Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world

Christian Meditations – A Chris Hansen Column

December 15, 2007

Historical Evidence For The Virgin Birth Of Jesus Christ? – A Series Part 5

Christ Hansen

Psalm 9:13-14 is a poignant prophecy cast in the form of a prayer!  "O Lord, see how my enemies persecute me!  Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, that I may declare your praises in the gates of the daughter of Zion and there rejoice in your salvation."  There is no doubt that Jesus was persecuted!  His Father certainly did show Him mercy.  Jesus was indeed lifted up from the gates of death!  Rising from the dead would certainly qualify!  His message of salvation was declared right there at the city gates of Jerusalem within a thousand yards of an undeniably empty tomb which any high priest could verify!  Acts tells us that thousands who persecuted Him admitted in shame that they had been wrong about Him all the while!  I know.  I too was a former persecutor.  Jesus welcomes people like us.

A dark shadow hung over the life of Jesus.  A thousand years before Christ, the following dark prophecy in Psalm 42:10 had already cast its long shadow of doom!
"My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me saying to me all day long "Where is your God?","
A thousand years later, Matthew 27:39-44 records this dark fulfillment:
"those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself!  Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"  In the same way, the chief priests the teachers of the law and the elders mocked Him.  "He saved others,"  they said, "but He can't save himself!  He's the King of Israel!  Let Him come down from the cross and we will believe in him.  He trusts in God.  Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, "I am the Son of God","  In the same way, the robbers who were crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him."
It certainly did look as if God had deserted Him.  Everything would depend on His resurrection!  Sometimes it looks as though we too have been deserted.  All of our hopes too hang on Jesus’ rising from death.  When all seems lost, that's usually when it all is found again!

A thousand years in advance, Psalm 35:11-12 makes this prediction:
"Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about.  They repay me evil for good and leave my soul forlorn."
This prophecy was fulfilled as Mark 14:55-56 records:
"The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so they could put Him to death, but they did not find any.  Many testified falsely against Him but their statements did not agree."
These certainly were ruthless witnesses!  They asked Him about things He knew nothing about because he couldn't possibly know anything about false testimony!
Luke 22:63-64 records a sad state of things indeed!
"The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating Him.  They blindfolded Him and demanded, "Prophesy!  Who hit you?" 
Indeed, they really did ask Him about things He could know nothing about!  After all, He was a human being who could really be blindfolded.  However, because He was God Almighty, He made sure this would be predicted a thousand years before His birth.  Because He tolerated this brutal treatment, we can know that He loves us.  Because He predicted these things so far in advance, we can know just how wise He is!  His resurrection would soon prove just how powerful He could be to defend us.   His power, his wisdom, and his love are enough to inspire me to do whatever He might ask.  How about you?

A number of prophecies about Jesus the Messiah, written down in advance in Psalm 2, have already been fulfilled or are being fulfilled right now! 
"Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?  The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against His Anointed One.  "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters.","
This prophecy is being fulfilled right now!  If you want to start an argument in polite conversation, just try this.  Stand  up and declare, "Jesus is God Almighty!"  Whole nations have raged against the Christian faith for the last two thousand years.   People object to Jesus because they fear he will chain them.  However, He only means to set them free!  How do you react to Jesus?  Do you fear his chains?  Or do you long for His freedom?  Could you be fulfilling prophecy?  (Psalm 2:1-3.)

How does God respond when His Son is rejected?  (Psalm 2:4-6)  "The one enthroned in heaven laughs; The Lord scoffs at them.  Then He rebukes them in His anger and terrifies them in His wrath, saying, "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.","  Many honest skeptics have tried to disprove the Christian faith.  The Lord just laughed.  C.S. Louis, Oxford professor and former atheist, was "surprised by joy."  Lu Walace intended to write a book exposing Jesus as a fraud.  Instead he wrote, Ben Hur.  Voltaire boasted that "Twelve fishermen erected the Christian faith, watch one lone Frenchman tear it down!"  Voltaire is dead, and his former home now contains a Bible press!  I once swore that I would never be a Christian.  The Lord just laughed!  Now that I see the truth, he smiles.  How is it with you?  Is he laughing, or is he smiling?  Does he need to bring disaster to get your attention?  Would you lash out at him if he did?

The very nature of Jesus has undergone a number of transformations in eternity past.  From eternity past He was always the Word of God.  (John 1:1).  He was always with God.  He was always God as well.  Then, the Word became flesh.  (John 1:14).  At this point, at a very specific moment in time, He became the Son of God.  Then, at eight days old, (Luke 2:21).  He was named Jesus.  When He touched Mary's womb, He became God's holy Son.  Psalm 2:7 tells us this.  Jesus spoke about this transformation a thousand years before His birth:
"I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father."," 
Your nature and my nature can undergo the very same transformation.  This very day, if I choose, God himself will become my Father if that is what I truly want.  I have made that wonderful choice! God can truly become your Father this very day-if that is what you really want.  Choose Him right now!

The Son of God began His human journey as a tiny seed.  However, that is not His ultimate destiny!  He is ever so much more than a little baby in a manger!  Jesus’ Father makes Him this wonderful promise: (Psalm 2:8-9.)  "Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.  You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery."  God is saying in effect, "Ask me, my Son, and I will simply give you the ends of the earth!"  Your destiny and my destiny are linked with Him.  Jesus made us this incredible promise in Revelation 3:21.  "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame, and sat down with my Father on His throne!"  Jesus is offering you and me the throne of the universe!  That's right!  If we will overcome the thousand voices which tell us not to follow Him because it is too hard, too risky, too dangerous, ... then he offers us a place at his side ruling the universe!  It would be a shame to miss an offer this good!

The reward for overcomers is the throne of the universe!  (Revelation 3:21).  What is the alternative punishment?  It is the lake of fire!  (Revelation 21:8.)  There is no third alternative for humans.  (Psalm 2:10-12.)  "Therefore you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth.  Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.  Kiss the Son lest He be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for His wrath can flare up in a moment.  Blessed are all who take refuge in Him."  His wrath can flare up in a moment?  That doesn't sound like the gentle Jesus we are all familiar with.  (Matthew 11:28.)  "Come to me all you who are heavily burdened and I will give you rest. ..."  However, it is true!  To the self-righteous He said, (Matthew 23:15.)  "You go over land and sea to make a single convert, and when you have found him you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are!"  Yes, his anger can flare up in a moment!  So can his great love!  He gives us the dignity of choice.  I freely choose His love!  There was a time when I chose his displeasure!  I am a forgiven criminal.  I am now a prince who will rule the universe one day at his side!

Seven-hundred years before He was born, Isaiah prophesied about Jesus: (Isaiah 50:6).  "I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting."
Then, His own enemies fulfilled the very prophecy which verified their own Messiah!  (Matthew 26:67.)  "Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists."  (Matthew 27:26)  "Then he released Barabbas but he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified."  Even an unbelieving governor fulfilled prophecies he didn't even know about!
(Matthew 27:30)  "Then they spit on him and took the staff and struck him again and again."  Yes, even crude Roman soldiers who couldn't care less about Jewish prophecy fulfilled the very prophecy they mocked!
Could this all be coincidence?

Chris Hansen

chrishansen54@sbcglobal.net