ONE MORE REASON TO BELIEVE

This was to be posted on July 28th:

The very first verse of Psalm 22 should be easy to recall because it is the reason we gather on each Sunday morning. While Jesus hung on the cross, he spoke these words. Many who witnessed the crucifixion would have recognized the words as being the title of the psalm. Can you imagine what must have been going through the minds of those who realized the words were prophesy and they were experiencing the fulfillment of that prophesy as they considered the lyrics of the song? But wait, this is not Matthew 27:46 or Mark 15:34 where Jesus is quoted by the writers of this very statement. Jesus is quoting from a psalm written 1000 years prior to his crucifixion.

Psalm 22 just gives so many events that speak to the crucifixion itself. In verses 6-8, it says that David’s enemies are mocking him, specifically because he trusts that the Lord would rescue him. Matthew 27:35-44 and Mark 15:29-32 both say that the people mocking Jesus claimed that if God loved Him so much, then God should save Him in that moment.

Although we do not know which episode has David in such distress because he had many experiences in his life that could have resulted in personal tribulation. In verse 14, David is expressing how he feels, poured out like water and bones out of joint, represent another prophetic event (Jesus hung limp and nailed to a tree). In verse 15 David speaks of being extremely thirsty and then dying (Jesus was offered wine vinegar to drink and died shortly thereafter as told to us in Mark 15:36).

Verse 16--Dogs encompass me (gentiles as Roman soldiers) they pierce my hands and feet.  Interesting line here because crucifixion had not been invented during the history of David.
A company of evildoers encircles me. He had two thieves beside Him on the cross.

Psalm 22:18 states that the clothing of the psalm’s writer was divided up and the oppressors were “casting lots” for the possession of it. Matthew 27:35 tells us that Jesus’ garments were divided up and the new owners were decided by casting lots.

In 2 Peter 1:15-21, Peter tells us that he and the other disciples saw and heard, including touched in 1 John 1:1-3, Christ throughout His earthly ministry and saw the risen Christ during the transfiguration. Verse 21 tells us “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. How else could David have known?

We read and believe a collection of historical documents called the Bible, written by people that were divinely inspired and eyewitnesses with prophesies past and yet to come. None have been disproven by history. They also tell of our glorious future.

Why do you choose to believe the Bible?