Hated without a cause

David Pawson says¹ the Bible predicts 735 events. Twenty-seven per cent of its verses focus on the future. Five hundred and ninety-three (81 per cent) of these predictions have already been fulfilled. If so many events have been fulfilled accurately, is it not reasonable to suppose the remainder will be fulfilled in the same way?

There are said to be some 450 prophecies concerning the Messiah. All that were to be fulfilled at this time have been fulfilled. He was of the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, of the tribe of Judah, of the House of David, born in Bethlehem.

He was anointed of the Holy Spirit, He healed every kind of disease and every kind of sickness, He was betrayed by a close friend; He was sold for 30 pieces of silver. He was forsaken by His friends and accused by false witnesses, but would not respond to his accusers.

He was mocked, beaten, wounded, had His beard plucked out and was spat upon. He was hated without a cause. His hands and feet were pierced. They gave Him gall and vinegar to drink, and cast lots for his garments. His side was pierced. None of his bones were broken, but He died of a broken heart. He was buried in a rich man's grave.

<sup>There is a remarkable prophecy of the ministry of the coming Messiah in Isaiah 61, written some 700 years before Jesus was born:

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord has anointed me 
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."  

 It tells in Luke 4 how Jesus went into the synagogue at Nazareth, where he was brought up, one Sabbath day at the beginning of His ministry and was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. He read:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
Because he has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted,
To preach deliverance to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed,
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." 

Then He said: "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." 

Compare the two portions of Scripture and you will find He missed out some of the portion in Isaiah. Why? Because the part He didn't read was not fulfilled at that time and will only be fulfilled when He returns.

Why does God continue to suffer all the terrible things that happen in this world? I know of only one reason - because He is "long-suffering. . . not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).</sup>
         

¹ Unlocking the Bible. London: HarperCollinsPublishers, 2007, pp640, 641.