To be Continued...

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Psalm 22:1/ Matthew 27: 46." This was the cry of Jesus in Aramaic. However the words of Jesus and the events surrounding His Crucifixion were recorded centuries before the fact. As we enter this week of Passover and Easter. I wish to look at the prophecies concerning His death and resurrection. We generally do not think of the Psalms as being prophetic literature. Yet the specifics of Jesus death are amazing. Psalm 22 is a Psalm of prophecy: "All who see Me mock Me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let Him deliver Him. since He delights in Him. Ps. 22: 7-8. Mark 15:31". Continuing with specifics: "I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax, it has melted away within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of My mouth, you lay Me in the dust of death. Dogs (Gentiles) have surrounded Me, a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced My hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over Me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. Ps. 22: 14-18". Read the accounts of the crucifixion in the Gospels. This is amazingly specific. The next passage pertaining to Jesus is the well known Isaiah 53. Of course there are some who believe I am making assumptions concerning the identity of the man in this chapter. But ask yourself; from what we have already seen from Psalm 22, of whom does the prophet Isaiah speak? According to the passage, whoever this person is they are being killed, it would seem, as a sacrifice or "guilt offering" v. 10, for someone else. For specifics we read "He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death...Is. 53:9. Jesus was crucified between to thieves or insurrectionists (the wicked), and buried in a rich man's tomb ( Joseph of Arimathea). A simple reading of the Gospels shows that only one person can answer these prophecies. I have just skimmed the surface of the prophetic revelations. There are hundreds of references concerning Jesus' birth, and ministry. Take some time this week, and get into the Word especially the Gospels. Now we look to the future and see the final resolution concerning Israel and their Messiah. In Zechariah 12:10 we read "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 mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a first born son."

The LORD God sees the end from the beginning. Nothing takes God by surprise. As we worship this Holy Week, we can come with confidence knowing that our complete salvation has been purchased and our future is secure. Let us continue walking with Jesus, "our Lord and our God". Happy Easter everyone!