JESUS SPEAKING
Then he gathered the twelve, and said to them privately, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For he will be delivered to the gentiles and will be mocked and spitefully treated and spit upon. They will scourge him and kill him. And on the third day he shall rise again” (Luke 18: 31-33.)
INSPIRED THOUGHTS
Although Jesus foretold of his impending death upon the cross, his suffering had been described in detail for hundreds of years. Throughout the centuries, the Old Testament prophets, (inspired by God) wrote about the arrival of God’s solution to sin; a sacrifice that would once and for all put an end to the iniquity that separated the divine creator from his fallen creations (Jesus Christ, was and is that sacrifice.)
One major prophetic scripture comes from the book of Isaiah; a book written between 740 and 680 B.C. Chapter 53 is particularly interesting because it describes the suffering of Jesus in great detail (hundreds of years before the crucifixion occurred.) We read, “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 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. 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. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he has put him to grief. When you make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see the labor of his soul, and be satisfied. By his knowledge my righteous servant shall justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities. 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”
Only God knows the future; only the creator can foretell of events before they occur. Accurate prophecy is a characteristic, unique to the Holy Bible. No other book or set of sacred writings have ever correctly predicted anything. The scriptures are the Lord’s reliable revelation; they can be trusted. As you read the word, remember, you are not simply reading a book compiled by men, but a book authored by God Himself. May it inspire you, lead you, and transform you.
“Lord Heavenly Father we praise You and thank You for providing us with the Holy Bible. As we read it, may we approach it with reverence and respect. Speak to us through Your word; with every sentence read, and every page turned, may our hearts be transformed; may we become more like You and Your wonderful Son. We love You Father, we thank You, we praise You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.
Jesus Speaks 