Articles
Fulfilled Prophecies of Jesus' Resurrection Part 1: Woman's Seed Bruised
"Presumably what happened to Jesus was what happens to all of us when we die. We decompose. Accounts of Jesus's resurrection and ascension are about as well-documented as Jack and the Beanstalk." Richard Dawkins
Being the leading voice of atheism, Mr. Dawkins would certainly know about things which decompose. In fact, everything about atheism decomposes. One of those poorly documented statements is his statement wherein he said,
"Accounts of Jesus's resurrection and ascension are about as well-documented as Jack and the Beanstalk."
Concerning being "well-documented," books have been written about the incorruptible integrity of the evidence for Jesus resurrection. What is remarkable is that these books have been written by unlikely authors. Individuals such as an award winning journalist, Lee Strobel* and a cold-case homicide detective, J. Warner Wallace**, both of whom were formerly atheist and skeptical of the Bible. Regardless of their professional bias against Christianity, after an examination of the documents (the prophets and the gospel accounts of the Bible), these men have come down solidly on the side of objective affirmations and have been converted to faith in Christ.
Mr. Dawkins cannot say such things about "Jack and the Beanstalk". Far from being the absurd belief in a "fairy tale", having faith in the resurrection of Jesus is a rock solid conviction fortified by sound reasoning and well-documented facts for those who are willing to examine the evidence.
10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. 1 Peter 1:10-12 ESV
The evidence of the fulfilled prophecies about Jesus' resurrection is something which we must carefully unravel. It is a mystery which is deeply buried in the Law of Moses, the Psalms and the Prophets. Predictions which require real detective work to piece together sometimes fragmentary statements revealed to the authors by the Holy Spirit who made these things known to them, but didn't reveal their fulfillment to them when they wrote them.
Isaiah was told,
9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people:
“‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;
keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’
10 Make the heart of this people dull,
and their ears heavy,
and blind their eyes;
lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.” Isaiah 6:9-10
This is an explanation of the nature of the prophecies which will be brought to light for the Messiah's resurrection. We must draw out the meaning of these statements and look at them all together. What are they saying to us as a whole? Then we will see the answer.
Let's start with the first messianic prophecy made in Genesis
Women's Seed Bruised-
When man fell because of sin in the Garden, God made a promise to the serpent, or Satan, and to all humanity regarding the Seed of woman,
14 The Lord God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15
The serpent became cursed for his part in the fall of man and God predicted that there would be one who would be the "offspring" or "seed" of woman. This person is unique because every other person who has been born into this world is the offspring of a man and a woman.
Notice Paul wrote of Jesus,
"4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, " Galatians 4:4
Did Jesus receive a "bruising" from the serpent when He suffered on the cross? Surely the world mocked Christ as He hung upon Calvary seeing this as a defeat for the One who presented Himself as the Son of God and King of Israel (Matt. 27:37-44). He suffered physically and spiritually was in great anguish (Matt. 27:45-50). Yet the injury which He suffered was as nothing compared to the fatal blow He inflicted upon the head of the serpent.
"14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, He himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery." Hebrews 2:14-15
The question remains: "Where does it mention the resurrection in this prophecy?"
We will see in the coming segments on fulfilled prophecies of the resurrection.
Michael Franklin
* "The Case for Christ" and "The Case for Miracles", by Lee Strobel.
** "Cold-Case Christianity," "Forensic Faith," "God's Crime Scene," and "Person of Interst". by J. Warner Wallace.
