JUST AS PROMISED

May 8

Bible Reading: John 19:23-24

John 19:24, “This was to fulfill the Scripture.” (19:28, 19:36, 19:37)

In April 2024, an Oregonian won the $1.3 billion Powerball lottery.  Officials noted that the odds of winning that lottery were about one in 292 million.  Pretty steep odds, right?  Did you know that there were over 300 prophecies about Christ given in the Old Testament.  All the prophecies were given at least 400 years before he was born and some thousands of years before.  He fulfilled thirty-three prophecies on the day of his crucifixion, with several of them being referenced in this chapter in John.  The odds of any random person fulfilling all those prophecies were astronomical!

Jesus spoke of how He came to fulfill the Scriptures.  He chided the religious leaders, saying: “You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me” (John 5:39).  And likewise says: “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what Moses wrote, how will you believe my words?”  Even after his resurrection, Jesus directed his disciples back to the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies to encourage their faith (Luke 24:25-27).  The fulfillment of prophecy testifies to the truth that Jesus is who He declared and revealed Himself to be (John 20:30-31).

So, if the odds of winning the $1.3 billion dollar lottery were one in 292 million, what would have been the odds that any anonymous person would fulfill all the prophecies regarding the Christ? Professor Peter W. Stoner states that the probability of just eight prophecies being fulfilled in one person is 1 x 10 17th. That is 100,000,000,000,000,000! It has been illustrated like this: If you took 1 x 1017 silver dollars and placed them over Texas (the second largest US state), you would not only cover all of Texas but would have a coin pile two feet deep. If you blindfolded yourself, took one of the coins and threw it back into the pile, and walked from the beginning of Texas, stopping only once to find that coin, that is the chance that one person would fulfill only eight of these prophecies.

Bottom line?  Jesus is the Messiah of whom the Old Testament spoke.  He came as promised, fulfilling every prophecy to the letter.  He is the Divine Son of God, and salvation is to those who place their trust in Him (John 20:30-31).  And by the way, there are plenty of prophecies that speak of His second coming!  They’ll be fulfilled to the letter also.  And that, my friends, is our blessed hope!

Jesus fulfilled all the Old Testament Messianic prophecies related to His first coming! He will likewise fulfill all those that speak of His second!

O WORD OF GOD INCARNATE
O Word of God incarnate,
O Wisdom from on high,
O Truth, unchanged, unchanging,
O Light of our dark sky,
we praise Thee for the radiance
that from the hallowed page,
a lantern to our footsteps,
shines on from age to age.

The church from her dear Master
received the gift divine,
and still that light she lifteth
o’er all the earth to shine.
It is the golden casket,
where gems of truth are stored;
it is the heav’n-drawn picture
Of Christ, the living Word.

It floateth like a banner
before God’s host unfurled;
it shineth like a beacon
above the darkling world.
It is the chart and compass
that o’er life’s surging sea,
‘mid mists and rocks and quicksands,
still guides, O Christ, to Thee.

O make Thy Church, dear Savior,
a lamp of burnished gold,
to bear before the nations
Thy true light as of old.
O teach Thy wand’ring pilgrims
by this, their path to trace,
‘til, clouds and darkness ended,
they see Thee face to face.

Unknown's avatar

Author: looking2jesus13

Jerry L. Conklin was born and raised in Hillsboro, Oregon. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Navy and served for six years in the Navy’s Nuclear Power Program. He was assigned to the USS *Omaha* (SSN-692), a nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, where he served as a reactor-plant electrical operator. His military service took him to ports and locations throughout the world and provided extensive technical training, leadership experience, and an enduring appreciation for those who serve in the Armed Forces. Following his Navy service, Jerry earned a bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Thomas Edison State University. He worked at the Trojan Nuclear Plant near Rainier, Oregon, first as a reactor operator and later as a training specialist. After sensing God’s call to pastoral ministry, he left the nuclear-power industry and earned a master’s degree in theology from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Jerry served for twenty-seven and a half years as senior pastor of Lewis and Clark Bible Church in Astoria, Oregon. During those years, he preached and taught the Scriptures, provided pastoral counseling, performed weddings and memorial services, trained church leaders, and served individuals and families throughout the community. He also served as a fire department chaplain and participated in a variety of community ministries. After retiring from full-time pastoral ministry, Jerry and his wife, Laura, moved to Heppner, Oregon. There he served for approximately four years as a chaplain with Pioneer Memorial Home Health and Hospice, providing spiritual and emotional support to more than 150 patients and their families. In 2023, the Oregon Association for Home Care honored him as its Chaplain of the Year. Jerry also helped establish South Morrow County Seniors Matter, a nonprofit organization created to address the needs of older adults following the COVID-19 pandemic. As chairman, he worked with community leaders and volunteers to develop a weekly senior meal program, a monthly veterans’ lunch, and other activities and services. The organization served hundreds of seniors, mobilized more than 200 volunteers, and received statewide and national recognition. In 2025, Jerry was named Heppner’s Man of the Year, and his community service was later recognized by United States Senator Jeff Merkley. International missions have also been an important part of Jerry’s ministry. He has made ten trips to Uganda, where he has taught at pastors’ conferences, preached in churches, participated in Bible-school graduations, distributed Bibles and Christian materials, and encouraged local pastors and ministry leaders. He developed the discipleship booklet *First Steps with Jesus* to help new believers understand and grow in their faith. Jerry is the author of numerous books, Bible studies, devotionals, and teaching resources, including works centered on prayer, Christian hope, spiritual growth, and the person of Jesus Christ. His decades of preaching and teaching reflect his commitment to presenting biblical truth clearly, practically, and faithfully. Jerry and Laura were married for nearly forty-two years and raised four children. They were also blessed with three grandchildren. Laura passed away in August 2025 following an eight-and-a-half-year battle with cancer. Jerry currently lives in Hillsboro, where he helps care for his elderly father. He continues to preach, teach, write, and serve others through pastoral and community ministry.

Leave a comment