More Than a Prophet

Was Jesus just one of many prophets, as some folks believe? Certainly he did predict future events which came to pass.

Matthew 24:1 and 2 shows how our Lord foretold the destruction of the temple. "And Jesus went out of the Temple, and on the way his disciples came to him, pointing out the buildings of the Temple. But he, answering, said to them, 'See you not all these things? truly I say to you that here there will not be one stone resting on another, which will not be pulled down.'"

Jesus also predicted the swiftness of Jerusalem's destruction in Luke 17:31 (KJV). "In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.""

But Jesus himself knew that he was no mere prophet in the long line of prophets. Matthew 12:42 (KJV) quotes him as saying, "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here."

Jesus also told a Samaritan woman that he was the Messiah. When she asked about the saviour who would reveal all things, John 4:26 (KJV) says, "Jesus saith unto her, 'I that speak unto thee am he.'"

Christ also accepted worship, a blasphemous act if he wasn't the Son of God. John 9:35-38 (BBE) shows this plainly when a man healed of blindness bowed down to him. "It came to the ears of Jesus that they had put him out, and meeting him he said, 'Have you faith in the Son of man?' He said in answer, 'And who is he, Lord? Say, so that I may have faith in him.' Jesus said to him, 'You have seen him; it is he who is talking to you.' And he said, 'Lord, I have faith.' And he gave him worship."

We also notice that the Pharisees knew that Jesus called himself God's son. John 10:33 (KJV) gives the reason for their accusation. "The Jews answered him, saying, 'For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.'"

Because Jesus truly is God, along with his Father and the Holy Spirit, we can trust fully in his words. I'll emphasize that in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Being divine, Christ is the ultimate authority on who goes to heaven and who doesn't.

On Saturday, I'll post a sad song by James Taylor. This is the wrong time of year for that but tragedies happen to us without regard to holidays.