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Created Through Him

Zechariah 13:7 prophecy

4/30/2012

7Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones (Zechariah 13:7).

31Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad (Matthew 26:31).

There have been many who have said that Christ never claimed to be the Messiah. But this is simply not true. In the Gospel account of Matthew, Christ clearly refers to a prophecy concerning the Messiah and applies to Himself. Scripture is self-testifying in many places. This means that it is a congruent whole. The fulfillment, by Christ, of Old Testament prophecies is so clearly described in the pages of the New Testament, that it is impossible to read the New Testament without reading a fair amount of the Old Testament in the process. They are intertwined. God could only accomplish this kind of intertwining. God inspired the writing of scripture using 40 different authors in 66 books across several thousand years. All of scripture testifies that Christ is the Messiah.

Zechariah 12:10 prophecy

4/29/2012

10And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn (Zechariah 12:10).

34But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water. 35And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. 36For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. 37And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced (John 19:34-37).

Zechariah describes a scene in which the Messiah is pierced. The Prophet Isaiah discussed this prophecy as well (Isaiah 53:5). As confirmed in the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion, a spear pierced Christ. You may wonder why this level of detail by God is necessary. Let’s consider what we know about the death of the Messiah from the Old Testament prophecies: no bones broken, pierced in the side, hands and feet pierced, insulted, spit upon, numbered with the transgressors, betrayed by a friend, drank vinegar and gall, crucified with thieves, had lots cast for His garments, and He prayed for His accusers……There are a lot of details, all of which were fulfilled by Christ and confirmed by several eye-witnesses. The identity of the Messiah is undeniable. If people deny Christ as Messiah and Savior, they do so for other reasons besides the historical facts.

Zechariah 11:10-13 prophecy

4/28/2012

10And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break my covenant which I had made with all the people. 11And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the LORD. 12And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. 13And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD (Zechariah 11:10-13).

14Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-15).

3Then 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, 4Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-5).

Zechariah foretold of the rejection of the Messiah. Those that should have known Him would reject the Messiah. He also was to be rejected by those who actually knew Him. It may seem difficult to understand how Judas, one of the Twelve, could have rejected Christ. Judas witnessed the miracles, he saw the power, and he heard the message. Yet, Judas rejected and betrayed Christ. People still reject Christ today.

It is not by sight that we follow Christ, but rather by true faith. Neither is it the outward appearance or outward proclamation that shows our acceptance of the message of the Gospel. But rather it is the inward change of heart by which we come to know Christ. The inward change through the power of the Holy Spirits is ultimately brought about through repentance. Repentance leads to forgiveness and forgiveness leads life. Forgiveness is permanent and can never be lost. Notice that scripture says Judas repented, but he repented to Men and not before God. The message from the life of Judas is that salvation is from an inward change of heart, and without the inward change in the heart, there is no hope. Judas, even after betraying Christ, could have been saved had he truly repented and called upon the Lord for forgiveness. The hope then of the Gospel is the fact that all those who call upon the name of the Lord, in faith, will be changed and saved.

Zechariah 10:3-4 prophecy

4/27/2012

3Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle. 4Out of him came forth the corner, out of him the nail, out of him the battle bow, out of him every oppressor together (Zechariah 10:3-4).

20And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:20-22).

Zechariah in this passage describes the Messiah as the cornerstone coming out of Judah. The corner or cornerstone is the starting point of any foundation, the reference point for the rest of the building. As this applies to the Messiah, the inference is that He would be the source of power and strength. And the People would look to the Messiah for guidance and leadership. The Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians calls Christ the chief cornerstone. Without Christ there would be no foundation to our faith and our connection to Christ is what actually allows fellowship with God. We cannot approach the holiness of God apart from Christ. Christ is the reference point for our faith and we should look to Him to keep our lives in proper alignment to God’s purposes. Christ as the cornerstone is the fullness of the Godhead bodily: creator, sustainer, and redeemer.

Zechariah 9:9 prophecy

4/26/2012

9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass (Zechariah 9:9).

30I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me (John 5:30).

10For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).

29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls (Matthew 11:29).

6And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. 8And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 9And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest (Matthew 21:6-9).

This prophecy by Zechariah is a very specific messianic prophecy. On the surface, it simply says that the Messiah is going to ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. But there is much, much more here. We also learn that the Messiah is just, grants salvation, and is humble. Three separate authors and Gospels confirm various details of this prophecy. This should really strengthen the ability to show that Christ is the Messiah. You may wonder why it is so important to show that Christ is the Messiah? After all, it is a matter of faith, right? Well faith is a belief in something and in this case, someone. In order to believe in someone, that someone has to be recognizable. We recognize Christ by knowing Him, and we know Him through lens of scripture. Scripture is truth. So, true faith is faith in truth. Truth has two main qualities: falsifiability and longevity. When something is falsifiable there is the possibility that evidence can contradict the assertion. When something has longevity, it lasts. Truth is recognized as truth when the evidence fails to falsify the claim and when the claim stands the test of time. Simply, the lack of evidence to deny a claim in the presence of supporting evidence, over time, justifies the veracity of the claim. The claim is that Christ is the Messiah. The claim is falsifiable and has longevity. The evidence that Christ is the Messiah is extensive and unchanging. Therefore, Christ is the humble and just Savior of us all.

Zechariah 6:12-13 prophecy

4/25/2012

12And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: 13Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both (Zechariah 6:12-13).

1Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man (Hebrews 8:1).

Zechariah was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah. He had returned to Judah after Babylonian captivity. Zechariah describes the Branch (Messiah) as both a king and a priest. The roles of priest and king together are reminiscent of Melchizedek. You will remember from Genesis that Melchizedek blessed Abraham and Abraham tithed to Melchizedek. Melchizedek was King of Salem (Jerusalem) and priest of God most High. Many theologians regard Melchizedek as the pre-incarnate Christ. Regardless, the concept of king and priest being applied to the Messiah is significant because by possessing both functions the Messiah would be a Godly ruler. We know that Christ is both High Priest and King. He is a priest in the order of Melchizedek and King of the Davidic throne. So Christ, was the sacrifice that atoned for us, intercedes on our behalf, and rules an everlasting kingdom. The prophet Zechariah looked forward in time to the coming of the Priestly King. The author of Hebrews confirms that this is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Zechariah 3:8 prophecy

4/24/2012

8Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH (Zechariah 3:8).

4I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do (John 17:4).

Zechariah wrote this prophecy about 500 years before Christ. According to Zechariah, the Messiah was to be a servant. Contrary to what many people were expecting, the Messiah was to serve instead of leading a rebellion. So contrary was this to what was expected, that many missed the advent of the Christ. Christ came to fulfill the work of the Father. God the Father, according to His eternal will and counsel, provided Christ with the work of miracles, healing, preaching the good-news to the poor, and of the Cross. Though the servant-Messiah was unexpected, even more so was His work on the Cross. The Cross was the ultimate display of Christ’s service in obedience to the Father on the behalf of the multitudes.

Micah 5:2 prophecy

4/23/2012

2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5:2).

1Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 3When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel (Matthew 2:1-6).

Micah was a prophet to the southern kingdom of Judah. He wrote this prophecy concerning the birthplace of the Messiah over 700 years before Christ. We know from the Gospel of Matthew that Christ was born in Bethlehem. Bethlehem was a small town (perhaps under 1000 people) at the time of Christ. So, Christ’s birth occurred in a small town in a relatively obscure part of the world. It seems God wanted to make the details of Messiah’s birth such that it would be impossible for anyone to deny that Christ is the Messiah (and yet many do deny it). Besides the birthplace of the Messiah , there is additionally something very interesting in Micah’s prophecy; the Messiah’s goings forth is from of old and is everlasting. The Messiah is God. Christ is God and was born in Bethlehem. Therefore, there should be no denying Christ as Messiah. The Messiah; born altogether human in Bethlehem is the everlasting I AM; altogether God.

Amos 9:11-12 prophecy

4/22/2012

11In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: 12That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this (Amos 9:11-12).

15And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: 16Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. 17Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness (Acts 14:15-17).

The prophet Amos, speaking for God, describes a time of restoration and redemption. The restoration and redemption that is described is physical, however clearly, it also has a spiritual meaning. In this sense, Christ is literally the new tabernacle, the essence of the Holy of Holies. Although Israel received the promise of salvation, God’s plan for salvation has always been to save people from among the Nations. The Apostle Paul in the book of Acts reminds us that God has mercy on many and that He has provided for us all as a measure of His grace. We now know that the fullness of His Grace is extended to the Nations through the person and work of Jesus Christ. As Amos states, and Paul confirms: Call upon the Name of Lord, and be saved.

Amos 8:9-10 prophecy

4/21/2012

9And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the clear day: 10And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day (Amos 8: 9-10).

45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. 46And 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? (Matthew 27:45-46).

Amos prophesized about a day of mourning, a day in which God would cause the sun to go down at noon. This event occurred at the crucifixion of Christ. The sixth hour is noon and for three hours during that day there was darkness. The darkness was a sign of God’s ‘mourning’. The mourning was temporary, as we know it was God’s plan all along to redeem mankind through the work of Christ on the Cross. The Cross was of great pain to God Himself, and yet it was endured for our benefit. The God who caused the sun to be darkened in the middle of the day could easily have come down off the Cross. However, the Cross is a combination of mercy and justice in only a way that God can accomplish. The prophet Amos, looked forward in time to the day that the Lord Himself would mourn so that we would be saved from eternal mourning.

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