Jesus Said, "I Am The First And The Last; I Am He That Lives, And Was Dead And Behold, I Am Alive Forevermore - Part 1774

Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of old, and indeed, as Jesus read in the synagogue -- "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." (Luke 4:21) As we learn form the scripture as well, all that were in attendance that day bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. (Luke 4:21-22)

“For thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:13-16)

When we examine what Jesus said herein, the "gracious words" spoken were cited from the prophet Isaiah, when the Word of the Lord through Isaiah was previously spoken. In other words, Jesus quoted the scripture -- thus saith the Word of the Lord -- from afore in the synagogue, so that this prophecy (as well as almost 300 in total) would be fulfilled in Him.

Specifically herein, Jesus said, "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 brokenhearted; to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19; Isaiah 49:8-9; Isaiah 61:1-2; Daniel 9:24)

When Jesus was finished reading, He closed the book and gave again to the minister, and sat down. [As an aside, note that Jesus was in the synagogue on the sabbath day according to the custom.]

But this is not the only prophecy fulfilled in Jesus. Concerning the coming of the Lamb of God, Isaiah also wrote the Word of the Lord -- "Therefore, My people shall know My Name: therefore, they shall know in that day that I AM HE that doth speak; behold, it is I. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that saith unto Zion -- "thy God reigns!"

And, that thy "watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. The Lord hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." (Isaiah 52:6-10)

Indeed, "gracious words" that should render praise from our hearts, so that our joy may be full. But I digress.

Note that the psalmist David makes a similar observation.

"O sing unto the Lord a new song; for He hath done marvelous things; His right hand, and His holy arm, hath gotten Him the victory. The Lord hath made known His salvation; His righteousness hath He openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered His mercy and His truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of God ..." (Psalm 98:1-3)

"I am the Lord, that is My Name, and My glory will I not give to another, neither My praise to graven images. Behold, the former things are come to pass, and the new things do I declare, before they spring forth, I tell you of them ... the Lord shall go forth as a mighty man." (Isaiah 42:8-10; Psalm 40:3)

In this current dispensation of grace -- wherein "the blood of Christ through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God" so that our conscience from dead works would be purged, in order that we might serve the living God -- for this cause He is the mediator of the new testament -- we have been given a new Name. (Hebrews 9:14-18)

"And the Gentiles shall see Thy righteousness, and all the kings Thy glory, and Thou shalt be called by a New Name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of Thy God ..." (Isaiah 62:2)

"All flesh shall see the salvation of God." (Luke 3:6; Isaiah 52:10)

The Redeemer of Israel -- "to Him whom man despises, to Him whom the nations abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful.

Prophecy after prophecy fulfilled in Jesus. Even after the cross --"And when they had fulfilled all that was written of Him, they took [Him] down from the tree, and laid [Him] in a seplchre. But God raised Him from the dead, and He was seen many days of them which came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are His witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that He hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, "Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee." (Acts 13:23-33; Psalm 2:7; Hebrews 1:5; Hebrews 5:5)

Yes, while Jesus walked the earth, He fulfilled all the prophecies of old concerning His gift of salvation. And while we often hear how the scribes and Pharisees of His day wanted Jesus killed, we also know of those who believed on His Word, and followed Him with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength, acknowledging the first commandment -- "Hear, O Israel, the Lord thy God is ONE LORD!" (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31)

There is one occasion in particular, when Jesus is speaking to the Jews and these marveled. These said about Jesus, "How knows this man letters, having never learned?" (John 7:15) In a similar account, Matthew tells of a time when Jesus was come into His own country, teaching in the synagogue, and the people asked, "Whence hath this [man] this wisdom, and [these] mighty works?" (Matthew 13:54)

But like the words prophesied in Isaiah, the gracious words spoken by Jesus in the synagogue that day, Jesus later said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but Him that sent Me, If any man do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or [whether] I speak of Myself ... he that speaks of himself seeks his own glory: but He that seeks His glory that sent Him the same is true and no unrighteousness is in Him." (John 7:14-19)

In the days since, two camps of hearts have emerged. Those who believe "the Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation. He is my God ... the Lord is His Name." (Exodus 15:2-3) After the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared ... (Titus 3:4-7; Titus 2:13-14) And conversely, those to which Jesus said, "Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you keeps the Law? Why go ye about to kill Me?" (John 7:14-19)

Nevertheless, regardless of our heart response, this same Jesus who ye crucified is still both Lord and Christ. (Acts 2:36) The Son of man is still Lord of the sabbath. (Matthew 12:8; Mark 12:28) The first Adam earthly, but the second Adam the Lord from heaven. (I Corinthians 15:47) The Lord Himself having come forth as a mighty man. (Isaiah 42:13)

He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and His Name is called the Word of God. (Revelation 19:13; John 1:1-18)

Jesus -- King of kings and Lord of lords, the first and the last, the beginning and the ending. (Revelation 1:8, 11)

Christ once offered to bear the sins of many, and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28; Titus 2:13-14)

His Name? And ye shall call His Name JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:18-21; Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9)

Jesus -- the Lord's Christ, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel! (Luke 2:25-32)

Behold, the Lamb of God ... the Light of the world, the Bread of life, the Word made flesh and dwelt among us, so that we could behold His glory. God manifest in the flesh so that we could experience salvation in Him, and eternal life.

Hear ye Him!

Stand in the offering plate.