The divine continuum series that reveals the unity between the ancient Scriptural text and the writings of the apostles continues.

The coming Messiah would be betrayed: In Psalm 41:9 and Zechariah 11:12,13 we find the ancient writers foretelling of Christ’s betrayal, even foretelling the exact amount of money His betrayer would be paid–30 pieces of silver. Proof of this episode is found in Luke 22:47,48 and Matthew 26:14-16 where the amount of money exchanged is declared.

The Messiah would be falsely accused: In Psalm 35:11 it is prophesied that false accusers would rise up against Him and accuse Him of things He had neither done nor had spoken. In Mark 14:57,58 we find false accusers doing that which had been prophesied many generations earlier.

The One to be sent by God would be spat upon and hated for no reason: In Isaiah 50:6 and Psalm 35:19 and 69:14 we read that He would be so treated and maligned. Matthew 26:67 and John 15:24,25 it is recorded that those things did indeed happen to Him.

God’s light to the world, though innocent, died in the presence of sinners as if He was one of them: Isaiah 53:12 tells us that Jesus was numbered among the transgressors (Law-breakers). In Mark 15:27,28 it is written that He was crucified among thieves in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 53:12, even referencing the exact ancient Scripture in the apostle’s narrative.

The crucified One would have his hands and feet pierced: Psalm 22:16 foretells that His hands and feet would be pierced and that dogs would lap up His blood. Zechariah 12:10 confirms this future event. In John 20: 25-27 we find Jesus appearing to the disciples and telling Thomas to thrust his hand into the wounds created by the spikes, as well as the spear wound in his chest.

The Christ would be buried with the rich: Isaiah 53:9 affirms that He was indeed laid to rest among the wealthy. Matthew 27:57-60 confirms that a rich man, Joseph of Arimathaea, obtained Christ’s body and laid it to rest in his own tomb which was among those of other wealthy people.

The Messiah would rise from the dead: David said in Psalm 16:10 and 49:15 that God would not allow His Son’s body to see corruption (decay), which begins four days after death. In Matthew 28:2-7 we find several women arriving at Christ’s tomb only to find it empty with an angel sitting on the stone door who told them that Jesus had risen, exactly as He had prophesied–after three days and three nights in the tomb, not one day and two nights as is popularly believed.

The Holy One would ascend into heaven: Psalm 24:7-10 states that man should look to the heavens to where the King of Glory would one day ascend. Mark 16:19 records the event in which Jesus rose from the earth and ascended into heaven where He sat down at the right hand of God.

The long-awaited One would serve as God’s sacrifice for the sins of mankind: Isaiah 53:5-12 foretells the suffering of God’s spotless Lamb–the lone sacrifice for the many sins of His fellow human beings. In Romans 5:6-10 the apostle tells of how Jesus of Nazareth died for us when we were still sinners–the Righteous for the unrighteous. His death would affect forgiveness for our PAST sins (justification) and provide the spiritual power we need in order to emulate His earthly life–to “… walk AS He walked” in this life so that we can walk WITH Him in the next life.

With the founding of the church following Christ’s death and resurrection there was supposedly a transfer of rulership from stern, harsh, “My way or the highway” God the Father to His sweet, understanding, “Any way you want it” Son. Some church leaders, intent on gaining control of the newly-founded Church of God, replaced the Father’s totalitarian style of governance with a laissez faire style of self-rule. They did this by getting rid of the Ten Commandment Law and replacing it with a set of church doctrines formulated by men. They pulled off the ruse by convincing the people that God had seen the error of His ways and had appointed the gentle Lamb of God to the leadership position. The change included the eradication of the Ten Commandment Law and its replacement with a set of suggestions (options) which those in the church could adhere to–or not, depending on the situation. This came to be known as “situational ethics” which came to be embraced whole-heartedly by 99% of professing Christendom. As a result, the church eventually split into hundreds of factions, each with its own spiritual and human leaders. Only a minutely few parishioners continued to obey the Lord in line with His stated commandments. Nothing has changed. Jesus prophesied that this would be the case in Matthew 7:13,14; 22:14.

After centuries of living under a plethora of church and leadership models, three questions must be asked and answered relative to the present day condition of that which calls itself “the church”: DID A LEADERSHIP CHANGE FROM GOD TO JESUS, FROM LAW TO OPTIONS, FROM RULERSHIP TO SUGGESTERSHIP, FROM ONE CHURCH TO MANY CHURCHES, FROM ONE GOD AND ONE CHRIST TO MANY GODS AND MANY CHRISTS ACTUALLY OCCUR? The answer is, yes. DID GOD AND CHRIST CONDEMN THE CHANGES? The answer is, yes. ARE THE CHANGES IN EFFECT TODAY? Same answer.

In the Gospel of John chapter one verses 1-4,14 the apostle tells us that JESUS CHRIST created everything that has been created. This included mankind, the Ten Commandment Law, as well as everything else in the entire universe. This hierarchy of Lordship is referenced in Psalm 110:1 where we are told by King David that “THE Lord (God) said to MY Lord (Jesus–then called “the Word”) ….” THE Lord (Who would become the Father) spoke to David’s Lord (Who would become the Son), telling Him what to do. Having received His instructions from THE Lord, David’s Lord (the Word) “spoke, and it was done; He commanded and it appeared” (Ps. 33:6,9)–HE SPOKE THE UNIVERSE INTO EXISTENCE USING THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. This tells us that it was the One Who became Jesus Christ Who created everything in the universe, that it was that same One (the Word) Who created man, spoke with some of them face-to-face (Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, etc.), before coming to earth as the carpenter from Nazareth. That alone shows the relationship between the ancient writings and those of the apostles.

Jesus makes clear the fact of His Godship over mankind prior to His coming to live among them as one of them. In Hebrews (converted Israelites) 3:6-4:14 Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, speaks to the Israelites of that day about their ancestors. In 3:8,9 He warns them not to harden their hearts toward Him as had their FATHERS while wandering in the Sinai desert following their rejection of His Law. At that time they “… tempted ME and saw MY works for 40 years.” In 10,11 He adds: “I was grieved …I swore in MY wrath that they would not enter into MY rest.” Who was this I, ME AND MY Who dealt with the Israelites as they wandered for 40 years after being freed from Egyptian slavery? In 3:1,6 and 4:14 we learn that it was JESUS Who brought the Israelites out of Egypt. It was HIS rest they had failed to enter into and HIS works they had seen for 40 years and HIS wrath they had incurred. In First Corinthians 10:4 Paul reminds the church that the Israelites coming out of Egypt “… drank of that spiritual ROCK, and that ROCK WAS CHRIST.” In 3:9 Paul warns us not to tempt CHRIST as some of THEM (Israel) had tempted HIM.

It is clear that the unchanging Godhead (Father and Son) have occupied the same spiritual offices from the beginning until this day relative to Their personal dealings with man. Therefore, the writings of ancient prophets and the writings of the apostles form one Holy Bible which is not to be separated at any point. Therefore, the Ten Commandment Law (including #4) must be obeyed in order to attain salvation upon the return of Christ to earth to establish His Father’s kingdom. The Apostle James tells us in chapter 2 verse 10 that to break one commandment is to break the entire Law. Recall that Jesus told the rich salvation seeker that “ONE THING” (one sin–the breaking of one commandment–1 Jn. 3:4) would prevent him from receiving salvation (Mat. 10:21). Remember that commandment #4 must be obeyed if one is to have any chance of receiving salvation upon Christ’s return. L.J.