Today we're going to talk about prophecy. We're not talking about end-time prophecy, we're just going to talk about Bible prophecy. We hear a lot about end-time prophecy right now and there's people out there that thinks that may not happen. It may happen, don't know, not sure. Well, how can we be sure that prophecy from the New Testament is going to be fulfilled? Well, I think the way we need to start this is by looking at prophecy in the Old Testament. There was lots of prophecy in the Old Testament. We're going to talk about Jesus' first coming. The Bible talks about that.
gls:Jesus, when he came, was going to be a descendant of Abraham. Genesis 12, 1-3 says Now the Lord had said to Abram that out of your country, from your family, from your father's house, to a land that I will show you, I will make you a great nation. I will bless you and I will make your name great and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you, and in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed. If you go to Matthew 111, it's in the book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. So right there. It tells us that Jesus was a descendant of Abraham. That's what God promised. That's what God fulfilled. The Old Testament also says that Jesus was the son of Judah. Genesis 49.10 says the scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him shall be the obedience of the people. And if you go to the New Testament and look 333 and read through the genealogy of Jesus, you will see. It says the son of Judah. Again, a prophecy made, a prophecy fulfilled.
gls:The Old Testament also tells us that Jesus was an heir of David. Isaiah 9.6 and 7 says For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be on his shoulders and his name shall be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting Father, prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace. There will be no end upon the throne of David and over his kingdom To order it and establish it with judgment and justice. From that time forward, even forever, the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. And if you go to the New Testament, luke 1.23 says Then the angel said to her Do not be afraid, mary, for you have found favor with God and behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the son of the highest and the Lord. God will give him the throne of his father, david, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom. There will be no end Again. Prophecy. Prophecy fulfilled. Hopefully you'll.
gls:There was also a prophecy that he would be born in Bethlehem. Micah 5.2 says but you, bethlehem, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to me the one to be ruler in Israel, who's going forth from old, from everlasting. And in Luke 2.4 through 7 says Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth and Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was at the house, in the lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered and she brought forth her firstborn son, wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for him in the end, as you see, the prophecies that God has showed us in the Old Testament are being fulfilled.
gls:In the New Testament, one of the prophecies is that Jesus would be born of a virgin. Isaiah 7.14 says Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign, a hold. The version shall conceive and bear a son and his name shall be called Emanuel. The New Testament, matthew 1, 22 and 23, says so. All this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying Behold, the version shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emanuel, which is translated God with us.
gls:And another prophecy is that Jesus would be the son of God. Psalms in the Old Testament, 2,7 says I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me you are my son. Today, I have forgotten you. And in the New Testament, matthew 3, 16 through 17 says and when he had been baptized, jesus came immediately from the water and behold, the heavens opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying this is my beloved son, who I'm well pleased. I just love that scripture.
gls:It also says in the Old Testament that he would be rejected. Isaiah 53.3 says he is despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and he hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we did not esteem him. And in the New Testament, in John 111, it says he came to his own when they did not receive him. Another prophecy, another fulfillment.
gls:The Old Testament says that he will be betrayed. Psalms 41, 9, even my own familiar friend, in whom I trust, who ate my bread, has lifted up his hill against me. Matthew 26, 48 through 50 says Now his betrayer had given them a sign saying who, remember I kiss? He is the one sees him Immediately. He went up to Jesus and said Greetings, rabbi. I kissed him, but Jesus said to him Friend, why have you come?
gls:And one of the last things that we're going to talk about the prophecies is the fact that he was pierced. Zachariah 1210 says and I will pour out on the house of David and on the heavens of Jerusalem the spirit of grace and supplication when they will look on me, whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn him as one mourns for his only son and greets for him as he greaves for a firstborn. And in John 19, 24 through 37. It says but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear and immediately blood and water came out. And he who was seen has testified and his testimony is true and he knows that he is telling the truth so that you may believe. For these things were done, that the scripture be fulfilled, none of his bones shall be broken. And again another scripture said they shall look upon him whom they pierced.
gls:So if we have these scriptures to show us that in the Old Testament there was prophecy and in the New Testament that prophecy was fulfilled, what kind of hope does that give us for the second coming? I was reading a book it was called the Essential Guide to Bible Prophecy, by Tim LaHaye and Ed Henson, and I love the way that they talk about how the Old Testament prophecies in the New Testament fulfillment, how that gave us hope and trust in the prophecies for God's second coming. I'm going to read part of what they said. It says the accurate fulfillment of the prophecies of Jesus' first coming point us to the certainty that the 300 prophecies of his second coming will also be fulfilled. Because the prophecies relating to Christ's first coming have been fulfilled literally, we can confidently expect that the prophecies relating to his second coming will be fulfilled equally as literally.
gls:We have every reason to believe that the trustworthiness of Bible's prophecies about the future, but we can only accept them by faith until the time of the fulfillment. And our faith in these prophecies is not based on a misplaced pious hope. Rather, it is based on literal fulfillment of prophecies from the past. This alone gives us a great confidence that the prophecies not yet fulfilled will indeed come to pass. The fact that Bible prophecies have been fulfilled in an exact and detailed manner assures us that, in regard to prophecies not yet fulfilled, christ will come again, just as he said in John 14, 1 through 3,. We can look forward to the unfolding of the future because we know it's under God's sovereign control.
gls:John's gospel ends by reminding us that in John 21, 25, the world itself could not contain the books that could be written about Jesus Christ, but John himself, jesus's personal disciple, states. These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name, and that's in John 20, 31. And I'm gonna leave you with the scripture that I talked about earlier John 14, 1 through 3. I just think this is a really wonderful, wonderful prophecy. It says John 14, 1 through 3, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house there are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you I go to prayer place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself about where I am there. You may be also.