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There is a hymn that includes the lines,
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Son of Man, exalted High!
Let Him in! Let Him in! 2
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It says that Jesus was exalted high, and we should
let Him in.
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God, who at sundry times and in divers
manners spake in time past unto the fathers
by the prophets, Hath in these last days
spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath
appointed heir of all things, by whom also
He made the worlds. (Hebrews 1: 1-2)
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A continuous stream of prophets wrote about Jesus.
Of which salvation the prophets have
inquired and searched diligently, who
prophesied of the grace that should come
unto you: Searching what, or what manner
of time the Spirit of Christ which was in
them did signify, when it testified
beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the
glory that should follow.
(1 Peter 1:10-11)
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All of this had already been recorded in the Old
Testament. The Spirit of God moved the hearts of
the prophets to write down all that He told them,
but even as they wrote, they didn't know what it all
meant. David, for example, wrote,
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My God, my God, why hast Thou
forsaken me? Why art Thou so far from
helping me, and from the words of my
roaring. (Psalm 22:1)
For dogs have compassed me: the assembly
of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced
my hands and my feet. (Psalm 22:16)
They part my garments among them, and
cast lots upon my vesture.
(Psalm 22:18)
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David had already written all of this down one
thousand years before the time of Jesus. One day,
Jesus was breaking bread with His twelve disciples
and as He gave a morsel to Judas, He said to him,
"That thou doest, do quickly" (John 13:27). Then
He also said,
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The Son of Man goeth as it is written of
Him: but woe unto that man by whom the
Son of Man is betrayed! It had been good
for that man if he had not been born
(Matthew 26:24).
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Jesus said that He was going to go the way that had
been determined for Him. "I will die as it has been
recorded in the Old Testament Scriptures, but it
would be better for that man if he had never been
born." This was because the wrath of God would
extend to him. Judas ate with Jesus and the disciples
and then went out. He was in charge of the
moneybag, so the other disciples thought that he
had gone to buy something. But Judas had gone to
sell Jesus to the chief priests. The price of this sale
thirty pieces of silver had already been recorded
in the Old Testament.
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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 prised
at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of
silver, and cast them to the potter in the
house of the Lord. (Zechariah 11:12-13)
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One of Jesus' disciples betrayed Him for thirty
pieces of silver.
Already in Genesis chapter 3 we have a record of a
prophecy about the death of Jesus. God said to the
serpent, "Thou shalt bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15).
Also Jesus Himself said, "And I, if I be lifted up from
the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32). He
was indeed lifted up and nailed to the cross. Judas
Iscariot played a role in this event. The Bible also
foretold the way in which Jesus would die.
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[The gospel of God] which he had promised
afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures.
(Romans 1:2)
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When it says "scriptures" here, it means the Old Testament.
The promise that God made in advance
through the Old Testament prophets about Jesus
Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the gospel.
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Now to Him that is of power to stablish
you according to my gospel, and the
preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the
revelation of the mystery, which was kept
secret since the world began, but now is
made manifest, and by the scriptures of the
prophets, according to the commandment
of the everlasting God, made known to all
nations for the obedience of faith: To God
only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for
ever. Amen. (Romans 16:25-27)
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It says here that this gospel is "made known to all
nations for the obedience of faith," not just to one
particular nation. The gospel is there for everyone,
"whosoever believeth."
2 S.F.L., Christ, Thy Lord Is Waiting Now, 1915
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God So Loved (2)