Paul Smithson
The fact that Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected is
the very foundation of salvation from sin. We can believe in
these events even though we were not there to see them happen
because of credible, eyewitness testimony of those who did -- men
who gave their lives telling the story because they knew it to
be the truth. Our assurance is made even stronger when we
realize all of the astounding details concerning these events
took place according to the divine predictions of God in the
Scriptures. As the apostle declared, "For I delivered to you as
of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for
our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried,
and that He was raised on the third day according to the
Scriptures" (1Cor. 15:3-4).
The divine predictions given centuries before concerning what
would take place were frequently referred to by the apostles
when they preached the gospel. These references have been
divinely recorded for our assurance and conviction. Let us
consider some of the astonishing prophecies of the Messiah's
death, burial, and resurrection.
Matthew tells us how Jesus was stripped, beaten, and
mistreated (Mt. 27:27-ff). God foretold this over 700 years
prior through the prophet Isaiah. "I gave My back to those who
strike Me, and My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did
not cover My face from humiliation and spitting" (Isa. 50:6).
The scourging of Jesus, recorded by John (Jn. 19:1), was
foretold in the Psalms. "The plowers plowed upon my back: they
lengthened their furrow" (Ps. 129:3).
Crucifixion, the cruel type of death Jesus faced, involved
the nailing of the hands and feet to a wooden cross. John tells
of this crucifixion and how Jesus was mocked and stripped, lots
cast for His garments, sour wine given to Him in His thirst,
etc. (Jn. 19). Centuries before Jesus' crucifixion, David by
inspiration uttered these Messianic words, "My God, my God, why
hast Thou forsaken me?...All who see me sneer at me; They
separate with the lip, they wag the head, saying, 'Commit
yourself to the Lord; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him,
because He delights in him...I am poured out like water, And all
my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is
melted within me. My strength is dried up like a
potsherd, and my tongue cleaves to my jaws...They pierced my
hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they
stare at me; They divide my garments among them, and for my
clothing they cast lots" (Ps. 22:1-16; cf. Ps. 69:20-21; Zach.
12:10).
The fact that Jesus was crucified as a criminal along with
thieves was no accident. The prophet Isaiah foretold how the
Messiah would be "numbered with the transgressors" (Isa. 53:12).
While on the cross the legs of the criminals were broken to
hasten their death. The legs of Jesus, however, were not broken
as predicted in the Psalms. "He keeps all his bones; Not one of
them is broken" (Ps. 34:20; cf. Jn. 19:33).
Jesus was crucified as a criminal, yet, as God had
predicted through the prophet He was buried in a rich man's
tomb. "His grave was assigned to be with wicked men, yet with a
rich man in His death..." (Isa. 53:9; cf. Jn. 19:38-42).
The Messiah was also resurrected according to what had
been predicted centuries before. The apostle Peter made several
references to this fact in his sermon on Pentecost. "Brethren, I
may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he
both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
And so, because he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn to
him with an oath to seat one of His descendants upon his throne,
he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ,
that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer
decay" (Ac. 2:29; cf. Ps. 16:8-10). Peter continued to also
explain how David long ago in the psalms spoke of how the Christ
was to ascend to the right hand of God, quoting from Psalm
110:1, "The Lord said to My Lord, sit at My right hand until I
make Thine enemies a footstool for Thy feet" (Ac. 2:34-35).
The fact that we not only have credible, eyewitness
testimony concerning Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, but
also have these and many more amazing detailed prophecies
concerning these events leaves no excuse for disbelief (Mk.
16:16).
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