The Gospel: Jesus the Messiah died for sin as a suffering servant and as the Passover lamb as prophesied; He was buried in the manner prophesied; and, He rose from the dead on the 3rd day as prophesied.
At the time of writing the New Testament letters and the gospels, the eyewitnesses who confirmed the fulfilment of Hebrew prophesies and Scripture types/signs were still alive.
Scriptures foretold of the Messiah’s death, burial and resurrection for hundreds and thousands of years and then it happened. How is that possible? Scripture also foretells about the next age and promises hope for all who believe.
The following Scriptural evidence that Jesus Christ is the risen Son of God is sectioned into 3 parts: death, burial and resurrection. There are hundreds of fulfilled prophecies that demonstrate Jesus Christ is who He said He was – the way to reconciliation with God because He is the Son of God. It is important to decide now whether you will accept this. Why? Although the human body will die a physical death, everyone’s spirit is eternal. No one truly knows exactly when they will die. Will your spirit live with God in peace, or will you experience the second death which is to be eternally separated from God in regretful torment? Do you believe or disbelieve?
Sin is that which does not conform with God’s character and it separates us from Holy God. God’s character is expressed in His Word.
Did you know that the earliest prophecies in Scripture about the Messiah include Genesis 3:15 and Deuteronomy 18:15? This would mean that the earliest prophecy recorded in written format for Jews and Christians would have been dated between 1446 – 1406 B.C.
Foretold Death – The Evidence
Criteria
Prophecy Scripture
Fulfillment Scripture
Details of the Suffering Saviour: His Trial, Bearing of Sin, and Death
Did you know Jesus foretold His resurrection from the dead?
Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, “and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. AND THE THIRD DAY HE WILL RISE AGAIN.” – Matthew 20:17-19 NKJV
saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” – Luke 9:22 NKJV
My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. – Isaiah 52:13-15 NKJV
Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. – Isaiah 53:2-8 NKJV
When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “He Himself took our infirmities And bore our sicknesses.” – Matthew 8:16-17 NKJV
“just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20:28 NKJV
“For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. – Matthew 26:28 NKJV
Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. – Luke 22:20 NKJV
But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?” – John 12:37-38 NKJV
The place in the Scripture which he read was this: “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; And as a lamb before its shearer is silent, So He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, And who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth.” . – Acts 8:32-33 NKJV
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; …He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. – 1 Peter 2:21-25 NKJV
Details of Betrayal: 30 Pieces of Silver
Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”–that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD for the potter. – Zechariah 11:12-13 NKJV
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. – Matthew 26:14-15 NKJV
Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, … Then was fulfilled what was spoken … the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, “and gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD directed me.” – Matthew 27:3, 9-10 NKJV
Typology: The Passover Lamb
“This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. “Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. … ‘Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. ‘Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. ‘And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. ‘Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. ‘Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire–its head with its legs and its entrails. ‘You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. ‘And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover. … ‘Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. ‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. ‘Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. – Exodus 12:2-3, 5-11, 13-15 NKJV
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! … And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” – John 1:29, 36 NKJV
But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. … For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “Not one of His bones shall be broken.” – John 19:33, 36 NKJV
Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. – 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 NKJV
but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. – 1 Peter 1:19 NKJV
Typology: The Willing Sacrifice
Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together. Then they came to the place of which God had told him…. But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “… “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son– … “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” – Genesis 22:4-16, 18 NKJV
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. – John 3:16 NKJV
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. – Hebrews 11:17-19 NKJV
Typology in Method of Death: Lifted up on a Tree
So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. – Numbers 21:6-9 NKJV
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. – John 3:14-18 NKJV
Method of Death: Tortured but Declared Righteous by God
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? … But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel… But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, “He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him!” But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mother’s breasts. I was cast upon You from birth. From My mother’s womb You have been My God. … I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death…. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. … All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the LORD’s, And He rules over the nations…. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this. – Psalm 22:1-31 NKJV
Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” … And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads … “He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” Even the robbers who were crucified with Him reviled Him with the same thing. … And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” – Matthew 27:35, 39, 43-44, 46 NKJV
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore the soldiers did these things. – John 19:23-24 NKJV
For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” – Hebrews 2:11-12 NKJV
Foretold Burial – The Evidence
Criteria
Prophecy Scripture
Fulfillment Scripture
Details: Buried with the Rich
And they made His grave with the wicked-–But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors. – Isaiah 53:9-12 NKJV
This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed. – Matthew 27:58-60 NKJV
Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen. And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb. – Mark 15:42-46 NKJV
Foretold Resurrection – The Evidence
Are you willing to believe?
Criteria
Prophecy Scripture
Fulfillment Scripture
Resurrection
I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. – Psalm 16:8-11 NKJV
“Therefore He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’ “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; “but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. – Acts 13:35-37 NKJV
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you THE GOSPEL which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, … For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, and that He was buried, and that HE ROSE AGAIN THE THIRD DAY ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES, – 1 Corinthians 15:1, 3-4 NKJV
Eye Witness Testimony of Resurrection
The following Scripture summarizes the eye witness testimony that is detailed in the gospel biblical accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
- and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. – 1 Corinthians 15:5-9 NKJV
- As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” … And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” -Acts 9:3-5, 17 NKJV
While Mary and other women saw and interacted with the risen LORD, in Hebrew culture at that time a woman’s testimony was not considered binding without her husband’s validation of the oath. Jesus elevated the status of women. Other Scripture references for the resurrection are included here for your further investigation:
- Matthew 28:9-10
- John 20:11-18
Jesus said that He would return suddenly to bring His bride (those who believe Him) to the Marriage Supper just like a Jewish wedding celebration.
If you would like to be at peace with God, the Creator of heaven and earth, you need to acknowledge Him and His gift of His Son (Jesus Christ) as payment for your sin (sin separates you from Him). All human beings sin but by taking God at His Word, He forgives us. In doing so, you can celebrate in eternity at the Father’s House, united with Him. What a time that will be!
Please read the 4 Simple Steps (below) as a prayer and confession to God.
The Choice is an Individual Choice; It’s Personal. What do you believe?
God can not lie and He has declared in His Scriptures the terms of reconciliation. The next 4 steps are important and you can use your own words. The suggested words are here to guide you and they are based on what the Scripture says. It is acceptable if you believe in your heart and still have some difficulty getting your head around how God pulled it all off. I think we are all amazed!
Option 1
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. – John 3:16-18 NKJV
Option 2
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, – Romans 1:18-20 NKJV
| 4 SIMPLE STEPS IN PRAYER TO GOD | New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture | New Living Translation (NLT) Scripture |
|---|---|---|
| I acknowledge I am a sinner and desire to be forgiven. | Romans 3:10, 23 NKJV – As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 6:23 NKJV – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. | Romans 3:10, 23 NLT – As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous–not even one. … For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Romans 6:23 NLT – For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. |
| I understand You God desired to forgive people and You fulfilled Your promises (prophecies) of sending the perfect Saviour, Your Son named Jesus, to pay the penalty of sin (which was death), | Romans 5:8 NKJV – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. | Romans 5:8 NLT – But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. |
| I believe in my heart Jesus died for my sins, that He was raised to life by You God and that Jesus currently lives with You, Father God. | Romans 10:9-10 NKJV – that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. | Romans 10:9-10 NLT – If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. |
| I confess to You my God out loud with my mouth that Jesus Christ is LORD of my life. I commit to following Your Word with Your help. Help me to love you completely. | Romans 10:13 NKJV – For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” | Romans 10:13 NLT – For “Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. |
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