[Mile2Test]

MATTHEW 2 – PROPHESIED MESSIAH

“And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, “In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, and thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel”. Matthew 2:4-6

One of the unique facts that makes Christ different from every other God in the world is that Jesus was prophesied prior to His birth. In fact, the Bible discloses much of the Messiahs resume in the Old Testament text. This was confirmed when historical manuscripts dated back thousands of years before Jesus lived, were found in the caves of Kumrah in the late 1940s.

One of these amazing messianic prophecies is found in the book of Micah, where it reveals that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Think of the statistical chances of such a prophesy being fulfilled…

Out of the 7 Continents, the prophecy speaks of Asia.

Out of all the states in Asia, the prophecy speaks of Canaan.

And out of all of the provinces found in Canaan, Micah points to the city of Judea-Bethlehem (a tiny remote little village) where the Messiah would eventually be born.

The articulation of this prophecy isn’t an isolated event. The Bible gives a plethora of more predictions that include the Messiah’s death, His lineage, and the Israeli tribe where He would come from. No wonder Jesus was able to say boldly,  “Moses and the prophets, wrote of me”…

CHALLENGE

Although there have been many detractors of Jesus who have attempted to discredit the Bible, these messianic prophecies were written hundreds, even in some cases, thousands of years before Christ was ever born, are undeniable.  Are you persuaded? Do you believe it? God is speaking, will you listen? I pray that you do.

[Eugene Estes]

One of the most compelling arguments for Jesus Christ’s status as the anticipated Messiah is found in Matthew 2. In contrast to other historical personalities, Jesus was foretold hundreds of years before His birth in the writings of Old Testament prophets. Details about His birthplace, genealogy, mission, and even His suffering were detailed in these predictions. Jesus’ accomplishment of these prophecies distinguishes him and enhances the Bible’s legitimacy as a revelation from God.
The book of Micah contains a significant prophecy that is mentioned in this chapter. It states that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, Judea. Even though this prophesy was penned many years before Jesus was born, it came to pass exactly as predicted. By focusing the prophecy from a continent to a particular location and ultimately to a tiny community named Bethlehem, the devotional highlights how amazing this is. There is very little likelihood that such a forecast will come true by accident. This proves that God had a sovereign plan for Christ’s arrival.
This chapter also teaches us that God uses prophecy to reveal His purposes to humans. Because the scriptures had made it plain where the Messiah was to be born, the Jewish top priests and scribes already knew. This demonstrates that God never acts without making His intentions clear. The predictions about Jesus reassure us that He was the Savior sent by God to save humanity, not just a teacher or prophet.
People are also asked to make a personal choice about Jesus Christ in the challenge portion. The fulfilled predictions about Christ continue to be compelling proof of God’s truth, despite numerous attempts throughout history to reject or discredit the Bible. The devotional inquires about people’s willingness to hear God’s message and whether they genuinely believe what He has revealed.

[Seth Brumfield]

It is cool that our God is unique and that he spoken about before he even came to die or our sins. There are things like the scrolls that were found that strengthen my belief in him. It is cool when things like that validate that Jesus existed historically and that he was spoken about millennia before he even came! I have heard other things like the discovery that confirm the existence of Jesus.

It is also cool to me how specific the scriptures. It says exactly where Jesus is born, and then it happens! I think this probably helped prevent imposters, or other people who might have been mistaken for Jesus. There are also other prophecies that Jesus delivers on! This devotional is a great reminder that Jesus is who he says he is, there is even some tangible evidence to support it. I don’t think that I need that evidence for me to believe in him.

[Rodnika Brown]

I really enjoyed reading this because it reminds us how intentional God is. The fact that Jesus’ birth, lineage, and even where He would be born were prophesied so long before it actually happened is amazing to think about. It really shows that God had a plan from the very beginning.

For me, scriptures like this strengthen my faith because it is hard to ignore how many prophecies Jesus fulfilled. It makes me believe even more that He truly is who He says He is. Thank you for sharing this reminder that God is always speaking, and it is up to us to listen and trust Him.

[Logan Krape]

I think growing up in a Christian household helped a lot when I encountered people who tried to argue against Jesus. I was blessed to have a Grandpa who loved to learn and taught me so much about Jesus. He helped me understand that there will be people who will try to guide me away from the Lord. Knowing that I would face these battles, I learned how to not be angry at those people for trying to persuade me, but love them and pray for them and share God’s love with them. Sometimes those conversations are hard, but those conversations are important and need to take place. Even getting someone to consider the possibility of God is a step in the right direction.

[Rodnika Brown]

I really enjoyed reading your post. You were blessed to have a Grandpa who taught you so much about Jesus and helped prepare you for those difficult conversations. I like how you pointed out that we should respond with love and prayer instead of anger when people challenge our faith. Those conversations can be hard, but they are important, and even planting a small seed can make a difference in someone’s life.

[Lenay Nichols]

God’s plan was in motion long before Jesus was born. The fact that so many prophecies about Jesus were fulfilled strengthens my faith and gives me confidence in God’s Word. While I know there are people who question the Bible, I believe God does speak through Scripture and reveals Himself through His promises. Am I persuaded? Yes…. I am. I believe Jesus is the Messiah and that His life, death, and resurrection were all part of God’s plan for our salvation. I am focused on being more intentional about listening when God speaks. Sometimes life gets busy and I can become distracted, but I want to continue growing in my faith through prayer, reading God’s Word, and trusting His guidance each day.

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