MATTHEW LESSON 4


     We are still looking at the Old Testament prophecies and their
fulfillment in the New Testament.

     Psalms 69:4 "They that hate me without a cause are more than the
hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, [being] mine enemies
wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored [that] which I took not away."

     Jesus had no sin.  As we said in the last lesson, there was no
reason to crucify Him.  His enemies were of the church.  They
crucified Him, not because He did not love them, but because they were
jealous of His power, wisdom, strength, and love for the unlovely.

     St. John Chapter l5 verses 23-25, we read the fulfillment.  I
quote, "He that hateth me hateth my Father also." John 15:24 "If I had
not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not
had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father."
John 15:25 "But [this cometh to pass], that the word might be
fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a
cause."

     This is almost true today.  If you see someone trying to do good,
the rest of the world does not understand it.  They think there must
be a reason, somewhere, where you will gain.  You see, the world does
not understand sacrifices.  Jesus was our example.  He gave of
Himself; even to those who would not hear.  Can we do any less, and
call ourselves followers of Him?

     I think perhaps one of the most important prophecies is in Isaiah
chapter 53 verses 4 and 5, Isaiah 53:4  "Surely he hath borne our
griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God, and afflicted." Isaiah 53:5 "But he [was] wounded for
our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are
healed."

     You see, Jesus not only bought our salvation for us, so that we
might have an eternity in heaven with Him, but He, also, took our griefs
here on this earth to help us in the here and now.  He took the
punishment for our sins.  Because He was beaten, we are healed.  We
must pray, believing, that we receive healing; and we shall receive.

     In Matthew 8:l6-l7, we see the Scripture in Isaiah fulfilled.
Matthew 8:16 "When the even was come, they brought unto him many that
were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with [his]
word, and healed all that were sick:" Matthew 8:17  "That it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took
our infirmities, and bare [our] sicknesses."

     So many people do not believe in healing in our day.  They
believe that healing went out with the disciples.  That is just not
so.  God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He never changes.
Our belief in Him is what has changed.  Let us read in St. John
chapter 14 and see who healing is for.  Verse l2 begins John 14:12
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works
that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he
do; because I go unto my Father." John 14:13 "And whatsoever ye shall
ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in
the Son." John 14:14 "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do
[it]." These words are in red in the Bible.  This is a direct quote
from Jesus Christ.  Let us look at the requirements.  "He that
believeth on me"; any believer in the Lord Jesus Christ can do the
works of Jesus.  We cannot heal in our own name. We must pray "In the
name of Jesus", as we read in Verse l3, and again, in Verse l4.

     Jesus healed in His own name.  We have no power in and of
ourselves.  It is the name of Jesus that has the power.  Actually, we
are laying hands on the sick, and the power of Jesus is healing them.
The power is Jesus.  We just speak the words that activate His power.
We must pray, believing that we receive, and we shall have it.

     In Isaiah 53:12, we see the prophecy of Him being crucified with
sinners.  "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and
he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out
his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and
he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

     Matthew 27:38 "Then were there two thieves crucified with him,
one on the right hand, and another on the left."

     You see, the sins that Jesus died for were real.  They did
not belong to Him.  They were our sins.  He was our substitute and
took the punishment that we deserved.

     The most cruel of all deaths is crucifixion.  They nailed Him to
the cross.  In Psalms 22:l6, it is prophesied, "For dogs have
compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they
pierced my hands and my feet."

     I sing a song called "Ten Thousand Angels".  In this song, it
says He (Jesus) could have called ten thousand angels to remove Him
from the cross and set Him free, but He did not.  He chose to die for
you and me.  He really did not even need the angels.  He could have
come off the cross at any time.  You see, the wages of sin is death.
Someone had to pay.  Jesus paid it for us.

     In St. John 20:27, we read the fulfillment, "Then saith he to
Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither
thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless, but
believing."

     In Psalms 22:6-8, we see the prophecy of Him being mocked and
insulted.  In Matthew 27:39-40 this, too, is fulfilled.  You may read
this one at home.

     God is so exact.  He leaves out not even the smallest detail.  In
     Psalms 69:21, we read, "They gave me also gall for my meat; and
in mythirst they gave me vinegar to drink."

     In St. John 19:29, we read, "Now there was set a vessel full of
vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put [it] upon
hyssop, and put [it] to his mouth." The very smallest detail of
prophecy is not over looked.

     In Psalms 22:8 and Matthew 27:43, the mocking of Jesus is almost
identical.  Psalms 22:8, "He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver
him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him."  Matthew 27:43,
"He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for
he said, I am the Son of God."

     In Psalms 109:4, we see Jesus prays for His enemies.  "For my
love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer."  Then in
fulfillment Luke 23:34, "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for
they know not what they do."  Even today Jesus is saying, (on our
behalf) "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."  Can
you imagine the hurt He feels, listening to music elevating Satan?
Can you imagine the hurt He feels when He hears people questioning His
miracles?  Can you imagine the truly terrible hurt He feels when those
called by His name deny that He was God manifest in the flesh?  Can
you imagine the hurt He feels when He hears people deny the validity
of the Bible (for He is The Word of God)?  Why must we nail Him to the
cross all over again?  Why can we not believe that He was, in fact,
who He said He was?  The Everlasting One, The Beginning and the End,
sitting even now at the right hand of the Father, even now saying,
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."

     In Zechariah 12:10, we read about the prophecy about Jesus' side
being pierced, then in St. John 19:34, we read the fulfillment.  "But
one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came
there out blood and water." Life is in the blood.  Jesus gave His life,
so that we might have life more abundantly.

     When Nelson and I were on tour to the Holy Land a few years ago,
we saw the area where they believe they cast lots for Jesus' robe.  In
Psalms 22:18 we read, "They part my garments among them, and cast lots
upon my vesture."  The fulfillment of this prophecy is in Mark 15:24,
"And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting
lots upon them, what every man should take"  The robe that Jesus wore
had no seams, and that is why they gambled to see who would get it.

     The perfect Lamb sacrifice could not have any broken bones, or
imperfections.  It had to be totally without blemish.  We read the
prophecy in Psalms 34:20, "He keepeth all his bones: not one of them
is broken." The custom, when someone was crucified to make death
quicker, was to break their legs.  We read in St. John 19:33, that
this was not done with Jesus.  St. John 19:33, "But when they came to
Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:"

      You see, Jesus was perfect in every way.  In Isaiah 53:9, it was
 prophesied that He would be buried with the rich, and in Matthew
 27:57-60, it was fulfilled.  Joseph of Arimathaea laid Him in his own
 tomb which had never been used.

     In Psalms 16:10, we read of His resurrection, "For thou wilt not
leave my soul in hell: neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see
corruption."  You see, Jesus arose on the third day.  Decay of the
body begins on the fourth day.  In Matthew 28:9, we read that He had
risen from the grave.  Matthew 28:9, "And as they went to tell his
disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail.  And they came
and held him by the feet, and worshiped him."  He prophesied that He
would rise from the grave, and He did.

     His ascension into heaven was prophesied in Psalms 68:l8, "Thou
hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast
received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD
God might dwell among them."  In Luke 24:50-51, "And he led them out
as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them,
and carried up into heaven."

     You see, Jesus had fulfilled all of His work here on this earth
at that time.  When He comes back in the same way (in the clouds) that
He went up, He will be Lord of lords and King of kings.  He will come
in great power and glory.  In Acts 1:9-11 is a prophecy about the
return of Jesus Christ to this earth, when He sets up His l000 year
reign.  I quote, "And when he had spoken these things, while they
beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight."
V-10, "And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up,
behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;" V-11, "Which also
said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  this
same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in
like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."  God fulfills His
prophecies.  Jesus will return.  He will reign 1,000 years on the
earth.

     Next, we will begin in Matthew.  Read the first chapter 3
times.

















                          Matthew 4 Questions


1.  What reason did they have to crucify Jesus?
2.  Who were Jesus' enemies?
3.  Jesus loved them, but they were jealous of Him.  Name 4 things
    they were jealous of.
4.  Jesus said, if you hate Him, you hate whom also?
5.  If Jesus had not done ---------among them , they would not had had
    sin.
6.  What message in Isaiah 53:4-5 has to do with our health?
7.  What must we do to be healed?  Two things.
8.  How did Jesus cast out evil spirits?
9.  What do most Christians believe today?
10. In chapter l4 of St. John, who can do the works that Jesus did?
11. What name has the power to heal?
12. When Jesus took on the sins of the cross, who did the sins belong
    to?
13. What is the most cruel of all deaths?
14. Was Jesus forced to die for you and me?
15. Which one of the disciples would not believe, until he touched the
    holes in Jesus?
16. What substance did they offer Jesus to drink?
17. What was Jesus' prayer for those who crucified Him?
18. When people deny the Bible, why does it hurt Jesus?
19. Life is in the ---------.
20. Why did they gamble for Jesus' robe?
21. Why did they not break Jesus' legs?
22. Who was the rich man who furnished Jesus' tomb?
23. What day did Jesus rise?
24. What day does the body begin to decay after death?
25. When Jesus blessed them, what physical action did He make?
26. In Acts l:9-ll, what was prophesied?
27. How did Jesus go to heaven?
28. Who was there, besides the disciples?
29. What good news did they bring?
30. When Jesus appears, where will we see Him?