Musing – How Could One Man Fulfill So Many Prophecies?

Hebraic Musing – How Could One Man Fulfill So Many Prophecies?

The prophets foretold of the Messiah’s coming for thousands of years.  Scholars have identified over 300 distinct prophecies in the Old Testament Scriptures that were fulfilled by Jesus Christ in His first appearance (“first” since there will be a “second”).  Prophecies about His second coming are yet to be fulfilled, but that might be another “Musing” later.  Let’s ponder 61 of these prophecies which were all looking forward for both a suffering Messiah and a conquering kingly Messiah:

1.      The Messiah will be born of a woman – (Prophesied) Gen. 3:15 The woman’s curse in the garden “your offspring will crush his (Satan’s) head” –; (Fulfilled) Gal.4:4 & Luke 1:35

2.      He will be born of a virgin – (Prophesied) Isa 7:14 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel”;  (Fulfilled) Luke 1:26 & more

3.      He will be the Son of God – (Prophesied) Psalm 2:7 “Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee”  ; (Fulfilled) Matt.3:7 & Mark 3:11

4.      The Messiah will be from the Seed of Abraham – Proven by the genealogy in Matthew 1:1

5.      The Messiah will be a Son of Isaac – Lineage in Luke 3:23-34

6.      Messiah will be a son of Jacob – (P) Num.24:17;  (F) Luke 3:23-24

7.      Messiah will be from the tribe of Judah – (P) Gen.49:10; (F) Luke 23-24 & Heb.7:14

8.      Will come from the family line of Jesse – (P) Isa.11:1; (F) Matt.1:6,16 & Lk.3:23,32

9.      Will come out of the house of David -- (P) Isa.9:6-7; (F) Matt.1:6,16 & Lk.3:23,31

10.  Will be born in Bethlehem (“House of Bread” in Hebrew) – (P) Micah 5:2; (F) Matt.2:1

11.  A Star will announce His birth – (P) Num. 24:17; (F) Matt.2:1-2

12.  Herod will kill the children – (P) Jer. 31:15; (F) Matt.2:16

13.  The Messiah has preexisted -- (P) Micah 5:2; (F) Col. 1:17

14.  The Messiah shall be called “Lord” – Ps.110:1  “The Lord says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.’”; Mark 12:35-37

15.  Shall be called Immanuel (God with us)  (P) Isa. 7:14;  (F) Matt.1:23-25

16.  Will be a prophet – (P) Dt.18:18; (F) Matt. 21:11

17.  Shall be a priest – (P) Ps.110:4; (F) Heb.3:1&5:7-10

18.  Shall be a judge – (P) Isa.33:22; (F) 2 Tim.4:1

19.  Shall be King – (P) Isa.9:7; (F) John 18:37

20.  Shall be anointed by the Holy Spirit – (P) Isa.11:2; (F) Matt.3:16-17

21.  Will have great zeal for God – (P)  Ps.69:9; (F) John 2:13-17

22.  Will be preceded by a messenger – (P) Isa.40:3; (F) Matt.3:1-3

23.  Will minister in Galilee – (P) Isa.9:1; (F) Matt.4:12-17

24.  Ministry will include miracles – (P) Isa.35:5-6; (F) Matt.9:35

25.  Will be a teacher of parables – (P) Ps.78:2 & Isa.6:9-10; (F) Matt.13:34-35

26.  Will enter the temple – (P) Mal.3:1; (F) Mt.24:1-2 – And since the temple was destroyed, no would-be messiah has been able to fulfill this prophecy since AD70

27.  Will enter Jerusalem on a donkey – (P) Zech.9:9; (F) Matt.21:1-7

28.  Will be a “stone of stumbling” to the Jews – (P) Ps.118:22; (F) 1 Pet.2:6-8

29.  Will be a light to the Gentiles – (P) Isa.42:6-7; (F) Lk.2:32

WOW!  The next 29 prophecies from various OT voices were fulfilled by Yeshua within a 24 hour period:

30.  The Messiah will be betrayed by a friend – (P) Ps.41:9; (F) Jn.13:18-19,21

31.  Will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver – (P) Zech.11:12; (F) Mat.26:14-16

32.  His blood money will be cast into God’s house – (P) Zech.11:13; (F) Matt.27:5

33.  The price of betrayal will be given for a potter’s field – (P) Zech.11:13; (F) Matt.27:7

34.  The Messiah will be forsaken by His followers – (P) Zech.13:7; (F) Mark 14:27,50

35.  Will be accused by false witnesses – (P) Ps.35:11; (F) Mt. 26:59-60

36.  Will be silent before His accusers – (P) Isa.53:7; (F) Matt.27:12

37.  Will be scourged and wounded – (P) Isa.53:5; (F) Matt.27:26

38.  Will be smitten and spit upon – (P) Isa.50:6; (F) Matt.26:67

39.  Will be mocked – (P) Ps.22:7-8; (F) Matt.27:38-44

40.  Will be weak, an object of scorn – (P) Ps.109:24-25; (F) Mark 15:29-30

41.  His hands and feet will be pierced – (P) Ps.22:16; (F) Luke 23:33

42.  Will be put to death alongside transgressors – (P) Isa.53:12; (F) Matt.27:38

43.  The Messiah will intercede for His persecutors – (P) Isa.53:12; (F) Luke 23:34

44.  Will be rejected by His own people – (P) Isa.53:3; (F) Luke 23:13-18, 21-25

45.  Will be hated without cause – (P) Ps.69:4; (F) John 15:25

46.  His friends will stand afar off – (P) Ps.38:11; (F) Luke 23:49

47.  People will shake their heads at Him – (P) Ps.109:25; (F) Matt.27:39

48.  People will stare at Him – (P) Ps.22:17; (F) Luke 23:35

49.  His garments will be divided and they will cast lots for them – (P) Ps.22:18; (F) John 19:23-24

50.  The Messiah will suffer from thirst – (P) Ps.69:21; (F) John 19:28

51.  He will be offered gall and vinegar to drink – (P) Ps.69:21; (F) Matt.27:34

52.  The Messiah will utter a forsaken cry – (P) Ps.22:1; (F) Matt.27:46  “My God, my God, why…?”

53.  The Messiah will commit himself to God – (P) Ps.31:5; (F) Luke 23:46 “Into thy hand I commit my spirit”

54.  None of His bones will be broken – (P) Ps.22:14; (F) John 19:33

55.  His heart will literally break – (P) Ps.22:14; (F) John 19:34

56.  And His side will be pierced – (P) Zech.12:10; (F) John 19:34

57.  Darkness will cover the land from noon to 3 PM – (P) Amos 8:9; (F) Matt.27:45

58.  He will be buried in a rich man’s tomb – (P) Isa.53:9; (F) Matt.27:57-60

59.  The Messiah will arise from the dead – (P) Ps.16:10; (F) Mark 16:6 “He is risen!”

60.  The Messiah will ascend to heaven – (P) Ps.68:18; (F) Acts 1:9

61.  The Messiah will be seated at the right hand of God – (P) Ps 110:1 “The Lord says to my Lord:’Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." ; (F) Heb.1:3 “After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

Jesus Christ is the only person, living or dead, who could have fulfilled all 61 of the above prophecies from the OT.  And this list is not complete; there are many more.  And we could add the 27 parallels to Moses’ life.

This listing makes it easier to understand how Paul was able to preach to the Jews using only Scriptures from the OT. In Acts 18:28 we hear “For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.”

Points to ponder

How incredible that the OT turned out to be so reliable!!!

Could you lead someone to the Lord using OT Scripture only?

"These are the Scriptures that testify about me,”  John 5:39

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                               June 27, 2017

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

Notes: – Inspired by excerpts from “Beginning of the End” by John Hagee

Musing – Was Moses an Archetype of Jesus, the Messiah?

Hebraic Musing – Was Moses an Archetype of Jesus, the Messiah?

The first biblical description of the coming Messiah was revealed to Moses by the Lord so that Moses could tell the people.  Remember, the people did not want to hear directly from God “or we will die” so Moses explains “The Lord said to me: ‘What they say is good.  I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.  If anyone does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name, I myself will call him to account.’”  Deut. 18:17-20   NIV    Thus the Lord spoke through Moses and established three messianic criteria:

1.      1. Lord will raise up “a prophet” like Moses, with special words.

2.      2. That prophet will have special, unique authority.

3.      3. God says to Moses that the prophet will be “like you”.

If we compare life events of Moses and of Jesus Christ (or Yeshua HaMashiach) there are at least 27 distinct parallels between their lives:

1.         Both Moses and Jesus were born while Israel was under foreign rule – Egyptian;  Roman

2.         Cruel Kings ordered the killing of the infants – Midwives to kill male newborns;  Herod’s edict to slay those under 2 years old

3.         Faith of their parents saved their lives – Placed in the Nile;  Fled to Egypt

4.         Both found protection for a while in Egypt – Raised in Pharaoh’s home;  Early years in Egypt

5.         Both displayed incredible wisdom and understanding – Moses learned Egypt’s wisdom;  Jesus impressed the scribes at His Bar Mitzvah at age 12

6.         Both displayed remarkable meekness and humility – “Most humble man”;  “Come to me”

7.         Both were completely faithful to God – Heb 3:2-3 “He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house.”

8.         Both were rejected by their own people for a time – Had to flee after interfering with Hebrews fighting;  His own people selected Barabbas

9.         Both criticized by their brothers and  sisters – Miriam & Aaron re Ethiopian wife;  “Even His brothers did not believe in Him.”  John 7:5

10.     Gentiles received them both after both were rejected by Israelites – Moses had to live in Midian;  Jesus rejected by Jews but accepted by Gentiles in the book of Acts

11.     Both asked for forgiveness for God’s people – “Yet now, if you will forgive their sin…”;  “Father, forgive them…”

12.     Both were willing to bear the punishment for the people – “Blot me out…”;  “Christ suffered once for sins…”

13.     Both fasted for 40 days – To receive the 10 commandments;  Led by the Spirit into the desert…

14.     Moses and Jesus both spoke to God face-to-face – “With him I speak face to face”;  God’s only begotten Son

15.     Both went to high mountains to speak to God – Mount Sinai for commandments;  A high mountain for the Transfiguration

16.     Both had shining faces after meeting God – Coming down from Sinai;  At the Transfiguration

17.     God spoke audibly to both – Lord called Moses to the top…;  “I have glorified it…” John 12:23

18.     Angels attended both their burials – Michael disputed the body;  Angels rolled back the stone

19.     Both appeared alive after their deaths – At the Transfiguration;  Visited with disciples after resurrection

20.     Both were teachers – “Now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgements which I teach you to observe…”;  “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God…”

21.     Both shepherded God’s people – Trained as a shepherd in Midian for his future role;  “I am the Good Shepherd…”

22.     Both revealed God’s name to His people – “I am who I am”;  “…keep through Your name those whom You have given Me…”

23.     Supernatural food was provided by both – Manna/quail;  Feeding 5,000

24.     Both brought deliverance to God’s people – “…I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt”;  “He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor…”

25.     Both brought healing to the people – Bronze serpent on the pole;  “by His stripes…”

26.     Both worked miracles – “For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.” Deut. 34:12 ;  Jesus is well known as a miracle-worker

27.     Both Moses and Jesus sealed a blood covenant between God and His people – “Moses then took the blood, sprinkled it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you…” Ex 24:8;   “He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood,…” Heb 9:12

Much more than mere coincidence!

Points to ponder

What do we miss by not reading the whole Bible?

Was God’s plan of salvation for us modeled in Moses’ life?

The OT is the NT concealed; the NT is the OT revealed.

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                               June 20, 2017

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

Note – Inspired by and excerpted from “Beginning of the End” by John Hagee

Musing – A Testimony - What witnesses to a Muslim?

Hebraic Musing – A Testimony - What witnesses to a Muslim?

I have tried unsuccessfully to draft a musings on the theme “How to witness to a Muslim”; and then this blog came from Ron Cantor testifying powerfully to us Christians.  Ron works with a Messianic Fellowship in Tel Aviv:

“Today was one of the most amazing days in our congregation. An Arab woman from the Iraq shared how she left Islam for Yeshua.

Fatma was raised in a strict Islamic household. When she was eight years old, her father took her to Mecca, where she saw a woman beheaded for adultery. Her father told her that the same thing could happen to her, if she did not live a devout Muslim life.

From that time on, Fatma was afraid of Allah. She shared with us that in Islam there is no assurance of eternal life. Allah is not a loving father, but someone to be feared. Despite the fact that she prayed and prayed, Allah never answered her prayers. Eventually, she was not allowed to leave the house without her father, brother or uncle. Her younger brother was given permission to abuse her physically if she was not living up to Islamic standards.

They took a trip to America and because of political unrest in their home country, they sought asylum and it was granted. As a young adult, while living in Georgia and still under her family’s control, she met a believer. Her grandmother, who was her only friend, had just died and she was devastated. This woman befriended her and took her to her congregation.

One striking part of her testimony was that Fatma had lived in the U.S. for eight years and passed church after church in Atlanta, and yet, not one person invited her to go to one. Not one person—until this friend.

She went and was amazed at how friendly everybody was. In Islam, everything was competition—there was little affection, but here were people who simply loved her. She took a Bible home and began to secretly read it. She loved what she read.

Eventually, Fatma decided that she wanted to be immersed in water as a believer. After that, her whole life changed. She has no contact with her family and has to be very careful, as there are those who would like to hurt her.

She now travels around the world sharing her testimony. The most powerful part of her message is that she was wearing full Muslim dress—like a burja, with her face covered during the whole story—until she shares about being born again. Then, dramatically, she removes the oppressive Muslim garb to review a beautiful young woman, full of the light of Yeshua.    Everyone in the congrgegation clapped for joy!

Tiferet Yeshua (their Fellowship) prays and blesses Fatma.  She repented before us for the hatred she had of Jews—a hatred that was instilled in her from childhood. She said that she’d never met a Jew, and yet she hated them. Several in the congregation expressed forgiveness to her and asked for her forgiveness for their own attitudes towards Arabs and prayed that God would open their eyes.

Everyone was deeply moved, not just by her testimony, but also by her expression of love for the Jewish people and the Jewish nation, that she carried as an Arab woman.”

Points to ponder

Are we ready to reach out to a Muslim and show them the love of Jesus?

Might Muslim men find Christianity appealing for similar reasons?

"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation”. Mark 16:15

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                               June 13, 2017

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

Copied from Ron Cantor’s http://messiahsmandate.org/ “Muslim Woman gets Radically Saved” May 26, 2017