Then He said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about Me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. And He said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ You are witnesses of all these things.” Luke 24:44-48 (NLT)
Have you ever given someone directions to your home? Not only do you give them the street address but you provide them other information on how to get there. You may tell them the route to take from their starting point. You may provide detailed turn by turn instructions. You may provide them landmarks to look for along the way. You may even describe your house so they know it when they get there. The prophecies in the Bible are the instructions to know when the Messiah arrived. Micah 5:2 states he will be born in Bethlehem. 2 Samuel 7:12–13 states he will be from the house of David. He will be born of a virgin according to Isaiah 7:14. There are many other prophetically accurate details in the directions pointing to Jesus as the One sent by God.
Prayer: God, thank you for providing the instructions so we would know the Messiah when he came. As I read your word, help me to get to know you more and deepen our relationship. In Jesus name. Amen.