Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

Christian Meditations – A Chris Hansen Column

December 17, 2007

Historical Evidence For The Virgin Birth Of Jesus Christ? – A Series Part 8

Christ Hansen

(Isaiah 52:13-15.)
Seven-hundred years in advance, Isaiah 52:13-15 records a prophecy so current, that it could be a scene taken right out of the film, "The Passion," which came out on February 25, 2004.  As you read these ancient words, see if you can picture Jesus in all the stark reality of His brutal crucifixion:
"See, my servant will act wisely; He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.  Just as there were many who were appalled at Him-His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness-so will He sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of Him.  For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand." 
Those who have already seen The Passion sat in stunned silence.  The photography communicated everything so clearly, that even on a totally nonverbal level, the crucifixion was completely understood by those who saw it.  The dialogue is done in the original languages of the times of Jesus.  However, those who have already seen the film attest that the film completely crosses the language barrier.  Isaiah's prophecy quite
literally came true on Ash Wednesday, February 25, 2004. What they have not been told, they will see.  What they have not heard, they will understand!

Ten centuries in advance, Psalm 22 prophesied very disturbing pictures of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. 
(Psalm 22:16.)  "Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet."
Quite literally, dogs ran around the execution grounds.  They could already smell the blood.  They were accustomed to eating freshly crucified bodies, which were usually thrown on to the garbage dump.  Crucified criminals were rarely given a burial.  Jesus could no longer carry the 150 pound cross beam!  He was already weakened from severe loss of blood and extreme thirst.  He fell several times and needed help carrying His cross.  Since His hands were already bound to the beam, He could not catch himself to stop his fall.  His face hit the ground hard!  When they reached the place called the Skull, they roughly threw Jesus on his back.  They stretched His arms out from side to side along the cross bar.  Heavy iron spikes were driven through the wrist of each hand.  The wrist was the strongest part of the hand and was less likely to tear loose.  The Romans made sure to drive the nail through the radial nerve.  This would produce maximum pain!  Bolts of fiery pain would then shoot through His arms!  The Romans made sure to miss vital arteries and veins.  This would help the torture last even longer.  Then, the cross beam was hoisted and dropped onto an upright post already in the ground. Next, a heavy spike was driven through a sturdy piece of wood to hold it in place.  His knees were bent and tilted to the left slightly.  The feet were firmly placed against the upright.  Then the spike was driven in hard, right through the heel bone.  Piercing the feet allowed the victim to catch a quick breath before dropping down again.  This made the crucifixion linger even longer!  First the panic of suffocation would set in as the chest muscles would cramp because of the strain of the weight of the body pulling on them.  The victim would push against the spike driven through His feet.  Of course, this was pure torture, but for a moment it allowed the suffocating panic to subside.  Then, the whole cycle would begin all over again.  Suffocation, pain, relief, then suffocation once again!  Some victims lasted nine days!!!  Mercifully, Jesus only lasted six hours!  This was the payment for my sin!  A lifetime of service, and a million prayers of thanks are not enough!

 (Isaiah 53:9.)
Seven-hundred years in advance, Isaiah wrote this about Jesus:  
"He was assigned a grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit found in his mouth."

Was Jesus assigned a grave with the wicked?  Yes.  (Luke 23:32.)  "Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.  When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified him along with the criminals-one on his right, the other on his left."
Did he have a place "with the rich in his death?"  Yes again!  (Luke 23:52-53.)  "Now there was a man named Joseph a member of the council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action.  He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God.  Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body.  Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid."
Members of the council were usually wealthy.  Joseph had enough resources to pay for a freshly cut tomb for his own burial some day.  The poor had to use tombs that had already been used.  When a person died, that person would be laid in a tomb for about a year.  Then, the bones would be moved to a small box and placed elsewhere.  Then, the tomb could be used by another person who had died.  This cost less money than a fresh tomb would cost.
Isaiah further predicted that Jesus had "done no violence, nor was any deceit found in his mouth."  Was this true?  Evidently Pilate thought so!  (Luke 23:13-16.) 
"Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion.  I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.  Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death.  Therefore I will punish him and release him."
Assigned with criminals!  Buried in a rich man's tomb!  No violence or deceit found in Him!  Could this ancient prophecy be any clearer!  The invisible God walked through the Old Testament and left visible footprints of prophecy.  These visible footprints lead right up to the cross of Jesus Christ!  God requires faith in order to please Him.  But this faith is never a blind faith!  It is a leap into the light.  If you haven't already done so, jump into the crucified hands of Jesus.

 (Isaiah 53:11.)
Seven hundred years in advance, Isaiah said this about Jesus Christ:
(Isaiah 53:11.)  "After the suffering of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge, my righteous servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities."
If Jesus had not died, we could never have been justified.  On the other hand, if Jesus had not risen from death, He would have been just another ordinary man with a crazy dream!  Who in their right mind would die for sin?  Only someone who knew that they would rise again.  Consider for a moment these 4 questions:
1.  Is the universe guided by intelligence?
2.  Does this intelligence care about me?
3.  Did this intelligence ever become human?
4.  Does his name begin with a capital J?
Eternity hangs on the answers to these questions!  There will be a final exam!  You and I will be tested on these questions!

Jesus knew that He would die and rise on the third day.
(Mark 9:31.)  "He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law, and that He must be killed, and after three days rise again."
Just how did Jesus know that he would rise on the third day?
(Hosea 6:1-3.)  "Come let us return to the Lord.  He has torn us to pieces but He will heal us; He has injured us, but He will bind up our wounds.  After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will restore us that we may live in His presence.  Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge Him.  As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth." 
How was this prophecy fulfilled?
The Lord had torn His people to pieces.  They were under the brutal Roman empire!
"After two days, He will revive us;"
If one counts twenty-four hour periods, then Jesus did revive after two complete days.  From Friday afternoon to Sunday Afternoon when he was seen by the Twelve, would be two entire days.
"On the third day He will restore us."
Jewish counting counts part of a day.  They would have counted Friday, Saturday, and Sunday too, even though Friday and Sunday were partial days.
After Jesus rose we could quite literally live in His physical presence.
"As surely as the sun rises, He will appear."
The first people to see Him alive saw Him at sunrise!
"He will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."
The ancient world knew little of irrigation.  They relied on precious rains that fell during winter and spring.  Jesus came just after the winter and spring rains had fallen!  He brought us knew life just as surely as the precious rain brings life to the parched ground.  Winter and spring rains do no good unless seed is planted.  In the same way, Christ does us no good unless we plant ourselves in the soil of faith, so that He can fall on us and bring us life.

Prophecy summary:

Genesis 3:15.  4000 B.C.  Eve is told that Christ will come.
Genesis 49:10.  1700 B.C.  Christ will come after Judah loses his ruler's staff.
Numbers 24:15-17.  1300 B.C.  A star will announce Christ's coming.
Deuteronomy 18:18-19.  1300 B.C.  Moses announces that Christ will come.
1 Chronicles 28:4.  1000 B.C.  Christ will come through David's family.
1 Chronicles 17:11-14.  1000 B.C.  another promise that Christ will come through David. 
Job 9:8.  2000 B.C.  Job saw Christ walking on the waves of the sea.
Job 19:25.  2000 B.C.  Job saw Christ and His followers rise from death.
Psalm 2.  1000 B.C.  Christ would be conceived as God's Son and rule the nations.
Psalm 9:13-14.  1000 B.C.  Christ would be persecuted and rise from death.
Psalm 16:5-11.  1000 B.C.  Christ would rise from death.
Psalm 18:10.  Christ would soar on the wings of the wind.  Acts 1:9 & Psalm 102:3.
Psalm 22.  Crucifixion.
Psalm 22:1.  "My God!  My God!":mark 15:34-37.
Crucifixion details.  Psalm 22:14-18: Matthew 27:39-44 Luke 23:34 John 19:23.
Psalm 30:2-5.  1000 B.C.  Christ adored.  heals, raises the dead.  Luke 7:1-24.
Psalm 31:4-5.  1000 B.C.  Christ Crucified.
Psalm 41:9.  1000 B.C.  Judas will betray Christ. 
Psalm 42:1-11.  1000 B.C.  Christ yearns for His Father.  John 12:27.  Matthew 26:38.
Psalm 69: 7-21 Crucifixion.
Psalm 21:8. "Jesus is crazy!"  Mark 3:20-21.
Psalm 69:9.  Zeal for His Father's house! John 2:22.
Psalm 69:21.  Vinegar to drink.  Mark 15:22-23.
Psalm 89:9 calming the storm.
Psalm 102:23.  Christ's life cut short.
Psalm 104:2 transfiguration Luke 17:2.
Psalm 104:14-15 John 2.  Jesus would create wine.
Psalm 107: Luke 13:28-29 redeemed gathered from east and west.
Psalm 107:20.  Jesus would heal and raise the dead.  Luke 7.
Psalm 107:23-30: Jesus would calm a great storm.  Mark 4:35-41
Psalm 119:97-107 Jesus at twelve years old.  Luke 2:41-52.
Psalm 119:8 wiser than His enemies: Matthew 22:15-35 & Psalm 119:10.
Psalm 131.  Jesus as a small child.
Psalm 146:7-8.  Feeds the hungry: Mark 6:30; healing, Mark 6:55.
Proverbs 30:4; God's Son John 3:13: Matthew 16:13-18.
Isaiah 7:10-14.  700 B.C.  Jesus born of a virgin.
Isaiah 9:6-7.  Jesus would be both God and human.
Isaiah 50:4-10. His mission.
Isaiah 50:4.  Sustaining the weary: Matthew 11:28.
Isaiah 50:4.  Early morning prayer: Mark 1:35.
Isaiah 50:5.  Jesus would not draw back.  Mark 14:35-36.
Isaiah 50:6.  Jesus would be beaten.  Mark 15:15; Mark 14:65.
Isaiah 50:8.  He set his face like a flint toward Jerusalem.  Luke 9:51.
       Isaiah 50:8.  Jesus confronts His accusers!  Luke 23:13-15.
Isaiah 52:13-15.  Brutal treatment of Jesus would shock us into silence!
Isaiah 53.  Jesus had to die for our sin. 
Isaiah 53:7.  Jesus would remain silent.  Mark 15:4-5.
Isaiah 53:9 a grave with the wicked.  and with the rich.
Jeremiah 31:31-33.  626 B.C.  God will make a new covenant.  Matthew 26:27.
Daniel 9:24-27.  500 B.C.  Exact time of Jesus' arrival and death.
Hosea 6:1-4.  700 B.C.  Jesus will rise after three days.
Micah 5:1.  700 B.C.  Jerusalem siege.  Jesus would be beaten.
Micah 5:2.  Jesus would come from Bethlehem.
Zechariah 9:9.  500 B.C. Jesus would come riding a donkey not a war-horse.  John 12.
Zechariah 12:10.  They will mourn for pierced Messiah!
Zechariah 13:6.  Jesus would be wounded in the house of his friends!
Zechariah 13:7.  Jesus the shepherd would be struck and His sheep would scatter.

Be sure and read “Secret of the Psalms” by Chris Hansen depicting many of these prophecies.

Chris Hansen

chrishansen54@sbcglobal.net