Devotional for Week
December 22, 2004

Did Jesus Fulfill the Prophecies Written About Him?

Why did the throat of heaven grow raw? So we would know that He understands; so all who struggle would hear His invitation: "You can trust me." Our Lord was concerned with the fulfillment of Scripture. The fulfillment of Scripture is a recurring theme in Jesus' passion (see John 13:18; 19-24, 36-37; 20:9.) Why the recurring references to Scripture? Why, in His final moments, was Jesus determined to fulfill prophecy? He knew we would doubt. He knew we would question. And since He did not want our heads to keep His love from our hearts, He used His final moments to offer proof that He was the Messiah. He systematically fulfilled centuries-old prophecies.

Every important detail of the great tragedy had been written down beforehand:

  • the bretrayal by a familiar friend (Psalm 41:9)
  • the forsaking of the disciples through being offended at Him (Psalm 31:11)
  • the false acusation (Psalm 35:11)
  • the silence before His judges (Isaiah 53:7)
  • being proven guiltless (Isaiah 53:9)
  • being included with sinners (Isaiah 53:12)
  • being crucified (Psalm 22:16)
  • the mockery of the spectators (Psalm 109:25)
  • the taunt of nondeliverance (Psalm 22:7-8)
  • the gambling for His garments (Psalm 22:18)
  • the prayer for His enemies (Isaiah 53:12)
  • being forsaken by God (Psalm 22:1)
  • the yielding of His spriit into the hands of His Father (Psalm 31:5)
  • the bones not broken (Psalm 34:20)
  • burial in a rich man's tomb (Psalm 53:9)

    Did you know that in His life Christ fulfilled 332 distinct prophecies in the Old Testament? What are the mathematical possibilities of all these prophecies being fulfilled in the life of one man?

    1
    840,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
    000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,
    000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000


    - Max Lucado - "He Chose the Nails" by Max Lucado
    From The Answer Copyright © 2003 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
    		•
    Matthew 1:21-23

    21"She will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."22 All this happened to bring about what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23"The virgin will be pregnant. She will have a son, and they will name him Immanuel," which meas "God is with us."
    <<-- December 11, 2004 | January 2, 2005 -->> -->>