The Prophecies of Jesus Christ’s 1st Coming (continued)

PUPPET TRIAL OF JESUS

Matthew 26:57-68; 27:3-34. “And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, and said ‘This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.’ And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.’ Jesus saith unto him, ‘Thou hast said; nevertheless I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.’

Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying ‘He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye?’ They answered and said, ‘He is guilty of death.’ Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, ‘Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?’”…Matthew 27:3-10, “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, ‘I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.’ And they said, ‘what is that to us? See thou to that.’ And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, ‘It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.’ And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom the children of Israel did value; and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.”

CRUCIFIXION OF THE MESSIAH FORETOLD IN GREAT DETAIL

Psalm 16:10. David was prophecying here. Part of this cannot apply to David’s life for David’s body has long since “corrupted”-decayed. Verse 11 is a glimpse into eternal life. But David even points to the hope of the resurrection of his own body (cf. I Cor. 15:49-54). This prophecy in verse 10 shows the body of the Messiah would not be dead long enough to see decay, and perhaps would be supernaturally protected from any decay. Jesus was resurrected after three days and nights in the tomb. Psalm 16:10-11, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell [Hebrew: shoal, the grave]; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (11) “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Next turn to Psalm 22:1, 6-18 to see a prophecy of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, penned by David when this mode of execution was not in existence. This is quite a revealing prophecy. After reading this one, we will look at it’s fulfillment in the gospels of Luke, John, Matthew and Mark. Psalm 22:1, 6-18, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring?…But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, ‘He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and roaring lion. [Could Jesus have been seeing demons surrounding him at the cross. Satan is said to be as a roaring lion by the apostle Peter.] I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me [scourging rips the flesh right off the backbones and ribcage]. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.”

That’s quite a prophecy. Now let’s read of it’s amazing fulfillment. This was penned over a thousand years before Jesus was born of Mary. Only God can foretell the future like that, inspiring his prophets to pen the future before it happens. Luke 23:33-36, “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malfactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.’ And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar.” John 19:23-24, Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, ‘Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots [Psalm 22:18]. These things therefore the soldiers did.” Matthew 27:35, 46. “And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots…And about the ninth hour (3pm) Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” [Psalm 22:1] Mark 15:24, “And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.”

Matthew 27:11-53, “And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, ‘Art thou the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou sayest.’ And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, ‘Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?’ And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marveled greatly. Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, ‘Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?’ For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, ‘Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.’ But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. The governor answered and said unto them, ‘Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you?’ They said, ‘Barabbas.’ Pilate saith unto them, ‘What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?’ They all say unto him, ‘Let him be crucified.’ And the governor said, ‘Why? What evil hath he done?’ But they cried out the more, saying, ‘Let him be crucified.’ When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. Then answered all the people, and said, ‘His blood be on us, and on our children.’ Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, ‘Hail, King of the Jews!’ And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, ‘They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting down they watched him there; and set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads [Psalm 22:7-8], and saying, ‘Thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.’ Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, ‘He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him; for he said, I am the Son of God.’ The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.

Now from the sixth hour [12 noon] there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour [3pm]. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? That is to say, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, ‘This man calleth for Elias [Elijah].’ And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, ‘Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.’ Jesus when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost [spirit]. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom: and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent: and the graves were opened: and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection; and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” Mark 15:23, “And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.” Luke 23:36, “And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar.” John 19:29, “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.” Psalm 69:20-21, “Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar.”