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Psalm 22 -- An Awe-Inspiring Prophecy! By Bob Berendt King David saw, a thousand years in advance, precise details of the greatest event in history -- the death of a Man who would save billions of lives.
bout 1,000 years before the life and death of Jesus Christ, a remarkable psalm was written by King David. The writing of these verses was inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16). When this psalm was written, it contained details of the future sacrifice of the Redeemer of all mankind. Even if David might not have fully understood what he had written, in Psalm 22 we find a cluster of the clearest and most detailed prophecies that have ever come to pass. Minute details are given about the death that Jesus was destined to endure for all humanity, including you and me. Only the power of God could inspire a prophecy and bring it to pass 1,000 years later. Perfect fulfillment of prophecy There were at least 28 prophecies fulfilled on this one day -- the last day in the life of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Witnesses to the events that surrounded the death of Christ attest to the perfection of each detail of prophecy.
The prophecies of Christ's scourging, the tearing of His flesh, mocking, prolonged agony and slow death are all clearly fulfilled. Jesus could not control the beating He received from the soldiers or their gambling for His garment (it was customary for soldiers at an execution to divide the clothes of the prisoners among themselves). God foresaw this custom centuries before Rome existed! Who but God could bring these events to pass 1,000 years after He inspired them to be written? Other scriptures add prophetic details to Jesus' ordeal as well, but none that I have found are as profound as this psalm.
No wonder He prayed in agony the night before these events took place (Matthew 26:36-42)! Jesus knew exactly what was about to happen. He had known how He would die since the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). He knew He had to fulfill the will of His Father. Prophecy inspires personal transformation Psalm 22 describes the destiny of Christ as the "Passover Lamb" whose sacrifice pays for the sins of all who repent. This is why He was sent to the earth. There is no recorded historical challenge to any of the prophecies of Psalm 22. The witnesses didn't express any disagreement. They understood -- later -- the very events they had witnessed.
Over a decade later, the apostle Paul heard these events from Jesus Himself, and Paul's records agree with those of the eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 11:23). This cloud of witnesses is too great to ignore. There is no figure of ancient history whose death is more clearly recorded than Jesus Christ. Jesus died exactly as Psalm 22 stated He would. Prophecy was fulfilled down to the last detail. Lessons for the future Much of the Bible is prophecy. The religious system of Jesus' day did not understand these prophecies or they would not have killed the Messiah. When we comprehend the absolute control and power God displayed by fulfilling Psalm 22 and many other prophecies, then we must comprehend the fact that every prophecy that is still to come will come to pass exactly as God stated. This fact shows that only God is God. Isaiah 45:21 and 46:9-11 boldly proclaim that only God can make a prophecy come to pass. We ignore His word at our own peril.
He has controlled and fought against evil since the rebellion of Lucifer and his followers. God is an unstoppable warrior as well as a loving Father. The book of Revelation contains strong statements about Christ coming with power and might (Revelation 19:11-21). He is King of Kings and "treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God" (verse 15). That statement ought to inspire us to pause and to consider. Since Psalm 22 is so explicit, could we mistakenly think that these future prophecies are any less explicit? We can read in 1 Corinthians 13:8 that prophecies fail. They do not fail because God cannot fulfill them, but they fail because God and only God can change them. The book of Jonah is written to help us understand that truth.
A wise person will choose to stand with Christ and not against Him since He is the only hope for this deceived world (Revelation 12:9). Jesus said that if we knock, it will be opened, and if we seek, we will find (Matthew 7:7). The Scriptures hold the key -- you have the choice. God wants you to consider the prophecies He has inspired and choose life. Recommended reading Jesus Christ's story is the most fascinating one in history! Much of it has been ignored or distorted through the centuries, but the Bible gives us the real story. You can find it outlined in a helpful resource called . You can download this resource or request a free copy be sent to you. Copyright 2005 by United Church of God, an International Association All rights reserved. |
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