Without Excuse

From: Christian Truth: Volume 25

• 1 min. read • grade level: 7

Do you know what the Scripture says about Jesus Christ, you, and eternity?

Jesus told the "religious" of His day, "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures" (Matt. 22:29²⁹Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. (Matthew 22:29)).

Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the Scriptures- the prophets-spoke of His coming. The world should have known and welcomed Him, but their ignorance and blindness concerning the teaching of Scripture led them to fail to recognize who He was. The world is and was without excuse. Look what the Scripture revealed about Christ long before He came:

He would be of the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:9, 10⁹Judah is a lion's whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? ¹⁰The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. (Genesis 49:9‑10)). He would be born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2²But 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)).

He would be born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14)).

He would be called out of Egypt (Hos. 11:1¹When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. (Hosea 11:1)).

He would come as a prophet (Deut. 18:18, 19¹⁸I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. ¹⁹And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. (Deuteronomy 18:18‑19)). His own people would reject Him (Isa. 53:3³He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)). He would make a triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Zech. 9:9⁹Rejoice 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)).

He would be sold for thirty pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12, 13¹²And 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 11:12‑13)).

He would be put to death by crucifixion (Psalm 22).

His hands and His feet would be pierced (Psalm 22:16¹⁶For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. (Psalm 22:16)). Soldiers would cast lots for His clothing (Psalm 22:18¹⁸They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. (Psalm 22:18)). He would be raised from the dead (Psalm 16:9, 10⁹Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. ¹⁰For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:9‑10)).

He would ascend into heaven (Psalm 68:18¹⁸Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them. (Psalm 68:18)).

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