| The Messiah |
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THE TANGIBLE, UNSCAPABLE, UNDENIABLE PROOF OF THE SUPERNATURAL INSPIRATION OF THE BIBLE IS ITS FULFILLED PROPHECIES, AMONG WHICH ARE THE PROPHECIES ABOUT THE MESSIAH, THE KING OF ISRAEL, FULFILLED BY JESUS OF NAZARETH. THE CENTRAL THEME of the Bible is The Messiah. The Messiah is a promised King of Israel, who would save all his people, and destroy all his adversaries. The Messiah is the one who will solve all the problems of the world, and eliminate all sadness, and wipe all tears. Who will destroy all wickedness, and judge all evil, bringing about an everlasting kingdom of unknown happiness. The Messiah is not only the King of Israel, but He will conquer all the world, and He is the King of the World, eliminating all injustice and bringing everlasting peace. The Messiah will even destroy DEATH, giving everlasting life to all his people. Evidently, the only one who can do all these things is GOD ALONE, YAHWEH ALONE. As we will see, the scriptures also show that this MESSIAH is GOD, indeed. The Jewish Scriptures, or TANAKH, are what Christians know as the "Old Testament". These are filled with prophecies about a coming King, a Ruler of Israel, an "anointed one" (Messiah, or Christ), who would lead God's people and establish His righteous Kingdom, FOREVER. These prophecies are quite specific. The one who fulfilled these specific prophecies is JESUS of Nazareth. For this reason, we know that JESUS is God, who came in human form to dwell among us, whom we killed (we didn't like him), and who resurrected and who reigns forever, just as it was foretold. And who are HIS PEOPLE?. In ancient times, God chose a nation among all other nations, whom was favored above all others, to be HIS PEOPLE. This nation is ISRAEL. God gave His Law (The Torah, the first five books of the Bible) to be The Law in Israel. But the people of Israel didn't obey God, and constantly rebelled against him, and against the prophets God sent them, to show them the will of God. They beat up some of the prophets, and killed others. They transformed the Perfect Law (Torah) that God had given them, into a bunch of countless regulations, directly opposing what God had commanded since the beginning. But still, they felt superior to all other nations, thinking that because they were born in Israel, they were automatically God's people, regardless of how evil they were. So God decreed and showed to the world that membership in Israel was not gained by being born an Israelite, but by obeying His Commandments. So God came to earth, indwelling the person of JESUS OF NAZARETH, who lived in Israel and preached to Israel the right way of God. Israel killed Jesus, but Jesus resurrected, and ascended into heaven from which He came, and after all this, Israel was destroyed. Since God came to earth, as JESUS OF NAZARETH, all the people of the world, regardless of their nationality, who believe on JESUS, are His People. This Jesus is The Messiah, The King of Israel, about whom the prophets wrote, in the Old Testament, before He came. This Jesus will judge all people of the earth, in "The day of Judgement". All the ones who believe on Jesus and seek to serve Him are HIS PEOPLE, they are ISRAEL, even if they were not born in the Land of Israel. But even if some are born in the Land of Israel, if they reject Jesus, are not real Israelites. God will destroy ALL who are not His People, in the day of judgement. In that day, The Bible says that everybody will be judged, and all the dead will come back to life, for the trial. Those who are found to be God's People, will receive everlasting life in Heaven. But those found to be enemies of God, and enemies of His People, will be cast into hell, where there will be everlasting punishment. Anybody can God call to become part of His People, and receive salvation from the day of wrath. ALL WHO BELIEVE ON JESUS SHALL BE SAVED, but All who reject him will be destroyed. Now, let's examine some of the most evident prophecies that point to JESUS as the Jewish Messiah, King of Israel, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
MESSIANIC PROPHECIES FULFILLED BY JESUS:1. THE SEVENTY WEEKS OF DANIEL. (Daniel 9:24-27 ):Daniel wrote this while he was exiled in Babylon, after the Babylonians had destroyed the temple of God in Jerusalem, built by Solomon. He prophesies that from the decree to restore and rebuild the temple, 69 weeks (62 + 7) would pass until MESSIAH THE PRINCE. The weeks are units of seven years (Ezekiel 4:6 )." So let's do the math. According to historians, Artaxerxes, King of Persia, issued that decree (Ezra 7:12 ,13,21) around the year 457 B.C. Then, after 7 weeks (7x7=49 years), the temple was rebuilt. If we add up 62 weeks (62x7=434 years) after the reconstruction of the temple, that leads us to around 27 A.D. What happened around that year? Jesus was anointed, when He was 30, by God, with the Holy Spirit, and He started his messianic ministry. Now, it says: He (Messiah) shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the midst of the week (What is the middle of 7? 7/2=3.5) He (Messiah) shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease... (How did Jesus cause the sacrificial system to cease? By becoming the sacrifice himself!. When did Jesus become the sacrifice? 3.5 years after starting his ministry! So, this here would be a case of prophecy fulfilled precisely; to the letter).
2. THE SCEPTER WOULD DEPART FROM JUDAH, AFTER MESSIAH CAME (GENESIS 49:10 ):It says: Judah will rule over his brothers (The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a ruler from among his feet), until Shiloh Comes. And indeed, Judah ruled in Israel, and was always the predominant tribe. Today we call all israelites "jews", because of the tribe of Judah. The Romans named the territory of Israel as "JUDAEA," because of the predominance of the tribe of Judah. The kings came from Judah: King David, King Solomon, etc, etc, came from the tribe of Judah. So Judah DID rule, until JESUS, the Messiah, came. Even when Babylon conquered Israel, and took them as slaves, the tribe of Judah kept its position of leadership among Israelites. But what happened when Jesus came? The Romans sent the procurator CAPONIUS, who took the authority from the Jews, to apply the death penalty. The Jews (Judeans) wanted to kill JESUS, and the main rulers and priests wanted him dead. But why could they not do the job themselves? The scepter had, indeed, departed from Judah (For Shiloh; Messiah was come), and so they had to get the Romans to do it. So, Judah did rule, UNTIL MESSIAH CAME. After Messiah came, "The scepter departed from Judah." Since Jesus came, there has not again been a Judaean king over Israel, even until today. For about 2000 years now, Israel has not had a king, because MESSIAH THE KING has come, and that is JESUS CHRIST. Then, Genesis goes on to say: "And to him shall be the obedience of the Peoples." To whom? to Messiah. And without the least shadow of doubt, the most influential person, the most influential Jew, and the most influential Israelite, in ALL of history is, by far, Jesus of Nazareth. "To him shall be the obedience of the People". To someone, executed like a criminal, a member of one of the smallest, least significant nations on earth. How amazing it is, that about 3500 years ago, someone could foresee this, and write it down!. Today, the whole world is centered around Jesus of Nazareth, and all of history is counted since his birth. We are in the 21th century. 21th century since when? Since JESUS OF NAZARETH. 3. HE HAD TO BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM EPHRATA, AND BE GOD (MICAH 5:2 ):It says: "Whose goings forth are from of old, from EVERLASTING". Now, who is the ONLY ONE FROM EVERLASTING? God, alone. And who is the only one who is the rightful ruler of Israel? God, and not man. But wait. How could God come from Bethlehem?. By becoming Jesus, who was born in Bethlehem Ephrata. Considering that when Israel requested a human king, God considered it as a rejection of Himself as King (1st Samuel 8:6-7), all the more it makes perfect sense, that God alone could be the Messiah, and the King of Israel. Since the Messiah is going to rule over Israel FOREVER, only Yaweh could be the Messiah, because only Yahweh is King of Israel forever. Jesus, therefore, has to be Yahweh, in the flesh.
4. HE WOULD BE CALLED GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE, AND BE JEWISH. (ISAIAH 9:6 ):Unto "us." Unto WHO? Unto the Jews!. Unto us a child is born, and his name will be called Mighty God? (Elohim, which is also used with other rulers). His name will be called "EVERLASTING FATHER". The only Everlasting Father is God alone!! How could a CHILD, be called GOD!!?? But, believe it or not, this is in your Jewish scriptures (If you are Jewish and think this is abomination, that a man could be called God). So, A Jewish child, would be called God. Sounds like Jesus. The ONLY human being, in ALL of history, who has been called God, consistently through the centuries, by BILLIONS, is Jesus of Nazareth. The only JEW who has fulfilled this prophecy, for He has been called God in such a overwhelming way, is Jesus of Nazareth. And the verse that follows saying that He would be the everlasting ruler, only makes it have more sense. ONLY GOD is the everlasting ruler of Israel, and of the whole world. 5. HIS KINGDOM WOULD BE ETERNAL. ONLY GOD IS ETERNALLY KING. (ISAIAH 9:7 ):"Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end." The only one whose Government has no end (is eternal), is GOD. And God would be a child? (Verse 6). If Jesus is that child, and God, then this prophecy makes perfect sense. And when put together with the former prophecies, the picture can't be clearer.
6. WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD, THERE IS NO REMISSION OF SINS. (LEVITICUS 17:11 , HEBREWS 9:22 )And eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. Justice requires equal payment, for the sin committed. The ONLY WAY given by God to pay for sins is with Blood. Some say that repentance alone is enough. And that is true for Christians. If you repent, and ask forgiveness, in the name of Jesus, forgiveness is granted, because Jesus paid for your sins. But if you don't believe in Jesus, you still have to pay!. For example: If you kill a man, and say to the judge that you are sorry and that you will not do it again, maybe He will look at you with compassion, if you are really sorry. But JUSTICE demands punishment. If the Judge just let you go free, he would be a corrupt judge, that allows people to murder, without punishment. Justice demands payment. Some quote the instance in which David was forgiven of his sin with Bathsheba, just by repenting. No. The sin of David was punished and paid for with blood. His first son with Bathsheba died afterward, and then Absalom, and then all those that died because of internal family strife (within David's family) were cursed because of David's sin. So, if you don't accept the free payment that God makes for your sins, through Jesus, you are still in your sins, and without atonement, and therefore, will have to pay from your own pocket, in the day of judgment. Repent now, and believe in the Lord Jesus!. Daniel 9:24 indicates that the time to "Finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity", has already come to pass, and it is NOW, if you repent, and Believe in the Lord Jesus. 7. THE KING OF ISRAEL WOULD ENTER JERUSALEM RIDING UPON A DONKEY, AND HAVING SALVATION. (ZECHARIAH 9:9 ):This prophecy was fulfilled by Jesus, He entered Jerusalem riding upon a Donkey (Matthew 21:1-17 ). And who has salvation, but YAHWEH (God) Alone? In the Tanakh (Old Testament), God speaks, and says that there is salvation in none other but himself.(Hosea 13:4 , Isaiah 43:11 , Isaiah 45:21 ) But the same God, YHWH or Jehovah, claims also to be the King of Israel (Isaiah 44:6 ). So, Yahweh and JESUS are one and the same. Jesus is The Saviour, but there is not salvation in anyone but in God alone. So Jesus is Yahweh. Yahweh will not give his glory (honor) to any other, (Isaiah 42:8 ) but Jesus says that he who does not honor the Son (Jesus), does not honor the Father (Yahweh) (John 5:23 ).
8. THE GLORY OF THE (HUMBLE) SECOND TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM WOULD BE GREATER THAN THAT OF THE FIRST TEMPLE (THE GLORIOUS TEMPLE OF SOLOMON), BECAUSE THE "DESIRE OF ALL NATIONS" WOULD COME. (HAGGAI 2:1-9 ): Who is the desire of all nations, but God? Who came to the second temple, whose visit made it greater than the first one? It was JESUS who visited the second temple, and then it was destroyed. JESUS is the desire of the nations, and is GOD. The Tanakh also prophesies that God would come to his temple (Malachi 3:1 ), preceded by a messenger (Who John the Baptist ended up being). Malachi is talking evidently about the SECOND TEMPLE, since this was the temple standing when He wrote this.
9. THE MESSIAH, THE ARM OF GOD, WOULD BE DESPISED BY HIS OWN PEOPLE, AFFLICTED, AND BEAR THE SINS OF MANY, BE WOUNDED BECAUSE OF OUR TRANSGRESSIONS. (ISAIAH 52 ,53). Here, God talks about baring his "Holy Arm" (52:10) in the eyes of ALL nations, so that the salvation of God may be seen by all the ends of the earth. When someone does something with his arm, and is asked "Did you do this?", can he say "no, I didn't, my arm did it..."? This would be funny (and ridiculous). Now, can your arm do something YOU don't do? Your arm does all that you want it to do, because your arm does not have a mind of its own, but is commanded by your mind. In the same way, Jesus did not do anything that God didn't do. God indwelled Jesus and all He said and did, God said and God did. When Jesus healed the sick and gave sight to the blind, GOD healed the sick, and gave sight to the blind. When Jesus said: "Love your enemy", God said "Love your enemy". Jesus and God were one mind, one spirit. God is one, not two nor three. There are not three different minds, but only one mind, one spirit, which manifested itself to mankind in three ways, as a Father, as Jesus, and as the Spirit indwelling the believer. But it is not three different persons, it is one and the same, in different manifestations. Jesus, Yahweh, the Holy Spirit, are one and the same.
10. JESUS WAS KILLED RIGHT IN THE PASSOVER, AFTER BEING EXAMINED BY HEROD AND PILATE, EXACTLY WHEN THE JEWS WERE COMMANDED TO KILL THE PASSOVER LAMB, AFTER EXAMINING IT. THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB, ON THE DOORPOSTS, DELIVERED ISRAEL FROM THE DESTRUCTOR. NO BONE OF THE PASSOVER LAMB WAS TO BE BROKEN.
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