This lesson is for Tuesday and Wednesday- I wanted to give you a good look at this material. . . and I would ask that you take some time with it. Look up the Scriptures--underline them--become a student again. There will be a time when someone says, 'Jesus was just a teacher,' or 'Jesus was just another man.' To which you can reply, 'How many men do you know were raised from the dead?' 'How many teachers were the fulfillment of 60 prophecies about their birth?' This should be front page news, instead of the garbage we read--the headlines that discourage and depress us. We serve a God who loves us, and is worthy of our trust. He died, was buried, rose again, and is coming again; one day, we will live with Him forever. This world is not our home; we are only passing through. . . but knowing the God of the universe sure does make the life worth living.

Good Morning

I remember the day Jesus was supposed to return. . . it was September 6, 1994. This local preacher who had some influence in the fundamental Christian community in the Oakland area in which I lived, (and the dad of one of my classmates), said so. Harold Camping made that prophecy. I remember the sunny Sunday still, and while I certainly didn't believe it would happen, it was a weird feeling to drive past the guy's church, and wonder what was being said inside. He has now revised the date to May 21, 2011, for the rapture, and October 21, 2011, for the end of the world. You do not need to be much of a Bible scholar to know that these are extra-biblical prophecies that are actually in opposition to Jesus' words that 'no man will know the day or the hour.' Nonetheless, these have been the prophecies of Harold Camping. Who cares, really? They are the ramblings of a false prophet.

In the dictionary, 'prophecy' is just one page removed from 'promise'-- when it is God who breathes the prophecy, you can count on it as a promise; not so, when Harold Camping makes a prophecy. God spoke through the Old Testament prophets (Micah, Isaiah, Zechariah, et.al), to prepare the people for the Messiah's birth.

Yesterday we cracked open a veritable treasure trove filled with the promises of God. . . did they reveal God's great love to you? .

When Jesus Christ was born, He was the fulfillment of about 60 major prophecies concerning the Messiah. These were promises given to God's people.

Christianity rides on the fulfillment of these prophecies in our Lord. Is Scripture reliable? Was Jesus who He claimed to be? Well, what happened?

Take a look at what God the Father said about the place of prophecy- I have declared the former things from the beginning; they went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, lest you should say, "My idol has done them, and my carved image and my molded image have commanded them." Isaiah 48:3,5

And then Jesus said: Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. Matthew 5:17

Look at just eight of the prophecies about Jesus:

--that He would be: (I have abbreviated the prophetic verse for you)

Born in Bethlehem prophecy: Micah 5:2 fulfillment: Matthew 2:1, 2:4-8, Luke 2:4-7; John 7:42

But you, Bethlehem...out of you shall come forth the One

to be Ruler in Israel, whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting

Preceded by a messenger (john the baptist) Isaiah 40:3 Matthew 3:1-2, 11:10, Luke 1:17; John 1:23

A voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord...'

Would enter Jerusalem Zechariah 9:9 Matthew 21:6-11, Luke 19:35-37a

on a donkey Your King is coming to you...lowly and riding on a donkey...

Betrayed by a friend Psalm 41:9 Matthew 10:4

Even my familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up

his heel against me.

Sold for 30 pieces of silver Zechariah 11:12 Matthew 26:15

'if it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.' So they weighed

out for my wages 30 pieces of silver.

Money thrown down, used to buy Zechariah 11:13 Matthew 27:5, 27:7

a potter's field

I took the 30 pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.

Dumb before His accusers Isaiah 53:7 Matthew 27:12

He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth.

Hands and feet pierced Psalm 22:16 Luke 23:33

They pierced My hands and feet. **this was not the way of execution at the time this prophecy was written; crucifixion

came in with Roman rule

**The chance that any man might have lived and fulfilled all eight prophecies is 1 in 10 to the 17th--

1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000 Science Speaks, Peter Stoner

Look at the details of these prophecies--most written some 700 years before the birth of Jesus-- in the last weeks, we have read of these events taking place. We have been able to picture Jesus entering Jerusalem, the betrayal in the Garden, and how He stood silent at trial. We winced as the tent pegs were driven through His wrists and tops of His feet. . . prophecies fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Remember that these are just eight of the five dozen prophecies. Yet. . . so many missed Him. They were not looking.

Please do not be found as 'one not looking'-- God is trustworthy because he keeps his promises; He is trustworthy because Jesus Christ was the exact fulfillment of five dozen prophecies/promises spoken hundreds of years before His birth. Are you looking for Jesus to return again in the clouds? He will, you know. . . it is a promise!?

So that you may know,

Christine

'Want more? Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell; Who Made God? and answers to over 100 other tough questions of faith, Ravi Zacharias, Norman Geisler; The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel