Messiah, 161

~ Messiah Would Be Victorious Over Death ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces;  the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 25:8). 

The Messiah  

“So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.  O Death, where is your sting?  O Hades, where is your victory?’  The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”  (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). 

Spiritual Death 

Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24-25).  “‘Most assuredly, I [Jesus speaking] say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.’  Then the Jews said to Him, ‘Now we know that You have a demon!  Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, “If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death”’” (John 8:51-52). 

“We know that we have passed from death to life”  (1 John 3:14a).  “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God” (Romans 6:10). 

“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.  For he who has died has been freed from sin.  Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.  For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.  Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:5-11). 

The Future Complete Fulfillment

The second part of this verse will be fulfilled in a future time when true believers are united with Christ to live forever with Him.  For example:  “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelation 7:17).  “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying.  There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). 

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

If you found this post personally interesting or helpful, you are welcome to add a link to it on your own blog or website. 

If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).

6 Joys

~ 6-Fold Joy of Salvation ~

According to the Word of God there are at least six different parties who rejoice at the salvation of a soul.

Jesus Christ ~ “‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:6-7). 

God The Father ~ “The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17, NIV). 

The Angels ~ “Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). 

Friends and Neighbors ~ “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ … And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’” (Luke 15:6-7, 9)

The Church ~ “So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through Phoenicia and Samaria, describing the conversion of the Gentiles; and they caused great joy to all the brethren” (Acts 15:3).

The New Believer ~   “‘And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;  for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry” (Luke 15:23-24).

Have you known the joy of conversion? 

Do you have joy following conversion?  The secret is in a simple acrostic:  Jesus first, Others next, and Yourself last.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

If you found this post personally interesting or helpful, you are welcome to add a link to it on your own blog or website. 

If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).

5 Cups

~ Which of These Biblical Cups Do You Possess? ~

Sinner’s Cup  ~  “The Lord tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup” (Psalm 11:5-6). This is the Cup of Judgment!

Savior’s Cup  ~  “Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom’” (Matthew 26:27-29). This is the Cup of Suffering!

Gospel Cup  ~  “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people” (Psalm 116:12-12). This is the Cup of Salvation!

Believer’s Cup  ~  “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:5-6). This is the Cup of Blessing!

The Christ Rejecter’s Cup  ~  “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name’” (Revelation 14:9-11). This is the Cup of Wrath!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

If you found this post personally interesting or helpful, you are welcome to add a link to it on your own blog or website. 

If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).

4 Needs

~ 4 Problems + One Solution = Many Results ~

The fifth chapter of the Book of Romans clearly shows how the death of the Son of Man completely satisfies four problems of mankind—and there is no other remedy! With the solution comes many results. (All quotes below are from the New King James Version.)

The Problems (Romans 5)

1. “Without Strength”  ~  “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (v. 6).   

2.  “Ungodly”  ~  “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (v. 6).   

3.  “Sinners”  ~  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (v. 8). “Through one man [Adam] sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (v. 12).

4.  “Enemies”  ~  “When we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (v. 10).  

The Only Solution (Romans 5)

1.  God’s Part  ~  “Christ died for the ungodly” (v. 6). “Christ died for us” (v. 8).  

2.  Our Part  ~  “Having been justified by faith” (v. 1). “We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand” (v. 2).

The Results (Romans 5)

“Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 1). 

“Grace in which we stand” (v. 2).

“We rejoice” (v. 2).

“God demonstrates His own love toward us” (v. 8).  

“Having now been justified by His blood” (v.9).  

“Saved from wrath through Him” (v.9).

“We were reconciled” (v. 10).

“Saved by His life” (v. 10).

“We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 11).   

“Received the reconciliation” (v. 11).

“The free gift” (v. 15).   

“The grace of God” (v. 15).

“The grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ” (v. 15).

“And the gift” (v. 16).

“The free gift” (v. 16).

“Justification” (v. 16).

“Abundance of grace” (v. 17).

“The gift of righteousness” (v. 17).

“Made righteous” (v. 19).  

“Grace abounded” (v. 20).

“Grace” (v. 21).

“Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (v. 21).

conclusion:  Those who have experienced the realities of this chapter can say with the Apostle Paul in this same Roman letter, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

If you found this post personally interesting or helpful, you are welcome to add a link to it on your own blog or website. 

If you would prefer to copy this post, please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight (http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/).