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The Walk to Emmaus Part 3
This continues the study of the walk on the
road to Emmaus where Jesus reveals and opens up scriptures to a
couple of me troubled by the events concerning the death of Jesus on
the cross.
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Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days
come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous
Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute
judgment and justice in the earth.
Jer 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and
Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall
be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Jer 23:7 Therefore, behold, the days come,
saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth,
which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of
Egypt;
Jer 23:8 But, The LORD liveth, which brought
up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the
north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them;
and they shall dwell in their own land.
Here again we have a prophecy of the return
of Christ in the latter times. I wonder sometimes why prophecy was
given this way. Some referring to His first coming and some
referring to His coming to set up His kingdom. Perhaps that only
those that are seeking understanding with the right heart and motive
will understand and those that just want to use the knowledge for
evil will not understand. When we truly seek, we will find. The half
hearted and unbelieving will not understand. Those men on the road
to Emmaus probably rejoiced to hear this prophecy. Israel's final
destination is good. They have a hope and a future and all those
that have come to Christ both Jews and Gentiles have the same final
future.
Now we go to another prophet, Daniel who was
interpreting Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the latter days found in
Daniel chapter 2. It concerned the nations and kings from Daniel's
day until the return of Christ. The stone represents Jesus Himself.
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Daniel 2:34 Thou sawest till
that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image
upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to
pieces.
Dan 2:35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver,
and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the
chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them
away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote
the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
He is returning to set up His kingdom. What a
day that will be. This is what Israel was expecting at His first
coming, which is why they missed the reason He came the first time.
He was not to usher in the literal kingdom at that time but to usher in
the way to the kingdom. First He had to die for sins, make a way for
all to be saved including Gentiles, and baptize believers in the
Holy Spirit which would
redeem lost mankind back to the Father who previously was lost when sin
entered the world. Jesus also instructed all believers to go into
all the world and preach this same gospel to all who would hear.
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Daniel 2:44 And in the days of
these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which
shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to
other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these
kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Dan 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of
the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the
iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great
God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass
hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation
thereof sure.
The prophet Micah also prophesied of this
coming king.
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Micah 5:2 But thou,
Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of
Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be
ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from
everlasting.
He was to be born in Bethlehem from the tribe
of Judah fulfilling the prophecy of Jacob in the book of Genesis.
Jesus preexisted with the Father and will continue forever.
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Zechariah 3:8 Hear now, O
Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before
thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring
forth my servant the BRANCH.
Zec 3:9 For behold the stone that I
have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes:
behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of
hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.
The Messiah, the Christ is referred to here
in Zechariah as the branch. At His return, He removes the iniquity
of Israel in one day. When one is born again by His Spirit,
individuals who come to Him for salvation experience the same thing.
Their sin is removed at the same hour or day when they come to
Christ. They do not have to earn it. It has already been paid for by
Christ's death on the cross.
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Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem:
behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having
salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the
foal of an ass.
Now we see another prophecy in Zechariah
where those who seek God for understanding can recognize the Savior
back at His first coming. This literally happened.
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Matthew 21:1 And when they
drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the
mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
Mat 21:2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against
you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with
her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
Mat 21:3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The
Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
Mat 21:4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken by the prophet, saying,
Mat 21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh
unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of
an ass.
They later turned against Him when evil men
stirred up the crowds against Him but first scripture is fulfilled
and they spread palm branches in the streets.
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Matthew 21:6 And the
disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
Mat 21:7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them
their clothes, and they set him thereon.
Mat 21:8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in
the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed
them in the way.
Mat 21:9 And the multitudes that went before, and that
followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is
he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
Mat 21:10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was
moved, saying, Who is this?
Mat 21:11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of
Nazareth of Galilee.
Again in Zechariah we see another prophesy
fulfilled in
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Zechariah 13:7 Awake, O
sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my
fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the
sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the
little ones.
Jesus Himself mention this prophecy at the
night of His crucifixion, later they were all scattered until after
His resurrection when He revealed Himself to them again.
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Matthew 26:31 Then saith
Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this
night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the
sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
Malachi also prophecies of the coming of one
that prepares the way for the coming of Christ which all nations who
receive Him will be blessed fulfilling the promise given to Abraham
recorded in the book of Genesis. John the Baptist was the forerunner
who announced the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.
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Malachi 3:1 Behold, I will
send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and
the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even
the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he
shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.
As Jesus finished expounding the scriptures
that told of His coming and the events of that day being fulfilled,
they came close to the village and was asked to stay and eat.
Afterward He vanished out of their sight when they eyes were opened.
We might say that their spiritual eyes were open when they
recognized who He was right before He vanished. He left when the
purpose of the walk to Emmaus was fulfilled.
- Luke 24:28 And they drew nigh
unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would
have gone further.
Luk 24:29 But they constrained him,
saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far
spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
Luk 24:30 And it came to pass, as he
sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and
gave to them.
Luk 24:31 And their eyes were
opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
Luk 24:32 And they said one to
another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us
by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
Luk 24:33 And they rose up the same
hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered
together, and them that were with them,
Luk 24:34 Saying, The Lord is risen
indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
Luk 24:35 And they told what things
were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of
bread.
Their hearts burned within them while Jesus
expounded the scriptures. I've experienced that before when someone
was teaching the word or preaching the word under the anointing of
the Holy Spirit. I would sit on the edge of my seat in anticipation,
drinking in every word as my heart burned with joy at hearing a word
from the Lord. The word of God is powerful, life changing and very
real.
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