Prophecies
Introductory Comments
(see next section for prophecies)
The scriptures indicate that before the world began, God planned that Christ’s crucifixion and death on the cross would be the means by which people would be forgiven for sin – It was necessary because God, though loving, is also absolutely Holy and Just. He cannot fellowship with sin and remain true to His nature. The Old Testament established the fact that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. That is why the children of Israel sacrificed a lamb without spot, or any imperfection in order to obtain pardon for their sin.
Through the ages, God’s prophets of the Old Testament told us how we could recognize the Messiah when he came, centuries before his birth, so that we could believe his words and be forgiven of our sins. The Old Testament contains over 300 prophecies that Jesus fulfilled.
Mathematicians have computed the odds of any one person fulfilling this many prophecies. There is only 1 chance in 100,000,000,000,000,000 that a single person would fulfill 8 prophecies. There is only 1 chance in 10,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000,000,000,000 that a single person would fulfill 48 prophecies. Christ fulfilled over 300 prophecies.
The detail and accuracy of these prophecies are evidence that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Only God could know the details of Christ’s life, his crucifixion, and resurrection hundreds of years before Christ’s birth and bring to pass all that was written. God gave us these prophecies so that we would believe Christ and be forgiven.
PROPHECIES FULFILLED BY CHRIST
The Messiah Will Be Born In Bethlehem
Micah 5:2 – “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village in Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past.” Micah was a prophet in the eighth century B.C.
The Fulfillment
Matthew 2:1-6 – “Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, ‘Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We have seen His star as it arose, and we have come to worship Him.’ Herod was deeply disturbed by their question, as was all of Jerusalem. He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law. ‘Where did the prophets say the Messiah would be born?’ he asked them. ‘In Bethlehem,’ they said, ‘for this is what the prophet wrote: ‘O Bethlehem of Judah, you are not just a lowly village in Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”
Luke 2:4-5, 7, 15 – “And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was obviously pregnant by this time. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, ‘Come on, let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’”
John 7:42 – “For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.”
The Messiah Will Be Born Of A Virgin
Isaiah 7:14 – “All right then, the Lord Himself will choose the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call Him Immanuel – ‘God is with us.’”
Isaiah 9:6-7 – “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on His shoulders. These will be His royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of His ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the Lord Almighty will guarantee this!” Isaiah lived in Jerusalem in the eighth century B.C.
The Fulfillment
Matthew 1:20-23 – “As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ All of this happened to fulfill the Lord’s message through His prophet: ‘Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and He will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us).’” ”
The Messiah Will Be A Prophet Like Moses
Deuteronomy 18:15 – “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your fellow Israelites, and you must listen to that prophet.” Moses wrote these words about 1260 B.C.
Deuteronomy 18:18 – “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren, and will
put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
The Fulfillment
John 12:49 – “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.
John 14:10 – Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.
John 7:40-42 – “When the crowds heard Him say this, some of them declared, ‘This man surely is the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘He is the Messiah.’ Still others said, ‘But He can’t be! Will the Messiah come from Galilee? For the Scriptures clearly state that the Messiah will be born of the royal line of David, in Bethlehem, the village where King David was born.’”
Acts 3:20-23 – “Then wonderful times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and He will send Jesus your Messiah to you again. For He must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through His prophets. Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything He tells you.’ Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be cut off from God’s people and utterly destroyed.’”
The Messiah Will Be Tempted By Satan
Psalm 91:10-12 – “No evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your dwelling. For He orders His angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.”
The Fulfillment
Matthew 4:5-7 – “Then the Devil took Him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, ‘If You are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, “He orders His angels to protect you. And they will hold you with their hands to keep you from striking your foot on a stone.”’ Jesus responded, ‘The Scriptures also say, “Do not test the Lord your God.”’”
The Messiah Will Enter Jerusalem Triumphantly
Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey – even on a donkey’s colt.” Part one of Zechariah was written about 520 B.C.
The Fulfillment
Matthew 21:8-11 – “Most of the crowd spread their coats on the road ahead of Jesus, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. He was in the center of the procession, and the crowds all around Him were shouting, ‘Praise God for the Son of David! Bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord! Praise God in highest heaven!’ The entire city of Jerusalem was stirred as He entered. ‘Who is this?’ they asked. And the crowds replied, ‘It’s Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.’”
Luke 19:35-37 – “So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for Him to ride on. Then the crowds spread out their coats on the road ahead of Jesus. As they reached the place where the road started down from the Mount of Olives, all of His followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.”
John 12:12-15 – “The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A huge crowd of Passover visitors took palm branches and went down the road to meet Him. They shouted, ‘Praise God! Bless the One who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel! Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said: ‘Don’t be afraid, people of Israel. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.’”
The Messiah Will Be Rejected By His Own People
Isaiah 53:1, 3 – “Who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal His saving power? He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way when He went by. He was despised, and we did not care.”
The Fulfillment
John 1:10-11 – “But although the world was made through Him, the world didn’t recognize Him when He came. Even in His own land and among His own people, He was not accepted.”
John 12:37-38 – “But despite all the miraculous signs He had done, most of the people did not believe in Him. This is exactly what Isaiah the prophet had predicted: ‘Lord, who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal His saving power?’”
Matthew 26:3-4 – “At that same time the leading priests and other leaders were meeting at the residence of Caiaphas, the high priest, to discuss how to capture Jesus secretly and put Him to death.”
The Messiah Will Be Betrayed By One Of His Followers
Psalm 41:9 – “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” (NIV)
Psalm 55:12-13 – “It is not an enemy who taunts me – I could bear that. It is not my foes who so arrogantly insult me – I could have hidden from them. Instead, it is you – my equal, my companion and close friend.” Both of these psalms prophesy the betrayal of Jesus by a close and trusted friend.
The Fulfillment
Matthew 26:47, 49-50a – “And even as He said this, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived with a mob that was armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent out by the leading priests and other leaders of the people. So Judas came straight to Jesus. ‘Greetings, Teacher!’ he exclaimed and gave Him the kiss. Jesus said, ‘My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.’”
Luke 22:21-22, 47b – “ ‘But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray Me. For I, the Son of Man, must die since it is part of God’s plan. But how terrible it will be for My betrayer’! A mob approached, led by Judas, one of His twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus and greeted Him with a kiss.”
John 13:18, 21, 26 – “ ‘I am not saying these things to all of you; I know so well each one of you I chose. The Scriptures declare, “The one who shares My food has turned against Me,” and this will soon come true’. Now Jesus was in great anguish of spirit, and He exclaimed, ‘The truth is, one of you will betray Me!’ Jesus said, ‘It is the one to whom I give the bread dipped in the sauce.’ And when He had dipped it, He gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.”
The Messiah Will Be Betrayed For 30 Pieces Of Silver
Zechariah 11:12-13 – “And I said unto them, ‘If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prized at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord.” (KJV)
The Fulfillment
Matthew 26:14-16 – “Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, ‘How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?’ And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for the right time and place to betray Jesus.”
Matthew 27:3-4a – “When Judas, who had betrayed Him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and other leaders. ‘I have sinned,’ he declared, ‘for I have betrayed an innocent man.’”
Matthew 27:36- “But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, ‘It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood'” “And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field to bury strangers in.”…”Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
The Messiah Will Be Tried And Condemned
Isaiah 53:8 – “From prison and trial they led Him away to His death. But who among the people realized that He was dying for their sins – that He was suffering their punishment?”
The Fulfillment
Matthew 27:1-2 – “Very early in the morning, the leading priests and other leaders met again to discuss how to persuade the Roman government to sentence Jesus to death. Then they bound Him and took Him to Pilate, the Roman governor.”
Luke 23:1, 23 – “The entire council took Jesus over to Pilate, the Roman governor. But the crowd shouted louder and louder for Jesus’ death, and their voices prevailed.”
The Messiah Will Be Silent Before His Accusers
Psalm 35:11 – “Malicious witnesses testify against me. They accuse me of things I don’t even know about.”
Isaiah 53:7-8a – “He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth. From prison and trial they led Him away to His death.”
The Fulfillment
Matthew 27:12-14 – “But when the leading priests and other leaders made their accusations against Him, Jesus remained silent. ‘Don’t you hear their many charges against You?’ Pilate demanded. But Jesus said nothing, much to the governor’s great surprise.”
Mark 15:3-5 – “Then the leading priests accused Him of many crimes, and Pilate asked Him, ‘Aren’t You going to say something? What about all these charges against You?’ But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise.”
1 Peter 2:22-23 – “He never sinned, and He never deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when He was insulted. When He suffered, He did not threaten to get even. He left His case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.”
The Messiah Will Be Smitten And Spat Upon
Micah 5:1 – “Mobilize! Marshal your troops! The enemy is laying siege to Jerusalem. With a rod they will strike the leader of Israel in the face.”
Isaiah 50:6 – “I give My back to those who beat Me and My cheeks to those who pull out My beard. I do not hide from shame, for they mock Me and spit in My face.”
The Fulfillment
Matthew 26:67-68 – “Then they spit in Jesus’ face and hit Him with their fists. And some slapped Him, saying, ‘Prophesy to us, You Messiah! Who hit You that time?’”
Matthew 27:30 – “And they spit on Him and grabbed the stick and beat Him on the head with it.”
Mark 14:65a – “Then some of them began to spit at Him, and they blindfolded Him and hit His face with their fists.”
Mark 15:19 – “And they beat Him on the head with a stick, spit on Him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship.”
John 19:1-3 – “Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. The soldiers made a crown of long, sharp thorns and put it on His head, and they put a royal purple robe on Him. ‘Hail! King of the Jews!’ they mocked, and they hit Him with their fists.”
The Messiah Will Be Mocked And Taunted
Psalm 22:7-8 – “Everyone who sees Me, mocks Me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, ‘Is this the One who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save Him! If the Lord loves Him so much, then let the Lord rescue Him!’”
The Fulfillment
Matthew 27:39-40 – “And the people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. ‘So! You can destroy the Temple and build it again in three days, can You? [He was talking about the temple of his body, and his resurrection after three days] Well then, if You are the Son of God, save Yourself and come down from the cross!’”
Luke 23:11, 35 – “Now Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Then they put a royal robe on Him and sent Him back to Pilate. The crowd watched, and the leaders laughed and scoffed. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘let Him save Himself if He is really God’s Chosen One, the Messiah.’”
The Messiah To Die By Crucifixion, With Pierced Hands And Feet
Psalm 22:14-16 – “My life is poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint. My heart is like wax, melting within Me. My strength has dried up like sunbaked clay. My tongue sticks to the roof of My mouth. You have laid Me in the dust and left Me for dead. My enemies surround Me like a pack of dogs; an evil gang closes in on Me. They have pierced My hands and feet.”
Zechariah 12:10a – “Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on all the people of Jerusalem. They will look on Me whom they have pierced and mourn for Him as for an only son.”
The Fulfillment
Matthew 27:31 – “When they were finally tired of mocking Him, they took off the robe and put His own clothes on Him again. Then they led Him away to be crucified.”
Mark 15:20 – “When they were finally tired of mocking Him, they took off the purple robe and put His own clothes on Him again. Then they led Him away to be crucified.”
John 19:15-16 – “‘Away with Him,’ they yelled. ‘Away with Him – crucify Him!’ ‘What? Crucify your king?’ Pilate asked. ‘We have no king but Caesar,’ the leading priests shouted back. Then Pilate gave Jesus to them to be crucified.”
The Messiah Will Suffer With Sinners
Isaiah 53:12a – “I will give Him the honors of One who is mighty and great, because He exposed Himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners.”
The Fulfillment
Matthew 27:38 – “Two criminals were crucified with Him, their crosses on either side of His.”
Mark 15:27 – “Two criminals were crucified with Him, their crosses on either side of His.”
Luke 23:32-33 – “Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with Him. Finally, they came to a place called The Skull. All three were crucified there – Jesus on the center cross, and the two criminals on either side.”
The Messiah’s Garments Will Be Divided By Casting Lots
Psalm 22:18 – “They divide My clothes among themselves and throw dice for My garments.”
The Fulfillment
Matthew 27:35 – “After they had nailed Him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for His clothes by throwing dice.”
Mark 15:24 – “Then they nailed Him to the cross. They gambled for His clothes, throwing dice to decide who would get them.”
John 19:23-24a – “When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they divided His clothes among the four of them. They also took His robe, but it was seamless, woven in one piece from the top. So they said, ‘Let’s not tear it but throw dice to see who gets it.’ This fulfilled the Scripture that says, ‘They divided My clothes among themselves and threw dice for My robe.’”
The Messiah’s Bones Will Not Be Broken
Numbers 9:12 – “They must not leave any of the lamb until the next morning, and they must not break any of its bones. They must follow all the normal regulations concerning the Passover.”
This foreshadowed Jesus, who became the Passover Lamb.
The Fulfillment
John 19:31-37 – “The Jewish leaders didn’t want the victims hanging there the next day, which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath at that, because it was the Passover), so they asked Pilate to hasten their deaths by ordering that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus. But when they came to Jesus, they saw that He was dead already, so they didn’t break His legs. One of the soldiers, however, pierced His side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out. This report is from an eyewitness giving an accurate account; it is presented so that you also can believe. These things happened in fulfillment of the Scriptures that say, ‘Not one of His bones will be broken,’ and ‘They will look on Him whom they pierced.’”
1 Corinthians 5:7b – “Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.”
The Messiah Will Die As A Sin Offering
Isaiah 53:5-6, 8, 12 – “But He was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on Him the guilt and sins of us all. From prison and trial they led Him away to His death. But who among the people realized that He was dying for their sins – that He was suffering their punishment? I will give Him the honors of One who is mighty and great, because He exposed Himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners.”
The Fulfillment
John 1:29 – “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”
Acts 10:43 – “He is the One all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in Him will have their sins forgiven through His name.”
Acts 13:38-39 – “Brothers, listen! In this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in Him is freed from all guilt and declared right with God – something the Jewish law could never do.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – “I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me – that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and He was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said.”
Ephesians 1:7 – “He is so rich in kindness that He purchased our freedom through the blood of His Son, and our sins are forgiven.”
1 Peter 2:24 – “He personally carried away our sins in His own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by His wounds.”
Revelation 1:5b – “All praise to Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us.”
The Messiah Will See His Seed
Isaiah 53:10-11 – “But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush Him and fill Him with grief. Yet when His life is made an offering for sin, He will have a multitude of children, many heirs. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s plan will prosper in His hands. When He sees all that is accomplished by His anguish, He will be satisfied. And because of what He has experienced, My Righteous Servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for He will bear all their sins.”
The Fulfillment
Ephesians 1:4-5, 21-23 – “Long ago, even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave Him great pleasure. Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come. And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and He gave Him this authority for the benefit of the church. And the church is His body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with His presence.”
Hebrews 12:2 – “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be His afterward. Now He is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven.”
The Messiah Will Be Buried In A Rich Man’s Tomb
Isaiah 53:9 – “He had done no wrong, and He never deceived anyone. But He was buried like a criminal; He was put in a rich man’s grave.”
The Fulfillment
Matthew 27:57-60 – “As evening approached, Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea who was one of Jesus’ followers, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him. Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance as he left.”
The Messiah Will Be Raised From The Dead
Psalm 16:10 – “For You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow Your Godly One to rot in the grave.”
Psalm 30:3 – “You brought me up from the grave, O Lord. You kept me from falling into the pit of death.” {David died and his body decayed] David prophesies that the Messiah will not be abandoned in the grave, and His body will not decay.
The Fulfillment
Matthew 28:5-7 – “Then the angel spoke to the women. ‘Don’t be afraid!’ he said. ‘I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead, just as He said would happen. Come, see where His body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell His disciples He has been raised from the dead, and He is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there. Remember, I have told you.’”
Mark 16:6-7 – “The angel said, ‘Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid His body. Now go and give this message to His disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there, just as He told you before He died.’”
Acts 2:27-31 – “‘For You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. You have shown me the way of life, and You will give me wonderful joy in Your presence.’ Dear brothers, think about this! David wasn’t referring to himself when he spoke these words I have quoted, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on David’s throne as the Messiah. David was looking into the future and predicting the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that the Messiah would not be left among the dead and that His body would not rot in the grave.’”
1 Corinthians 15:17, 20 – “And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins. But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again.’”
The Messiah Will Sit At God’s Right Hand
Psalm 110:1 – “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit in honor at My right hand until I humble Your enemies, making them a footstool under Your feet.’”
The Fulfillment
Mark 16:19 – “When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, He was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.”
Acts 2:32-36 – “This prophecy was speaking of Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and we all are witnesses of this. Now He sits on the throne of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as He had promised, gave Him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. David said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit in honor at My right hand until I humble Your enemies, making them a footstool under Your feet.”’ So let it be clearly known by everyone in Israel that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified to be both Lord and Messiah!”
Hebrews 10:12-13 – “But our High Priest offered Himself to God as one sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then He sat down at the place of highest honor at God’s right hand. There He waits until His enemies are humbled as a footstool under His feet.”
It was God’s plan from before the world began that Jesus would come to earth and be crucified as a holy and final offering for sin. Because of God’s deep love for each one of us, He provided the way of salvation – the only way that we are able to enter a relationship with Him.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16
“I am the one who raises the dead and gives them life again. Anyone who believes in me, even though he dies like anyone else, shall live again. He is given eternal life for believing in me and shall never perish.” John 11:25 (LB)
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the father but through me.” John 14:6
“NOT BY WORKS of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).
In other words, good works will not save anyone.
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: NOT OF WORKS, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 That is, salvation is not by merit.
“We ourselves, who are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners, yet who know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified…I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification were through the law, then Christ died to no purpose.” Galatians 2:15, 2:21