Jesus Christ

Prophecies Concerning the Messiah: 108 distinct prophecies that concern the Messiah‘s first coming. All fulfilled in the life of Jesus of Nazareth 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000 (one hundred quadrillion): 10/17 Those are the odds Peter Stoner determined in his book Science Speaks of just eight prophecies being accidently fulfilled in the life of one man. Statisticians say anything past 1 to 10/50 power is no chance. This is exceeded once 20 fulfilled prophecies is considered (and Jesus fulfilled 108). •The Messiah would come through the line of Abraham, Judah, and David (Genesis 12:2, Genesis 49:10, 2 Samuel 7:12-16) •The Messiah would be preceded by a messenger (Malachi 3:1). •The Messiah would come to his people mounted on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9). •The Messiah would remain silent/suffer at the hands of men (Isaiah 53). •The Messiah would be disfigured at the hands of men (Isaiah 52). •The Messiah would have no bone broken (Psalm 34:20). •The Messiah would be buried with the rich (Isaiah 53:9). •The Messiah would ascend to Heaven (Psalm 68:18; Luke 24:50-53) Symbolism of Christ in Scripture: The acacia wood = Christ's humanity. The gold overlay = His deity. Law inside the Ark = Jesus with the Law of God in His heart. The pot of manna = Jesus as the Bread of Life. Aaron's rod that budded = The resurrection. The mercy seat = The work of Jesus on the Cross covers the Law of God with His mercy. Two angels over Ark = Two angels seated at head and foot of Christ‘s lying place; the perfect mercy seat. Just as the Ark was designed to be a symbol of the presence of God in the midst of His people, Jesus is the ultimate expression of God's love and care and presence. He is our Ark. He is our Law. He is our Manna. He is our Budded Rod. And, thank God, He is our Mercy Seat. Extra-Biblical Writings of Jesus: ―Nero substituted as culprits and punished with the utmost refinements of cruelty, a class of men loathed for their vices whom the crowd styled Christians. Christus, from whom they got their name, had been executed by sentence of the procurator Pontius Pilate when Tiberius was emperor.–Tacitus (Roman historian), Annals, Book 15. ―They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang an anthem to Christ as God, and bound themselves by a solemn oath not to commit any wicked deed.–Pliny the Younger, Letters, series 10. ―On the eve of Passover Yeshua was hanged … since nothing was brought forward in his favour he was hanged on the eve of the Passover!–Jewish Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a.

Jesus is referenced by more historians of antiquity than the Roman emperor at the time (Jesus‘ 43 vs. Tiberius‘ 10). Did Jesus Really Exist? ―Today no competent scholar denies the historicity of Jesus.-Bruce Metzger, PhD "You speak of Caesar, of Alexander, of their conquests and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful and entirely devoted to his memory? My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power.―I know men and I tell you, Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded his empire upon love; and at this hour, millions would die for him. ―I search in vain history to find similar to Jesus Christ, or anything which can approach the gospel. Neither history nor humanity, nor ages, nor nature, offer me anything with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. -Napoleon