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Is there powerful evidence the Bible is true?
Since the Bible says that Christ is the only way to Heaven, is this an absolute truth? The Bible makes this claim in John 3:16 and Acts 4:12, etc. Scriptures show incredible consistency throughout the Bible and verifies themselves with overwhelming detail. Therefore to discount the truth of one scripture is to foolishly gamble with your place in eternity. There is no other religion that meets this test. This goes back all the way to the beginning of time. The lives of Joseph and Jesus are a powerful example we should consider. Could their lives be so perfectly paralleled if it were not by the hand of God Himself?
Consider the life of Joseph. Pastors today often tell the wonderful stories of his life and trust in God. Is that all that we should gain from the huge Genesis account of his life? Why would there be such great detail given and over 13 chapters in Genesis dedicated to his story? What was God's purpose? One answer is that the account prophetically "shadows" the life of Jesus Christ, with simply unbelievably specific detail, verifying the claim that scripture is truth. If the Bible shows itself to speak detailed truth, then when it says Christ is the only way, this must be considered true. It is true, despite today's political correctness and our uncomfortable malignment as people who 'hate' exactly those people we want to save from a terrible place in eternity. How could that be hate?
In the following pages, take a look at the following comparisons between the lives of Joseph and Jesus. Ask yourself, could these similarities possibly be strictly by chance? Could anyone else be the Messiah, in the past or future, even if we ignore all the numerous other prophecies regarding the Messiah in the Old Testament? Who else in all of history could fit this detailed description thousands of years before Jesus? Isn't it amazing that the very first book of the Bible predicted the way to salvation through Christ in incredible detail, long before His life on earth, as you see this unfold.
Let us begin by seeing that the root names of each men were the same, the Hebrew word for Joseph is Yoseph, meaning "he will add" (Genesis 30:24). Jesus' full name was Yeshua ben Yoseph. Jesus Christ's whole purpose for birth and death was to 'add' our souls to God's kingdom. In addition, Jesus and Joseph were both born through miracles. Jesus - virgin birth; Joseph- Rachel's barren womb was opened by God (Genesis 30).
These pages will more completely unfold the unbelievable parallels between their lives and God's plan of salvation. This is amazing and something only God can do. Some parallels are overwhelming and others are more subtle. This requires careful comparing to fully appreciate. A summary is included as a simple tabular form of some highlights.
As Christians, we were directed to always be ready to defend our faith. Faith is not an opinion. Faith is hope and trust in Almighty God who has shown Himself trustworthy. How do we know God exists and that He is trustworthy? Is 'faith' our own set of "reality" that may not apply to others? Is it merely a feeling, like most of us once believed in Santa Claus, and eventually grew out of? Absolutely not.
For one thing, we have overwhelming evidence that God exists through our experience with nature.
Romans 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
We all want proof. If we have proof by actually seeing God, we don't need faith. God wants us to want Him by faith (John 20:29). He has no respect for personal, unfounded opinions but wants us to use faith and reason to choose Christ (2 Timothy 2:15). God's proof is obvious but somewhat hidden. Scripture verifies its own truth. Things written hundreds and thousands of years prior to an event would be prophetically fulfilled without error and in incredible detail. Jesus Christ's attributes are found throughout the Old Testament scriptures, hundreds or thousands of years prior to His birth. Prophets wrote these down (inspired by the Holy Spirit) to direct people in generations to come what features we should see in someone claiming to be the Messiah, end time events and other pieces of information God wants those who seek it to obtain.
The 'Joseph' pages compare, verse by verse (NIV), the lives of Joseph and Jesus. The chapters included are Genesis 37 through Genesis 50 with the exception of Chapter 38 that concentrates on Judah, Joseph's brother. This is a long work, of great effort, and perhaps some mistakes were made in interpreting some parallels, although most have been made by other commentators. This was done as an act of love for the benefit of others and perhaps their salvation.
Perhaps with time these pages will be modified as additional points may be realized. This would be great material to discuss in Bible study, especially with an unbeliever, at the same time teaching the life of Christ and the inerrancy of the Bible. This overwhelming truth, in many details, deserves consideration. Pastors, please alert your congregations to these parallels. These truths were not ignored in the past as they have largely been today (thank you Gary Hedrick for awaking some of us). Pink and Spurgeon as well as countless others before us understood this material. Today, however, we seem to have neglected this powerful gift from God.
This gives us great reason to glorify our wonderful Father and His Son in Heaven. Praises to Almighty God who has opened up this material to us mere mortals for our salvation and edification.
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