Advent - Reason for the Prophesies
"Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
-Jesus of Nazareth, 1st Century
Luke 24:44-49
This is fifth part of this mini series (Prophesied Messiah) within a series (Advent).
From the previous messages, we have read just a handful of these prophecies fulfilled in the life of one person. The odds of these happening by chance were infinitesimally small. And there were hundreds more.
And these hundreds of events foretold about the coming Messiah were not only spoken through the prophets but by psalmists and patriarchs.
In total, the Old Testament Scriptures contain over 300 prophecies about the future Messiah as foretold by several people over a course of a thousand years.
Purpose of these Prophesies - Tell the World About Jesus
Dr. Luke the physician who was one of the early followers of Jesus recorded this explanation and admonition in the excerpt we read above.
Jesus told His followers (those who personally saw Him fulfill all of these Messianic Prophesies) about these prophesies, many of which they learned about growing up (written hundreds of years before they were born) but failed to realize them happening right before their eyes.
Eye Opener
Jesus opened their minds to finally see and then to understand everything written down about the Messiah have been fulfilled and that they have to happen.
If God had to "open" their eyes when they were already seeing them happen right before their eyes, how much more He has to open our eyes today?
Fast Forward
Now in our time, or over two thousand years into the future, you are reading about these fulfilled prophesies through the internet and modern technology, as God is opening our eyes and minds as we later day believers, fulfill this call of Jesus to proclaim this good news to all the nations. Which is especially fitting as we commemmorate the birth of Christ, the Savior this Advent Season.
In this season of gift giving, God first gave us His gift to us in the person of the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One, Immanuel, God is with us -- Jesus of Nazareth, baby in a manger, born in little Bethlehem. We just need to receive it.
Jesus opened their minds to finally see and then to understand everything written down about the Messiah have been fulfilled and that they have to happen.
If God had to "open" their eyes when they were already seeing them happen right before their eyes, how much more He has to open our eyes today?
Fast Forward
Now in our time, or over two thousand years into the future, you are reading about these fulfilled prophesies through the internet and modern technology, as God is opening our eyes and minds as we later day believers, fulfill this call of Jesus to proclaim this good news to all the nations. Which is especially fitting as we commemmorate the birth of Christ, the Savior this Advent Season.
In this season of gift giving, God first gave us His gift to us in the person of the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed One, Immanuel, God is with us -- Jesus of Nazareth, baby in a manger, born in little Bethlehem. We just need to receive it.
Comments
Post a Comment