Is He, or Isn’t He

Introduction

Choosing a person’s true identity can have life-and-death outcomes. The world is full of, to use an old Yiddish word, “Shysters.”  There are a multitude of con artists, liars, and cheats who typically are motivated by money, fame, self-gratification, or even worship!

As I write this, countless writers and speakers are making money and fame from conspiracy theories, health-related topics, and merchandise that have no basis in facts, science, or common sense. They exist off the pocketbooks of the naive, uneducated, and those without critical thinking abilities. Deception includes marketing products, broadcasting news, education, music, and, of course, philosophy. These “industries” make billions of dollars of their victims each year.

Recently, I heard of a woman whose name I will not mention. She writes books and charges money to her fans to listen to her speak on various naturalistic remedies for almost every ailment, including cancer.  You would think she would be a doctor or someone with excellent credentials and that her presentations would include facts and figures to demonstrate her success rate.  On the contrary, this person failed in the medical industry and has been banned in several countries because of her unfounded and often dangerous instructions.  What confounds me is that she packs the house whenever she speaks!  Those in her audience are the anti-doctor, anti-vaccine, anti-science, anti-everything they don’t like.  In my opinion, it would seem that if we want something to be correct, we can find those who will help us feed our disillusionment.

Then comes Jesus onto the scene. He walks, talks, teaches the ordinary people, and tries to reach the religious people who feel they have everything to know about Jehovah.  The religious leaders, the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees prided themselves in thinking they had it all figured out and the authority to speak on behalf of God and express His will.  But Jesus claimed to be four things. He states, without hesitation, that he is,

“ The way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father (Jehovah) except through me (Jesus).”  John 14:6

       The question is, “Is He? or Isn’t He?  Is Jesus like one of the many Shysters of history and today that prey on the naive, uneducated, and those without common sense? Either Jesus is all He claims to be, or He is not.  His statement in John has no middle ground or room for compromise.  He is either the only way, or He is not.  His disciples took three and a half years to conclude that Jesus was real. What convinced them to die for their faith in Jesus as “… the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:16 was not in war but at the hands of those of their culture who hated them.  What convinced them should also convince us, although we aren’t able to physically handle and touch Him as they did.  They could say, we have “…heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—” 1 John 1:1We cannot.            

However, others existed before Jesus was born who never saw or touched Him but saw Jesus in the future. These were the many prophets, kings, and inspired writers of the Old Testament. On the other hand, we have all this testimony of people over many generations.

After the resurrection of Christ, Jesus first saw Mary and then showed up on a dusty road talking with two men who thought he was a stranger who just happened to walk up and begin a conversation.  They were walking away from the discouragement and sorrow of Jerusalem on a journey to a new beginning in Emmaus,

 As they walked along, Jesus gave them, as it were, a study from the scriptures.  What is unusual about this study was that there was no New Testament pocket Bible for Jesus to pull out of His robe because printing, as we know it, had not been invented. Still, even more important, the New Testament had not been written yet!  So, this was a “Scripture” study from what we call the Old Testament and what the modern Jews call the Tankah.  It contains the writings of the many prophets and inspired writers.  Listen to what Jesus said that set the men’s hearts on fire: “Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Luke 24:27. Jesus did this from memory! 

The men were familiar with these writings, but now they had meaning about Christ (the long-awaited Messiah).  Their eyes were opened, and their hearts were greatly encouraged by Jesus because they had heard Him and later looked across the table at Him!    They were so amped up that they ran back the seven miles to Jerusalem to find the other eleven disciples behind closed and locked doors, afraid of what might happen to them. (A side note from a former runner:   If they were seven miles away and ran back within the hour (Luke 24:33), this was equivalent to a seven-minute mile or less.  That is fast!  I’ll bet today’s runners could not do that in a robe and sandals!) 

When these two speed-runners made it back to Jerusalem and found the original disciples, they noticed they weren’t gathered to conduct Sunday worship in honor of the resurrection.  No!  They were in a state of disbelief and thought that the body of the one they loved was dead in a tomb in the beginning stages of decay (John 20:9).  Just as our two runners show up, Jesus pops into the sealed room.  The disciples think He is a spirit! (Luke 24:37).  After inviting them to touch him, He said some critical words for us to hear that I will discuss later.  “Look at My hands and My feet. See! It is I, Myself! Touch Me and see for yourself. A spirit does not have flesh and bones as I have.” Luke 24: 39

Then, Jesus did something that conflicted with their expectations of a resurrected immortal body: He asked for food, and they gave him fish and a honeycomb, and he ate it in front of them! (Luke 24: 42, 43).  What does that say about our resurrected immortal bodies and our heavenly experience?  At the very least, we will have bodies that enjoy eating, and we will live in flesh and bone bodies!  I don’t know about you, but that is much more exciting than sitting on a cloud plucking a harp as a ghost!

So, after the short meal, Jesus conducts the second scripture study of the day. This time, he has the eleven disciples plus the two believers who ran back to Jerusalem from seven miles away in less than an hour. Wow! I’m still amazed by their athleticism, but I digress. 

Jesus expands the scripture study to include the Psalms (These are the poetic books of the Bible that include Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon.). From these writings of thirty-five men, he showed them “all the things that must be fulfilled” about Him! Luke 24 44, “And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures” Luke 24 45.

Is He or isn’t He all those things written in the Scriptures and the eyewitnesses of the New Testament?  For us to know that Jesus is all He claims to be, our eyes must be opened to understand the scriptures.  Otherwise, we will be like the pious religionists who knew and practiced religion the way they desired it to be, with all the trappings of pride, power, and control.  They didn’t want Jesus to be faithful.  They wanted a king to come riding on a white horse into Jerusalem with a giant sword, chopping off the heads of the Romans whom they despised. 

There is danger in creating a Jesus we want rather than what He really is.  What He is can be found in the Old and New Testaments, not by a popular speaker, philosopher, or even our particular religion/denomination or set of beliefs.  I take this journey as a person wanting to discover the depth of the Jesus of Scripture, not of my denomination (not that they are bad) nor of what I want Him to be.  I hope you will join me in this Jesus Journey and that the God of the universe will bless us for seeking with all our hearts.

Will the Real God Please Stand Up?

Exclusivity

Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. Isaiah 46:9

The God (Jehovah), who claims to have created everything, claims exclusivity.  He says there is “none like me.”  But others make the same claim.  How can we know the truth about the real God with so many choices?  Can there be many gods?

Elijah gave the people a choice between a false god and a true God:

 “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. 1 Kings 18:21

Most of the people of Elijah’s time were on the side of the prophets of Baal.  It is an exciting story to see how proof was provided to those who were deceived by the hierarchy of religion to believe in a non-existent god.  The story is recorded in 1 Kings 18: 1-40.

Anyone can claim to be God.  Anyone can claim to “know the truth,” even non-believers, i.e., Atheists.   Agnostics may say, “There is no such thing as truth,” or “Truth is whatever you want it to be.” “You have your truth, and I have mine.”  These phrases are an easy, neat, clean set of words that are opinions without any meaning or proof. They have no basis in reality and are lazy world views. Reality states that a truth is true whether we like it or not.  The law of non-contradiction states that two opposing claims cannot both be true.

The World of Gods.

In this section, we will explore the world of gods, those claiming to be gods, and those claiming to have the truth. Our objective is to ask the real God to stand up and give us some reason to believe he is the real God.

This is such a massive topic. This is by no means an exhaustive study. Nevertheless, I want to ensure that facts are carefully explored with proper and fair use of resources. So, hang on, here we go. Let’s start by asking quantitative questions: How many gods exist worldwide? How many religions? How many groups claim to have the truth? This will give us the scope of all this.

Below is a ranked listing of the major religions and the estimated number of followers according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

I am including Atheists as a religion.  Like some religions listed below, they do not believe in any god but have a belief system and faith in their philosophy and worldview.   Like many churches, Atheists are Evangelical.  They often try to proselytize others through campaigns, books, meetings, merchandise, social media, etc.  They claim to know the truth!

The less biased researches regarding the number of Atheists vary, but several sources put the number at about 1. 4 million or 2% of the population worldwide.  It is very complex to identify an unbeliever or an Atheist, but even the higher numbers put them at a low percentage of the world’s population.   Based on these numbers, they would rank about #17 on the list below.

World Religions and Approximate Number of Followers:

Christianity: 2.1 billion

Islam: 1.3 billion

Hinduism: 900 million

Chinese traditional religion: 394 million

Buddhism: 376 million

African Traditional & Diasporic: 100 million

Sikhism: 23 million

Juche: 19 million

Spiritism: 15 million

Judaism: 14 million

Baha’i: 7 million

Jainism: 4.2 million

Shinto: 4 million

Cao Dai: 4 million

Zoroastrianism: 2.6 million

Tenrikyo: 2 million

Atheists: 1.4 million

Neo-Paganism: 1 million

Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand

Rastafarianism: 600 thousand

Scientology: 500 thousand

Within each religion are thousands of “denominations,” “factions,” or “sects.”

World Christian Encyclopedia estimates there are 33,000 Christian denominations alone! (World Christian Encyclopedia by Barrett, Kurian, Johnson Oxford Univ Press, 2nd edition, 2001).

In the Christian world, there is a split between the Roman Catholic church and those churches that “protested” against the tradition and misuse of the Bible and power.

The Atheists like to use these numbers as “proof” that “God is imaginary.”  The inference is that if God were real, there would be only one religion and one truth.  In a perfect world without any enemies, this might be so.    I must admit that all their claims about God and truth are difficult arguments to address if it weren’t for the Bible.

Other arguments by unbelievers start with the same type of reasoning. “If” God were real, why is there so much suffering in the world?  “If” God is real, why are there so many wars and death?   Again, the implication is that God would not allow any suffering or death at all, and again, this is a difficult question to answer. But there is an answer.

We have a couple of options to address such difficult questions.  We can put our heads in the sand and enjoy life as it comes to us and be placed in our graves after our time on earth.  Such is the philosophy and the battle cry of the Atheist, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” This attitude was that of the rich fool Jesus described in Luke 12: 13-21 parable.   

And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now, take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’ Luke 12 19

The more aggressive evangelical atheist tries to convince others that because mankind is in such an emotional need of a higher power, they create God in their own image.  Their fervent dedication to atheism is to destroy religion, which they see as harmful to society.  Indeed, they have a good case as you consider the many wars, death, and destruction caused by “religion.” Many believers are confused by the terror on this earth, but I am not sure embracing their philosophy would make the world a better place and stop war. To them, the concept of God is a crutch for the weak-minded.  It is about men controlling other men and wealth.  It appears to make sense.  Their formula for the existence of life and purpose is simple:

No one + nothing = everything (Evolution), which means:

No god + no purpose = no meaning to life (Enjoy while you can.)

After many years on this earth and many experiences, I have discovered that people with no answers can make themselves look intelligent by asking questions without easy answers.  

Example:  A young man doesn’t know why the country fell into a recession, so he asks, “Is this really a recession? Has the government manipulated the numbers for political reasons?”  These types of questions bring doubt and no real answers. It only adds to the confusion.

Just as Atheists don’t have an answer for the many religions, their question brings doubt about the reality of a Creator God, but no real answers or proof of the “no-God” theory.  They only have circumstantial evidence with their twist on its interpretation.  But the same is true for the believer.

Undoubtedly, there is an element of deception in religion and philosophy.  However, the atheist believes all religions are false and have deceived all men.  But what if one of these gods is the real God, and how would you know?  This is what we will explore.

A scientific approach to discovering the real God would be to seek evidence and the claims of those claiming to be gods.  Then, interview them and their followers to see if the real God is there.  But what criteria would you use to determine who is true and who is false?  What would be your basis for truth?  We need to consider this in our search.

There was a popular TV show back in the 60’s called To Tell the Truth.  Three contestants would be introduced, and all three would claim to be a particular person who had performed some unusual feat.  For example, the show would start with all three contestants saying, “Hello, my name is John Smith; I swam the English Channel with my hands tied behind my back.”

The celebrity panel of four would ask each contestant questions, observe their body type (typically, swimmers are athletic-looking), and evaluate their answers.  The contestants’ motivation was to deceive the four celebrities.  The more celebrities who guessed incorrectly meant more money for the contestants.  Of course, they had to lie or make up an answer sometimes.  However, the real John Smith could not lie.

When the celebrities were finished asking questions, they would vote on who they thought was the real John Smith based on the contestant’s answers to questions and their physical appearance.  Sometimes, it was unanimous; other times, the votes were split.  After all the questioning, the moment would come when the Emcee would ask,

“Would the real John Smith please stand up?”

Imagine the celebrities’ surprise when the best-lying contestants deceived them! This was a lot of fun, but it has a simple basis for answering our question about the real God.

First, if we want to know the truth about God, we must be willing to ask questions and seek answers rather than just guessing without some basis.  Many people don’t want to know the truth or have no motivation to pursue it.  They are comfortable with their head in the sand.

Is it possible that the real God wants us to know the truth?

In our search, are we willing to accept things that cut across our philosophy, set of beliefs, or worldview?  This is important.  Otherwise, we can mutate into close-mindedness or dogmatism.  We can feel we know everything and nothing new can be learned.  I know people like this in the church.  They know and understand the doctrines…maybe they could even recite the entire Bible, but the abstract thinking and the more profound appreciation for God are overlooked by knowledge.  As Paul said it this way,

“…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  2 Timothy 3: 7

A good place to start is to examine the claims of each god.  As mentioned above, a few religions have leaders who do not claim to be gods but instead promote a particular philosophy about living and life.  Philosophies are highly subjective.   Many are nice-sounding words, but examining and testing for truth would be challenging.

Let’s try to start with the claims of each god or philosophy. We would need to study the answers to our common questions and compare them.   Also, we would need to see if they have done anything that would demonstrate god-like qualities or evidence of truth.

We must be willing to submit to the idea that some liars in the group have a hidden agenda for their followers.  There is truth, and there is error.  We will talk a little about absolute truth later.

Perhaps only one is telling the truth.  But keep in mind the law of non-contradiction.  Two who contradict each other can’t both be right.  The claim that all are right and there are many paths to eternity cannot be correct because of the contradiction of the claims on how to get there.  Of course, the atheists take the simple way out and claim all are liars, a very lazy, snobbish way of thinking.

Many unbelievers would also ask, “Why is there a need to do such a complicated, time-consuming search?” Why doesn’t God just show up at the World Cup Soccer matches and say,

“Hello everyone!  I am the real God, and to prove it, I will predict the winner, the score, and other facts you can’t possibly know.”  Even this would not convince many because they would claim mind manipulation.  One of my friends pointed to the deception in the last days by the beast of Revelation 13.  So how does someone become convinced they are following the real God?

Let’s take the “To-Tell-The-Truth approach to finding the real God.  The question as to “why” a search is needed is again typical of the person who has no answers and is not willing to do honest research or keep an open mind.  So, they ask difficult questions without easy answers to bring doubt and get the seeker off course because they are trying to protect their philosophy.  So, for now, we will ignore those types of questions.

Why are people a member of a particular religion or denomination?

Could we assume that people in these different religions are of that faith because they studied and selected that religion due to their research or because they were born into it?

If you are born in the Middle East, you will likely be Islamic.  If you are born in the southern states of the US, you are likely to be a Protestant Christian. You will likely be the same if your parents were Baptist, Methodist, Church of Christ, etc.

It would be safe to assume that our religion and denomination are determined chiefly by our ancestry, location, and environment.  Family roots and race is the most potent reason for someone’s religion.  People say, “If it was good enough for grandma, it is good enough for me.”

Of our 21 “religions” listed above, how many claim to have a god?

Some religions, such as Hinduism and Shinto, have thousands of gods.  Some have no gods but are led by gurus, teachers, philosophers, or politicians, such as Buddhism, Sikhism, Juche, and Jainism.

Many are recent “religions” such as Spiritism, Baha’i, Cao Dai, Tenrikyo, Neo-Paganism, Rastafarianism, and Scientology, which just started in the last couple hundred years.

Some are very nationalistic, such as Zoroastrianism. They attempt to reason to a conclusion rather than search the evidence.

One last question:  What if there is an enemy to truth?  Would it be natural for that enemy to use deception to steer people away from the truth, especially if he knew there was a source of truth?

Let’s compare the top two religions in the world and their leaders.  We will examine the claims of Jesus, Muhammad, Jehovah, and Allah in the next chapter.

Can You Prove God Exists? Part 2-Hard Evidence

In Part 1, nine barriers to belief were described.  There are more, but those probably cover almost all the excuses to believe in a Creator God.  I, personally, used several of them (if not all) when I was an atheist.  If you haven’t read Part 1, please stop here and go back to our first discussion.

In Part 1, the logical question was asked:

“What do you need to believe in a Creator God? 

Most unbelievers hardly ever consider this question.  Since they can’t see a physical form or hear a literal voice, belief in God takes a backseat to the things of earth that can be seen.  The catchphrase, “If I can see it, I won’t believe it” is the rule. 

Generally, this is not a bad rule to live by, but it can’t be all-encompassing because we believe things we can’t see every day.   Here are a couple of simple examples:

We can’t see wind, but that doesn’t keep us from believing there is wind and using it to our advantage. In other words, we believe there is wind because we see the effects, e.g., trees bending, leaves and paper being scattered, a roof blown away by a strong wind, etc. This would be circumstantial evidence.  No one knows its origin or its creation, but we know it’s there.

We couldn’t see the virus vaccine injected into our arms when we got the COVID shot.  It took much faith to believe in its existence and the scientific studies to show it would protect us from the effects of the virus, not to mention the faith we had to exercise regarding the quality control of the manufacturers, suppliers, and the ability of the doctors to inject me correctly. We couldn’t see every point in its delivery to us, but we believed it. Some people’s lack of faith led them in the opposite direction.

The “I can’t see Him” excuse is hypocritical; at the least, since we often exercise faith in things, we can’t see without worrying too much about it. 

The last article made this critical point:

If you don’t want to believe in a Creator God, you can find many personal excuses to be an unbeliever.

Consequently, a search will likely never be executed.  But if you want to know the truth about anything, you will search for it.  In some cases, it will take priority over all the other menial things in your life.

In Part 1, we learned that there is substance and evidence to provide a basis for belief and faith in God.  Paul wrote this significant passage about faith.  It is not blind!

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 Hebrews 11:1

This doesn’t sound like someone closing their eyes and chanting, “I do believe. I do believe,” to work up faith. Real confidence in the existence of God is based on proof and not just a mental exercise and personal feelings.  You can’t “whip up” faith. There is nothing wrong with searching for proof of God’s existence…If you want it.

In the article following this one, we will explore the circumstantial evidence. But I want to cut right to the heart of the matter.  It has to do with hard evidence that could be used in court.

Jesus and The Old Testament:

The first hard evidence is Jesus: He is either all He and the disciples claimed, or He pulled off the biggest scam in world history.   When I first started to explore the Bible and ancient history, this derogatory statement about deception was my platform to attempt to prove to my Christian wife that she was fooled into believing in Jesus.

I can hear you saying, “Men wrote the Bible to control people.” I felt the same. We could add this to the excuses described in Part 1, but how do we know if we never investigated it to begin with? Often, we, as humans, believe the reasoning of someone else and rest our faith in his or her words. This is also a fault of believers.

If you are still with me, let’s go to the number 1 hard proof of God’s existence and His character:

Jesus, the Messiah, is described many times in the Old Testament, written hundreds of years before He came on the scene. I was surprised by this discovery because I thought He was the product of some idealistic New Testament disciples:

Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

Luke 24: 44-45

Let’s examine this closely. First, the setting for this passage was the third day after the Friday resurrection (33 AD).  On the first day of the week (Sunday evening), when Jesus appeared, for the first time, to the cowering, fearful disciples hiding behind closed doors.  They were terrified of dying the same way as Jesus (crucifixion). But then, Jesus suddenly stands before them!

Then, the same day in the evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

John 20:19

After eating broiled fish and honeycomb (See Luke 24: 41-43), Jesus gave the disciples a Bible study.

…He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

Luke 24:45

Jesus then proceeded to show how all the things written in the three divisions of the Old Testament, or Tanakh (as the Jewish people call it today), were fulfilled or will be fulfilled about Him. 

Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.

Luke 24:44

The three divisions of the Old Testament Jesus mentioned are: 

  1. Law of Moses-The first five books: (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).  Jesus is there in promises to Adam, Eve, Jacob, Esau, Abraham, and all the others.  He is also the point of the sacrificial laws and allegorical stories about Him, such as the story about Joseph.
  2. The Prophets:  This includes the books of all the major and minor prophets, starting with Isaiah through Malachi (the last book of the Tanakh).  16 books of the Bible written over hundreds of years by different authors.  They didn’t write philosophy; they wrote what they saw, and there was little possibility of collaboration or scheming.
  3. Psalms: This includes not only the book of Psalms but also the poetic book of Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes Proverbs.

What a Bible Study that would have been!  The disciples had all the hard evidence of witnesses by seeing and eating with Jesus, the Creator God in human flesh (See John 1, Colossians 1, and Hebrews 1).  In addition, they were briefed on the mysteries about Jesus that they couldn’t see in the Tankah.  This is a point to remember.  Real faith (belief and trust) will come when we study the Word of God, particularly the prophecies:

So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.

Romans 10:16-18 (CSB)

Your faith will either grow or diminish based on how much serious time you spend studying and contemplating God’s word.  A little time in God’s word equals a little faith.  Much time in God’s word equals much faith.  It will grow strong and rooted if you exercise what you have learned.

 An interesting note here is that Jesus had given this same Bible study earlier in the day to two discouraged disciples on their way to Emmaus.  Jesus suddenly appeared (walking up from behind) as a stranger. Later in the evening, He revealed Himself to them at the evening meal.   Based on the distance traveled, this Tanakh study likely lasted about three hours—the approximate time for a casual, thoughtful walk from Jerusalem to Emmaus (about 7 miles).  You can read the complete account of this Bible study as they walked in Luke 24: 13-35.  Here are just a couple of highlights:

Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened.  So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained so that they did not know Him.

v. 13-16

These disciples were so discouraged! The eyes filled with discouragement can not see Jesus. The two travelers do not recognize him.   The One they had placed all their trust in and hope had been nailed to a rough Roman cross!  They were leaving the city of discouragement (Jerusalem) and traveling to Emmaus to start their lives over.  Then, without praying, only indulging in their self-pity and discouraging conversation, Jesus suddenly appears from behind.

Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded (explained) to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

v. 25-27

Jesus gently reminds them that they had failed to believe the prophets when they spoke about His sufferings.  As good Jews, they expected the Messiah to be a commander of an army who would free Israel from their enemies, in particular Rome. Sometimes, we want the Bible to say what we want it to say.  We want a Messiah on a white horse to come to free us from oppression! To clear up their misunderstanding, Jesus gives these two disciples a Bible study about “Himself,” starting with Moses (The first five books of the Old Testament) and the Prophets (16 books of prophecy written over hundreds of years!).

A subtle point in this story is the care Jesus has for a small audience of two people.  He is very personable, addressing our own personal discouragements! Also, we don’t find these two men praying. Instead, they were extremely downcast and talked about it openly. Misery loves company. Then Jesus shows up from behind them.  He sneaks upon them! They were not expecting anyone. Sometimes, God knows what we need to get us out of the funk.  He does it when you least expect it. But spending time learning from God’s word about Jesus will lift your spirits as it did with these men. They exclaimed:

And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

v.32

Our hearts are not encouraged by religious creeds, cermonies, and traditions…only Jesus and the scriptures do we find the soul’s satisfaction. 

Author

A word of encouragement to those who are at their lowest in worrying and doubt: this is when Jesus will suddenly appear…without any pleading prayer.  Not in a large group, but just you. Why? Because He knows your specific need and what you must do to find peace.  He loves you deeply! In our darkest hour, Jesus can be the nearest to us, unseen as a stranger, ready to give you the words of life.  Just listen and be revived by His presence.  Then, seek to know Him more.

The point is that Jesus is not just another prophet or good person.  His advent was predicted by at least 48 major prophecies found in the Old Testament.  There are more, but we will start here.  The odds of Jesus fulfilling just eight prophecies are astronomical, aka as impossible unless it is 100% accurate:

  1. Born in Bethlehem,
  2. Preceded by a Messenger,
  3. Enter Jerusalem on a Donkey,
  4. Betrayed by a friend,
  5. Sold for 30 pieces of silver,
  6. Money is thrown into God’s house and used to buy the Potter’s field,
  7. Silent before His accusers and
  8. Crucified between two thieves

The odds of accidental or planned events by just one man are 1 in 10 to the 17th power.  Or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000.  That number is 100 quadrillion.

If you include the 48 major prophecies, the odds are 1 in 10 with 157 zeroes behind it.

Eyewitnesses

There were many eyewitnesses of Jesus’ activities at His first coming to the earth.  The disciples created a case for Christ.  They saw and touched Jesus. Here are a few examples of their case statements:

John:

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life.

1 John 1:1

Note:  John describes Jesus as the “Word” in his gospel (See John 1: 1-18).  In this passage, we learn about the divinity of Jesus as the Creator!

Peter:

For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we told you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

2 Peter 1:16

Unlike circumstantial evidence, there were many eyewitnesses!

Doubting Thomas

Thomas had separated himself from the other disciples for eight days.  When they finally saw him again, the believing disciples said,

We have seen the Lord!”

John 20:25a

But Thomas was like most of us, i.e., “I won’t believe unless I see Him myself.”

“Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

 John 20: 25b

Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe. Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord’ and my God!”

John 20: 27-28

Thomas was finally satisfied by what he saw.  He had found His Lord and God.  Jesus encourages us who have not seen as did Thomas:

“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John 20:29

We may not be able to see Jesus and have the people’s direct experience of Jesus’ day, but we have enough reasons to believe the testimony of those who did.  There are even more than just His disciples who experienced Jesus in person!

Paul and the Other Disciples, Plus More Than 500 People, Saw the Resurrected Jesus!

The converted religious zealot, Paul, summarizes the eyewitness accounts described above in his letter to the Corinthians many years after the resurrection:

“…He was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas (one of the disciples walking to Emmaus), and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to me also….

1 Corinthians 15: 4-8

Often, people who are religious need an encounter with Jesus to make their religion real and valuable to others. Just because someone goes to church and is active in it does not make their experience real.

Conclusion

It is in Jesus that we can find hard evidence of the existence and, more importantly, the true character of God.  The prophecies tell of His first and second coming.  The second coming prophecies are just as numerous as the first!)  Most have already been fulfilled.  Even the conditions of the last generation are described in detail.  There is no other religious man, god, or self-proclaimed deity/philosophy with prophecies fulfilled precisely and clearly as written by multiple prophets than Jesus.

There were many eyewitness accounts of Jesus and the events of His life on earth.  Because of what they saw, especially the resurrected Jesus, they went from fearful, discouraged unbelievers to men and women who proclaimed Jesus boldly, even to the point of torture and death.

If you want to know what the Creator God looks and acts like, look to Jesus.  The doubting Phillip wanted to see God the Father.  He said that would be enough for the other doubting disciples.

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us.” Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…

John 14: 8,9

The character of love, compassion, forgiveness, and sacrifice of God the Father can be seen in the life of Jesus!  They don’t have different personalities.  Jesus said,

“I and the Father are one.”

John 10:30

Learning about Jesus is a study of a lifetime.  So you have plenty of material.  This material includes nature and the life we see around us.

Next time, we will examine the circumstantial evidence of God’s existence in what we see daily.  Until then, the question remains,

“What will it take for you to believe in God?” 

But just believing He exists is not enough.  At some point, as you seek His guidance, you will learn to trust in Him and take Him at His word. As a result, you will find fellowship and peace in Him.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

Peace, I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27

Won’t you start that journey today? Contact me if you have questions or if I can help in any way.

Eddie

Can You Prove God Exists?

“Come now, let us reason together.” Isaiah 1:18

This is a fair question. 

I have heard people say,

“No, I can’t prove He exists, but I believe He does.” 

Why would someone believe in something they can’t see?  The more important question is, “What if it could be shown without a doubt that He exists and that the Bible is His reliable source of truth? What would you do?”

Since this is all about questions and doubt, let’s start with a personal question:

What do you need to believe God exists?

What would it take for you to believe a Creator God exists? How could you become convinced or satisfied with God’s existence?  Maybe it’s direct physical evidence, like in a murder case where you have DNA, a weapon, a video, and witnesses.  That would be a slam-dunk case.  Wouldn’t it?    If God showed up at your house or office as would a flesh and blood friend and say to you,

“Hello, I am God, and I am here to answer all your questions.”  

Then, He proceeded to answer the “why?” questions about losing a loved one, or He let you in on the solutions to world troubles.  Would you believe He exists?    What if He could tell you the secrets of your life that only you knew? Would you become a believer, then?

Let’s imagine on a grander scale.  What if He showed up at the Super Bowl this February, hovering in clouds above the 50-yard line on international TV, and said,

“Listen up, everyone, I am God, there is no other like me, and I can prove it.  I will predict the game’s score and the exact time each team scores.  Further, I am giving you the final stats of the game before kick-off.”

Would that be enough proof for you to become a believer?  How would it affect your life?

Perhaps you are a highly educated Ph.D. scientist with an understanding of the details of the biology of life. What would satisfy you that God exists and He originated all life and knows more than you do?  What if He explained how He created the universe and life and gave you formulas you had never considered?

Would all of this be enough? 

What would you do with this knowledge if you could be totally satisfied with God’s existence and ability to create everything from nothing?  Sadly, most would probably say,

“That’s great!  Now I got to go back to work.”

If it could be proved to you, without a doubt, of God’s existence, would you become a believer and seeker of Him and truth? 

Most would say,

“No, I am too busy with my life.”

Is it possible that unbelief is not because of a so-called lack of evidence but of something else?  Many people do not want there to be a Creator God for various reasons, but mostly because they love their lives, as degraded as they may be.  Could it be that we feel God would restrict our joy in life?  Then, how about the big question of moral absoluteness and accountability for our actions?

I propose to you that belief is not so much about proof of His existence as is the perceived inconvenience it would cause in our daily lives.  But having said all this, let’s continue with the elements to prove either circumstantially or directly His existence.  Let me say from the start that I have empathy for the unbeliever, having once been one. 

There are many reasons why people chose to believe there is no God and that all of the earth’s events are random and unmanaged.  This is where we will start.  Let’s take a look at the reasons given for unbelief in a creator God.

Barriers to Belief

1.)   Unwillingness to Investigate

Evidence of God’s existence starts with a willing search. You can’t find or learn something if you don’t want to look.  Many don’t want to look at it either due to time or just not being interested.  The result is quick opinions about something they know very little.  They become subject to theories that fit their desire.

Not true is the popular unbiblical saying, “Faith is blind.” A biblical definition of faith is based on the wide-open eyes of substance (confidence) and evidence (tangible).  That great religious writer, Paul, who was on his way to persecute Christian believers, said to the Hebrews:

Now faith is the substance (*confidence) of things hoped for, the evidence (*circumstantial and real, tangible) of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

*Parenthetical additions from the  original Greek words for substance and evidencehypostasis (substance) and elegchos (evidence)

God evidently cares about you getting the evidence, but if you don’t want it, there will be no way for it to help.  Herein lies the problem with a believer trying to prove God exists.  It probably doesn’t matter much if the person does not want there to be a Creator God.  So, the substance and evidence are unimportant to them, and they may never start a journey to find the truth.  Why?  It could be many personal reasons related to lifestyle, perception of what it means to be a believer, peer pressure, etc. 

Probably the most significant barrier to belief in God centers on suffering in the world.  In all fairness to the unbelievers, there are many things in life on this planet that create unbelief in a Creator God.  Even full-blown believers think about these things, but unlike the unbeliever, they have read and understand the words of the prophets about the fall of mankind, sin, the love of God, redemption through Christ, and the path mankind has been on for thousands of years.

2.)   Suffering in the World

“If there is a God, why is there so much pain and death in the world?

Suffering and death result from many things other than simply wearing out from old age.  Here are some examples: chronic physical and mental pain, continuous wars, bad accidents, mental breakdowns, violent crimes, child and spouse abuse, poverty, and hunger; oppression and persecution of those who feel superior… the list of sufferings that precede death goes on and on. 

The death of a loved one, a small child, a toddler, or a young person affects most of us tremendously.  The pain is sometimes unbearable.  Some will turn to alcohol or drugs to ease the pain.

This typical objection to the existence of God almost always starts with an “If” followed by a “why.”  “If” there is a God, then “why is there suffering in this world?  “If there is a God,why” did He let my mother die?”  “If” there is a God, “whydo I struggle all the time?

The insinuation from this question is thatif God is good and in control, then none of these things would be present on earth.  Therefore, everything that happens is by man’s doing or the evolution’s cycle of life, suffering, and death.  The unbeliever reasons,  “Everything is by chance or coincidence.” 

So, this type of thinking requires life on earth to be like heaven, where no one dies or suffers, and everyone is happy. 

It is not hard to see something terribly wrong on planet Earth.  We have come to expect death, dying, and suffering, but was this God’s plan?  What happened?  The Bible has the answer, but it is not what most people want to know.

3.) The Actions of Unconverted Believers

The unloving, critical, judgmental nature of people in church or in public can do more to convince an unbeliever that God doesn’t exist or, at the least, not want a part of it. So, they will retreat to friends and flock together in their community where love is expressed. The wars and death in the name of religion just add more fuel or reasons to conclude those Christians, Muslims, etc., are just nuts.

4.) Science

Scientists use systematic principles and procedures to solve problems or gain knowledge by collecting data through observation and experiment.  Then, their hypotheses are tested. Science has benefited society in many ways. It has made life easier, safer, more convenient, and extended life and its quality. 

But, when it comes to the study of origins, some data is skipped over or maligned.  The intelligence (Creator) factor is removed, and we wind up with supposed evidence that interprets life’s beginnings according to man’s desire to dismiss the miracle of creation, procreation, and God.  It is thought that God and science have nothing in common, even though some see evidence that God is the originator of all laws that science depends upon.   

Evolution has moved from interpretive science to exact science in the minds of many.  Mankind’s self-education through the study and observance of nature concludes something different from an intelligent Creator. 

What if scientists were willing to look for scientific proof of a creator? What would they find?  Fortunately, there are many who have done so, but their work is minimized. Here is a link to a list of real scientists who believe in Creation and God.

God can’t be put in a test tube, but his fingerprints and DNA can be found there.  Nevertheless, if a scientist does not want to believe, evidence will not convince them.  They will always lean towards theories that fit their worldview and justify their lifestyle/worldview.  And, to be honest, it works the same with the Creationist.  It is difficult to be purely objective.

5.)   Philosophers

It has been estimated that there are over 3,000 philosophers worldwide.  Among them are different teachings on life, its beginnings, and endings. Is everybody right? Can error and truth coexist?  Evidently, it does in the minds of some people.  But logically, the truth is no less true, and error is no less wrong.

Listening to other people who are, or seem to be, experts (pundits) in their field and their reasoning can lead us to form similar opinions that may be right or wrong about many things, including God and the Bible. There are “non-pundits” (famous people such as actors and musicians, etc.)  who are not necessarily learned but have opinions that carry weight with those who admire them.. 

6.)   Deception

If you have read the Bible, even casually, you know that deception (for humans) started in a garden, runs through history, and ends with worldwide deception.  Satan is called “the father of lies” (See John 8:44).  Satan enticed the first couple with a false promise of eternal life and becoming like God (See Genesis 3:4-5).  There are many (worldwide) who believe themselves to be God or have received some special revelation. They gather gullible followers without an anchor.  These self-proclaimed gods prey on those who have no confident answers and are looking for convenient, self-satisfying truths about life.

With the advent of the web, the number of self-proclaimed philosophers/gods/pundits has reached a staggering level of exposure. Instead of one serpent, there is a whole nest of them all over the world.

Substance and evidence by the false gods are missing.  In its place is charisma and power. Following is a very small list of so-called gods on earth; some are dead. No denomination or nationality is exempt from cultic offshoots.  (Source: www.monitor.co.ug). Note: the multitude of podcasts, YouTube, and web personalities could be included, but it would take too much time to list them.

  • Owobusobozi Bisaka– (former Catholic who received a “revelation” and started his own denomination).
  • Moon Sun Myung-(former Presbyterian. He also received a “revelation,” founded the Unification Church)Inri Christo-Looks a lot like the classic pictures of Jesus and uses some of His teachings.
  • Sergei Torop founded the Church of the Last Testament.  He is a former policeman who was fired after insisting he was Jesus and began to impersonate him with long hair and flowing robes.
  • Arrifin Mohammed started the sect called The Sky Kingdom.  A former Muslim, he claims to be Jesus, Muhammad, Buddha, Shiva, and the supreme deity of all religions.
  • Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda-Jose founded Creciendo Gracia (Spanish for Growing in Grace) church in the US. At first, Miranda, who is from Mexico, claimed to be Paul, a leading figure of the Bible.
  • David Koresh, a former member of an offshoot of Seventh-Day Adventists called Shepherd’s Rod, also known as Davidians. Shepherd’s Rod founder was Victor Houteff, whom the worldwide Seventh-Day Adventist Administration excommunicated in 1930.
  • Marshall Applewhite, founder of Heaven’s Gate, based his beliefs on a mixture of Christian Eschatology and mysticism. He convinced his 38 followers (and himself) that the comet Hale-Bobb was accompanied by a spaceship that would take them from this world, but to get aboard, they needed to leave the physical body through death. 

7.)   A Multitude of Religious Denominations

Numbers vary and go as high as 30,000 distinct denominations.  If you want your head to spin, see the details about the plethora of world religions and denominations on Wikipedia).  Most of these folks were born into their particular denomination.  Some convert, I am sure.  But most would feel they have the truth about God.  But how can everybody be right?  Solomon, the wise man of God, cautioned,

There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Proverbs 14:12, 16:25

8.)   There is No Absolute Truth

This mass confusion has led many to say, “There is no absolute truth.”  But is that true, absolutely?  If “yes,” then that statement contradicts itself.  If the answer is “no,” then there must be absolute truth out there somewhere.

Some proclaim, “I have my truth, and you have your truth.”  Does this mean that everyone is right and nobody is wrong?  Is that even possible?  Do feelings determine truth?  I can feel that I can fly, but if I jump off a skyscraper, the truth about gravity will have people scrapping me off the sidewalk.

 9.)   Reliability of the Bible

This is an often-used excuse for unbelief.  It is usually stated by those who have only heard things and never researched or studied themselves.  This we will explore later.

Summary

There is a multitude of reasons for disbelief.  This planet is in chaos.  Wouldn’t you agree?  We could study each philosopher, each deity, and each denomination, but that would take more than a lifetime. The truth is out there. God is out there, too!  But what will it take to convince you?

Jesus is the most influential religious leader of all time.  He and his disciples made some fantastic claims.  Jesus Himself said, 

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me,”  John 14:6

This exclusive claim is either true or it is false. If you believe it to be true, you will have reasons for the hope that is within you.  If you believe it is false, you, too, must have evidence.  But you won’t know until you search the Bible alone.  Deception awaits you if you research the web or read books that claim Jesus is false. You are also in danger listening to family and friends.   It is only in the writings of approximately 40 writers whom God inspired to write or were eyewitnesses of Jesus. The story of Jesus is not limited to one writer as it is with others who claim to be God.   The proof is in the Bible, which covers thousands of years from creation to destruction.   

Are you willing to give Jesus and the Bible a chance?  Do you want to follow the evidence and its conclusion?  If not, you have wasted your time reading all this.  But if you are willing and have an open mind, the truth will set you free from doubt and set you on a new, satisfying journey in life. 

We have looked at some barriers to belief.  Next time, we will look at sources for truth and belief in God.  These things put before me reasons to believe.  Hopefully, it will provide the same for you.  But it is your choice.

Please read the follow-up discussions of Can You Prove God Exists?-Part 2 and Part 3

For more information on the comparison of gods and philosophers, see Will the True God Please Stand Up-Part 1

A Sensitive Society-A Sign of The End

TO HEAR A DISCUSSION OF THIS TOPIC WITH EDDIE AND CHARLIE, GO TO OUR PODCAST PROGRAMS:

ANSWERS FROM SCRIPTURE PODCASTS

Jesus’ Prophecy

What is the very last sign before the end comes? It is this: the gospel of Jesus will be preached to the whole world.  Listen to the exact wording from Jesus’ prophecy:

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24: 10-14

Notice the phrase, “as a witness.”  Is it the preaching that is the witness or is it the people who are witness to the power of God?  It is the latter!  Image a world-wide spreading of the gospel which results in multitudes repenting of their sins and asking Jesus into their lives then producing the fruits of a new heart.  These converted believers go out to witness and to preach.  Preaching and witnessing go together otherwise; it is just a bunch of sermons.

Contrast this group with the generation existing at that time:

And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then, many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.  And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24: 10-14

Just before the completion of the gospel going to the whole world, Jesus describes the generation that we now live in…

“And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. “  

Matthew 24:10:14

I can’t think of a better description of our society at this moment.  People who are easily offended,  betraying each other, hating, lawlessness, people no longer capable of loving others.  Our newspapers, newscasters, movie producers, and social media confirm this to be true. Jesus said this would be the condition of society just before the end comes. 

An Overly Sensitive Civilization

America and the world have become a “sensitive society.” Laws are passed, and pressure is brought to bear to force every person never to offend anyone.  Will laws and protests get the desired result?  No!

Political correctness has become the new commandment of lawmakers and a Godless press. Everyone’s words (especially those in the public eye) are measured, analyzed, and judged unfairly…primarily for political and power gain.  Lawyers have become the ones carrying the big stick to threaten and force people back into line so no one is offended; otherwise, the offenders will risk life, property, and reputation.

Who are the ones on the list we are not to offend?

  • Certain Ethnicities
  • Sexual Preference and Gender Identification
  • Religious Preference, other than Christians
  • Rioters and Looters-Many state politicians say they are justified and should not be condemned.
  • Organizations with deceptive messages
  • People with opposite beliefs about the topic of freedom and values

Who does not make the list?

  • American Caucasians
  • Men
  • Heterosexuals
  • Traditional male and female families
  • Followers of Christ

Jesus said, in the last days, people would be offended and His followers would be hated:


“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets (teachers) will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Matthew 34:9-14

A blessing is given to those not offended by Jesus:

“…blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

Matthew 11:6

The Solution:

The solution is obvious when we consider and understand the truth about the human heart.  Everyday people are born in this world who will reset the chain of sin and wickedness.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9. 

“Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.” Jeremiah 13:23

Jesus said the answer to our society’s ills is found only in the change of the heart…a different way of thinking and doing things:

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

John 3:3

If you have been born again, you will love all those on the list of the easily offended.  But, generally, you won’t be loved back.  You will be hated and persecuted anyway.  Will that offend you?

You will see in everyone a bit of God’s image.  They will be respected and loved even though you don’t agree with them.    Here are our orders as followers of Christ.

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

Matthew 5:44. 

Can you do this?

Are you doing as Jesus instructed, or are you following the example of those easily offended….looking for ways to retaliate…to “one-up” them? 

Do Not Be an Offender

We should be careful not to offend anyone if it is in our power, even in our habits.  The Apostle Paul even encouraged us to not offend in things like what we eat or drink. Paul makes reference to this thought in Romans over the debate of food sacrificed to idols.

“It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.” Romans 14:21

It is not God’s will for us to cause anyone to stumble, or be offended, or made weak.  In another place, Paul said,

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33

Paul tried to “please all men in all things.”  Paul was a people-pleaser!  His desire was to put others above himself so “they may be saved.”  Winning theological arguments or diet is not as important as winning souls.

Paul makes the point of not offending someone who invites you to dinner:

If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake.

1 Corinthians 10:27

Vegetarians, can you do this? Yes! Go back to your diet the next day. Do not offend your host! A soul is more important than your food!

This was in the context of food sacrificed to idols.  But, the main message is this. Don’t let your religion get in the way of saving and encouraging someone.

Christians That Offend:

Christians can be offensive in one of three ways:

  1.  Because people hate your leader, Jesus.
  2.  Because we tell them the truth about sin and its wages. (But even in this, we are to be harmless as a dove and wise as a serpent.” “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless[a] as doves.” Matthew 10:16
  3.  Because some of us are too religious, You may have heard of some people who are “so heavenly-minded that they are no earthly good.”  These are more interested in winning a theological debate than winning a soul for Christ.  These are usually a denominationalist.  They say things like, “My church is the right church, and everyone else is going to hell.” Or they are so consumed by being religious through useless forms and ceremonies to score points with other people or God Himself.

In Jesus’ day, there was a religious group who were offended by the words of Jesus over traditions:

When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” Matthew 15: 10-20

The religious people were offended because their tradition of ceremonial washing of hands before eating was ignored by Jesus and His disciples.  Why?  Because it was a useless act of worthless religion.

Jesus was Offended

The most striking example of someone who was truly offended yet did not retaliate was Jesus in His final hours, where he was beaten, whipped, and made fun of.  Even as He was dying on the cross, he prayed for His enemies.  One author described Jesus this way:

“The Savior made no murmur of complaint. His face remained calm and serene, but great drops of sweat stood upon His brow. There was no pitying hand to wipe the death dew from His face, nor words of sympathy and unchanging fidelity to stay His human heart. While the soldiers were doing their fearful work, Jesus prayed for His enemies, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” His mind passed from His own suffering to the sin of His persecutors and the terrible retribution that would be theirs. No curses were called down upon the soldiers who were handling Him so roughly. No vengeance was invoked upon the priests and rulers, who were gloating over the accomplishment of their purpose. Christ pitied them in their ignorance and guilt. He breathed only a plea for their forgiveness,—”for they know not what they do.”  Desire of Ages. P. 744

My friends, we live in a sensitive society.  People are easily offended. As a result, we see hatred, division, murderers, hate, and racism growing at an alarming pace!

  • Our best response is to try to not offend anyone
  • Through  the power of Christ, don’t be easily offended
  • When we are offended, pray for our enemies:

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,”

Matthew 5:44

As you see the madness of this world, don’t be down, you followers of Jesus,. Look up!

 “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

Luke 21:28

We are one day closer to the return of Christ than we were yesterday.

Only One-Third of the Story

How often have you picked up a good book and skipped over the first two-thirds of the pages to start reading? Have you done the same with instructions designed to help you put something together, assemble a new end table, or set up the new iPhone? I dare say none of us would do such a silly thing. The results would be frustrating.  You may be tempted to throw in the towel or pay someone who doesn’t mind reading the entire page of instructions.

Something similar occurs when we limit our reading of the Scriptures to only the New Testament.  By doing so, we get only one-third of the story about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.  If we only focus on the New Testament, we can’t understand Him at the level and depth He intended. We may become frustrated and discouraged in our understanding of Jesus.

God’s dealings with His people, the plan of Salvation, the prophecies, the Godhead, and His will for us can become cloudy, if not invisible, by reading only part of the story. Most of all, we get an incomplete picture of Jesus. This practice can even lead to false teaching that could add further bewilderment.  Please remember that this concept does not diminish the New Testament in any way.  It does the opposite.  The New Testament writers disclose the fulfillment and reality of Jesus.  Their passion for Jesus is built on the firm foundation of God’s inspired writers from ancient times.

All Scripture

Paul told Timothy, his young protege, this critical teaching about scripture:

“…from childhood, you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3:16

Interestingly, the word “Scripture” refers only to the Old Testament books. The New Testament was in the process of being written when Paul wrote these words about thirty years after the cross. Neither Timothy nor Paul had a copy of the New Testament. True, the disciples’ letters were scattered throughout the churches, but there was no red-letter New Testament book of the New Testament writers for them to study.

Except for one time in Daniel 10:21, The word “Scripture” is used only in the New Testament (31 times) and always refers back to what we call the Old Testament.  It was the only book Jesus, the disciples, and the Apostles used to prove that Jesus was the promised Messiah, expounding on the character of God and the plan of salvation.

So, Paul is referring to the same book Jesus quoted from.  Paul says the “Old Testament” (Scripture) is good for several things in Timothy’s ministry and, therefore, our work today: 

1.) wisdom for salvation;

2.) for doctrine;

3.) reproof;

4.) correction; and

5.) instruction in righteousness

Scripture

Scripture is the collection of writings we call the Old Testament.  This is an unfortunate title because it implies “old”; worn out, irrelevant.  Some today say, “I am a New Testament Christian.” This implies they are living under the New Covenant, which should be, but the New Covenant has its basis in the writings of the Old Testament writers.    A better statement of belief would be, “I am a Christian based on the entire word of God.”  Modern Christian teachers have minimized these books, but by doing so, how much is overlooked about Jesus?

The Jews today have the same collection of writings.  They refer to it as the Tanakh.  It is divided into three main sections:

Tanakh is an acronym, made from the first Hebrew letter of each of the Masoretic Text’s three traditional divisions: Torah (literally ‘Instruction’ or ‘Law’), Nevi’im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings)—hence TaNaKh.

The Tanakh consists of twenty-four books, counting as one book each: 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel, 1 Kings and 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles, and Ezra–Nehemiah. The Twelve Minor Prophets are also counted as a single book.

Therefore, all the books of the Old Testament are in the Tankah, but some are combined.

Jesus’ Scripture Study with His Disciples

At least twice, Jesus refers directly to these books of the Scriptures to explain who He is and His mission.  Both times, he desired to open the eyes of His followers by teaching about Himself from the Scriptures.  The story is found in the book of Luke.

After His resurrection on that 1st Day of the week, the resurrected Jesus caught up with two discouraged disciples who had just left the horror of Jerusalem that occurred on the Preparation Day (Friday).  Their Rabbi had been nailed to a wooden cross like an animal!  The One they loved was beaten, stripped, and finally met a suffering death. They were so discouraged that they were not praying…only discussing the scenes of that horrible day.  They were, perhaps, rethinking their commitment to Jesus.  Their faith had reached an all-time low.

But here is what I love about Jesus.  At their lowest point, Jesus shows up! He didn’t appear to a large crowd at first, but to two lonely hurting followers.   On that dusty road to Emmaus, neither man was praying for His presence, but Jesus appeared because He knew their damaged hearts.  He does the same today.  When you are at your lowest and don’t feel like praying, Jesus will show up just for you because of His great love and understanding!

The hurting disciples converse with the stranger, not knowing it is Jesus.  They describe the scenes in Jerusalem with tears and pathos in their voice.   Luke then records Jesus’ words.

 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24: 25-27

Jesus gave them a Scripture study from the Old Testament (it was not called that then) or what the Jews today would call the Tanakh.  The topic?  Jesus!  Wouldn’t you have loved to have been a part of that study from Jesus Himself?

As suddenly as Jesus showed up, He disappeared just as they had begun their evening meal in Emmaus.  This encounter left them with “hearts burning” within them.  Even though the day was “far-spent,” they returned to Jerusalem with a new story to tell.  They had seen Jesus in the flesh and discovered Him in Scripture.  They had to tell the other disciples, so they likely ran all the way back to Jerusalem in the dark, where the other disciples were behind closed doors for “fear of the Jews” (John 20:19).  When your heart is burning, you have to be running!

It was dark when they returned to Jerusalem since they had been talking with Jesus as they ate the evening meal seven miles away.  They found the eleven disciples talking about Peter’s experience of seeing Jesus (Luke 24:34).

Suddenly, Jesus appears again!  They think they have seen a spirit, but Jesus tells them, “Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” V. 39.  Then He eats broiled fish and honeycomb with them.

But here is the relevant part to this theme: the two men on the way to Emmaus get to hear the Scripture study about Jesus a second time!  When our hearts are burning and running to tell others about Jesus, we are learning.

Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Luke 24: 44-45

From this gathering of discouraged disciples, we learn that the writings of the Old Testament (the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms) are fulfilled in Jesus. Is it not obvious?  We can learn many things about Jesus by reading these ancient writings.    

So yes.  if we only read the New Testament, we miss two-thirds of the story about Him.  Our experience and faith in Jesus will explode when we discover Jesus from people like Moses, Ezra, Nehemiah, Solomon, Isaiah, David, Daniel, and many others whom God inspired to write about what they saw and experienced (2 Peter 1:21).

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them, you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me.” –Jesus (John 5:39)

A Praying Woman is Powerful

My mom, younger brother, and I lived with my grandmother from the time I was five years old until I started the 5th grade at ten years old.  As my two cousins will testify, “Mamaw” knew The Lord in a very special way.

My sweet Grandmother had a habit of kneeling beside the bed at night and praying to her Savior. She often prayed softly but loud enough so that I heard my name being presented to the throne room of Heaven. There were times I felt if I opened my eyes, I would see Jesus and her having a cup of tea while they talked.

Her prayers affect me to this day even though she died Christmas Eve 1976. This was only four months after my conversion from atheism to a follower of Christ. My first wife, who had just given her life to the Lord, challenged me to study her notes and prove her wrong.  After months of study, I proved myself wrong and gave myself to the work of the Lord Jesus.

As my dear grandmother lay in the hospital bed that silent night, I asked The Lord to let her sleep so she would not be in pain and the confusion of Parkinson’s disease.  I got news of her death after I left the hospital and arrived at home, where my wife and 2-month-old daughter waited for me.

That exact prayer for God’s mercy would be repeated years later for my saintly mother, who died from a lung infection.  My prayer was, “Lord, let her sleep to escape the pain of death.”  The doctors asked the family to say our goodbyes.  When it came to my turn, I trembled.  My mother had been praying for ten years for my return to the Lord.  After eighteen years of service and following Jesus, I asked God to go away.  I had lost faith due to tragedies in my life in 1994. 

Mom often asked me when I was going to come back to the faith I once knew.  Lately, I had begun to feel that familiar pull of the Holy Spirit to repent of my sins and receive forgiveness.

 The Lord was knocking hard on the door of my heart. A lump the size of my fist was stuck in my throat as I approached this beautiful woman who had given me life.  Like my Grandmother, my Mom knew the Lord and was close to HIm.    Icema Pappas was the sweetest, non-obtrusive woman I had ever known. She was only moments away from the penalty passed upon all….death.  We would be separated, perhaps forever.

Years earlier, after my conversion, she and I had studied the Bible about the resurrection and the coming of Jesus.  It was in this study we saw the plan for those who die in Christ.  The clearest verse is found in 1 Thessalonians 4: 16-18 (GW)

The Lord will come from heaven with a command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the dead who believed in Christ will come back to life.  Then, together with them, we who are still alive will be taken up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. In this way, we will always be with the Lord.  So then, comfort each other with these words!

When I leaned in close to my Mom, who seemed to be at peace but under the influence of the drugs to help soften the sting of death, I said these words through wet tears dripping on her hand. I held her soft, sweet hands close to my face.

 “Mom, I will see you resurrection morning.”

Immediately, I felt a squeeze of her hand! Twice! That tightening of her hand had strength despite the drugs and impending death.  It communicated the unspoken words,

“You better be there.”

Even in death, her humor and concern for me came through loud and clear through that grip!

Like those who see their life pass before their eyes when they think they are about to die, I recounted my fall from grace.  My fall had been dramatic, just like my conversion.  When converted, I was compelled to teach others about what I had learned.  I became a Bible teacher with a very large class.  I got involved in prison ministry and a world-wide magazine did a story on my ministry.  A Christian brother (Charlie) and I began a radio ministry called Answers from Scripture.  When Billy Graham came to town, I participated in training to become a counselor.  For several nights, I had the incredible experience of working next to Jesus and the Graham team to help people start their “Jesus Journey.”

Jesus did things through me I never dreamed possible or likely.

But, a series of events in 1994 had me shaking my fist at God.  I felt He had forsaken me.  I turned back to the world and began to drink for the first time in my life.   After several years,  I became an alcoholic after feeling the deep pain of a sick child with a rare disease, a surprise divorce, losing my job unexpectedly, and the death of my father in a car wreck. Looking back, I should have pleaded with God, but I took the self-pity route.

I was so low that I could not feel God’s presence any longer, but He was there protecting me and hearing the prayers of these two powerful women in my life….not to mention many others in my church and my family.

This experience with my dying mother would only make that “still small voice.” louder.    Later that year, I would return to the Lord like the prodigal son…dirty, broke, and doubtful.  That is a story unto itself.  My God had not forsaken me!  He allowed me to waste my inheritance for the salvation of my soul.

My experience with my Creator is now stronger than ever before….in Christ, but I know that the prayers of these two beautiful women (and my ex-wife) interceded for me and stood in the gap by praying in my stead when I could not or would not do so.

(For my three-part conversion story, click here:)

A Clean Pig Returns to the Mud-Part 1

A Clean Pig Returns to the Mud-Part 2

A Pig Washed A Second Time-Conclusion

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Last night (New Year’s Eve 2015), I had the same feeling of hearing my name being presented to The Lord just like I heard from my grandmother and my mother years before.

My beautiful wife of almost two years (Judy) has a tradition of praying at midnight each new year. (What a contrast to the parties and drinking that I once indulged.)  I tried to stay up till midnight, but we both fell asleep.

I was awakened by a soft touch on my arm and the sound of my beloved wife praying for me at midnight. She said The Lord woke her at 11:55 PM to pray.

There is nothing more powerful than a praying and believing woman! During Christ’s time on earth, it was the women who were closer and more loyal than the fearful men.  These women dared the enemy of man and his agents by standing at the foot of the cross to comfort the dying Savior.  Except for John, the disciples had all fled.

I am blessed by the prayers of four women in my life:  My Grandmother, Mother, first wife (Mother of my children), and now my wife of two years, who encourages me along in my “Jesus Journey.” Also, those two female cousins I mentioned at the start also pray for me as I do for them!

Thank you, Judy, for carrying the prayer torch into another year and for praying for me…and my children.  May I come to know the Lord like the women in my life!

Yes, I am blessed by the women who love me.  But I bet you are, too!


“The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous (woman) avails much.”

James 5:16

A CHRISTMAS STORY OF THE WISEMEN’S JOURNEY

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 

And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet

“But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Mathew 2:1-6

Wise men journey

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The following is based primarily on Matthew 2:1-18 and Luke 2: 1-20

Inspiration and Timing for Our Journey

Our journey from Persia, where the great Hebrew prophet Daniel resided many years ago, has been difficult.   It was the Hebrew prophets like Isaiah, Micah, and others who inspired our journey. We carefully studied their prophecies about the coming Messiah, but it was the prophet Daniel who wrote of the timing of the Savior’s arrival. It was going to be very soon! Micah disclosed the city of Bethlehem as our destination. But Daniel gave us the time of his arrival:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.” Micah 5:2

Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; Daniel 9: 25

We had a place and a start time for the clock of prophecy. We knew from the book of Ezra that the decree to restore and build Jerusalem was given by Artaxerxes, the king of Persia to Ezra, the priest, in the fall of 457 BC. Our careful calculation to the Messiah starts here and moves forward 69 weeks. This is 483 days or years by applying the day-to-year principle as indicated by the other Hebrew prophets. The timing was tantalizing close to our time. To encourage us even more, we saw a star in the east that beaconed us to start our journey.

The People and Sights Along the Way

We have fought sandstorms, cold, and that never-ending heat! My back aches from the monotonous rocking of my camel’s steps.  It is like riding on a slow-moving boat pushed back and forth continually by repetitive ocean waves; perhaps another reason they call them ships of the desert. Despite all this, I am sure our inconvenience will be rewarded! We have put our hearts and time into this journey. We are certain the prophecies from the ancient scrolls are accurate.

The camels have done well, but like us, they enjoy the breaks we often take and the people we meet along the way.  When we pass through the many villages, the beasts become the center of attention for the children who try to feed them hay and anything else they can find. (**See note at the end regarding the number of Wisemen)

The adults are filled with questions about our journey and our destination.  They want to know where we come from.  Their wide eyes reveal they are impressed with the distance we have traveled.  We are glad to share with them the news of the Messiah and what we know from the ancient scrolls.  Some consider us crazy, but many listen and wish they could go with us.  They call it an adventure, but we know it is more…so much more.

Nighttime is my favorite part of the day because of the star’s brightness guiding us and the peace that comes from the quiet, disturbed only by the crackling fire and the occasional snort of a tired camel. Our conversation around the fire is pleasant and lulls me into a deep sleep. 

The star is a constant reminder of the accuracy of the scrolls and a confirmation of our journey.  Many people we have met have seen the unusually bright star and wondered.  They don’t know what it means but are comforted by its beauty and marvel that its magnificence is not diminished by the light of day.  When we started, it was low on the horizon, but it is rising and becoming brighter as we have drawn nearer to our destination, Bethlehem!

I lean back on the saddle I have used as a pillow and enjoy the warmth of the fire.  I am warm and content.  My journal and mind are filling up with my notes.  I make this entry under the light from the twinkling star-lit night.

Now, we are only one day out from Jerusalem.  We hope to visit King Herod and celebrate with him the coming of the Messiah.  The town is surely busy with activity and celebration even though it has taken us many months to get this far.

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The Shepherds

Our anticipation grows so much that we wake in the star-lit clearness of the approaching new day. We desire to arrive in Jerusalem early in the sunlit morning to seek an audience with the king before we head off to Bethlehem, only about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) to the south of the capital city.

So I rise with the others, full of energy and anticipation of the journey ahead of us.  We mount our ships of the desert, which match our excitement to start moving again.  This is going to be a good day! I can feel it!

The early morning air is cold, and the star is brighter than ever!  We hear music in the distance!  As we approach the outskirts of Jerusalem, we are greeted by shepherds watching over their sheep.  With wonder in their eyes, they run up to our caravan and ask us the usual questions: our destination and where we come from.

I tell them the story of our journey and our wish to see the new baby king.  They are polite and respectful and let us speak first. When I pause my story, they begin to talk fast and together as if they will burst if their words are not heard.  Wonder and curiosity force us to dismount our camels and gather around them.  They calm themselves and begin to talk one at a time.   Then begins their beautiful story of the events when the Messiah was born.

We were in the field at night when we heard the sound of singing and joy, and there was light all around us that lit up the countryside like it was daytime….only brighter.

Then the next one speaks with equal intensity.“We were afraid! I turned my eyes toward the ground.”

A third young man, a little older, says, The brightness was coming from an angel who told us to

” fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

Luke 2:10

The angel told us to go to the city of David where we would find Christ the Lord, and we would find a baby wrapped in *swaddling clothes lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:12 (**See note at the end.)

Another one talks before the older one finishes, “The music continued, and many more angels appeared high in the night sky!”

It all is starting to come together for me.  The older boy exclaims confidently, “That star you have followed are angels.  They began to sing again as your caravan approached us.”

The youngest one blurts, “After the angels appeared to us, we left our flocks and raced towards Bethlehem.  There we found a woman named Mary and her husband Joseph, and there in a manger was the baby they call Jesus.”

My heart pounds faster as I realize we now know the king’s name!  His name is Jesus! In Greek, it means “Jehovah is Salvation.” The Hebrew name is Joshua. His mission is in His Name!

Their eyes are bright, and they all nod their heads in agreement when the older shepherd boy slows down his words and says with tears in his eyes. “Our hearts are changed! We can’t stop talking about that night and the baby Jesus.  We have told everyone!  Even Mary rejoiced at our story!”

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Disappointment in Jerusalem

The visit with the young men has inspired and energized us!  We have also learned the name of the mother and father! It is an easier climb back on my camel.  Our strength has been renewed, as well as our urgency to get to Bethlehem.  The music and praise in the heavens grow louder and brighter even as the yellow and orange of the sunrise pushes us toward Jerusalem and King Herod.

We arrive in Jerusalem by mid-morning. The angel star is quiet. The smell of food awakens our hunger. But, we greatly desire to see the king as soon as possible. It overrides all our growing hunger and thirst.

There is a crowd to meet us.  It is easy to notice they are not like the excited shepherds.  They are curious and seem afraid and worried.  Maybe it is our large caravan and the way we look.  Our skin and clothes are different.

We finally arrive at the king’s palace and request an audience with him.  To my surprise, we are immediately invited in.  A few of us go, and the others mix with the growing crowd outside, telling them of our journey and the new story from the shepherds that they had already heard.  And, of course, the children ask many questions and try to feed the camels.

We wait for a long time before we are welcomed into the king’s presence. King Herod reflects the same aura as the people outside.  He looks concerned.  For a moment, I wonder if we made a mistake coming here.

I am the first one to speak. Excitedly, I blurted out words without considering that I was talking to a king.

“Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east and are come to worship him.”

Although we knew of Jesus’ birthplace, surely He is somewhere in the big city by now. I began to think this was not a good question and statement…asking a reigning king about a king that would rule the Jews in the future.  The king struggles to stay polite and excuses himself.  We can hear him calling all his wise men and priests together, standing nearby.  He tries to whisper so we can’t hear, but the cold palace lets his voice carry easily through its halls. Well, we didn’t get off to a good start.

He is angry and demands they tell him where this Christ would be born.  We hear them quote the same scrolls we studied before and after we left on our long journey.  We hear the Scribes read from the Prophet Micah. The same place that the scroll of the prophet told us where He would be born:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting.”

Michah 5:2

We look at each other with the same surprise.  They have taken the words of their ancient prophets so lightly.  I feel foreboding and regretfulness rising up within me as the king invites us back into his private chambers.

A forced smile appears on his troubled face. He apologizes for not being more hospitable and invites us to have some food and something to drink.  I am uncomfortable.  The meeting is uncomfortable.  We politely eat some of the food even though our hunger is different.

He asks about our trip, and we tell him about our long journey, the star in the east, and the shepherds we met just outside town.  We sense we should not tell the king anything more and look for an excuse to leave quickly.

Then, he asked us a question he was eager to know.  It seemed to be the main reason for his talking with us, which hinged on this question.

“When was it you first saw the star and began the journey ?”

Reluctantly, I tell him it has been almost two years. The king is attempting to determine the age of the Child.  He then says in almost a whisper and an evil voice,

“Go and search for him, and when you find him, bring him here to the palace that I might worship him too.”

With a jump and quick turn around, he immediately leaves us and disappears into the palace. He is no doubt trying to use us to locate the Child.

The attendant escorted us back to our caravan and the growing crowd. We never expected to have such a greeting.  I, along with my friends, have become suspicious and concerned.  We are glad to get back on our camels and back to following the star, which has turned us south towards the sleepy little village of Bethlehem.

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Bethlehem

The sun has risen fast.  It waits for no one.  We continue our journey toward Bethlehem.  It is a short distance, but we travel slowly, enjoying the final leg of our journey.  It will be starting to get dark before we arrive.

The excitement of seeing the new king of the Jews returns to our hearts as we travel along silently, contemplating the events of last night and this morning.  The crowds have disappeared.

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There before us lies the twinkling lights of the little city of Bethlehem!  The star is just above the peaceful town, shining its clear light and casting shadows on the surrounding hillside. How beautiful it is! We feel great joy and express our congratulations to each other.  A journey of hundreds of miles has brought us to this moment! A small group of citizens comes to greet us at the entrance to the village.  We ask for Mary and Joseph.

The star is almost directly overhead as a sweet girl escorts us to a tiny house near the edge of town.

Dismounting our camels, we hear the music again far up in the night sky. Mary greets us at the door as we crowd into the small, clean home.

Jesus!

We feel the presence of royalty as the young toddler Jesus walks into the room.  Emotions overcome us, and we fall on our knees and worship the child we know to be the fulfillment of thousands of years of prophecy.  We have seen Him in all the scrolls of the Jews many times.  The face of God is in his brown eyes! We can sense a power that searches our hearts. Many of us weep and then gather ourselves to give our gifts.

We bring in our offerings of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and we celebrate our gift of time with Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.  They make our visit enjoyable and pleasant.  We spent the night laughing and playing with little Jesus.  I take him up in my arms and show him the camels. They are calm and peaceful as Jesus reaches out and touches them.  He wants to touch all of them!  Never before have I seen such a face as the One who looks at me.  The others demand their time to hold Him, so  I pass Him to the other men.  I still feel his warmth in my arms and on my chest.  The journey has been worth every step and more.  My heart wants to burst with joy!  I feel alive!

The rest of the night is spent talking and eating. Too soon,  our time with Mary, Joseph, and Jesus is finished. Before we leave, we ask for permission to anoint Jesus with more gifts we brought. It is a special moment when we place the sweet smell upon the head of Jesus as he sits in his mother’s lap.  We are content and feel the presence of God in the room and in the sparkling eyes of the Little King.

No Ordinary Child

I wonder why more people do not understand that here before us is Immanuel (God with us)!

Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

This little boy will grow up to save the world from eternal death!  He will pay the penalty we deserve and teach us spiritual things about the kingdom of God!  It is all in the ancient scrolls! My mind goes to the scroll of Isaiah 6:9

For unto us, a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 6:9

He is “Mighty God,” Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace!” My breath is taken as I consider who we stand before! This is no ordinary child!

We wish to stay but feel we must begin our journey back.  We promise to return when the child is older.  We know from the writings of the prophet Daniel that the young child will live to be only about 33 years old, and then he will sacrifice himself for the people’s sins and rise on the third day to show his power over the clutches of the grave and death.

Our wish is to return when he is older, but in the meantime, we pledge among ourselves to share, in our homeland, the good news of the birth of Jesus. The beginning of eternity and our hope are standing right behind those innocent brown eyes! We will begin to tell our story with those we will meet along the way back to our home in the West.

We say our goodbyes to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph and head north through back through the city.

A Detour Home-Danger!

I am stopped in my tracks as I begin to consider our strange visit with King Herod.

A man appears to me and tells me to take a different path home and head east instead of retracing our journey.  The king is up to some evil, and we don’t want to help him in any way.  We probably made a mistake visiting him and giving him information about the approximate age of the baby Jesus.  It is an unfortunate turn of events. We are going to miss the young shepherd boys on the way back.  I was looking forward to telling them of our visit.

The star is gone as we begin our travel home.  We stop to rest when we feel we have put some distance between King Herod and us.  Around the fire, we talk about our great journey and look again at scripture.  We come across a disturbing message from the prophet Jeremiah:

“Thus says the Lord:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
    lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
    she refuses to be comforted for her children,
    because they are no more.”

Jeremiah 31:15

Soon, the voices and the fire go out, and we sleep…exhausted from excitement and the sleep we missed, I can feel the warmth of my camel next to me. The trip home will be long, but it will go fast as we tell the wonderful story of Jesus along the way.

Later, the next day, we hear the news and fulfillment of that passage in Jeremiah that troubled us.  King Herod had all the male children 2 years old and younger killed.  What a cruel and foolish man!

We also got the news that Joseph was warned of Herod’s intention, and our friends Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus escaped to the safety of Egypt.

Later, we would learn Joseph took his family to a little town called Nazareth after Herod died.

More fulfillment of the ancient scrolls:

“And out of Egypt, I called my son.”

Hosea 11:1

Our journey to find Jesus was long and difficult, but we have been transformed by it. The scrolls, the star, the shepherds, and even the evil King Herod have made us wiser. But most of all, it has made us believers in Jesus.

We will continue to study the ancient scrolls because now that we have seen Jesus ourselves, we can see Him in every story told there.

So many scrolls to read, so little time.

And ye shall seek me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

Jeremiah 29:13

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My friends, join me in a Christmas worship of the One who gave all that we might have all.  Let us fall on our knees this night as we think about the birth of Jesus and the visit of men who were seeking Him.  They found Him!  Have you?

Click here for a beautiful video and song:

Oh, Holy Night!

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Footnotes:

*Only three Wisemen are traditional and unverifiable. The number is likely based on the three main gifts given to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph (  gold, frankincense, and myrrh.-Matt. 2: 11). For such a long journey and the importance of the journey, there was likely a caravan of camels and support people. But, again, unverifiable. )

**Swaddling clothes were strips that were often used to prepare the body for burial. They would wrap (swath) them in linen and then add strips around the head and feet (See John 20:7- Jesus and John 11:44- Lazarus). Jesus, at birth, was wrapped in the cloth for dead people. His mission from the start was to die!

Meaning of the Three Gifts of the Wisemen

Gold is associated with royalty and was a gift given to kings around the time of Christ’s birth. The wise men’s first gift of gold symbolized Jesus’ role as the King of Kings. Jesus’ family may have used the gift of gold in their flight to Egypt and after leaving that region to return home.

Frankincense was a type of incense burned as a sacrifice and used by priests during the sanctuary services at the time of Christ’s birth. The wise men’s gift of frankincense symbolized Jesus’ priesthood. Jesus’ family may have used the gift of frankincense for practical purposes, such as during prayer, or given some to the temple priests as a sacrifice.

Myrrh: During Christ’s birth, myrrh was used as an embalming ointment when preparing bodies for burial. The wise men’s gift of myrrh prophetically signified that Jesus was born to suffer and die while also symbolizing his burial. The gift of myrrh also had a practical use, as Mary, Jesus’s mother, may have used the myrrh for both Joseph’s and Jesus’s burials.

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For additional study:

Jesus’  first coming was predicted in hundreds of Old Testament writings!

The one prophecy that pinpoints the exact time of His coming, which helped in the wise men’s timing of their journey, and a brief outline of his life, death, and ministry is found in Daniel 9.  To know more about this prophecy, click here:  https://www.answersfromscriptureonline.com/2017/11/19/daniel-revelation-part-6-longest-time-prophecy/

353 prophecies about the first coming of Christ are below. Much more concerning his second coming…will discuss it in future posts.

Scripture Prophecy Fulfillment
1. Gen. 3:15Seed of a woman (virgin birth)Galatians 4:4-5Matthew 1:18
2. Gen. 3:15He will bruise Satan’s headHebrews 2:14, 1 John 3:8
3. Gen. 3:15Christ’s heel would be bruised with nails on the crossMatthew 27:35Luke 24:39-40
4. Gen. 5:24The bodily ascension to heaven illustratedMark 16:19, Rev. 12:5
5. Gen. 9:26, 27The God of Shem will be the Son of ShemLuke 3:23-36
6. Gen. 12:3Seed of Abraham will bless all nationsGalatians 3:8Acts 3:2526
7. Gen. 12:7The Promise made to Abraham’s SeedGalatians 3:16
8. Gen. 14:18A priest after the order of MelchizedekHebrews 6:20
9. Gen. 14:18King of Peace and RighteousnessHebrews 7:2
10. Gen. 14:18The Last Supper foreshadowedMatthew 26:26-29
11. Gen. 17:19Seed of Isaac (Gen. 21:12)Romans 9:7
12. Gen. 22:8The Lamb of God promisedJohn 1:29
13. Gen. 22:18As Isaac’s seed, will bless all nationsGalatians 3:16
14. Gen. 26:2-5The Seed of Isaac promised as the RedeemerHebrews 11:18
15. Gen. 28:12The Bridge to heavenJohn 1:51
16. Gen. 28:14The Seed of JacobLuke 3:34
17. Gen. 49:10The time of His comingLuke 2:1-7; Galatians 4:4
18. Gen. 49:10The Seed of JudahLuke 3:33
19. Gen. 49:10Called Shiloh or One SentJohn 17:3
20. Gen. 49:10Messiah to come before Judah lost identityJohn 11:47-52
21. Gen. 49:10Unto Him shall the obedience of the people beJohn 10:16
22. Ex. 3:13-15The Great “I AM”John 4:268:58
23. Ex. 12:3-6The Lamb presented to Israel 4 days before PassoverMark 11:7-11
24. Ex. 12:5A Lamb without blemishHebrews 9:141Peter 1:19
25. Ex. 12:13The blood of the Lamb saves from wrathRomans 5:8
26. Ex. 12:21-27Christ is our Passover1Corinthians 5:7
27. Ex. 12:46Not a bone of the Lamb to be brokenJohn 19:31-36
28. Ex. 15:2His exaltation predicted as YeshuaActs 7:5556
29. Ex. 15:11His Character-HolinessLuke 1:35Acts 4:27
30. Ex. 17:6The Spiritual Rock of Israel1Corinthians 10:4
31. Ex. 33:19His Character-MercifulLuke 1:72
32. Lev. 1:2-9His sacrifice a sweet smelling savor unto GodEphesians 5:2
33. Lev. 14:11The leper cleansed-Sign to priesthoodLuke 5:12-14Acts 6:7
34. Lev. 16:15-17Prefigures Christ’s once-for-all deathHebrews 9:7-14
35. Lev. 16:27Suffering outside the CampMatthew 27:33Heb. 13:1112
36. Lev. 17:11The Blood-the life of the fleshMatthew 26:28Mark 10:45
37. Lev. 17:11It is the blood that makes atonementRom. 3:23-241John 1:7
38. Lev. 23:36-37The Drink-offering: “If any man thirst”John 7:37
39. Num. 9:12Not a bone of Him brokenJohn 19:31-36
40. Num. 21:9The serpent on a pole-Christ lifted upJohn 3:14-1812:32
41. Num. 24:17Time: “I shall see him, but not now.”John 1:14Galatians 4:4
42. Deut. 18:15“This is of a truth that prophet.”John 6:14
43. Deut. 18:15-16“Had ye believed Moses, ye would believe me.”John 5:45-47
44. Deut. 18:18Sent by the Father to speak His wordJohn 8:2829
45. Deut. 18:19Whoever will not hear must bear his sinActs 3:22-23
46. Deut. 21:23Cursed is he that hangs on a treeGalatians 3:10-13
47. Joshua 5:14-15The Captain of our salvationHebrews 2:10
48. Ruth 4:4-10Christ, our kinsman, has redeemed usEphesians 1:3-7
49. 1 Sam. 2:35A Faithful PriestHeb. 2:173:1-367:24-25
50. 1 Sam. 2:10Shall be an anointed King to the LordMt. 28:18John 12:15
51. 2 Sam. 7:12David’s SeedMatthew 1:1
52. 2 Sam. 7:13His Kingdom is everlasting2Peter 1:11
53. 2 Sam. 7:14The Son of GodLuke 1:32Romans 1:3-4
54. 2 Sam. 7:16David’s house established foreverLuke 3:31Rev. 22:16
55. 2 Ki. 2:11The bodily ascension to heaven illustratedLuke 24:51
56. 1 Chr. 17:11David’s SeedMatthew 1:19:27
57. 1 Chr. 17:12-13To reign on David’s throne foreverLuke 1:3233
58. 1 Chr. 17:13“I will be His Father, He…my Son.”Hebrews 1:5
59. Job 9:32-33Mediator between man and God1 Timothy 2:5
60. Job 19:23-27The Resurrection predictedJohn 5:24-29
61. Psa. 2:1-3The enmity of kings foreordainedActs 4:25-28
62. Psa. 2:2To own the title, Anointed (Christ)John 1:41Acts 2:36
63. Psa. 2:6His Character-HolinessJohn 8:46Revelation 3:7
64. Psa. 2:6To own the title KingMatthew 2:2
65. Psa. 2:7Declared the Beloved SonMatthew 3:17Romans 1:4
66. Psa. 2:78The Crucifixion and Resurrection intimatedActs 13:29-33
67. Psa. 2:89Rule the nations with a rod of ironRev. 2:2712:519:15
68. Psa. 2:12Life comes through faith in HimJohn 20:31
69. Psa. 8:2The mouths of babes perfect His praiseMatthew 21:16
70. Psa. 8:56His humiliation and exaltationHebrews 2:5-9
71. Psa. 9:7-10Judge the world in righteousnessActs 17:31
72. Psa. 16:10Was not to see corruptionActs 2:3113:35
73. Psa. 16:9-11Was to arise from the deadJohn 20:9
74. Psa. 17:15The resurrection predictedLuke 24:6
75. Psa. 18:2-3The horn of salvationLuke 1:69-71
76. Psa. 22:1Forsaken because of sins of others2 Corinthians 5:21
77. Psa. 22:1“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”Matthew 27:46
78. Psa. 22:2Darkness upon Calvary for three hoursMatthew 27:45
79. Psa. 22:7They shoot out the lip and shake the headMatthew 27:39-44
80. Psa. 22:8“He trusted in God, let Him deliver Him”Matthew 27:43
81. Psa. 22:9-10Born the SaviourLuke 2:7
82. Psa. 22:12-13They seek His deathJohn 19:6
83. Psa. 22:14His blood poured out when they pierced His sideJohn 19:34
84. Psa. 22:1415Suffered agony on CalvaryMark 15:34-37
85. Psa. 22:15He thirstedJohn 19:28
86. Psa. 22:16They pierced His hands and His feetJohn 19:343720:27
87. Psa. 22:1718Stripped Him before the stares of menLuke 23:3435
88. Psa. 22:18They parted His garmentsJohn 19:2324
89. Psa. 22:2021He committed Himself to GodLuke 23:46
90. Psa. 22:2021Satanic power bruising the Redeemer’s heelHebrews 2:14
91. Psa. 22:22His Resurrection declaredJohn 20:17
92. Psa. 22:27-28He shall be the governor of the nationsColossians 1:16
93. Psa. 22:31“It is finished”John 19:30Heb. 10:10121418
94. Psa. 23:1“I am the Good Shepherd”John 10:111Peter 2:25
95. Psa. 24:3His exaltation predictedActs 1:11Philippians 2:9
96. Psa. 30:3His resurrection predictedActs 2:32
97. Psa. 31:5“Into thy hands I commit my spirit”Luke 23:46
98. Psa. 31:11His acquaintances fled from HimMark 14:50
99. Psa. 31:13They took counsel to put Him to deathMt. 27:1John 11:53
100. Psa. 31:1415“He trusted in God, let Him deliver him”Matthew 27:43
101. Psa. 34:20Not a bone of Him brokenJohn 19:31-36
102. Psa. 35:11False witnesses rose up against HimMatthew 26:59
103. Psa. 35:19He was hated without a causeJohn 15:25
104. Psa. 38:11His friends stood afar offLuke 23:49
105. Psa. 38:12Enemies try to entangle Him by craftMark 14:1Mt. 22:15
106. Psa. 38:12-13Silent before His accusersMatthew 27:12-14
107. Psa. 38:20He went about doing goodActs 10:38
108. Psa. 40:2-5The joy of His resurrection predictedJohn 20:20
109. Psa. 40:6-8His delight-the will of the FatherJohn 4:34Heb. 10:5-10
110. Psa. 40:9He was to preach the Righteousness in IsraelMatthew 4:17
111. Psa. 40:14Confronted by adversaries in the GardenJohn 18:4-6
112. Psa. 41:9Betrayed by a familiar friendJohn 13:18
113. Psa. 45:2Words of Grace come from His lipsJohn 1:17Luke 4:22
114. Psa. 45:6To own the title, God or ElohimHebrews 1:8
115. Psa. 45:7A special anointing by the Holy SpiritMt. 3:16Heb. 1:9
116. Psa. 45:78Called the Christ (Messiah or Anointed)Luke 2:11
117. Psa. 45:17His name remembered foreverEphesians 1:20-21Heb. 1:8
118. Psa. 55:12-14Betrayed by a friend, not an enemyJohn 13:18
119. Psa. 55:15Unrepentant death of the BetrayerMatthew 27:3-5Acts 1:16-19
120. Psa. 68:18To give gifts to menEphesians 4:7-16
121. Psa. 68:18Ascended into HeavenLuke 24:51
122. Psa. 69:4Hated without a causeJohn 15:25
123. Psa. 69:8A stranger to own brethrenJohn 1:117:5
124. Psa. 69:9Zealous for the Lord’s HouseJohn 2:17
125. Psa. 69:14-20Messiah’s anguish of soul before crucifixionMatthew 26:36-45
126. Psa. 69:20“My soul is exceeding sorrowful.”Matthew 26:38
127. Psa. 69:21Given vinegar in thirstMatthew 27:34
128. Psa. 69:26The Saviour given and smitten by GodJohn 17:418:11
129. Psa. 72:1011Great persons were to visit HimMatthew 2:1-11
130. Psa. 72:16The corn of wheat to fall into the GroundJohn 12:24-25
131. Psa. 72:17Belief on His name will produce offspringJohn 1:1213
132. Psa. 72:17All nations shall be blessed by HimGalatians 3:8
133. Psa. 72:17All nations shall call Him blessedJohn 12:13Rev. 5:8-12
134. Psa. 78:1-2He would teach in parablesMatthew 13:34-35
135. Psa. 78:2To speak the Wisdom of God with authorityMatthew 7:29
136. Psa. 80:17The Man of God’s right handMark 14:61-62
137. Psa. 88The Suffering and Reproach of CalvaryMatthew 27:26-50
138. Psa. 88:8They stood afar off and watchedLuke 23:49
139. Psa. 89:27FirstbornColossians 1:1518
140. Psa. 89:27Emmanuel to be higher than earthly kingsLuke 1:3233
141. Psa. 89:35-37David’s Seed, throne, kingdom endure foreverLuke 1:3233
142. Psa. 89:36-37His character-FaithfulnessRevelation 1:519:11
143. Psa. 90:2He is from everlasting (Micah 5:2)John 1:1
144. Psa. 91:1112Identified as Messianic; used to tempt ChristLuke 4:1011
145. Psa. 97:9His exaltation predictedActs 1:11Ephesians 1:20
146. Psa. 100:5His character-GoodnessMatthew 19:1617
147. Psa. 102:1-11The Suffering and Reproach of CalvaryJohn 19:16-30
148. Psa. 102:25-27Messiah is the Preexistent SonHebrews 1:10-12
149. Psa. 109:25RidiculedMatthew 27:39
150. Psa. 110:1Son of DavidMatthew 22:42-43
151. Psa. 110:1To ascend to the right-hand of the FatherMark 16:19
152. Psa. 110:1David’s son called LordMatthew 22:4445
153. Psa. 110:4A priest after Melchizedek’s orderHebrews 6:20
154. Psa. 112:4His character-Compassionate, Gracious, et alMatthew 9:36
155. Psa. 118:1718Messiah’s Resurrection assuredLuke 24:5-71Cor. 15:20
156. Psa. 118:2223The rejected stone is Head of the cornerMatthew 21:4243
157. Psa. 118:26The Blessed One presented to IsraelMatthew 21:9
158. Psa. 118:26To come while Temple standingMatthew 21:12-15
159. Psa. 132:11The Seed of David (the fruit of His Body)Luke 1:32Act 2:30
160. Psa. 129:3He was scourgedMatthew 27:26
161. Psa. 138:1-6The supremacy of David’s Seed amazes kingsMatthew 2:2-6
162. Psa. 147:36The earthly ministry of Christ describedLuke 4:18
163. Prov. 1:23He will send the Spirit of GodJohn 16:7
164. Prov. 8:23Foreordained from everlastingRev. 13:81Peter 1:19-20
165. Song. 5:16The altogether lovely OneJohn 1:17
166. Isa. 2:3He shall teach all nationsJohn 4:25
167. Isa. 2:4He shall judge among the nationsJohn 5:22
168. Isa. 6:1When Isaiah saw His gloryJohn 12:40-41
169. Isa. 6:8The One Sent by GodJohn 12:38-45
170. Isa. 6:9-10Parables fall on deaf earsMatthew 13:13-15
171. Isa. 6:9-12Blinded to Christ and deaf to His wordsActs 28:23-29
172. Isa. 7:14To be born of a virginLuke 1:35
173. Isa. 7:14To be Emmanuel-God with usMatthew 1:18-231Tim. 3:16
174. Isa. 8:8Called EmmanuelMatthew 28:20
175. Isa. 8:14A stone of stumbling, a Rock of offense1Peter 2:8
176. Isa. 9:12His ministry to begin in GalileeMatthew 4:12-17
177. Isa. 9:6A child born-HumanityLuke 1:31
178. Isa. 9:6A Son given-DeityLuke 1:32John 1:141Tim. 3:16
179. Isa. 9:6Declared to be the Son of God with powerRomans 1:34
180. Isa. 9:6The Wonderful One, PelehLuke 4:22
181. Isa. 9:6The Counsellor, YaatzMatthew 13:54
182. Isa. 9:6The Mighty God, El Gibor1Cor. 1:24Titus 2:13
183. Isa. 9:6The Everlasting Father, Avi AdthJohn 8:5810:30
184. Isa. 9:6The Prince of Peace, Sar ShalomJohn 16:33
185. Isa. 9:7Inherits the throne of DavidLuke 1:32
186. Isa. 9:7His Character-JustJohn 5:30
187. Isa. 9:7No end to his Government, Throne, and kingdomLuke 1:33
188. Isa. 11:1Called a Nazarene-the Branch, NetzerMatthew 2:23
189. Isa. 11:1A rod out of Jesse-Son of JesseLuke 3:2332
190. Isa. 11:2Anointed One by the SpiritMatthew 3:1617Acts 10:38
191. Isa. 11:2His Character-Wisdom, Knowledge, et alColossians 2:3
192. Isa. 11:3He would know their thoughtsLuke 6:8John 2:25
193. Isa. 11:4Judge in righteousnessActs 17:31
194. Isa. 11:4Judges with the sword of His mouthRev. 2:1619:1115
195. Isa. 11:5Character: Righteous & FaithfulRev. 19:11
196. Isa. 11:10The Gentiles seek HimJohn 12:18-21
197. Isa. 12:2Called Jesus-YeshuaMatthew 1:21
198. Isa. 22:22The One given all authority to governRevelation 3:7
199. Isa. 25:8The Resurrection predicted1Corinthians 15:54
200. Isa. 26:19His power of Resurrection predictedMatthew 27:50-54
201. Isa. 28:16The Messiah is the precious corner stoneActs 4:1112
202. Isa. 28:16The Sure Foundation1Corinthians 3:11Mt. 16:18
203. Isa. 29:13He indicated hypocritical obedience to His WordMatthew 15:7-9
204. Isa. 29:14The wise are confounded by the Word1Corinthians 1:18-31
205. Isa. 32:2A Refuge-A man shall be a hiding placeMatthew 23:37
206. Isa. 35:4He will come and save youMatthew 1:21
207. Isa. 35:5-6To have a ministry of miraclesMatthew 11:2-6
208. Isa. 40:34Preceded by forerunnerJohn 1:23
209. Isa. 40:9“Behold your God.”John 1:3619:14
210. Isa. 40:10.He will come to rewardRevelation 22:12
211. Isa. 40:11A shepherd-compassionate life-giverJohn 10:10-18
212. Isa. 42:1-4The Servant-as a faithful, patient redeemerMatthew 12:18-21
213. Isa. 42:2Meek and lowlyMatthew 11:28-30
214. Isa. 42:3He brings hope for the hopelessMt. 12:14-21John 4:1-54
215. Isa. 42:4The nations shall wait on His teachingsJohn 12:20-26
216. Isa. 42:6The Light (salvation) of the GentilesLuke 2:32
217. Isa. 42:16His is a worldwide compassionMatthew 28:1920
218. Isa. 42:7Blind eyes opened.John 9:25-38
219. Isa. 43:11He is the only Saviour.Acts 4:12
220. Isa. 44:3He will send the Spirit of GodJohn 16:713
221. Isa. 45:21-25He is Lord and SaviourPhilippians 3:20Titus 2:13
222. Isa. 45:23He will be the JudgeJohn 5:22Romans 14:11
223. Isa. 46:910Declares things not yet doneJohn 13:19
224. Isa. 48:12The First and the LastJohn 1:30Revelation 1:817
225. Isa. 48:1617He came as a TeacherJohn 3:2
226. Isa. 49:1Called from the womb-His humanityMatthew 1:18
227. Isa. 49:5A Servant from the womb.Luke 1:31Philippians 2:7
228. Isa. 49:6He will restore IsraelActs 3:19-2115:16-17
229. Isa. 49:6He is Salvation for IsraelLuke 2:29-32
230. Isa. 49:6He is the Light of the GentilesJohn 8:12Acts 13:47
231. Isa. 49:6He is Salvation unto the ends of the earthActs 15:7-18
232. Isa. 49:7He is despised of the NationJohn 1:118:48-4919:14-15
233. Isa. 50:3Heaven is clothed in black at His humiliationLuke 23:4445
234. Isa. 50:4He is a learned counselor for the wearyMatthew 7:2911:2829
235. Isa. 50:5The Servant bound willingly to obedienceMatthew 26:39
236. Isa. 50:6“I gave my back to the smiters.”Matthew 27:26
237. Isa. 50:6He was smitten on the cheeksMatthew 26:67
238. Isa. 50:6He was spat uponMatthew 27:30
239. Isa. 52:7Published good tidings upon mountainsMatthew 5:1215:2928:16
240. Isa. 52:13The Servant exaltedActs 1:8-11Eph. 1:19-22Php. 2:5-9
241. Isa. 52:14The Servant shockingly abusedLuke 18:31-34Mt. 26:6768
242. Isa. 52:15Nations startled by message of the ServantLuke 18:31-34Mt. 26:6768
243. Isa. 52:15His blood shed sprinkles nationsHebrews 9:13-14Rev. 1:5
244. Isa. 53:1His people would not believe HimJohn 12:37-38
245. Isa. 53:2Appearance of an ordinary manPhilippians 2:6-8
246. Isa. 53:3DespisedLuke 4:28-29
247. Isa. 53:3RejectedMatthew 27:21-23
248. Isa. 53:3Great sorrow and griefMatthew 26:37-38Luke 19:41Heb. 4:15
249. Isa. 53:3Men hide from being associated with HimMark 14:50-52
250. Isa. 53:4He would have a healing ministryMatthew 8:16-17
251. Isa. 53:4Thought to be cursed by GodMatthew 26:6627:41-43
252. Isa. 53:5Bears penalty for mankind’s iniquities2Cor. 5:21Heb. 2:9
253. Isa. 53:5His sacrifice provides peace between man and GodColossians 1:20
254. Isa. 53:5His sacrifice would heal man of sin1Peter 2:24
255. Isa. 53:6He would be the sin-bearer for all mankind1John 2:24:10
256. Isa. 53:6God’s will that He bear sin for all mankindGalatians 1:4
257. Isa. 53:7Oppressed and afflictedMatthew 27:27-31
258. Isa. 53:7Silent before his accusersMatthew 27:12-14
259. Isa. 53:7Sacrificial lambJohn 1:291Peter 1:18-19
260. Isa. 53:8Confined and persecutedMatthew 26:47-7527:1-31
261. Isa. 53:8He would be judgedJohn 18:13-22
262. Isa. 53:8KilledMatthew 27:35
263. Isa. 53:8Dies for the sins of the world1John 2:2
264. Isa. 53:9Buried in a rich man’s graveMatthew 27:57
265. Isa. 53:9Innocent and had done no violenceLuke 23:41John 18:38
266. Isa. 53:9No deceit in his mouth1Peter 2:22
267. Isa. 53:10God’s will that He die for mankindJohn 18:11
268. Isa. 53:10An offering for sinMatthew 20:28Galatians 3:13
269. Isa. 53:10Resurrected and live foreverRomans 6:9
270. Isa. 53:10He would prosperJohn 17:1-5
271. Isa. 53:11God fully satisfied with His sufferingJohn 12:27
272. Isa. 53:11God’s servant would justify manRomans 5:8-918-19
273. Isa. 53:11The sin-bearer for all mankindHebrews 9:28
274. Isa. 53:12Exalted by God because of his sacrificeMatthew 28:18
275. Isa. 53:12He would give up his life to save mankindLuke 23:46
276. Isa. 53:12Numbered with the transgressorsMark 15:27-28Luke 22:37
277. Isa. 53:12Sin-bearer for all mankind1Peter 2:24
278. Isa. 53:12Intercede to God in behalf of mankindLuke 23:34Rom. 8:34
279. Isa. 55:3Resurrected by GodActs 13:34
280. Isa. 55:4A witnessJohn 18:37
281. Isa. 55:4He is a leader and commanderHebrews 2:10
282. Isa. 55:5God would glorify HimActs 3:13
283. Isa. 59:16aIntercessor between man and GodMatthew 10:32
284. Isa. 59:16bHe would come to provide salvationJohn 6:40
285. Isa. 59:20He would come to Zion as their RedeemerLuke 2:38
286. Isa. 60:1-3He would shew light to the GentilesActs 26:23
287. Isa. 61:1The Spirit of God upon himMatthew 3:16-17
288. Isa. 61:1The Messiah would preach the good newsLuke 4:16-21
289. Isa. 61:1Provide freedom from the bondage of sinJohn 8:31-36
290. Isa. 61:1-2Proclaim a period of graceGalatians 4:4-5
291. Jer. 11:21Conspiracy to kill JesusJohn 7:1, Matthew 21:38
292. Jer. 23:5-6Descendant of DavidLuke 3:23-31
293. Jer. 23:5-6The Messiah would be both God and ManJohn 13:131Ti 3:16
294. Jer. 31:22Born of a virginMatthew 1:18-20
295. Jer. 31:31The Messiah would be the new covenantMatthew 26:28
296. Jer. 33:14-15Descendant of DavidLuke 3:23-31
297. Eze.34:23-24Descendant of DavidMatthew 1:1
298. Eze.37:24-25Descendant of DavidLuke 1:31-33
299. Dan. 2:44-45The Stone that shall break the kingdomsMatthew 21:44
300. Dan. 7:13-14He would ascend into heavenActs 1:9-11
301. Dan. 7:13-14Highly exaltedEphesians 1:20-22
302. Dan. 7:13-14His dominion would be everlastingLuke 1:31-33
303. Dan. 9:24To make an end to sinsGalatians 1:3-5
304. Dan. 9:24To make reconciliation for iniquityRomans 5:102Cor. 5:18-21
305. Dan. 9:24He would be holyLuke 1:35
306. Dan. 9:25His announcementJohn 12:12-13
307. Dan. 9:26Cut offMatthew 16:2121:38-39
308. Dan. 9:26Die for the sins of the worldHebrews 2:9
309. Dan. 9:26Killed before the destruction of the templeMatthew 27:50-51
310. Dan. 10:5-6Messiah in a glorified stateRevelation 1:13-16
311. Hos. 11:1He would be called out of EgyptMatthew 2:15
312. Hos. 13:14He would defeat death1Corinthians 15:55-57
313. Joel 2:32Offer salvation to all mankindRomans 10:9-13
314. Jonah 1:17Death and resurrection of ChristMatthew 12:4016:4
315. Mic. 5:2Born in BethlehemMatthew 2:1-6
316. Mic. 5:2Ruler in IsraelLuke 1:33
317. Mic. 5:2From everlastingJohn 8:58
318. Hag. 2:6-9He would visit the second TempleLuke 2:27-32
319. Hag. 2:23Descendant of ZerubbabelLuke 2:27-32
320. Zech. 3:8God’s servantJohn 17:4
321. Zech. 6:12-13Priest and KingHebrews 8:1
322. Zech. 9:9Greeted with rejoicing in JerusalemMatthew 21:8-10
323. Zech. 9:9Beheld as KingJohn 12:12-13
324. Zech. 9:9The Messiah would be justJohn 5:30
325. Zech. 9:9The Messiah would bring salvationLuke 19:10
326. Zech. 9:9The Messiah would be humbleMatthew 11:29
327. Zech. 9:9Presented to Jerusalem riding on a donkeyMatthew 21:6-9
328. Zech. 10:4The cornerstoneEphesians 2:20
329. Zech. 11:4-6At His coming, Israel to have unfit leadersMatthew 23:1-4
330. Zech. 11:4-6Rejection causes God to remove His protectionLuke 19:41-44
331. Zech. 11:4-6Rejected in favor of another kingJohn 19:13-15
332. Zech. 11:7Ministry to “poor,” the believing remnantMatthew 9:35-36
333. Zech. 11:8Unbelief forces Messiah to reject themMatthew 23:33
334. Zech. 11:8DespisedMatthew 27:20
335. Zech. 11:9Stops ministering to those who rejected HimMatthew 13:10-11
336. Zech. 11:10-11Rejection causes God to remove protectionLuke 19:41-44
337. Zech. 11:10-11The Messiah would be GodJohn 14:7
338. Zech. 11:12-13Betrayed for thirty pieces of silverMatthew 26:14-15
339. Zech. 11:12-13RejectedMatthew 26:14-15
340. Zech. 11:12-13Thirty pieces of silver cast in the house of the LordMatthew 27:3-5
341. Zech. 11:12-13The Messiah would be GodJohn 12:45
342. Zech. 12:10The Messiah’s body would be piercedJohn 19:34-37
343. Zech. 12:10The Messiah would be both God and manJohn 10:30
344. Zech. 12:10The Messiah would be rejectedJohn 1:11
345. Zech. 13:7God’s will He die for mankindJohn 18:11
346. Zech. 13:A violent deathMark 14:27
347. Zech. 13:7Both God and manJohn 14:9
348. Zech. 13:7Israel scattered as a result of rejecting HimMatthew 26:31-56
349. Zech. 14:4He would return to the Mt. of OlivesActs 1:11-12
350. Mal. 3:1Messenger to prepare the way for MessiahMark 1:1-8
351. Mal. 3:1Sudden appearance at the templeMark 11:15-16
352. Mal. 3:1Messenger of the new covenantLuke 4:43
353. Mal. 3:6The God who changes notHebrews 13:8
354. Mal. 4:5Forerunner in spirit of ElijahMt. 3:1-311:10-1417:11-13
355. Mal. 4:6Forerunner would turn many to righteousnessLuke 1:16-17

PRE-CHRISTMAS CONTEMPLATIONS-CONCLUSION-THE FAMILY FLEES

Herod in Jerusalem impatiently awaited the return of the wise men. As time passed, and they did not appear, his suspicions were roused. The unwillingness of the rabbis to point out the Messiah’s birthplace seemed to indicate that they had penetrated his design and that the magi had purposely avoided him. He was maddened at the thought. Craft had failed, but there was left the resort to force. He would make an example of this child-king. Those haughty Jews should see what they might expect in their attempts to place a monarch on the throne.

Children Two and Under

Soldiers were at once sent to Bethlehem, with orders to put to death all the children of two years and under. The quiet homes of the city of David witnessed those scenes of horror that, six hundred years before, had been opened to the prophet.

“In Ramah was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.” Matthew 2:18, ref Jeremiah 31:15

This calamity the Jews had brought upon themselves. If they had been walking in faithfulness and humility before God, He would, in a signal manner, have made the king’s wrath harmless to them. But they had separated themselves from God by their sins and had rejected the Holy Spirit, which was their only shield. They had not studied the Scriptures with a desire to conform to the will of God. They had searched for prophecies that could be interpreted to exalt themselves and to show how God despised all other nations. It was their proud boast that the Messiah was to come as a king, conquering His enemies and treading down the heathen in His wrath. Thus they had excited the hatred of their rulers. Through their misrepresentation of Christ’s mission, Satan had purposed to compass the destruction of the Saviour; instead, it returned upon their own heads.

This act of cruelty was one of the last that darkened the reign of Herod. Soon after the slaughter of the innocents, he was himself compelled to yield to that doom that none can turn aside. He died a fearful death.

Egypt

Joseph, who was still in Egypt, was now bidden by an angel of God to return to the land of Israel. Regarding Jesus as the heir to David’s throne, Joseph desired to make his home in Bethlehem; but learning that Archelaus reigned in Judea in his father’s stead, he feared that the son might carry out the father’s designs against Christ. Of all the sons of Herod, Archelaus most resembled him in character. Already his succession to the government had been marked by a tumult in Jerusalem and the slaughter of thousands of Jews by the Roman guards.

Again Joseph was directed to a place of safety. He returned to Nazareth, his former home, and here for nearly thirty years, Jesus dwelt,

“that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Matthew 2:23

Galilee was under the control of a son of Herod, but it had a much larger admixture of foreign inhabitants than Judea. Thus there was less interest in matters relating especially to the Jews, and the claims of Jesus would be less likely to excite the jealousy of those in power.

Such was the Saviour’s reception when He came to the earth. There seemed to be no place of rest or safety for the infant Redeemer. God could not trust His beloved Son with men, even while carrying forward His work for their salvation. He commissioned angels to attend to Jesus and protect Him till He should accomplish His mission on earth and die at the hands of those whom He came to save.

Desire of Ages, p. 65-67

Contemplation notes:

As I read the first six chapters of Desire of Ages and the related scriptures, I could see the hand of the only true God at work. Hundreds of prophecies from God’s sacred Word provide proof of the truthfulness of Jesus Christ. There is no other like Him (Psalm 71-19 b)

His first advent was promised in the opening chapters of Genesis. From that point forward, every generation looked for the Messiah. It finally happened in the fall of 4 AD (as detailed by Daniel the prophet). Other prophets foretold of His character and work, his birthplace, and the events surrounding His birth. It is impossible for this baby to have set up the fulfillment of hundreds of Old Testament prophecies. Hence, this is what separates Jesus from all others who would claim the title of Immanuel (God With Us):

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Matthew 1:23, ref. Isaiah 7:14

The prophets gave Jesus many other names. These names reflect his character and work while here on earth and in His heavenly sanctuary:

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isiah 9:6

Donkey VS White Horse

While Jesus came the first time relatively quiet with His mother riding on a lowly donkey, his return is prophesied in even more detail and with more certainty that His first advent. Sadly, there are many more Herods, doubters, blind followers, and religious men who love religion and tradition more than truth. There are fewer wise men in our world today.

As prophesied by Jesus, there are many false teachers and prophets who think they understand His second coming. But they twist clear scripture to create books and Hollywood productions that are far from the actual events described by God’s prophets in the Holy Bible.

He came into our world quietly in Bethlehem, born of a poor virgin who rode on a donkey, delivered quietly in a horse trough (manger). He comes back with worldwide viewing riding a white horse and proclaimed as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. This time, He comes in clouds, and every eye will see Him (Revelation 1:7). He will be announced with trumpets from the heavens, and His followers will rise from their graves to meet Him in the air (1 Thess. 4: 16-17). Every knee will bow and proclaim Him as true and righteous (Romans 14:11)

Let each one of us take to time to read and contemplate the clear word of God. Make it your personal study and devotion time. If you don’t have dedicated time each day for prayer, study, and seeking, start one! It is still not too late! For His second coming is certain:

For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Hebrews 11:7

It will be the biggest event of the earth’s history!

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.  Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.

Revelation 19: 11-16

PRE-CHRISTMAS CONTEMPLATIONS-PART 9 -AT BETHLEHEM

The wise men departed alone from Jerusalem. The shadows of night were falling as they left the gates, but to their great joy, they again saw the star and were directed to Bethlehem. They had received no such intimation of the lowly estate of Jesus as was given to the shepherds. After the long journey, they had been disappointed by the indifference of the Jewish leaders and had left Jerusalem less confident than when they entered the city.

At Bethlehem, they found no royal guard stationed to protect the newborn King. None of the world’s honored men were in attendance. Jesus was cradled in a manger. His parents, uneducated peasants, were His only guardians. Could this be He of whom it was written that He should

“raise up the tribes of Jacob,” and “restore the preserved of Israel;” that He should be “a light to the Gentiles,” and for “salvation unto the end of the earth”?

Isaiah 49:6.

“When they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshiped Him.”

Matthew 2:11

Beneath the lowly guise of Jesus, they recognized the presence of Divinity. They gave their hearts to Him as their Saviour and then poured out their gifts,—“gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.” What a faith was theirs! It might have been said of the wise men from the East, as afterward of the Roman centurion,

“I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.”

Matthew 8:10

The magi had been among the first to welcome the Redeemer. Their gift was the first that was laid at His feet. And through that gift, what privilege of ministry was theirs! The offering from the heart that loves, God delights to honor, giving it the highest efficiency in service for Him. If we have given our hearts to Jesus, we also shall bring our gifts to Him. Our gold and silver, our most precious earthly possessions, our highest mental and spiritual endowments, will be freely devoted to Him who loved us, and gave Himself for us.

Escape From Herod

The wise men had not penetrated Herod’s design toward Jesus. When the object of their journey was accomplished, they prepared to return to Jerusalem, intending to acquaint him with their success. But in a dream, they received a divine message to hold no further communication with him. Avoiding Jerusalem, they set out for their own country by another route.

In like manner, Joseph received a warning to flee into Egypt with Mary and the child.

“And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

Matthew 12:13

Joseph obeyed without delay, setting out on the journey by night for greater security.

Through the wise men, God had called the attention of the Jewish nation to the birth of His Son. Their inquiries in Jerusalem, the popular interest excited, and even the jealousy of Herod, which compelled the attention of the priests and rabbis, directed minds to the prophecies concerning the Messiah and to the great event that had just taken place.

Satan was bent on shutting out the divine light from the world, and he used his utmost cunning to destroy the Saviour. But He who never slumbers nor sleeps was watching over His beloved Son. He who had rained manna from heaven for Israel and had fed Elijah in the time of famine provided in a heathen land a refuge for Mary and the child Jesus. And through the gifts of the magi from a heathen country, the Lord supplied the means for the journey into Egypt and the sojourn in a land of strangers.

Desire of Ages, p. 63-65, partial

"He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. Colossians 1:28