14 Days Until Easter

It's only a fortnight until Easter and I'm highlighting some of the passages in the Old Testament which find their fulfillment in Jesus in the New Testament.

Prophecy: A massacre of children would happen at the Messiah's birthplace

Old Testament:

Jeremiah 31:14: 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."

New Testament: 

Matthew 2:16-18: Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: "A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.  

Prophecy: A messenger would prepare the way for the Messiah

Old Testament:

Isaiah 40:3-5: A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places plain.  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

New Testament: 

Luke 3:3-6: And he [John the Baptist] went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  As it is written in the book of the word of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.  Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

source: http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefactsandlists/a/Prophecies-Jesus.htm 

15 Days Until Easter

Tonight we're continuing our look at Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah and how they have been fulfilled by Jesus in the New Testament.

Prophecy: The Messiah's throne will be anointed and eternal
Old Testament:

Psalm 45:6-7: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.  The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.

Daniel 2:44: And in the days of those kings by God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people.

New Testament:

Luke 1:33: "And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." [Prophecy given by Gabriel to Mary before the birth of Jesus.]

Hebrews 1:8-12: But of the Son he says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.  You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions." And, "You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; they will perish, but you remain; that will all wear out like a garment, like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed.  But you are the same, and your years will have no end." 

Prophecy: The Messiah will be called Immanuel
Old Testament:

Isaiah 7:14: Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

New Testament:

Matthew 1:22-23: All of this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).

Prophecy: The Messiah would spend a season in Egypt
Old Testament:

Hosea 11:1: When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.

New Testament:

Matthew 2:14-15: And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod.  This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt I called my son." [Joseph flees Bethlehem with Jesus and Mary.] 

source: http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefactsandlists/a/Prophecies-Jesus.htm

This is Fun...

A beloved friend of mine, Sierra Sullivan, is featured on the Harper's Bazaar website this week.  It's a bit of a silly story, but it's nice to see her face popping up on the Net.  Surf over to Harper's Bazaar to check it out.

16 Days Until Easter

A few more Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled by Jesus in the New Testament:

Prophecy: The Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah
Old Testament:

Genesis 49:10: The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

New Testament:

Luke 3:33: ...the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah... [The genealogy of Jesus]

Hebrews 7:14: For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah... 

Prophecy: The Messiah would be heir to King David's throne
Old Testament: 

2 Samuel 7:12-13: When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.  He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. [The Lord to David through the prophet Nathan].

Isaiah 9:7: Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.  The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

New Testament:

Luke 1:31-33: "...And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." [Spoken to Mary]

Romans 1:3: ...concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh...

source: http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefactsandlists/a/Prophecies-Jesus.htm

17 Days Until Easter

In the weeks and days leading up to Easter, I'm looking at some of the prophecies from the Old Testament about the Messiah and their fulfillment in Jesus in the New Testament.

Prophecy: The Messiah would be born of a virgin
Old Testament: 

Isaiah 7:14: Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.  Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel

New Testament:

Matthew 1:22-23: All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).

Luke 1:26-31: In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.  And the virgin's name was Mary.  And he came to her and said, "Greetings, O favored one, the Lord if with you!"  But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.  And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus..."

Prophecy: The Messiah would come from the line of Abraham
Old Testament:

Genesis 12:3: "...I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." [Spoken to Abraham] 

Genesis 22:18: "...and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." [Spoken to Abraham] 

New Testament:

Matthew 1:1: The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Romans 9:5: To them [the Israelites] belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

Prophecy: The Messiah would be a descendant of Isaac
Old Testament:

Genesis 17:19: God said, "No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac.  I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him..."

Genesis 21:12: But God said to Abraham, "Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman.  Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.

New Testament:

Luke 3:34: ...the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor... [the genealogy of Jesus]

Prophecy: The Messiah would be a descendant of Jacob
Old Testament:

Numbers 24:17: I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near: a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the forehead of Moam and break down all the sons of Sheth.

New Testament:

Matthew 1:2: Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers... [the genealogy of Jesus]

source: http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefactsandlists/a/Prophecies-Jesus.htm

18 Days Until Easter

With Easter just around the corner, I thought I'd post each day a few of the messianic prophecies about the Messiah that are found in the Old Testament, and the New Testament scriptures that show that Jesus fulfills those prophecies.

Prophecy: The Messiah would be born of a woman
Old Testament:

Genesis 3:15: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

New Testament:

Matthew 1:20: But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 4:4: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law...

Prophecy: The Messiah would be born in Bethlehem
Old Testament:

Micah 5:2: But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

New Testament:

Matthew 2:1: 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...

Luke 2:4-6: This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  All went to be registered, each to his own town.  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 

source: http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefactsandlists/a/Prophecies-Jesus.htm 

Doubting Thomas

What will be left when I've drawn my last breath
Besides the folks I've met and the folks who know me
Will I discover a soul saving love or
Just the dirt above and below me?

I'm a doubting Thomas
I took a promise
I do not feel safe
O me of little faith

Sometimes I pray for a slap in the face
Then I beg to be spared cause I'm a coward
If there's a master of death I bet he's holding his breath
Cause I show the blind and tell the deaf
About his power

I'm a doubting Thomas
I can't keep my promises
Cause I don't know what's safe
O me of little faith

Can I be used to help others find truth
When I'm scared that I'll find proof that it's a lie
Can I be led down a trail dropping bread crumbs
To prove I'm not ready to die

Please give me time to decipher the signs
Please forgive me for time that I've wasted

I'm a doubting Thomas
I'll take your promise
Though I know nothing's safe
O me of little faith
O me of little faith

Hummingbird

Suppose I say summer,
write the word 'hummingbird,'
put it in an envelope,
take it down the hill
to the box. When you open
my letter you will recall
those days and how much,
just how much, I love you.

~Raymond Carver, Hummingbird