This Christmas season let’s remember afresh…. Isaiah 9:6 

“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.”

About 2,000 years ago, Jesus came to earth in a very humble manner. The Saviour of the world and God of all creation put on humanity to deal with our sin by dying in our place and conquer death when He rose from the dead, giving the hope of salvation to all who turn from their sin and believe on Him and be saved from the eternal torment for our rebellion against the infinitely holy Creator God. One day, He will return in judgment, and He will not appear as a seemingly helpless baby, but as the risen, glorified, sovereign Lord and Judge.

The events associated with the birth of Jesus fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies given centuries before the events they described.

Let’s take a look at some of these ancient proclamations – Biblical prophecies fulfilled by Jesus’ birth:

1. The virgin birth of Jesus.

Biblical Old Testament record of Jesus’ birth by Prophet Isaiah about 700 BC (Before Christ)

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.” 

“But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying:  “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:20-23

2. The Coming Messiah would be born in Bethlehem

Micah 5:2 (written sometime around 8^th –  7^th century BC)

After Christ’s birth the magi arrived in Jerusalem. Herod gathered the chief priests and scribes and asked them where the Messiah was going to be born (Matthew 2:3). They responded by citing an Old Testament prophecy pinpointing Bethlehem as the birthplace of the Christ:

“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.”

Herod’s murderous response of slaughtering the young boys of Bethlehem led to the fulfillment of three more prophecies. First, this tragic massacre fulfilled the words of Jeremiah 31:15.

Thus says the Lord:

“A voice was heard in Ramah,

Lamentation and bitter weeping,

Rachel weeping for her children,

Refusing to be comforted for her children,

Because they are no more.”

The second fulfilled prophecy resulting from Herod’s paranoiac rage took place after Joseph took Mary and Jesus to Egypt [see Matthew 2:15 ‘and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.”]. Upon their return, God’s words to Hosea were fulfilled in Hosea 11:1 (written around 8^th – 7^th century BC.

“When Israel was a child, I loved him,

And out of Egypt I called My son.

The third prophecy discussed by Matthew pertaining to events in the early years of Jesus has to do with his boyhood home.

God warned Joseph in a dream not to go back to Judea, so instead he took Mary and Jesus to Nazareth in Galilee, “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene’” (Matthew 2:23)

Nazareth was looked upon with disparagement. Even Nathanael asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46)

Matthew 2:5 “So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:”

3. The Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah

Genesis 49:10  (Written between 18^th to 14^th century BC)

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah,

Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,

Until Shiloh comes;

And to Him shall be the obedience of the people.”

4. The Messiah would be a descendant of King David

Jeremiah 23:5 (Written sometime between 7^th to 6^th century BC)

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,

“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;

A King shall reign and prosper,

And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.

Luke 1:32-33 ..He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; 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.”

5. He would enter Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt (Matthew 21:4–10)

Zechariah 9:9 (Written around 6^th century BC)

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your King is coming to you;

He is just and having salvation,

Lowly and riding on a donkey,

A colt, the foal of a donkey.

6. The betrayal would be for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14–16)

“…So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver.” Zechariah 11:12

7. The money would be used to purchase the potter’s field (Matthew 27:3–10).

‘…“Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.’  Zechariah 11:13

 8. The Messiah would die a sacrificial death for us (Matthew 27:50; 2 Corinthians 5:21)

Isaiah 53:4-8.

“Surely He has borne our griefs

And carried our sorrows;

Yet we esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten by God, and afflicted.

But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray;

We have turned, every one, to his own way;

And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,

Yet He opened not His mouth;

He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,

And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,

So He opened not His mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment,

And who will declare His generation?

For He was cut off from the land of the living;

For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.”

 9. He would die with criminals but His burial would be with the wealthy (Matthew 27:57–60; Luke 23:33

Isaiah 53:9

“And they made His grave with the wicked—

But with the rich at His death,

Because He had done no violence,

Nor was any deceit in His mouth.”

10.  He would rise from the dead (Matthew 28:6)

Psalm 16:8–11

“I have set the Lord always before me;

Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will rest in hope.

For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,

Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

 11. He would be mocked, and people would gamble for His clothes.

‘And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him.‘ Matthew 27:29-32

‘Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them,

And for My clothing they cast lots.” ‘Matthew 27:35

“He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him;

Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!” Psalms 22:8 

“They divide My garments among them,

And for My clothing they cast lots.” Psalms 22:18

12. ‘With Him they also crucified two robbers, one on His right and the other on His left. So the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with the transgressors.” ‘ Mark 15:27-28

“Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,

And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,

Because He poured out His soul unto death,

And He was numbered with the transgressors,

And He bore the sin of many,

And made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:12

John 19:33-38   But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” And again another Scripture says, “They shall look on Him whom they pierced.” “…The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.”  Psalms 22: 16- 17  (Many psalms through the inspiration of God, were written by King David – who lived from about 1037BC to 967 BC.)

There are many other prophecies in the Bible that were perfectly fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ. These were not chance guesstimates made by fraudulent soothsayers; but were precise prophecies or predictions made by the omniscient or all-knowing God of the Bible who repeatedly revealed that He has perfect knowledge of all past, present, and future events.

Accordingly, we can be totally assured that He will always make good on His promises and that those future events He has foretold will certainly come to pass.

Anyone rejecting God’s gracious offer of salvation, will face The Great White Throne Judgment of the holy and righteous God.

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11–15

Proverbs 3:34 “Surely He scorns the scornful,
But gives grace to the humble.”

Proverbs 14:6 “A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it,
But knowledge is easy to him who understands.”

God will respond to every seeking heart, but the Lord scoffs at the scoffers. God scoffs those who insist on denying obvious truth and remaining scoffers. They will bear the results of their unbelief in the end, so those who trust in the LORD do not need to let their hearts be troubled at the hatred and scoffing of unbelievers.  As God’s children face this world of unbelief, He gives grace to all His dear children, who are afflicted with mockery and hateful attacks.  No one will escape God’s judgment and He alone will be the final Judge of all people.   

Let us wisely look at all the evidences of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ, as found in His word. It is a very blessed thing to humbly accept God’s truth and grace. God gives grace to His beloved here on earth and forever in heaven.

“You alone are the Lord;

You have made heaven,

The heaven of heavens,with all their host,

The earth and everything on it,

The seas and all that is in them,

And You preserve them all.

The host of heaven worships You.” Nehemiah 9:6

“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.” Deuteronomy 10:17

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7

“in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,” Titus 1:2

“God is not a man, that He should lie,..” Numbers 23:19

Reconciled in Christ

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—  if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard,” Colossians 1:19-23a

Preeminence of Christ

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.  And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:16-18

“WHY did Jesus die on the cross?” 

This is an incredibly important and momentous question and how we respond to the answer and the offer of salvation (John 3:16) – will determine our eternal destiny. Let’s take a conscientious look at the honest and heartfelt question – the answers are found in God’s revealed word to mankind.

1. SIN

Death in Adam, Life in Christ.

Although God is all merciful, all gracious, all powerful, all forgiving and all loving; God is also holy, righteous and just. Sin separates us from God. Sin and Holiness are Incompatible. At the cross of Calvary, the love and justice of God met.

Sin entered the world through one man’s disobedience – Adam. When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.

Romans 3:23  “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 5:12-19  “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)

Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”

Isaiah 59:2 “But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.”

2. Sin’s Punishment is Eternal Death.

God’s holiness and justice demand that sin and rebellion be punished. The only penalty or payment for sin is eternal death.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 5:21 “so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

3. Atoning Sacrifice

Atonement requires a perfect, spotless sacrifice. Jesus, the one perfect God-man, came to offer the pure, complete and everlasting sacrifice to remove, atone, and make eternal payment for our sin. Only through Jesus Christ can our sins be forgiven, thus restoring our relationship with God and removing the separation caused by sin.

1 Peter 1:18-19 “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

Hebrews 2:14-17  “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

1 Corinthians 1:30 “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—”

Romans 5:10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection in Mark 10:32-34 “Now they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid. Then He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him: 33 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles; 34 and they will mock Him, and scourge Him, and spit on Him, and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.”

Acts 4:12 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Only through Jesus Christ can our sins be forgiven, thus restoring our relationship with God and removing the separation caused by sin.

How must the Messiah- Saviour die?

Jesus said in John 3:14-17 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

In the Biblical account about Moses lifting up the serpent – the serpent is used as a symbol for “sin,” and bronze a symbol of “judgment,” because bronze could withstand fire. We find in this verse that once the people acknowledged their sin, they only needed to look upon the serpent on the pole to be healed and saved. We are told Jesus “became” sin, like that “fiery serpent” on the pole, for us .

So, as those who looked upon the fiery serpent in the wilderness were saved from their sins, so will all who believe in Jesus on the Cross be saved . . . and welcomed into His Kingdom of Heaven, forever.

[Numbers 21:4-9 Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.

Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.]

It is noteworthy that after learning the story of the serpent in the wilderness, the ancient Greeks adopted this sign of the serpent on the pole as their symbol for healing. The symbol is still used by the medical profession. Note there is only one serpent on this ancient symbol, not two.

The Promise of the Cross is available to everybody.  The offer is extended to all.

Briefly, when we are “in Christ Jesus” we are covered by His blood through his sacrificial death, our sins are paid for, and we no longer have to die an eternal death. Our faith in Christ saves us – which looks backward to His act of salvation. Once we accept Jesus’ payment for our sin, His perfect sacrifice washes away our sin and restores our right standing with God. God’s mercy and grace provided a way for our salvation.

We receive eternal life though Jesus Christ for He was the only one who has ever loved you enough to substitute Himself for you on the Cross.  He shed His blood, suffered, and died on the Cross to save you from your sins and from the utter darkness and torment of eternal Hell, if you will accept it, believe it, and trust in it.  That is why Jesus is called Saviour.  He now lovingly and graciously offers you life in Heaven for eternity – the choice is yours to take it or leave it.

And this is how and why Jesus died for you, me and all of humanity. Jesus’ resurrection 3 days after His death proved that He is who He said He is – the great “I AM”.

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14

John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.

You are of great worth, never under-estimate your true worth because to God, you are worth so very much. God, the lover of your soul thinks you are worth to die for – Jesus died for you.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

“For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Matthew 16:26

Our Creator GOD, the Triune God’s (“ONE GOD in 3 persons” viz God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit) Revelation to us in Hebrews 1:1-13

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

For to which of the angels did He ever say:

And again:

But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says:

And of the angels He says:

But to the Son He says:

And:

But to which of the angels has He ever said:

Jesus said in Luke 6:46-50  “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”

Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:22-23

Salvation is not a license to sin. Do not use the grace of God for evil.

Those who declare that they are eternally secure and then go out and continue to sin on purpose in any manner they so choose are not saved (to begin with) since this is contradictory to what Scripture teaches.  1 John 2:4 says, “The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

“…I will show you my faith by my works.” James 2:18

Our faith is invisible and can only be expressed outwardly to man by our works.   We do not work for our salvation – faith that is not accompanied by works is not living faith. Abraham showed his faith by his work of offering up his son. (God stopped Abraham in time and the test’s for Abraham to know without a shadow of doubt that he believed and trusted God and among others – for us to see Abraham’s faith’s,  as shown by his action). True faith it is alive, all works are acts of faith which one must possess beforehand. Actions are a result of what we believe, James 2:18 is saying show me what you believe.

Good works comes from being in Christ, good works do not put us in Christ. We are not justified before God from the works we do. Our works have no merit before God for salvation.  We are not doing good works to earn salvation and be created in Christ; we are doing good works because we are already “in Christ.”

“not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” Titus 3:5

The Bible makes the point time and again that man does not earn his salvation as its origin is found in God who saved us – salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. There is nothing we can do to merit salvation.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9

In the light of the aforesaid, let us pay heed again to….Those who declare that they are eternally secure and then go out and continue to sin on purpose in any manner they so choose are not saved (to begin with) since this is contradictory to what Scripture teaches.  1 John 2:4 says, “The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”

Jesus said in John 6:47-52 

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.  I am the bread of life.  Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.  This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.  I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

 

Today God offers us to enter His ultimate place of rest – our eternal joy. He invites us to come to Christ and therefore have peace with Him now and have eternal life. In order to enter His rest, we must believe that God has this relationship in mind for us; we must believe – trust and have faith in Christ. Today is the best time to find peace with God for tomorrow may be too late.

“Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1