 
Illustration. The Star Of Bethlehem. "There shall come a Star out of Jacob." Num. 24:17. 1. Whom did Moses say the Lord would raise up? “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me, unto Him ye shall harken.” Deut. 18:15. See also verse 18. 2. What use of this prophecy by the apostle Peter shows that it referred to Christ? “For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me.... Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.” Acts 3:22-24. 3. In what language did Isaiah foretell Christ's birth? “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isa. 7:14. 4. In what event was this prophecy fulfilled? “Now all this was done [the birth of Jesus of the Virgin Mary], that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matt. 1:22, 23. [pg 071]5. Where was the Messiah to be born? “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel.” Micah 5:2. 6. When was Jesus born? “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king.” Matt. 2:1. 7. Under what striking emblem was He prophesied of by Balaam? “There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel.” Num. 24:17. 8. In what scripture does Christ apply the same emblem to Himself? “I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” Rev. 22:16. See also 2 Peter 1:19; Rev. 2:28. 9. What prophecy was fulfilled in the slaughter of the children of Bethlehem? “Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.” Matt. 2:16-18. 10. How was Christ's first advent to be heralded? “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Isa. 40:3. 11. By whom was this fulfilled? “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?... he said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.” John 1:19-23. 12. How was Christ to be received by His own people? “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and [pg 073]
Illustration. Christ Before Pilate. "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth." Isa. 53:7. 13. How is the fulfilment of this prophecy recorded? “He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.” John 1:10, 11. 14. What was predicted of Christ's preaching? “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.” Isa. 61:1. 15. What application did Jesus make of this prophecy? “And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.... And He began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” Luke 4:16-21. See Luke 7:19-22. 16. How, according to prophecy, was Christ to conduct Himself when on trial? “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” Isa. 53:7. 17. When accused by His enemies before Pilate, how did Christ treat these accusations? “Then said Pilate unto Him, Hearest Thou not how many things they witness against Thee? And He answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marveled greatly.” Matt. 27:13, 14. 18. What prophecy foretold of the disposal of Christ's garments at the crucifixion? “They part My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture.” Ps. 22:18. [pg 074]19. What record answers to this prophecy? “And they crucified Him, and parted His garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture did they cast lots.” Matt. 27:35. 20. What was foretold of His treatment while on the cross? “They gave Me also gall for My meat; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink.” Ps. 69:21. 21. What was offered Christ at His crucifixion? “They gave Him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when He had tasted thereof, He would not drink.” Matt. 27:34. See also John 19:28-30, and page 167 of this work. 22. With whom did the prophet Isaiah say Christ would make His grave? “And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death.” Isa. 53:9. 23. With whom was Christ crucified? “Then were there two thieves crucified with Him, one on the right hand, and another on the left.” Matt. 27:38. 24. Who took charge of Christ's body after it was taken down from the cross? “A rich man of ArimathÆa, named Joseph, ... went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.... He wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock.” Verses 57-60. 25. What experience in the life of a noted prophet indicated the length of Christ's stay in the grave? “But He answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 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.” Matt. 12:39,40. 26. What prophecy foretold Christ's triumph over death? “For Thou wilt not leave My soul in hell; neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.” Ps. 16:10. See Acts 2:24-27. |
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