My Bible Study: Christmas Prophecy 23

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Christmas Prophecy 23

The Messiah would be laid in a rich man's tomb.

Prophecy -

Isaiah 53:9

And they made His grave with the wicked—
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

Fulfillment -

Matthew 27:57-60

Now when evening had come, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be given to him. When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed.

I don't really know why this detail is significant, but if it is in the Bible, it has to have meaning. Every detail, every name, every jot and tittle has significance, if it is in the Bible. The Holy Spirit inspired over 40 men to write 66 books that we call our Bible. The Holy Spirit also oversaw the details of the councils that canonized the books that we have included in our Bible.

Did you know there were other books written? There was a Book of Enoch and a Book of Jasher (this one is referenced in Joshua 10:13 and II Samuel 1:18), there was a third epistle that Paul wrote to the Corinthian church that is "lost." Whatever books didn't get included was completely planned by the Holy Spirit. What we have, we have for a reason, and everything included in it, is there for a reason.

Perhaps Jesus was laid in a rich man's tomb because it had the giant stone as the door. This makes the resurrection miracle all the more awesome! Without that giant stone it would have been easier to say that the disciples just stole His body. But to move that big giant stone, while Romans soldiers were on guard?!? It just isn't plausible. But that reason is purely my own conjecture.