He Shall Be Called - Day 13

Life and Death Prophecy: The exact time when the Messiah would enter Jerusalem and be killed.

Scripture: Read the prophecy – Daniel 9:25 - 26
Read the fulfillment – Mark 11:1 – 10; Mark 15:25 – 41

Daniel was a Jew living in captivity in Babylon (modern day Iraq) approximately 480 years before Jesus Christ would be born. Daniel was given a prophecy, sometimes referred to as the Weeks of Daniel, predicting the actual date of the Messiah’s first arrival. Daniel predicted that the Messiah would have a triumphal entry to the city of Jerusalem and then shortly after His arrival, He would be murdered. By relating the number of years in the prophecy with historical events recorded in other sources, Bible scholars can show that the actual date of the Messiah’s arrival was predicted many years before it happened with tremendous accuracy.

This was not some vague prophecy that could be called a coincidence and explained away. Daniel’s prophecy is incredibly specific. The Messiah appeared on the timeline of history at the exact time Daniel had predicted in his Prophecy of the Weeks. He had a short-lived triumphal entry to the city (we celebrate this and call it Palm Sunday). He was unjustly accused and crucified barely one week later. The Jews studied and respected the scripture and yet most of them missed the significance. They missed it because they expected the Messiah to be the conquering hero and not the submissive servant. Praise God, Jesus was faithful to the task. He knew the world needed a savior – not a super hero.

Q1. Many of the O.T. prophecies concerning the birth and death of the Christ are very specific. They were given hundreds of years before the actual events took place. How does it affect your faith when you see the evidence that they all came true just as predicted?

Q2. Many of the folks at the time Jesus walked the earth didn’t recognize Him as the Savior. They expected Him to be something different. How does this same mistake keep people today from recognizing Him as Savior?

Q3. I Peter 3:15 tells us to “be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in us”. What steps should you take today to be ready to help folks under- stand the truth about who Jesus really is?

Who is like You? took the sin of the world on Your shoulders, You did it so willingly God the price You paid will forever be enough,
and the life You gave You gave it all for love
Who can fathom the depths of the sea, and the universe how far does it reach?
Still You spread Your arms out upon the cross for us, and the life You gave You gave it all for love

PRAYER FOCUS: Lord, the grace and mercy You have extended to me compel me to share the Gospel with people who desperately need You. Help me be gentle and respectful as I share Your message. Don’t let the cares of this world get on top of me and keep me from sharing the Good News of Your plan for redemption.