A true
believers walk in Christ is subscribed and motivated by his love. We can learn
new words and be awakened with delight when we discover new revelations that
put a dance in our step.
True love
connects to every seeking heart that is searching for truth.
When we put
the magnifying glass over the verse, we determine the words once again point to
God’s never ending grace, a grace that is matchless to anything we could
physically buy here on earth and when we bow in humble acceptance of this gift
of grace; our lives begin to change.
As we know,
in the Old Testament of the Bible there were many people who were living in
sin. In fact, I believe this is one reason why the Bible was written, so that
we could relate to everyday people. There wasn’t anyone who was perfect and
towing the line.
Jesus Christ
the Messiah’s victory was prophesied way back in Genesis. Then, the outcome is remarkable as we can see
the link between the Old Testament and the New Testament. That is: The old law
to the new covenant that Jesus proclaimed, he came to not take away, but to
fulfill and he did just that.
New Defender's Study Bible Notes
3:15 enmity between thee. This verse is famous
as the Protevangel (“first gospel”). The Curse was directed immediately towards
the Serpent, but its real thrust was against the evil spirit possessing its
body, “that old serpent, called the Devil” (Revelation 12:9). Satan may have
assumed he had now won the allegiance of the woman and all her descendants, but
God told him there would be enmity between him and the woman.
3:15 her seed. The “seed of the woman” can
only be an allusion to a future descendant of Eve who would have no human
father. Biologically, a woman produces no seed, and except in this case
Biblical usage always speaks only of the seed of men. This promised Seed would,
therefore, have to be miraculously implanted in the womb. In this way, He would
not inherit the sin nature which would disqualify every son of Adam from
becoming a Savior from sin. This prophecy thus clearly anticipates the future
virgin birth of Christ.
3:15 bruise thy head. Satan will inflict a
painful wound on the woman’s Seed, but Christ in turn will inflict a mortal
wound on the Serpent, crushing his head. This prophecy was fulfilled in the first
instance at the cross, but will culminate when the triumphant Christ casts
Satan into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).
3:15 bruise his heel. This primeval prophecy
made such a profound impression on Adam’s descendants that it was incorporated,
with varying degrees of distortion and embellishment, in all the legends,
mythologies and astrologies of the ancients, filled as they are with tales of
mighty heroes engaged in life-and-death struggles with dragons and other
monsters. Mankind, from the earliest ages, has recorded its hope that someday a
Savior would come who would destroy the devil and reconcile man to God.
New Defender's Study Bible Notes
49:18 thy salvation. This is the first mention
of the word “salvation” in the Bible. The Hebrew word, yeshua, is
actually the same as the name “Jesus.” In the context, Jacob, in giving his
prophetic comments concerning Dan, called the tribe “a serpent by the way, an
adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall
backward” (Genesis 49:17). The prophecy probably had reference to the fact that
it would be the Danites who first introduced the Satanic practice of idolatry
into Israel on a regular official basis (Judges 18:30,31). As he uttered the
prophecy, Jacob surely would have recalled the primeval promise of the coming
Seed of the woman, whose heel would be bitten by the Serpent (Satan), but who
would in turn finally crush the Serpent’s head and bring eternal salvation
(Genesis 3:15). It was in reference to this Messianic promise that he had just
spoken to Judah. It is natural, therefore, that right at this point, he would
cry out: “I have waited for thy salvation, O LORD!” It might not be out of line
to suggest that he was even personifying God’s coming salvation and saying: I
have waited for Jesus, O LORD!”
New
Defender's Study Bible Notes
49:3 Reuben. No prophet, judge, king or other notable leader ever came
from Reuben’s tribe. He lost his birthright because of incest with his father’s
concubine.
49:7 divide them...and scatter. The tribe of Simeon had an inheritance surrounded by that
of Judah except at the south, which opened on the Negev Desert. The tribe of
Levi was scattered through all the tribes, having been designated as the
priestly tribe because of their opposition to the golden calf (Exodus 32:26).
49:9 couched. That is, “crouched down” or “laid down.”
49:10 not depart from Judah. This important prophecy has been strikingly fulfilled.
Although Judah was neither Jacob’s firstborn son nor his favorite son nor the
son who would produce the priestly tribe, he was the son through whom God would
fulfill His promises to Israel and to the world. The leadership, according to
Jacob, was to go to Judah, but this did not happen for over six hundred years.
Moses came from Levi, Joshua from Ephraim, Gideon from Manasseh, Samson from
Dan, Samuel from Ephraim and Saul from Benjamin. But when David finally became
king, Judah held the sceptre and did not relinquish it until after Shiloh came.
Shiloh, of course, is a name for the Messiah, probably related to the Hebrew
word for “peace” (shalom) and meaning in effect “the one who brings
peace.”
49:13 at the haven. The word “at” is only inferred from the context, but could
just as well be “toward.” That is Zebulun’s interests would lie toward the sea
and trade from the sea, whether or not any of her borders would actually lie on
the sea coast. The same applies to her northern border, not actually adjacent
to Zidon, but with trade from Zidon. She did border in part on the Sea of
Galilee, and encompassed the future cities of Cana and Nazareth in Galilee.
49:14 Issachar. The tribe of Issachar, like their father, was strong
physically, but lethargic and led by others.
49:18 thy salvation. This is the first mention of the word “salvation” in the
Bible. The Hebrew word, yeshua, is actually the same as the name
“Jesus.” In the context, Jacob, in giving his prophetic comments concerning
Dan, called the tribe “a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth
the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward” (Genesis 49:17). The
prophecy probably had reference to the fact that it would be the Danites who
first introduced the Satanic practice of idolatry into Israel on a regular
official basis (Judges 18:30,31). As he uttered the prophecy, Jacob surely
would have recalled the primeval promise of the coming Seed of the woman, whose
heel would be bitten by the Serpent (Satan), but who would in turn finally
crush the Serpent’s head and bring eternal salvation (Genesis 3:15). It was in
reference to this Messianic promise that he had just spoken to Judah. It is
natural, therefore, that right at this point, he would cry out: “I have waited
for thy salvation, O LORD!” It might not be out of line to suggest that he was
even personifying God’s coming salvation and saying: I have waited for Jesus, O
LORD!”
49:19 Gad. Gad’s territory was on the east of the Jordan, often
attacked by the warlike descendants of Ishmael, Esau and others. However, they
were valiant fighters and usually prevailed.
49:20 Asher. Asher’s western border was the northern sea coast and the
northern border near Sidon of the Phoenicians. These circumstances tended to
produce both material prosperity and spiritual degeneracy.
49:21 Naphtali. Barak was probably the greatest leader from the tribe of
Naphtali (Judges 4:6), but the tribe as a whole was characterized by both
courage and eloquence. Note the song of Deborah and Barak (Judges 5).
49:26 everlasting hills. No hills could be everlasting, of course. The Hebrew word is
olam, and is better translated “ancient.” The hills of Canaan presumably
dated back some seven hundred years or more to the time of the great Flood.
49:26 head of Joseph. It is a significant fulfillment of prophecy that the two
sons on whom Jacob pronounced the longest and fullest blessings later became
the two dominant tribes in Israel, Judah and Ephraim.
I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and
I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts." (Haggai 2:7)
To think that the almighty sovereign Creator, the judge of all the earth,
the righteous sacrifice for our sins, the conqueror of death, would take up
residence in our own hearts! Through His work on the cross, He has done away
with the need for an earthly temple. Instead, "know ye not that ye are the
temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (
1 Corinthians 3:16).
This new and blessed relationship has been in view from the first.
Immediately after pronouncing the penalty of death upon all creation (due to
Adam and Eve's rejection of His authority over them), the Creator announced the
ultimate solution to the problem which He would one day bring to pass. Speaking
to Satan, God said: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and
between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise
his heel" (
Genesis 3:15).
And from that time on, the nation of Israel has been looking for the conquering
seed of the woman who would return creation to its original created intent.
Adam's sin nature was passed on to all his descendants and likewise the
unacceptability of sinful mankind to stand in the presence of a holy God. But
His work in fulfillment of the prophecy above crushed Satan's hold on and claim
over us. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive" (
1
Corinthians 15:22). "Glory to the newborn King!" JDM
Come Desire of Nations, come! Fix in us Thy humble home:
Rise, the woman's conquering Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent's head;
Adam's likeness now efface, Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above, Reinstate us in Thy love.
Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King."
David was
the youngest son of Jesse and only a shepherd boy when he was guarding the
flock of sheep. I can well imagine the boredom he may have experienced from
time to time as he sat upon a rock. One of the things he had time for was to
perfect his talent of slinging rocks at targets so he could keep the predators
away.
We know that
God had his hand upon David and had a plan for him and he became King.
11:1 stem of Jesse. The “rod out of the stem of Jesse” is
actually a “shoot out of the stump of Jesse.” Jesse was, of course, the father
of King David, so the prophecy indicates that the family “tree” coming from
Jesse would be eventually be cut down (note Jeremiah 22:30). Later, a new
branch would somehow rise out of the dead stump. This was fulfilled in the
virgin birth of Jesus, the greater Son of David.
Just as creation is the most certain truth of real science, so the bodily
resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most certain fact of genuine history. And
as creation by God required His substitutionary death and bodily resurrection
to give purpose and meaning to history, so Christ's resurrection required the
power of the Creator to make it happen.
The possibility of macro-evolution is refuted by the
observed fact
that it has never occurred in all recorded history, that there are no
transitional structures in the fossil record of the past, and that the laws of
thermodynamics preclude it from happening at all. On the other hand, the
historical fact of Christ's resurrection is confirmed by "many infallible
proofs" (
Acts 1:3),
including His many appearances to the disciples after His death, the amazing
changes in the disciples after they were convinced He had risen, the
unanswerable evidence of His empty tomb, and the entire subsequent history of
the Christian church.
Before His resurrection took place, however, there was no historical record
to give such assurance, and the only hope of resurrection during the thousands
of years before Christ came had to be gleaned from the prophecies in God's
inspired Word. There were indeed many such prophecies, but only those who loved
the Word and had a real concern for God's purpose in creation could discern
them. From our perspective today, we can see them more clearly since they have
already been fulfilled, providing strong evidence of the divine inspiration of
the Bible. We today, therefore, have less excuse for ignoring God's Word than
they did, and so must be judged more severely if we do so.
For example, consider the remarkable prophetic picture of the
substitutionary death of the coming Savior in
Isaiah 53. After describing His
sufferings, the record says that "He was cut off out of the land of the
living. . . . And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His
death" (
Isaiah 53:8,9).
But then it promises that "when thou shalt make His soul an offering for
sin . . . He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper
in His hand" (
Isaiah 53:10).
This prophecy can only be understood in terms of the resurrection.
Similarly, in the graphic portrayal of Christ's unspeakable sufferings by
crucifixion in
Psalm 22, the
Scripture prophesies that He will cry in His heart that "I am poured out
like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is
melted in the midst of my bowels. . . . thou hast brought me into the dust of
death" (
Psalm 22:14,15).
But that is not the end, for He later testifies that: "My praise shall be
of thee in the great congregation: . . . your heart shall live for ever. All
the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the
kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee" (
Psalm 22:25-27). Again this
clearly requires interpretation in terms of His resurrection after death.
His victorious resurrection is even intimated in the very first prophesy of the
Bible, the "protevangelium" of
Genesis 3:15. There God told
Adam and Eve that although the old serpent, Satan, would bruise the heel of the
coming seed of the woman, the divine seed would ultimately be victorious and
would destroy the wicked one.
A prophecy that was used by the apostles when they first began proclaiming
Christ's resurrection is found in
Psalm
16 (note
Acts 2:25-28;
13:35-37). The first eight verses of this fascinating psalm are best understood
as coming from the lips of Christ as He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane just
before His arrest and crucifixion. But then He prays: "My flesh also shall
rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer
thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy
presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for
evermore" (
Psalm 16:9-11).
These verses speak poetically first of His burial, then His descent in the
spirit into Hades, followed by His return into His body resting in the tomb
before decay could begin, then His resurrection and ascension into heaven to be
seated at the Father's right hand. This verse, incidentally, contains the first
of 21 references in the Bible to His present position at the right hand of God
the Father.
Then there is the prophecy of Psalm 40:1-3. "I waited patiently for the
LORD: and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of
an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and
established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto
our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD."
Psalm 110:1 gives special insight concerning His ascension after the
resurrection. "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand,
until I make thine enemies thy footstool." Literally, this reads:
"Jehovah said unto Adonai," using two names of God as the Father is
apparently speaking to the Son. This particular verse is applied to Christ no
less than five times in the New Testament.
A similar conversation is recorded in Psalm 2:7: "The LORD hath said
unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee." This verse is
quoted in
Acts 13:33 as
fulfilled in Christ's resurrection.
In what is perhaps the oldest book in the Bible, the patriarch Job asks the
universal question: "If a man die, shall he live again?" (
Job 14:14). A little later,
however, his strong faith in a future resurrection returns, and he exclaims:
"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter
day upon the earth: And . . . in my flesh shall I see God" (
Job 19:25,26).
There is a cryptic reference to the resurrection of both the nation of
Israel and also her Messiah in
Hosea
6:2: "After two days will He revive us: in the third day He will raise
us up." Also note
Zechariah
12:10: "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall
mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son."
There are also a number of types in the Old Testament that speak of Christ's
death and resurrection and were so applied by New Testament writers.
The story of Abraham and Isaac was thus referred to in
Hebrews 11:17,19. "By
faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac . . . his only begotten son.
. . . Accounting that God was able to raise him. . . from the dead; from whence
also he received him in a figure." In this passage, the writer is
comparing Abraham's sacrifice of Isaac to the heavenly Father offering His Son,
with Isaac's return comparable in type to Christ's resurrection.
With reference to Jonah, the Lord Jesus Himself made the analogy: "For
as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son
of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (
Matthew 12:40).
There are others, both types and specific prophecies, but the ones discussed
above seem the most directly applicable. Even these are often open to other
interpretations. It is obviously easier to interpret most prophecies
after their
fulfillment than
before. Even the disciples of Christ seem to have
been caught unawares by His resurrection, in spite of their obvious knowledge
of the Scriptures.
Yet they
could have and
should have known what was coming.
This fact is evident from the rebuke Christ gave to two disciples as they
walked together on the road to Emmaus. "O fools, and slow of heart to
believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered
these things, and to enter into His glory ? And beginning at Moses and all the
prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning
Himself" (
Luke 24:25-27).
Even if they were uncertain about the meaning of the Scriptures, however,
they had many direct prophecies from Christ Himself. Just after Peter made his
great confession of the deity of Christ (
Matthew 16:16), we read that
"from that time forth began Jesus to show unto His disciples, how that He
must . . . be killed, and be raised again the third day" (
Matthew 16:21; see also
John 2:19;
Matthew 17:22,23; 20:17-19;
26:32;
John 10:17,18; etc.).
But whatever reasons they may have been able to give for their own
blindness, we today have no excuse at all if we reject Him and His victorious
physical resurrection after His death for our sins. We have all the information
they had, and far more, since we have the complete Bible, vindicated and
verified by almost 2000 years of Christian history, and by all the internal and
external evidences of its divine inspiration and authority.
In fact, the substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of Christ are
so important that they constitute the very heart of the saving gospel of the
Lord Jesus Christ (
I
Corinthians 15:1-4). As we at ICR often point out in our creation messages,
true creation is the sure foundation of the gospel (
Revelation 14:6,7) and the
second coming of Christ to establish His eternal kingdom is the blessed hope of
the gospel (
Matthew 4:23).
But the death and resurrection of Christ constitute the very heart of the
gospel and its power to bring salvation to all who believe it.
Although creation is the foundation, it is not the entire structure, and it
is sad that many who believe in creation are still unsaved, because they
"obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" (
II Thessalonians 1:8).
If any of our readers are in this dangerous position, we would earnestly
urge them to receive Christ, who "was dead" but is now "alive
for evermore" (
Revelation
1:18), by faith as their personal Lord and Savior.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe
in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (
Romans 10:9).
If we believe that Jesus died and rose again . . . so shall we ever be
with the Lord (I Thessalonians 4: 14,17).
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (
Acts 4:12).
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (
Acts 16:31).
God bless you, if you cared enough to read all these verses and articles!
