isaiah 9:6

Isaiah 9:6Isaiah 9:6

For unto us For unto us a child is borna child is born,,unto us unto us a son is givena son is given,,

and the government shall be upon his and the government shall be upon his shoulders.shoulders.

And he will be calledAnd he will be calledWonderful Counselor, the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty GodMighty God,,the the Everlasting FatherEverlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. , the Prince of Peace.

Why believe the Bible?Why believe the Bible? Is the Bible only one scripture among Is the Bible only one scripture among

many? Or is it like no other?many? Or is it like no other? How could we ever know whether How could we ever know whether

this book was inspired by God?this book was inspired by God? God’s chosen method of self-God’s chosen method of self-

authentication: Isaiah 42:8,9authentication: Isaiah 42:8,9

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

Isaiah 42:8,9 "I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you."

Couldn’t these predictions be Couldn’t these predictions be coincidence?coincidence?

Couldn’t Jesus deliberately Couldn’t Jesus deliberately fake the fake the fulfillment of predictionsfulfillment of predictions he already he already knew?knew?

Tonight, one case out of more than Tonight, one case out of more than a hundred: The genealogy of Christa hundred: The genealogy of Christ

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

Matthew 1:1-17Matthew 1:1-17

Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah the Judah and his brothers, Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram,

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

Humanity

AbrahamGen. 18:18

Humanity

Humanity

AbrahamGen. 18:18

Abraham’s Family

IsaacGen. 21:12

Humanity

AbrahamGen. 18:18

Abraham’s Family

Abraham’s Family

IsaacGen. 21:12

IsaacGen. 21:12

Abraham’s Family

JacobGen28:13,14

JudahGen.49:10

IsaacGen. 21:12

Abraham’s Family

JacobGen28:13,14

IsaacGen. 21:12

JudahGen.49:10

JacobGen28:13,14

Abraham’s Family

Tribe of Judah

DavidIs. 9:6

IsaacGen. 21:12

JudahGen.49:10

JacobGen28:13,14

Abraham’s Family

Tribe of Judah

v.6 David was the father of Solomon, whose v.6 David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah's wife, Solomon the mother had been Uriah's wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

Matthew 1:8-13 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Matthew 1:8-13 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, father of Uzziah, Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

Solomon2Sam.7:12

DavidIs. 9:6

Tribe of Judah

David’sFamily

AhazDavidIs. 9:6

Solomon2Sam.7:12

Tribe of Judah

David’sFamily

Ahaz

Hezekiah

AmonDavidIs. 9:6

Solomon2Sam.7:12

Tribe of Judah

David’sFamily

Ahaz

Hezekiah

Amon

Josiah

DavidIs. 9:6

Solomon2Sam.7:12

Tribe of Judah

David’sFamily

Ahaz Jeconiah

Hezekiah

Amon

Josiah

DavidIs. 9:6

Solomon2Sam.7:12

Tribe of Judah

David’sFamily

Solomon2Sam. 7:12

Ahaz Jeconiah

Hezekiah

Amon

Josiah

DavidIs. 9:6 David’s

Family

After the exile to Babylon: After the exile to Babylon: JeconiahJeconiah was was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, the father of Zadok, the father of Azor, the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of MaryJoseph, the husband of Mary, of , of whom was born whom was born Jesus, who is called Jesus, who is called ChristChrist..

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

DavidIs. 9:6

Solomon2Sam. 7:12

Ahaz Jeconiah

Hezekiah

Amon

Josiah

JosephChrist

David’sFamily

Is this man Coniah a despised, shattered jar? Or is he an undesirable vessel? Why have he and his descendants been hurled out And cast into a land that they had not known? O land, land, land, Thus says the Lord, “Write this man down childless, A man who will not prosper in his days; For no man of his descendants will prosper Sitting on the throne of David Or ruling again in Judah.”

Jeconiah

Jeremiah 22:28

DavidIs. 9:6

Solomon2Sam. 7:12

Ahaz Jeconiah

Hezekiah

Amon

Josiah

JosephChrist

David’sFamily

Jeconiah

Jeremiah 22:28

We’ve got a problem here!We’ve got a problem here! No descendant of Jeconiah can be a No descendant of Jeconiah can be a

king, king,

butbut King MessiahKing Messiah is a descendant of is a descendant of JeconiahJeconiah!!

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

The picture gets worse!The picture gets worse! Luke 3:23-38Luke 3:23-38

Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. when he began his ministry. He was the He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli…the son of Heli…

……the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of son of NathanNathan, the son of , the son of DavidDavid. . .. . .

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

The Bible’s authors don’t even agree The Bible’s authors don’t even agree with each other!with each other!

Why is Luke completely different Why is Luke completely different from Matthew?from Matthew?

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

Luke 3 Verse 23 Now Jesus himself was about Luke 3 Verse 23 Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli, of Joseph, the son of Heli,

Reads ThuslyReads ThuslyHe was the son, (He was the son, (so it was thought, of so it was thought, of JosephJoseph) ) [but really] the son of Heli. . . [but really] the son of Heli. . .

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

According to Jewish law, the eldest According to Jewish law, the eldest son had the right of inheritance, son had the right of inheritance, even if adoptedeven if adopted..

As Joseph’s first son, Jesus would As Joseph’s first son, Jesus would inheritinherit his estate his estate

Yet, Joseph was not really Jesus’ Yet, Joseph was not really Jesus’ father!father!

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

DavidIs. 9:6

Solomon2Sam. 7:12

Ahaz Jeconiah

Hezekiah

Amon

Josiah

Jeremiah 22:28

JosephChrist

David’sFamily

Jeconiah

DavidIs. 9:6

Solomon2Sam. 7:12

Ahaz Jeconiah

Hezekiah

Amon

Josiah

Jeremiah 22:28

JosephChrist

David’sFamily

Jeconiah

Nathan

A son of AbrahamA son of AbrahamA son of JacobA son of JacobA son of DavidA son of DavidQualifiedQualified to inherit David’s to inherit David’s

thronethroneBut But notnot the son of Jeconiah! the son of Jeconiah!

Jesus’ credentials:Jesus’ credentials:

Why believe the Bible?Why believe the Bible? Because it is the only scripture in the world Because it is the only scripture in the world

that has self-authentication…that has self-authentication… Numerous other reasons as wellNumerous other reasons as well God has been God has been orchestratingorchestrating his his plan of plan of

salvation salvation for thousands of yearsfor thousands of years Tonight you are sitting here, confronted with Tonight you are sitting here, confronted with

the evidence of his working--what will you do?the evidence of his working--what will you do?

Matthew 1:1-17Matthew 1:1-17