SO, play practice is becoming extremely long and boring….. just thought i would throw that in… at this moment in time, nothing really matters…

Messianic Prophecies

Messianic prophecies comprise the collection of over 300 predictions in the Jewish Scriptures about the future Messiah (Savior) of the Jewish people and the world. These predictions were written by multiple authors, in numerous books, over approximately 1,000 years.

Although I was now viewing the Bible as a credible source, and I was stunned by some of the historical prophecies I examined in the Old Testament, I just couldn’t get over the gap dividing the Old Testament predictions from the New Testament Jesus. It was just too convenient… Or maybe it was just too perfect… I had to check them out and test them for myself…

I started reading and collecting the actual scriptures. I laid out the Old Testament passages and searched for the corresponding New Testament texts. As my little notebook took shape, it was really powerful! The Messiah had to fulfill all of these — not just some of them… The statistical odds started revealing themselves to me… I must say, I was totally baffled…

Jesus said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

Here’s a brief snapshot of a few Messianic prophecies I looked at during my notebook exercise…

• He would be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14 / Matthew 1:21-23; Luke 1:26-35)
• He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2 / Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-7)
• He would be heralded by a messenger of the Lord (John the Baptist) (Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3:1 / Matthew 3:1-3; 11:10; Mark 1:2-3; Luke 7:27)
• He would perform miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6; Matthew 9:35, and throughout the gospels)
• He would preach good news (Isaiah 61:1-2 / Luke 4:14-21)
• He would first present himself as king 173,880 days from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (Daniel 9:25 / Matthew 21:4-9; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-38)
• He would enter Jerusalem as king riding a donkey (Zechariah 9:9 / Matthew 21:4-9; Mark 11:1-10; Luke 19:29-38)
• He would die a humiliating and painful death (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53 / Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19)
• His hands and feet would be pierced (Psalm 22:16; / Crucifixion accounts of Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; John 19)
• His executioners would cast lots for his clothing (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23-24)
• None of his bones would be broken in his execution (Psalm 34:20; John 19:32-36)
• His side would be pierced (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34-37)
• He would die with the wicked and be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60)

Although some of the other predictions I looked at could be called “generalized,” taken as a whole, these “Messianic prophecies were remarkable to me! I couldn’t get over the odds of just one man fulfilling each and every one of these predictions! Even when I tossed out a few of the more “basic” ones, I was still absolutely stunned by the statistical impossibility. 

Who Is Jesus?

Historical Jesus

The “historical Jesus” Jesus has been called many things by many people, including a great man, a great teacher, and a great prophet. There’s really no legitimate scholar today that denies that Jesus is a historic figure that walked on this earth about 2,000 years ago, that he did remarkable wonders and acts of charity, and that he died a horrible death on a Roman cross just outside Jerusalem. Like these “scholars”, I guess I never had a problem with this “historical Jesus.” Similar to Buddha, Confucius, Zoroaster or Muhammad, I viewed Jesus as just another profound religious leader in history.

I must say, as a “practicing atheist,” I experienced a number of people that totally rejected Jesus as an historic figure. They staunchly defended their various myth and conspiracy theories. However, I found their arguments to be very weak. Come on, the entire English-speaking world divides history into two principle periods: BC (“Before Christ”) and AD (“Anno Domini” — Latin for “Year of Our Lord”). Whether one subscribes to the BC/AD labels or the new “politically correct” BCE/CE (“Common Era”) labels, the birth of Jesus Christ has always been the dividing line in history.

Also, nobody can deny the fact that every leader of every major world religion has confronted the historical Jesus. Muslims recognize Jesus as a prophet, while Jews either see him as a blaspheming rebel or an exceptional rabbi elevated to deity by idolatrous Gentiles. Many Buddhists regard Jesus as a “bodhisattva” (a perfectly enlightened being who vows to help others), while there’s a Hindu tradition that Jesus was actually a guru who learned yogic meditation in India.

OK, so the person known as Jesus of Nazareth was an historic figure. Again, I really didn’t have a problem with that reality. But what about his life and death as recorded in the Bible? Oh, wait… what about all those Old Testament prophecies of a coming Messiah (“Christos” in Greek)…

Sitting at play practice is most of the time boring, but music man, no.

Possibly one of the most renown musicals ever to hit Broadway.  Now is no longer showing on Broadway, nut at Little Rock Christian Academy.

thecommonplacebook:

So it did not snow on christmas day, which I always vye for, it’s pure magic, trust me.  So it’s February 28, and it’s snowing, and I pulled out the old Vince Guaraldi cd that I have been saving for this very occasion and am currently staring out the window (am I pleased too easily?  I’m not quite sure…).  Oh it’s pure magic down here…