Read all about it - Eternity
HOW DID THE DEATH OF JESUS SHOW HE IS GOD'S SON?
There are many strange things that happened to Jesus when he was executed that can only be explained when you get real about Him being God's Son.
1. He predicted how He would die
and that millions of people will come to Him because He died there on the cross.
John 12:32-33: "If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto Me."
John 3:14-15: "As Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life."
Millions of people through history have come to the cross even though it is a cruel torturous death, not attractive in any way. This is amazing and nothing like it exists in history. How His death can give joy and peace to millions is not possible for the natural mind to understand.
2. Old Testament prophets predicted exactly how He would die
long before the cross was known as a killing machine.
David (1000BC), in Psalm 22 wrote, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" which Jesus said on the cross. This Psalm predicts the darkness, the mocking by priests and others at the cross, the type of suffering crucified men experience, piercing of hands and feet, stripping His garments and casting lots for them and collapse of heart and flow of water.
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Psalm 34 tells us no bones would be broken
which was unusual as soldiers usually broke the legs to speed up death but Jesus was already dead. Isaiah (c.700BC), in chapter 53 wrote that He would bear our grief, carry our sorrow, be wounded for our transgressions, be bruised for our sins... with His stripes we are healed. |
Many other descriptions of Jesus' death are prophesied in the Old Testament. Even the most critical person cannot get around the fact that this detail was given 700 - 1000 years before it happened. This can only happen because God lives in eternity and knows everything.
3. Amazing things happened when Jesus was dying
- a. a supernatural darkness over all the land from the 6th hour to the 9th hour. This was also reported by the non-Christian historian Thallus in AD55 in 'Histories', vol.3.
- b. an earthquake happened at the crucifixion and another at the resurrection.
- c. The temple veil was torn down the middle.
- d. Jesus died when He decided to die. After receiving vinegar, "He said, 'It is finished!' Then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." John 19:30 A Roman soldier then stated that He was the Son of God.
4. Amazing things happened at the tomb.
- a. God chose two of the Jewish governing body (the Sanhedrin), Joseph and Nicodemus, to have Jesus placed in their safe tomb so no one could take His body.
- b. Joseph knew exactly when Jesus died and went to Pilate straightaway to ask for the body before others even knew He was dead.
- c. Nicodemus carried 100 pounds of ointment and both took Jesus' body down and prepared it for burial. This is strange behavior for governing council members. All this was a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy 700 years before: "And they made His grave with the wicked - but with the rich at His death."
How can anyone explain all this except to admit that God arranged it and told us it would happen? Can you see how great God is and thank Him for being so loving that He sent His only Son to die a cruel death to suffer the punishment we deserved for our sins? Will you now believe and take Him as your Saviour and Master?