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Eight the Biblical number of New Beginnings




Matthew 16: 21 AMP
Jesus Foretells His Death
"From that time on Jesus began to show His disciples [clearly] that He must go to Jerusalem, and endure many things at the hands of the elders and the chief priests and scribes (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), and be killed, and be raised [from death to life] on the third day."

Did you read it too? Yes, the Lord Jesus told His disciples that He was going to die, and then on the third day, come back to life again. Impressive, don't you think so. So what makes the resurrection so significant to the other seven people who came back from the dead?

There are two reasons the Lord Jesus's resurrection wasn't like the other:
Look at what King David prophesied in Psalms 16 verse 10, AMP "For You will not abandon me to Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay." The Lord Jesus's resurrection was the only one predicted a long time ago. And then we see the second prophecies from Isaiah 53 verses, 10 "Lest the Lord was will to crush Him, cause Him to suffer; If He would give Himself as a guilt offering [an atonement for sin], He shall see His [spiritual] offspring, He shall prolong His days, And the will (good pleasure) of the Lord shall succeed and prosper in His hand." 

On reading Matthew 16, verses 21, did I see the Lord Jesus predicting His death and His resurrection? Jesus raised Himself from the dead! Look at John 10 verses, 18 "No one takes it away from Me, but I lay it down voluntarily. I am authorized and have power to lay I down and to give it up, and I am authorized and have the power to take it back. This command I have received from My Father."

So His enemies could not eradicate the Lord Jesus or His mission. He gave Himself voluntarily and took it back with authority. No one in Rome or the Jewish prosecutors could eliminate the Lord or nullify His cause. The Lord Jesus was always in control, and no one could take that away from Him. 

Prayer Father God, humbly I want to say thank You that the Lord Jesus died on a cross for my sin. Thank You that You Lord Jesus are at the helm of all things in life, You are alive forever. Amen

Thought for today: Frank Outlaw wrote these principles, and I find them to be very real:  
Watch your thoughts, and they become words.
Watch your words, and they become actions.
Watch your actions, and they become habits.
Watch your habits, and they become character.
Watch your character, and it becomes your destiny.

Yvette van Niekerk

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