Is it about the nation of Israel in the book of Isaiah 53? Is it about Jesus?
No
matter whom you see as the suffering servant ( Jews- their nation,
Christians- Jesus) Isaiah 53, justifies the fact that there is a NEED FOR REDEMPTION and, ATONEMENT FOR SIN!!! A great testimony that the law can't justify anybody!
Isaiah 53 v.10 says that the servant "shalt make his soul an offering for sin"
is a very IMPORTANT statement. Jewish people would deny - Jesus to
be the Lamb of God - but would accept the idea of themselves being in
the role of the Lamb saying it is the nation that Isaiah 53 is
talking about!
No matter who you see here as a servant, verse 10
speaks for the NEED to atone for others, to make a guilt offering for
sin in order to justify others. It is believed by Jews that their
nation can justify others ( although Israel is not called innocent)
yet, but the idea that one of their own people -Jesus- called
innocent servant to make a guilt offering for others- is not
accepted. The question is why? I am sure` God would accept only a
perfect 'sacrifice'. Of course not in a sense of a human sacrifice is
Jesus given for us but he offered himself alone by giving up his
life. That makes Him the true Lamb of God.
You would think God
introduced the sacrifices and atonement in the Old Testament as a
past time? No! The need for the atonement was and still there will be!
I
heard a saying, oh, it is because Isa 52 talks about Israel. It is
right, the nation is also mentioned as a servant. But have you ever
tried to notice that Isaiah is talking about two servants? Instead of
writing about who is right -Jews or Christians - it is good to open
the eyes and see both servants presented. It is not so because
Christians decided to 'add up' one extra to justify their believes. The
simple truth is; THERE ARE 2 SERVANTS ISAIAH IS TALKING ABOUT! By the way, talking about Christians... the first Christians were Jews who noticed that Jesus was their Lamb of God.
I
am really excited to talk about suffering servant as God is revealing
so much about who he is and it is not possible I would be keeping
just for myself.
I know that most Jewish people are taught that
suffering servant in Isaiah 53 is talking about their whole nation,
because Isaiah 52 mentioned Israel to be God's servant. I would rather
start a few chapters earlier from Isaiah 49 , that would leave a
better field of understanding with all the details to avoid the
confusion.
I am not denying that Israel is God's servant , he it
is mentioned in the book of Isaiah but there is one thing overlooked
that Isaiah is ALSO clearly talking about a specific servant- the one who is part of that nation, who is presented in a different light comparing to the whole nation.
Both
Is 53, 42, 49 are showing the unique qualities and the mission of
one servant , which can't be a nation. You can see it so clearly;
Is 49. is an example where God is talking about two servants ; one
is Israel by whom Go will be glorified in the future and also talks
about one special servant with the important mission which is ;
"To bring Jacob back to Him" ( to God) and "To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved ones of Israel." v.5-6
Isaiah 49; 3 says "Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified."
Isaiah 49;5-6 explain how will Israel be glorified by the mission of the servant who will restore the nation;
( the tribes of Jacob) and also will be a light to the Gentiles,
Isaiah 49;6 says ;
5)“And now the Lord says,
Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant,
To bring Jacob back to Him,
So that Israel is gathered to Him
(For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord,
And My God shall be My strength),
6 )Indeed He says,
‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant
To raise up the tribes of Jacob,
And to restore the preserved ones of Israel;
I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles,
That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’”
So that 'servant' can't be Israel as his mission is to "raise up the tribes of Jacob,
and to restore the preserved ones of Israel!!!!"
Another
very important fact that speakes for the servant who is not the
nation of Israel - is chapter 53 , with words of Isaiah in v.8.
Looking closely at the verse 8 we see that the prophet Isaiah is explaining that his people are the ones for whom 'the servant' was punished:,
v. 8” (...)for the transgression of MY PEOPLE he was punished “
look closely at the following words;
(...) OF MY PEOPLE (...)
If the prophet is saying that the servant is punished for the sin 'of his people'
that means he is punished for the people to whom Isaiah belonged.
You can see clearly that the servant is not the nation of Israel! Israel is also a nation for whom the servant -from Isaiah 53 -suffered!
The third important fact speaking for 2 servants in the prophets is; that one
is presented as the righteous one and innocent , while the other disobeying God.
The
righteous one, the innocent is mentioned to suffer for others to
justify them ( also Isa 42 ;1-9; Isa 50; 4-10, Isa 52 v.13
till Isaiah 53), while the disobedient servant is suffering FOR
THEIR OWN SIN. [ Isa 42;18-25, Isa 50;1, Isa 51;17-22, Isa 9;7, also Ezekiel 39;23 ]
examples;
Is 42;1-9 ( the servant God is pleased with)
"Behold my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my Spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice,
or make it heard in the street;
3 a bruised reed he will not break,
and a faintly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged
till he has established justice in the earth;
and the coastlands wait for his law."
The servant In Isaiah 42;1-9 is the one whom God honors and esteems AND HE IS GOING TO BRING JUSTICE TO THE NATIONS, INCLUDING ISRAEL. (READ BELOW)
Examples from Isaiah and Ezekiel and other prophets; where God rebukes the other unfaithful servant and calls to repentance and gives reasons for the suffering
Isaiah 50;1
"Thus
saith the Lord (...) Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold
yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away."
Ezekiel 39; 23 " And the heathen shall know that the house of Israel WENT INTO CAPTIVITY BECAUSE OF THEIR INIQUITY
: because they trespassed against me, therefore hid I my face from
them, and gave them into the hand of their enemies: so fell they all by
the sword. 24 According to their uncleanness and according to their
transgressions have I done unto them, and hid my face from them. "
Isaiah 51;17 -22 KJV
17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury;
thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them
out. 18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath
brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all
the sons that she hath brought up. 19 These two things are come unto
thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the
famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee? 20 Thy sons have
fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a
net: they are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God. 21
Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:
22 Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of
his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of
trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more
drink it again":
A clear conclusion is that Israel's suffering has been as the result of their disobedience.
Isaiah 53 is not the only chapter that is showing completly different servant who is NOT suffering for his own sin because he is innocent.
MORE EXAMPLES;[Isa 42 ;1-9; Isa 50; 4-10, Isa 52 v.13 till Isaiah 53]
Isaiah 53
The servant who is suffering for others is innocent one;
v.9 "and they made his grave with the wicked...(...) ALTHOUGH HE HAD DONE NO VIOLENCE AND THERE WAS NO DECEIT IN HIS MOUTH .
v.8. Isaiah says; punished for transgressions "of MY PEOPLE "
v.5 "wounded for our transgressions"
Notice
that no matter who would be speaking here, Isaiah himself or the
nations, it still includes us ALL , transgressions THAT ARE OURS "
including the nation of Israel.
v.8 clearly states; the servant lost his life; he was "cut off out of the land of the living" and "he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death"
v.12 " he poured out his life unto death"
v.11 " He shall justify many (..) — means he will acquit them from
the guilt of their sins, and all the dreadful consequences thereof.
Questions;
If you would still insist that it is a nation to justify others, the question is; who will be justified?
First off all how can the nation that needs the redemption themselves - justify others???
Isa 42;18-25 Why would be God saying that?
"Who
is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is
blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lord's servant? 20 Seeing
many things, but thou observest not; opening the ears, but he heareth
not. 21 The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will
magnify the law, and make it honourable. 22 But this is a people robbed
and spoiled; they are all of them snared in holes, and they are hid in
prison houses: they are for a prey, and none delivereth; for a spoil,
and none saith, Restore. 23 Who among you will give ear to this? who
will hearken and hear for the time to come? 24 Who gave Jacob for a
spoil, and Israel to the robbers? did not the Lord, he against whom we
have sinned? for they would not walk in his ways, neither were they
obedient unto his law. 25 Therefore he hath poured upon him the fury of
his anger, and the strength of battle: and it hath set him on fire round
about, yet he knew not; and it burned him, yet he laid it not to
heart."
I will finish with a question; Why is
righteous Jesus still denied to atone for others ? Why is the
righteous Jesus denied as a Redeemer but the nation allowed to be put in
the role of the redeemer -if you believe Isaiah 53 to be about the
nation- the nation that is also called to repentance along with
Gentiles?
If Jesus wasn't the Son of God , God
would not restore Him back to life as Jesus would die for the false
testimony according to the words " the wages of sin is death". Yet,
He is risen!!!
Friday, November 22, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
God’s Amazing Story of Redemption & Atonement
Jesus the Lamb of God -our Chief Priest – God’s Servant,
Mediator of the New Covenant- King of Righteousness , our Atonement for
sin.
When Jesus is called the Lamb of God in John 1:29 and John 1:36, it is referring to Him as the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for sin.
In order to understand who Christ was and what He did, we must begin with the Old Testament, which contains prophecies concerning the coming of Christ as a “guilt offering” (Isaiah 53:10). In fact, the whole sacrificial system established by God in the Old Testament set the stage for the coming of Jesus Christ, who is the perfect sacrifice God would provide as atonement for the sins of His people (Romans 8:3; Hebrews 10)
It is through His death on the cross as God’s perfect sacrifice for sin and His resurrection three days later that we can now have eternal life if we believe in Him. The fact that God Himself has provided the offering that atones for our sin is part of the glorious good news of the gospel that is so clearly declared in 1 Peter 1:18-21:
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”
While the idea of a sacrificial system might seem strange to us today, the concept of payment or restitution is still one we can easily understand. We know that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and that our sin separates us from God. We also know the Bible teaches we are all sinners and none of us is righteous before God (Romans 3:23). Because of our sin, we are separated from God, and we stand guilty before Him. Therefore, the only hope we can have is if He provides a way for us to be reconciled to Himself, and that is what He did in sending His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross.
Hebrew 7;24-25
“But He ( Jesus) , because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Hebrew 8;1 “We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens”
v.6 “But now hath He ( Jesus ) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.”
v.8 -9 “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people”v.12 “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
Luke 22;20 “After the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
Hebrew 9;11-15
“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new covenant, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”
Hebrew 9;24-25
“For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
v.26-28 ” (…) But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
“The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that
they are outwardly clean. How
much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from
acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”
Christ- the lamb of God - died to make atonement for sin and to pay the penalty of the sins of all who believe in Him.
When Jesus is called the Lamb of God in John 1:29 and John 1:36, it is referring to Him as the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for sin.
In order to understand who Christ was and what He did, we must begin with the Old Testament, which contains prophecies concerning the coming of Christ as a “guilt offering” (Isaiah 53:10). In fact, the whole sacrificial system established by God in the Old Testament set the stage for the coming of Jesus Christ, who is the perfect sacrifice God would provide as atonement for the sins of His people (Romans 8:3; Hebrews 10)
It is through His death on the cross as God’s perfect sacrifice for sin and His resurrection three days later that we can now have eternal life if we believe in Him. The fact that God Himself has provided the offering that atones for our sin is part of the glorious good news of the gospel that is so clearly declared in 1 Peter 1:18-21:
“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.”
While the idea of a sacrificial system might seem strange to us today, the concept of payment or restitution is still one we can easily understand. We know that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and that our sin separates us from God. We also know the Bible teaches we are all sinners and none of us is righteous before God (Romans 3:23). Because of our sin, we are separated from God, and we stand guilty before Him. Therefore, the only hope we can have is if He provides a way for us to be reconciled to Himself, and that is what He did in sending His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross.
Hebrew 7;24-25
“But He ( Jesus) , because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Hebrew 8;1 “We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens”
v.6 “But now hath He ( Jesus ) obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.”
v.8 -9 “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people”v.12 “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.”
Luke 22;20 “After the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”
Hebrew 9;11-15
“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new covenant, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.”
Hebrew 9;24-25
“For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.
v.26-28 ” (…) But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.”
Jesus the true prophet of God
How can the Jewish people recognize the true prophet.?
Part 1.
There is nobody recorded in Old Testament Scriptures who wouldn’t walk with God and then had power to bring life back !
The only people who were walking with God and had that power to resurrect others in the Old Testament Scriptures are Elijah and Elisha .
They both were MAN OF GOD.
The woman of resurrected son by Elijah said to him ; “Now by this I know that thou art a MAN OF GOD , and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth”
Elijah ( who was given power to raise the dead ) is one of 2 men recorded in OT who never died ( next to Enoch), Elijah was taken to heaven , that indicates he had to be a man of God.
We can conclude based on these two people that power of resurrection was given to them by God.
A man resurrected by touching Elisha ‘s bones. ( Elisha had to be a MAN OF GOD). Elisha was dead so he could not resurrect the man on his own.
Resurrection – bringing the life back was only under permission of God as it is God who has dominion over life and death.
Our conclusion; if Jesus wasn’t the MAN OF GOD He would not be able to resurrect Lazarus, and the other people He did Also lots of people wouldn’t be resurrected at Jesus’ crucifixion (Matthew 27:52-53 .
If the only people who could resurrect others were Man of God ( Old Testament) , also Jesus had to be a Man of God, or else He wouldn’t have been granted a power of resurrection.
The other important fact is ;
God would not support a false prophet and grant him life back. God would not resurrect Jesus if Jesus wasn’t a Man of God as the wages of sin is death and Jesus would die for a false testimony. Yet , He was back to life testifying , He is trully a Son of God.
Examples; New Testament ,
Jesus resurrects the widow’s son at Nain
Luke 7:13-15 (KJV)
13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter from the dead
Matthew 9:25 (KJV)
25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.
See also Mark 5:42, and Luke 8:55
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead
John 11:43-44 (KJV)
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Many saints resurrected at Jesus’ crucifixion
Matthew 27:52-53 (KJV)
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
…………………..
Part 2.
Prophecy about the prophet to come in the name of the Lord. Deut 18;15-22
Deut 18;15-22 is giving the message to expect a prophet one day so that people would hear what God is saying to them through the man He would send;
v.16 ” According to all that thou desires of the Lord (……) Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.”
People were said to listen to this prophet’s words “(…)unto him ye shall hearken.” v.15
God said about him; ” I will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”
God also said that “the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak” – he shall die.
God said that they would recognize the prophet who speaks in the name of the Lord based on fulfilled words , he would say the things that would happen.
” (…) if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken. v .22
a) Jesus is testifying that he is the true prophet fulfilling the following words; “I will put my words in his mouth(…)” Deut 18;18
Jesus said; “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself:
but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” John 14;10 -speaking the words God gave him.
“For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me,so I speak.” John 12;49
b) If the prophet was speaking the words the God didn’t command him , he was supposed to die.
Jesus was killed because Jews didn’t believe him, yet he was resurrected by God on the 3rd day. The false prophet would die and would NOT be brought back to life. In order to cover the fact of resurrection at that time , Jewish leaders came out with a false statement that Jesus ‘s body was stolen. (Matthew 28;11-15)
c) The true prophet would say things that would come to pass;
“For he taught his disciples, and said unto them , The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed , he shall rise the third day.” Mk 9;31 ( it happened exactly like Jesus said; he was killed and on the 3rd day rose back to life)
Another example ; Jesus said; “But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.” Matthew 26;32
Then He fulfilled his words after his resurrection;
“Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28;10
Jesus said to Peter ;”(…) Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” John 13;38
Which was fulfilled in Matthew 26; 69-75
v.69-70.”Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him.
“You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.’
v.75 “And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.”
Matthew 24 Jesus talks about the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, which happened 70 AD.
“(…) I leave the world, and go to the Father.” John 16;28
and it happened recorded in Acts 1;9-10
” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Here are just a few examples as a proof that Jesus is the true prophet.
God’s words didn’t cease with the last book of the Old Testament . There has been NO silence for 2000 years as God has been speaking through HIS SON JESUS.
Part 1.
There is nobody recorded in Old Testament Scriptures who wouldn’t walk with God and then had power to bring life back !
The only people who were walking with God and had that power to resurrect others in the Old Testament Scriptures are Elijah and Elisha .
They both were MAN OF GOD.
The woman of resurrected son by Elijah said to him ; “Now by this I know that thou art a MAN OF GOD , and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth”
Elijah ( who was given power to raise the dead ) is one of 2 men recorded in OT who never died ( next to Enoch), Elijah was taken to heaven , that indicates he had to be a man of God.
We can conclude based on these two people that power of resurrection was given to them by God.
A man resurrected by touching Elisha ‘s bones. ( Elisha had to be a MAN OF GOD). Elisha was dead so he could not resurrect the man on his own.
Resurrection – bringing the life back was only under permission of God as it is God who has dominion over life and death.
Our conclusion; if Jesus wasn’t the MAN OF GOD He would not be able to resurrect Lazarus, and the other people He did Also lots of people wouldn’t be resurrected at Jesus’ crucifixion (Matthew 27:52-53 .
If the only people who could resurrect others were Man of God ( Old Testament) , also Jesus had to be a Man of God, or else He wouldn’t have been granted a power of resurrection.
The other important fact is ;
God would not support a false prophet and grant him life back. God would not resurrect Jesus if Jesus wasn’t a Man of God as the wages of sin is death and Jesus would die for a false testimony. Yet , He was back to life testifying , He is trully a Son of God.
Examples; New Testament ,
Jesus resurrects the widow’s son at Nain
Luke 7:13-15 (KJV)
13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.
14 And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
15 And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter from the dead
Matthew 9:25 (KJV)
25 But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.
See also Mark 5:42, and Luke 8:55
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead
John 11:43-44 (KJV)
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
Many saints resurrected at Jesus’ crucifixion
Matthew 27:52-53 (KJV)
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
…………………..
Part 2.
Prophecy about the prophet to come in the name of the Lord. Deut 18;15-22
Deut 18;15-22 is giving the message to expect a prophet one day so that people would hear what God is saying to them through the man He would send;
v.16 ” According to all that thou desires of the Lord (……) Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not.”
People were said to listen to this prophet’s words “(…)unto him ye shall hearken.” v.15
God said about him; ” I will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.”
God also said that “the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak” – he shall die.
God said that they would recognize the prophet who speaks in the name of the Lord based on fulfilled words , he would say the things that would happen.
” (…) if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken. v .22
a) Jesus is testifying that he is the true prophet fulfilling the following words; “I will put my words in his mouth(…)” Deut 18;18
Jesus said; “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself:
but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” John 14;10 -speaking the words God gave him.
“For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me,so I speak.” John 12;49
b) If the prophet was speaking the words the God didn’t command him , he was supposed to die.
Jesus was killed because Jews didn’t believe him, yet he was resurrected by God on the 3rd day. The false prophet would die and would NOT be brought back to life. In order to cover the fact of resurrection at that time , Jewish leaders came out with a false statement that Jesus ‘s body was stolen. (Matthew 28;11-15)
c) The true prophet would say things that would come to pass;
“For he taught his disciples, and said unto them , The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed , he shall rise the third day.” Mk 9;31 ( it happened exactly like Jesus said; he was killed and on the 3rd day rose back to life)
Another example ; Jesus said; “But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.” Matthew 26;32
Then He fulfilled his words after his resurrection;
“Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Matthew 28;10
Jesus said to Peter ;”(…) Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” John 13;38
Which was fulfilled in Matthew 26; 69-75
v.69-70.”Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him.
“You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.’
v.75 “And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.”
Matthew 24 Jesus talks about the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem, which happened 70 AD.
“(…) I leave the world, and go to the Father.” John 16;28
and it happened recorded in Acts 1;9-10
” After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Here are just a few examples as a proof that Jesus is the true prophet.
God’s words didn’t cease with the last book of the Old Testament . There has been NO silence for 2000 years as God has been speaking through HIS SON JESUS.
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