Thoughts on Old & New: Part 3

Welcome to the final installment of the series “Thoughts on the Old & New”, a study of prophecy in the Bible and how the Old and New Testament come together to create a picture of Redemption through the Messiah. I heard a pastor say the Old Testament reveals the New Testament and the New Testament fulfills the Old Testament. In a way, the two parts complete a circle or circuit of understanding.

On a related note, be sure to try and read the whole Bible for yourself. The Bible consists of 66 books in all, 39 in the Old and 27 in the New. Make sure and pick a version that suits you best and presents the Word in the most accessible way for you. That way, you’ll get the most out of it. I personally like to use different versions, sometimes cross referencing to get the fullest understanding. The versions I like to use are the New International Version NIV, English Standard Version ESV, New Living Version NLV, and King James Version KJV. But the choice is yours. Another thing I find very helpful is to utilize the various aids, especially when they refer to the original Hebrew or Greek words. The more you learn about the original languages, it’s almost like the closer you’re getting to God.

Continuing in the same vein, here are some more scriptures being prophesied and fulfilled.

Psalm 22:18

18 They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing.

John 19:23-24

23When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
24"Let's not tear it," they said to one another. "Let's decide by lot who will get it."
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled which said,
"They divided my garments among them
and cast lots for my clothing." So this is what the soldiers did.

There are many places in the Old Testament that come together to create the final picture revealed in John 19. It’s quite astounding, when you think about it, how it all comes together. Here are three Old Testament scriptures followed by a New Testament verse.

Exodus 12:46

46 "It must be eaten inside one house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones.

Numbers 9:12

12 They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones. When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.

Psalm 34:20

20 he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.

John 19:28-37

The Death of Jesus
28Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." 29A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. 30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
31Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," 37and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."

Here’s another scripture foretelling details about the Crucifixion of the Messiah. This one is quite unique in that it also appears in Revelation, where it suggests that some Jewish and non-Jewish people will be left behind, after mistakenly following the Antichrist. When this happens, even the most stubborn Jews and Gentiles will know that Jesus was the real Messiah.

Zechariah 12:10

Mourning for the One They Pierced
10 "And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

John 19:31-37

31Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. 32The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. 33But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. 35The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. 36These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," 37and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."

Thank you for reading the series. Hopefully it was as inspiring to you as it was for me.

Now, I’d like to leave you with this last scripture from Romans, where Paul says it best, what Yeshua, the Messiah did.

Romans 3:21-31

The Righteousness of God Through Faith
21But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. 29Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, 30since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.