Category: Bible

Isaiah 2, swords into ploughshares, study war no more, the Day of the Lord

This famous messianic prophecy is duplicated in Micah 4. Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah. Isaiah was also the chief scribe and wrote down the chronicles for that time, such as part of Isaiah 36, which is duplicated in part of 2 Chronicles 32.

The symbol Schwerter zu Pflugscharen was the most important emblem of the German Democratic Republic’s opposition movement in the 1980s which finally lead to the “revolution” of 1989 and the German unification.

The bronze sculpture “Let Us Beat Our Swords into Ploughshares,” was created by Soviet artist Evgeny Vuchetich, and presented to the United Nations on 4 December 1959, by the Government of the USSR.

Or the lyrics as sung by Peter, Paul and Mary

I’m gonna lay down my sword and shield,
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
Down by the riverside
I’m gonna lay down my sword and shield,
Down by the riverside
Study war no more

I ain’t gonna study war no more
Ain’t gonna study war no more
Ain’t gonna study war no more
I ain’t gonna study war no more
Ain’t gonna study war no more
Ain’t gonna study war no more

Isaiah 1, a rebellious nation, a sinful nation, the LORD’s judgment and restoration.

No other book of the Old Testament contain as many prophecies as the Scroll of Isaiah. In fact there are so many that it was proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Isaiah most probably was written in its final form around 400 A.D.

Then in 1947 A.D. a complete scroll of Isaiah was found in the cave of Qumran, and it gives the timeline of its writing as around 700 B.C.

The scroll they found was a copy, copied no later than 140 B.C. and possibly much earlier, and with that discovery a hundred years of critical biblical analysis was rendered obsolete. They found fragments of most of the Old Testament books, but also much material about day-to-day life around Jesus time, which helped in understanding many terms in the Hebrew language, the meaning of which had been lost.

Here is a list of the prophecies in Isaiah

and their fulfillment in the New Testament.

The NIV translation of the Bible uses “the LORD Almighty” instead of “the LORD of Hosts”. The LORD of Hosts is more true to the Hebrew text.

John 21, another catch of fish, Jesus reinstates Peter.

That makes it eight miracles of Jesus, seven before his resurrection and one after.

 

Knowing John mentioned only seven miracles my rendition of the NIV study bible omits the man born blind, washing in the pool of Siloam.

The Ryrie NIV study bible mentions John mentions seven miracles, then goes ahead and lists all eight.

The first two times Jesus asks “Do you love me” he uses the word agappe, which means godly love, and Peter answers that he loves Jesus (fileo) with a brotherly love. The third time Jesus too uses the word fileo. Peter was hurt. He realized how far short of godly love he still was

John 20, the resurrection, the Tomb, the strips of clothes, doubting Thomas.

The very honesty in this biblical account was what convinced me that Jesus is really risen, and that changed everything in my life.  Notice also he said “After three days I will rise again”

The Mark account have three women, the Matthew account has only two. The women bought the spices Saturday night after sundown.

Most Bible translations translate “οψε δε σαββατων” (opse de sabbaton) as after the sabbath, at dawn on Sunday, but the word sabbaton is plural, so the best translation in my opinion is “after the sabbaths”, since A.D. 30 had two sabbaths in a row.

The Gospel of John only records only one woman, being the messenger.

At this time Jesus promised “receive the Holy Spirit”. The fulfillment of this promise happened at Pentecost.

As it is said in Matthew 18:

What is done under the Holy Spirit’s guidance has already been done in heaven!

John 19, the crucifixion, the seven last words, the burial, the special Sabbath.

Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.

A Psalm of David: Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

The word Elohim is plural. Eli or Eloi is “my God” in the singular. They had never heard it in the singular, so they thought Jesus called for Elias!

This was the moment when Jesus became sin for us.

Meanwhile, back in the Temple, the scapegoat having been released, the Passover lamb was placed on the altar.

Jesus was the Passover lamb, sacrificed outside the camp on Golgatha. The veil that separated the holiest area from the rest of the temple was rent from top to bottom to signify the end to all offerings. Jesus was offered once for all time.

This was now late on 14th of Nisan, the Passover.

 

It is now Thursday afternoon, and the next day is a special Sabbath.  Then comes the normal Sabbath on Saturday. This is not all that uncommon, it happens every seventh year on average, and this was the case in A.D. 30. The preparation means to prepare meals for two days as well as the passover meal before sunset. (  https://lenbilen.com/2017/04/14/when-was-the-crucifixion-of-jesus/ )

John 18, Gethsemane, the night of betrayal, Peter’s denial, from Annas to Caiphas to Pilate to Herod to Pilate, Barabbas.

The gospel of Luke adds to this account: Luke 22:49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? 50 And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. 51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

Jesus had already eaten the Passover with the apostles. Most Jews had switched to the next day to eat the Passover since the evening sacrifice had been switched from just after sunset on the 14th of Nisan to after the ninth hour on the 14th of Nisan, or 21 hours later. (Remember, a Jewish day starts at sunset.)

Luke 23: 6 When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilaean. 7 And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. 8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. 9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 11 And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. 12 And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves.