A Chronological Harmony of the Gospels Leading to Easter 2/19/2013
(Click on link below for readings.)
Luke 1:61-80; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-38; Matthew 2:1-15
(Click on link below for readings.)
Luke 1:61-80; Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 2:1-38; Matthew 2:1-15
Did anyone notice the asteroid which narrowly missed the earth, coinciding with a meteor which actually fell to the earth on the same day? The two were not related, as they came from opposite directions, but they coincided with one common intersection (thankfully, not an exact intersection) on the same day.
Did I say "did anyone notice..."? How does that not make anyone and everyone wake up and notice how precariously perched we are? How vulnerable? How fragile?
If script writers can put Bruce Willis to move an asteroid, I know +God was able to put both on course years and years ago (how many? I have no idea) and perhaps even just nudged one to come perilously close to us but not too close to get us to be looking up.
(By the way, there is a prophecy that a heavenly body is coming that will in fact collide with the earth and the destruction of it will be one third of the waters and like Pompeii and worse, many will die as a result--See Rev. 8 and also Rev. 6.)
In today’s reading, +Matthew 1:22 says “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet…”
One of the exciting things about reading through “The Story” is that we see that the entirety of history is His Story, God’s Story, with a beginning, middle, climax, resolution and ending.
Well, maybe not an ending…more like the end of one segment of an ongoing cliffhanger, only to be filled with hints of an upcoming sequel.
As often has been said, the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.
That God knew Jesus was coming is self-evident for an omniscient God. But that He gives hints and prophecies and foreshadows is a craftsman of authors indeed. Concealed in the Old Testament are promises of a coming Messiah. Not always explicit, but like a good mystery writer, enough to elevate the interest of us all.
Prophecy shows that God is in charge. He didn’t just wind up the universe like a Jack-in-the-Box toy and wonder when something would pop out. God is sovereignly in charge.
God is in charge of the universe. God is in charge of history. God is in charge of the future. And He is the author of the Bible. Look at how many times in just a few short passages, the Bible says “that it might fulfill”. Click on the link to see the actual readings.
There are books almost ad infinitum about the various prophecies about the coming of Jesus 2,000 years ago and also His return which I believe to be soon and very soon. Revelation 19:10 says the very “testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Jesus’ first coming was a fulfillment of prophecy. His second coming will be a fulfillment of prophecy.
Pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us a book that is so holy and so God-breathed that we can trust it when everything else fails. Thank you that in a world where life can seem upside down, Your Word can give us an assurance that our very hairs are numbered and that Your care for the sparrow, for the lilies of the field and for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
