy...
...from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage — with great patience and careful instruction.
(NIV II Timothy 3:15-4:2)
I hope You will come to believe as Paul did. We Christians are sure that the Scriptures lead us to faith in Christ Jesus. That faith saves us from an Eternity in Hell. We are certain that the Scriptures were inspired by God. We study the Bible, because it prepares us to live the
Christian life of “good works”. We long for the promised Second Coming of the Lord, who will judge the “living and the dead” when He returns to Earth to set up His Kingdom.
What is Your opinion of the Bible? Do You revere it? Have You studied it? By sharing with You my thoughts about the accuracy of the Bible, I hope to encourage You to trust the Holy Book. I feel challenged as I write. I can only present the facts as I see them. If You are convinced, it will be due to the supernatural efforts of the Holy Spirit.
Why do I believe the Bible is a Message from God to my heart? The reasons are many. They are sprinkled throughout this book. Here is a concise list of what gives me confidence in the truth of the Scriptures:
1. The Bible is historically accurate. Though it is a compilation of the writings of many believers over many centuries, its assertions are right. Archaeologists and Historians probe its depths. They examine its every word for clues to the events and geography of ancient times. And, they have proved it to be a valid fountain of information. It has led them to excavate many of the sites documented in its pages. The artifacts and writings they have found corroborate the Scriptures.
2. The Bible Message is cohesive. The writers do not contradict each other. No, they present a consistent theme. The writings of each author reinforce the Messages of the others. A multitude of detailed predictions were included in the Scriptures. One by one, these prophecies have been fulfilled, leading Christians to trust the Holy Book and to anticipate the rest of the events forecasted by it. The Apostle Peter wrote...
...prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (NIV II Peter 1:21)
3. The Bible presents a logical explanation of the human condition. Pagan philosophers have toiled to promote other theories of the existence and purpose of God’s creation, but their work seems hollow when compared to the Message of the Bible.
4. The Bible is inspiring. It is an extension of the Lord. He understands You and me. He knows every thought we have. The author of the book of Hebrews stated this opinion well...
...the word of God is quick [alive], and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (KJV Hebrews 4:12)
5. The Bible’s recommendations work. Life is better when we heed the Bible’s commandments. As we compare Christians to unbelievers, we see that Christians are healthier, happier, live longer, and are eager to see what the future holds. They are confident that they will have a blessed Eternity.
Let’s consider how the Bible helped to shape one of the greatest men in history. The Apostle Peter was a prophet. He taught that Christ would return to Earth, someday, and reign over the entire planet. His confidence in this idea was bolstered by his understanding of Old Testament Writings. We can grasp his view of the Bible by analyzing the following passage. He wrote to his Christian readers...
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation... (NLT I Peter 1:3)
Note that Peter praised God
that each true-believer is “born again”. That’s why Christians say, “We live
with great expectation. Jesus came back from death; so will we!”
Peter added details of the “great expectation”. When we who are true-believers die, we will come...
...into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you [Christians], who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (NIV I Peter 1:4-5)
By the power of God, we Christians are kept ready to receive our salvation. It is reserved in Heaven for us. It will be revealed at the “last time”. Keep in mind that true-believers are “saved” at the moment they come to belief. Here, Peter spoke of the ultimate ramifications of true belief. The “saved” will receive the completion of their salvation in the “last time”.
Presently, we Christians rejoice in anticipation, even though we are buffeted by the troubles of this era...
So be truly glad [Christians, Peter advised]. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. (NLT I Peter 1:6-7)
Also, Peter knew that our steadfastness in Christ would bring praise and honor and glory to Jesus when He comes to reign.
You [Christians] love him [Jesus] even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. (NLT I Peter 1:8-9)
We Christians have never been as happy as we will be when we see Jesus.
What were the foundations of Peter’s belief in this glorious future? First, he was a follower of John the Baptist. Second, he was the foremost Apostle of Jesus, during His earthly ministry. And, third, Peter trusted the Old Testament Scriptures, implicitly. As he wrote of the magnificent salvation that God had prepared for Christians, Peter stated...
Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you [Christians], searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow. (NIV I Peter 1:10-11)
Peter alluded to the many passages in the Old Testament that had predicted the sufferings of Christ and Christ’s triumph over death. And, note, Peter believed that the Spirit of Christ was in those prophets who wrote their statements centuries before Jesus lived among us and died for us.
...were told that their messages were not for themselves, but for you [Christians]. And now this Good News has been announced to you by those who preached in the power of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It is all so wonderful that even the angels are eagerly watching these things happen. So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.
(NLT I Peter 1:12-13)
Christ divides history. True-believers in the Old Testament era looked forward to Jesus. We look back. But, every soul who makes it to Heaven will have been saved by Christ’s Great Sacrifice. The Old Testament saints pre-viewed the Cross in their animal sacrifices. God blessed their solemn offerings, allowing them to suffice as Substitutionary Sacrifices for their sins. Today, true-believers look back to the Ultimate Sacrifice at the Cross. We assemble at the Communion Table in remembrance of Christ’s sufferings.
Why do Bible students compile different counts when they enumerate the prophecies? Because, some “prophecies” are not fulfilled for centuries while others are fulfilled immediately. For instance, in a passage found in John, chapter 9, Jesus made a little clay from the earth at His feet and applied it to a blind man’s eyelids. He told the man to go to the pool of Siloam and wash his face and he would be able to see. The man went to the pool and washed and received his sight. Now, was Jesus prophesying in this case? Some say yes, some, no. But, no matter how they count them, all serious Bible readers agree that thousands of Bible prophecies have come true.
Recording words given to him by the Holy Spirit, Isaiah saw the Lord saying...
“When I say of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,’ he will certainly do as I say. He will command, ‘Rebuild Jerusalem’; he will say, ‘Restore the Temple.’” (NLT Isaiah 44:28)
As Isaiah wrote these words, Jerusalem was intact, as a strongly walled city, and the Temple, built by King Solomon, was in fine shape. Since Isaiah predicted that a fellow named Cyrus would give orders that Jerusalem and the Temple should be built, his prophecy implied that at some point, in the years between Isaiah’s prophecy and the days of Cyrus, the city and the Temple would be destroyed.
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus, his anointed one, whose right hand he will empower. Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear. Their fortress gates will be opened, never to shut again. This is what the LORD says: “I will go before you, Cyrus, and level the mountains. I will smash down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness — secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name. And why have I called you for this work? Why did I call you by name when you did not know me? It is for the sake of Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one. I am the LORD; there is no other God. I have equipped you for battle, though you don’t even know me, so all the world from east to west will know there is no other God. I am the LORD, and there is no other.
(NLT Isaiah 45:1-6)
We can only wonder how stunned Cyrus must have been when one of his advisors, a man named Daniel, showed him this prophecy about 180 years after Isaiah had recorded it. Daniel was, also, an Old Testament prophet. He had been forced to go to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar when he was a young man. Over the years in captivity, Daniel had acquired a reputation as a wise man of God. He served in Nebuchadnezzar’s court and then in Cyrus’ court. We can almost hear Cyrus exclaim, “How did that ancient prophet know my name, long before I was born?” Daniel must have explained to him the great accuracy of the Scriptures. Cyrus let everyone in his kingdom know of this prediction. As Isaiah said, everyone from the East to the West heard of Isaiah’s prophecy. Hopefully, You, too, are impressed by this uncanny prediction from the pages of the Bible.
This miraculous, historic episode gains importance as we read from the book written by Jeremiah. He was another prophet of God. He lived in Israel just prior to the beginning of the Captivity. He saw it coming...
...the LORD Almighty says this: “Because you [Israel] have not listened to my words, I will summon all the peoples of the north and my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon,” declares the LORD, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and make them an object of horror and scorn, and an everlasting ruin. I will banish from them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, the sound of millstones and the light of the lamp. This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation, the land of the Babylonians, for their guilt,” declares the LORD, “and will make it desolate forever.” (NIV Jeremiah 25:8-12)
From other passages in the Bible, we know that the Jews had, indeed, not “listened” to God’s words. In this passage Jeremiah lamented that fact. By the lifetime of Jeremiah the Jews had long since decided to disobey the sabbatical rules set forth by God. God had told them to let the land they farmed lay fallow every seventh year, and, after seven sabbatical years, to celebrate a “Year of Jubilee”, letting the land lay fallow for another year. By the time of the Captivity, Israel had skipped seventy sabbatical years. For that reason, God kept them in Captivity for seventy years. Jeremiah predicted the duration of the Captivity in advance.
The inspired historian who wrote the Second Book of Chronicles explained the Captivity in this way...
The few who survived were taken as exiles to Babylon, and they became servants to the king and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came to power. So the message of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said.
(NLT II Chronicles 36:20-21)
...the LORD says: “You [Israel] will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again.” (NLT Jeremiah 29:10)
Somehow, Daniel, still in Captivity in Babylon, obtained a copy of Jeremiah’s book. He commented in his own book...
In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom — in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. (NIV Daniel 9:1-2)
The end of the Captivity was detailed in the opening verses of the book written by another prophet, Ezra...
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”
(NIV Ezra 1:1-4)
So, the Temple and Jerusalem were re-built by the Israelites when they returned from Babylon. The new Temple was reconstructed from the ruins of the “First Temple”, which was built under the supervision of the famous Jewish king named Solomon. The reworked Temple is often referred to as the “Second Temple”.
Centuries after the "Second Temple" was completed, a ruthless king known as "Herod the Great" updated it. Allow me to say a word about this vile man. Probably, You have heard that this Herod was the king who received the "wise men" who came from the East, shortly after Jesus was born. Herod heard from them that a "King of the Jews" had been born. He summoned Bible scholars and asked them if they knew where the Messiah was to be born. The scholars indicated that the prophet Micah had given the Messiah's birthplace as Bethlehem. Soon after the “wise men” visited Jesus and returned to their own country, Herod ordered that all boys 2 years old and under, in the environs of Bethlehem, be killed. Jesus was spared, because Joseph, his step-father, had been warned in a dream to flee to Egypt with his wife and Son. This "Second Temple", as updated by Herod, was the one Jesus visited, often, when He was on Earth. Yet, in Jesus' day, a bit of Solomon's Temple remained. We read of Jesus teaching in a portion of the Temple called "Solomon's Porch".
So, You see, the destruction of Jerusalem, and its
reconstruction, was foretold by Hebrew prophets. These events occurred centuries before Jesus came to Earth. But, a second destruction of Jerusalem, an even more complete devastation of the city and the Temple, was, also, predicted by the prophets. That destruction came after Jesus had left Earth and ascended to Heaven. It occurred in 70 A.D. A Roman general named Titus sacked the city and completely dismantled it. He buried the remains of the city and planted crops on top of the heap. He arrested any surviving Jews he could catch and sold them into slavery, dispersing them throughout the ancient world.
Listen to me, you leaders of Israel! You hate justice and twist all that is right. You are building Jerusalem on a foundation of murder and corruption. You rulers make decisions based on bribes; you priests teach God’s laws only for a price; you prophets won’t prophesy unless you are paid. Yet all of you claim to depend on the LORD. “No harm can come to us,” you say, “for the LORD is here among us.” Because of you, Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field; Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins! A thicket will grow on the heights where the Temple now stands.
(NLT Micah 3:9-12)
Micah spoke of a time when Israel would be so corrupt that honest judgment would be hated and fairness would be perverted. The signs described by Micah remind us of the days when Jesus walked the Earth. Micah said that the leaders of Israel, in that day, would murder and do wicked deeds to enhance their power. We are reminded of the leaders who shed Jesus’ blood, without just cause. Micah said that the judges of that time would be bought with bribes and that the priests and the “prophets” of that day would favor those who paid them money. All the while, they would claim that God was on their side, protecting their interests. Again, we are reminded of Jesus’ days on Earth. Assuredly, Micah was speaking of Jesus’ era. About 40 years after Jesus was crucified, Titus de-constructed Jerusalem and the Temple. He heaped earth on the remains, plowed the city as a field, and planted a crop upon it.
Jesus echoed the prophecies of Micah and other Old Testament prophets. In Matthew we read...
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
(NIV Matthew 24:1-2)
In Luke, we read more of Jesus’ predictions about the impending destruction of Jerusalem. He said...
...this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written [in the Old Testament]. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
(NIV Luke 21:22-24)
...As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (NIV Luke 19:41-44)
So, Jesus declared that Jerusalem would be devastated because its citizenry did not acknowledge His visitation. They had rejected their Messiah.
What Micah had predicted 700 years in advance and Jesus had predicted 40 years ahead came true. Are You impressed? I hope so. The accuracy of the Bible is uncanny, because it is inspired!
The Bible predicted the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, followed by the dispersion of the Jewish people into the nations of the ancient world. Jews were scattered into every corner of the Earth, but, somehow, they maintained their identity as Jews. Unlike other clans that have been forced into slavery and flung to widely scattered regions and have inter-married and been absorbed by the people of their new homelands, the Jewish people clung to their traditions and culture and remained distinct. Even today, they maintain their identity. That, too, fulfills prophecy, for the Bible has long predicted that, at some moment in history, the Jews would return to Palestine. As we noted earlier, Jesus said...
Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (KJV Luke 21:24)
Jesus gave no date for when “the times of the Gentiles” would be fulfilled, but the word “until” in His prediction implied that “the times of the Gentiles” would come to an end, someday.
...the LORD will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people — those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands. He will raise a flag among the nations and assemble the exiles of Israel. He will gather the scattered people of Judah from the ends of the earth. (NLT Isaiah 11:11-12)
Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth...
(NIV Isaiah 43:5-6)
Jeremiah joined the theme, recording these words of the Lord...
...I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
(KJV Jeremiah 23:3)
...I will take you [Israel] from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
(KJV Ezekiel 36:24)
Today, these Old Testament prophecies are being fulfilled. Late in the nineteenth century, a few Jews founded the “Zionist Movement”. They began to urge Jews from every sector of the globe to move to their old homeland. The movement gained traction, slowly at first, but as the two world wars scourged Europe and anti-Semitism reached obnoxious proportions, the movement accelerated. Finally, in 1948, the United Nations passed an official declaration that created the modern Jewish state. Just as the Bible had predicted for thousands of years, Israel existed again.
Christians have watched these developments with great interest, for the Bible predicts that some “End-Time” events, near the Second Coming of Jesus to Earth, will take place in a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. For nearly 2000 years, there has been no Temple there. So, we who believe the Bible must conclude that the Jews will soon fulfill the “End-Time” prophecies and build a Third Temple.
The Bible says that an enormously important event will transpire in this new Temple. During the “End-Time” a wicked dictator will rule over the whole world. The Bible calls him the “Antichrist”. About 3 and 1/2 years before Christ returns to set up His world-wide Kingdom, according to the Apostle Paul, the Antichrist...
...will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.
(NLT II Thessalonians 2:4)
Many of the Bible’s prophecies speak of the life and times of Jesus. Some scholars count nearly 500 predictions, others, less. But, for sure, the Jews were expecting the Messiah when Jesus was born as a babe in Bethlehem. We will not make an exhaustive review of all the Messianic prophecies here. Many wonderful books have been written on the subject. But, I want to mention enough Messianic predictions for You to see the amazing accuracy of the Scriptures, in the hope that You will come to trust them.
About 1000 years before Jesus was born, one of his ancestors, King David, wrote a Psalm that contains many references to the Passion of Christ. Just think of it! This song was in Israel’s hymnal for a 1000 years, and, then, the events it foretold occurred. This is awesome! Here are the first eighteen verses of this song, Psalm 22. I have interrupted the text, occasionally, offering explanatory comments...
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? (NIV Psalm 22:1)
My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.
(NIV Psalm 22:2)
When Jesus was nailed to the Cross, the skies were
brightened by the sun. But, about noon, for 3 hours, a supernatural darkness enshrouded the globe. It was like night, but sinister. There was no light at all. Candles and torches would not ignite. An absolute curse of darkness prevailed. It terrified everyone. It was as if all humanity was blind. No one wanted to move, for fear of falling.
During this blackout, all the sins of all true-believers of all times were laid on Jesus, and when He died, those sins died with Him. It was too hideous for anyone to see. God turned off the light.
...made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, [Jesus, the very One] who knew no sin; [so] that we might be made the righteousness of God in [and through] him [Jesus].
(KJV II Corinthians 5:21)
There is a miraculous time-warp in this horrid, yet
wonderful, dark moment. This exchange of Jesus’
righteousness for the sins of believers was for humans of all times. It forgave the sins of Adam and Eve. It forgave the sins of Abraham and Sarah. It forgave the sins of David. It forgives the sins of believers of our era, and it will forgive the sins of believers yet to be born. Today, You may reach back into time and space and give Your sins to Jesus. He will give You His righteousness in return.
Yet you [Father] are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises.
(NIV Psalm 22:3)
Even God did not want to see those awful 3 hours when Jesus took the punishment of sinners on Himself. The Holy Father turned away from the gruesome sight. He remained in the realms of Heaven.
In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. (NIV Psalm 22:4-6)
Jesus, the man, meditated on His situation. Generally, God is responsive to the needs of His devout followers. But, Jesus was in pain, on the Cross, dying for sinners, and He received no relief. For His punishment to count, it had to be real. Jesus pondered Words that He Himself had used to describe the appearance of the lost souls who inhabit Hell. (Mark 9:43-46) He cried, “I am a worm!” Remember, the Scriptures say “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) Jesus experienced death on behalf of all those He saved by His Great Sacrifice. Then, He visited Hell, briefly, to throw off the load of sin He had assumed on the Cross. (Psalm 16:10)
All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. “He trusts in the LORD,” they say, “let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
(NIV Psalm 22:7-8)
The New Testament Gospels recount the events cataloged in these verses. Most of those who thronged to see the Crucifixion jeered at Jesus.
Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
(NIV Psalm 22:9-10)
Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me.
(NIV Psalm 22:11-13)
I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. (NIV Psalm 22:14-15)
What a horrid picture of Crucifixion! When David wrote this Psalm, crucifixion had not yet been conceived. A millennium later, the Romans were using it all over their empire. Yet, David describes it vividly. Jesus, the man, felt as useless as a smashed pot. He knew that His Great Good Deed had brought Him to this moment of death.
Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.
(NIV Psalm 22:16)
How savage did it get? Stray dogs were hungrily seeking the blood of Jesus. Wicked bystanders were excited by the distress of the Savior. And, amazingly, David saw Roman soldiers nailing Jesus to the rugged Cross a thousand years before it happened.
All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.
(NIV Psalm 22:17-18)
I hope that this discussion of Psalm 22 has caused You to grasp the magnificence of the Scriptures. Only God could have placed these details in the mind of David well before the time of their fulfillment. Truly, King David was led of the Lord to pen these words. But, he was not the only one to see the Passion of Christ in advance.
The prophet Isaiah lived about 700 years before Christ. Yet, he wrote some detailed predictions about the sufferings of the Messiah during the Passion. He quoted, in advance, the thoughts of Jesus...
I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. (NIV Isaiah 50:6)
Just as Isaiah forecasted, Jesus was flogged, and some of the soldiers who tormented Him yanked strands of His beard from His cheeks, and some of His enemies spit on Him in derision.
And, Isaiah saw that the Jews would be sharply divided in their opinions about Jesus. Some would seek to make Him their King, especially on Palm Sunday, at the beginning of Passion Week. Isaiah predicted, Jesus...
...shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. (KJV Isaiah 52:13)
But, in his next sentence, Isaiah spoke of how the Roman soldiers would batter Jesus, a few days later...
...many were amazed when they saw him. His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man. (NLT Isaiah 52:14)
He [Jesus] was despised and rejected — a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
(NLT Isaiah 53:3-5)
Isaiah captured, in his prophecy, the ambivalence of Jesus’ disciples as Jesus died for them on the Cross. It was a woeful scene. A few days earlier, Jesus had made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Now, He was despised and rejected. Many of His disciples were afraid to show themselves openly. They hid, when they should have been praising Him for the Great Work He was finishing for them. Remember, this Ultimate Sacrifice was offered to erase the sins of those of us who are true-believers; to help us shoulder the griefs we encounter in this cursed world; to succor us in times of sorrow. But, at the time of Christ’s suffering, most of His followers were morose. Jesus seemed to be smitten by God. In truth, He was taking the punishment we deserve for our sins. We are healed by His wounds.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
(KJV Isaiah 53:6)
You and I are like wayward sheep. Our flesh, the world, and the Devil have, at times, driven us away from God. Jesus is the cure for our rebellion. If we have placed our trust in Christ’s Sacrifice, all our iniquities have been laid on Him and erased from our record in the Book of Life.
He [Jesus] was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. (NIV Isaiah 53:7)
Unjustly condemned, he [Jesus] was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people. (NLT Isaiah 53:8)
Of course, Jesus had no wife and no children. By His death and His divinity, He was cut off from producing offspring. Yet, in a greater sense, He became the Head of the Family of God. Spiritually speaking, we who believe are children of the King, Jesus. We are the “people” for whom Jesus was “struck down”.
He [Jesus] had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave. (NLT Isaiah 53:9)
It is uncanny that Isaiah saw Jesus’ grave-site so many centuries in advance. A portion of Calvary Hill was a graveyard for the elite of Jewish society. The rich paid great sums of money to be buried there. Their tombs were caves carved in the rocky hill. Prominent Jewish leaders, who had become followers of Jesus, Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus, took the body of Jesus from the Cross just before sunset. Joseph had prepared an elegant tomb for himself in the Calvary Hill Cemetery. He elected to bury Jesus in his own tomb. So, as Isaiah had predicted, Jesus died as a criminal but was buried in a rich man’s grave.
But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him [Jesus] and cause him grief. Yet [Isaiah says, quoting God] when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the LORD’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.
(NLT Isaiah 53:10-11)
You and I are weak of mind compared to the Almighty. We find it difficult to understand God’s logic. Could He not have forgiven the sins of true-believers in another way? Must Jesus have made the Great Sacrifice? Yes! Our shortcomings in understanding this matter stem from our poor grasp of Holiness. Sin is an immense matter in God’s thinking. We trivialize it. Adam could say to himself, “All I did was eat a piece of fruit.” We can say, “All I did was tell a lie.” But, God says that if You have one unforgiven sin noted in the records kept in Heaven, You can not enter there. That is profound. So, God determined that the Great Sacrifice was essential. He made Jesus the offering for sin. Jesus’ work yielded enormous benefits. He has many spiritual children in His flock. He will be satisfied with the results of His suffering.
Therefore [God says] I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (NIV Isaiah 53:12)
No doubt, Jesus deserves the highest honor among all who have lived. He died for His followers. Here, Isaiah referred to the “strong” spiritual movements that would influence humanity: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, New-Age Sophistry, and so on. Each of these would claim a segment of mankind, the “spoils” of each belief system. Jesus would get His share of souls and take them to Heaven. Other souls, having been captured by erroneous belief systems, would careen into Hell. Further, Isaiah predicted, Jesus would willingly share Calvary Hill with “transgressors”. As He hung there, between the two criminals who would be crucified with Him, He would bear the sins of many. Not all! Looking back at the Cross, through the eyes of the New Testament, we know that Jesus took one of those criminals to Paradise with Himself that very day. (Luke 23:43) He interceded with God the Father, convincing Him to accept His Sacrifice as the payment for that criminal’s sins.
The passages we have examined predicted many of the details of Jesus’ Passion experience. Only a divinely produced Book could contain so many accurate prophecies. In addition to these lengthy passages, many other previews of Jesus’ life are found sprinkled throughout the Old Testament. Writers of the New Testament were dedicated to showing how the events of Jesus’ life echoed Old Testament predictions. Let’s review some of these events, comparing Mew Testament passages to their antecedents.
· Jesus was born of a virgin. Matthew, an Apostle, noted that an angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph...
...in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
(NIV Matthew 1:20-23)
...the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (KJV Isaiah 7:14)
· Jesus was born in Bethlehem...
...Joseph...went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
(KJV Luke 2:4-7)
...thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (KJV Micah 5:2)
Micah mentioned that the child to be born in Bethlehem, Jesus, had existed “from everlasting”. Of course, Jesus was “in the beginning” with God. (John 1:1-2)
· Young Jesus was taken to Egypt...
After the wise men were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up! Flee to Egypt with the child and his mother,” the angel said. “Stay there until I tell you to return, because Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” That night Joseph left for Egypt with the child and Mary, his mother, and they stayed there until Herod’s death. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” (NLT Matthew 2:13-15)
...out of Egypt I called my son.
(NIV Hosea 11:1)
· Herod killed the baby boys of Bethlehem...
Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the [Nativity] star’s first appearance. Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: “A cry was heard in Ramah — weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children, refusing to be comforted, for they are dead.” (NLT Matthew 2:16-18)
Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not. (KJV Jeremiah 31:15)
· Jesus’ ministry was introduced by a prophet...
...the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God’s salvation.’” (NIV Luke 3:2-6)
A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
(NIV Isaiah 40:3-5)
· Jesus did many miracles, such as those described by Matthew, the Apostle...
The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. (KJV Matthew 11:5)
...the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy...
(NIV Isaiah 35:5-6)
· On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem upon a donkey...
...they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
(KJV Mark 11:7-10)
Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey — riding on a donkey’s colt. (NLT Zechariah 9:9)
· Jesus was betrayed by a friend...
...while he [Jesus] yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.
(KJV Luke 22:47)
Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me. (NIV Psalm 41:9)
· Jesus was “sold” for 30 pieces of silver...
Then one of the Twelve — the one called Judas Iscariot — went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. (NIV Matthew 26:14-15)
...they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. (KJV Zechariah 11:12)
· Jesus was falsely convicted of being a criminal...
...with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.
(KJV Mark 15:27-28)
...he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (KJV Isaiah 53:12)
· Jesus’ hands and feet were pierced. The evening after His Resurrection, Jesus appeared to His Apostles, but Thomas was not there...
So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (NIV John 20:25-27)
...the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me [Jesus]: they pierced my hands and my feet. (KJV Psalm 22:16)
· A plague of darkness hid the murder of Jesus...
...from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
(KJV Matthew 27:45)
...it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day...
(KJV Amos 8:9)
· Jesus’ bones were not broken...
...the soldiers...broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. (This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account. He speaks the truth so that you also can believe.) These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, “Not one of his bones will be broken...”
(NLT John 19:32-36)
...he [God] protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.
(NIV Psalm 34:20)
· On the Cross, Jesus was offered vinegar and gall...
Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips.
(NLT John 19:28-29)
They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst. (NIV Psalm 69:21)
· Jesus’ executioners gambled for His clothes...
When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
(NIV Matthew 27:35)
They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.
(NIV Psalm 22:18)
· Jesus’ side was pierced...
...one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. (NIV John 19:34)
On that day [when I return to Earth to defeat the Antichrist and his armies] I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem. And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn... (NIV Zechariah 12:9-10)
· Jesus was raised from the dead...
“Don’t be alarmed,” he [an angel] said [to the ladies who had come to improve the funeral wrappings of Jesus]. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
(NIV Mark 16:6)
Psalm 16 has contained these words of Jesus for centuries...
...you [Father] will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (NIV Psalm 16:10-11)
What a preponderance of evidence! God inspired the prophets to set down these facts about Jesus for 2 reasons; to convince You and me of the accuracy of the Bible and to engender an air of expectancy in the believers of the Old Testament era.
End-Time Prophecies
Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are replete with predictions about the “End-Time”, the end of the era in which we live. Of course, many of these prophecies have yet to be fulfilled. I’ll discuss them in more detail in the next chapter. Here, I’ll show You the remarkable, miraculous nature of the Bible.
One of the most amazing books in the Bible was written by Daniel. He lived about 6 centuries before Christ, but God gave him a vision of the end of our era, known in Bible terms as the “last days”. In the 2600 years since the days of Daniel, some of his predictions have come to pass, but we are still looking forward to the fulfillment of the rest of them.
I came near unto one of them [the angels] that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things. These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. (KJV Daniel 7:16-18)
Daniel continued...
Then I wanted to know the meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws — the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. I also wanted to know about the ten horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three of them fell — the horn that looked more imposing than the others and that had eyes and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
(NIV Daniel 7:19-20)
Daniel wanted details of the events shown to him. So do we. Some of these are explained in the New Testament. Others, we will not understand until they transpire. Today, many Bible-believers think we are in the era of the fourth beast. I do too. This period began with the formulation of the Roman Empire which has influenced the flow of history for 2 millennia.
Daniel’s visions are echoed by John’s visions recorded in The Revelation. By combining both sets of visions, we know that the fourth kingdom will morph into 10 divisions, or “horns”, at some point in the future. These will vie for power. Then, a mysterious politician will appear on the world’s stage, grabbing his power from 3 of the 10 “horns”. He will have an awesome appearance and a powerful, oratorical manner of speaking. He will become the
dominant figure in world politics. The New Testament prophets called him the “Antichrist”.
I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. (KJV Daniel 7:21-22)
...he [the angel] said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (KJV Daniel 7:23-25)
The fourth kingdom, the era since the founding of the Roman Empire, will eventually devolve into 10 kingdoms. Then, the dreadful Antichrist will come to power and subdue 3 of these kingdoms. He will speak “great” words against the “Most High” and seek to destroy any who worship God. He will change the calendar and laws related to holidays. He will not want the Jewish Saturday Sabbath or the Christian Sunday to be observed. He will despise Christmas and Easter. And, he will have his way for “a time”, 1 year, and “times”, 2 years, and the “dividing of times”, a half year. But, after this 3 and 1/2 year period, he will behave like a madman. As we shall see in a later chapter, the New Testament writers give us additional details about the Antichrist. He will declare that he himself is god and require that all mankind worship him. Then, terrible judgments will befall the whole globe for 3 and 1/2 years. The Antichrist will try to kill all who refuse his deification. Many of those who resist him will flee to Jerusalem. With great rage, the Antichrist will gather the armies of all nations and attack the Holy City. He will overthrow it, but at that point, Jesus will return to Earth to intervene.
But then the court [of Heaven] will pass judgment, and all his [the Antichrist’s] power will be taken away and completely destroyed. Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His [Jesus’] kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him. (NLT Daniel 7:26-27)
Jesus and the saints will take charge of planet Earth. And, as we shall see in the next chapter, the Antichrist and his followers will be cast into Hell. The 1000 year Kingdom described in the New Testament will dawn.
Yes, Bible-believers have known for 26 centuries that the political systems of mankind will yield a one-world government. Their Bibles told them so. And, for the last 20 centuries, Bible-believers have known that the wicked, global empire of the Antichrist will be followed by a wonderful global Kingdom, under King Jesus. The Lord Himself taught us to pray for this Kingdom to come. For centuries, true-believers have prayed, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)
So, You see, the Bible is a unique Book. It is accurate. Its Message is cohesive. Each of the 66 books ratifies the others. The Bible presents a logical explanation of the human condition. It is inspiring, because it is written by the One who knows everything; the One who made You and me. And, it is practical. Those who read it and heed it are blessed. I hope You are impressed. Embrace the Holy Book in faith and You will reap profit from it, throughout Eternity.
