Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Tomorrow May Never Come for You

Matthew 27:50-52
50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 51At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.

Many would call the hour Jesus died as just a story but last week I came across an article on MSNBC from the Discovery Channel called "Quake reveals date of Jesus crucifixion, researchers believe" which talks about geologists who have now been able to prove Jesus time of death based on seismic activity. From the article:

Geologists say Jesus, as described in the New Testament, was most likely crucified on Friday, April 3, in the year 33.
The latest investigation, reported in International Geology Review, focused on earthquake activity at the Dead Sea, located 13 miles from Jerusalem. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 27, mentions that an earthquake coincided with the crucifixion:
To analyze earthquake activity in the region, geologist Jefferson Williams of Supersonic Geophysical and colleagues Markus Schwab and Achim Brauer of the German Research Center for Geosciences studied three cores from the beach of the Ein Gedi Spa adjacent to the Dead Sea. Varves, which are annual layers of deposition in the sediments, reveal that at least two major earthquakes affected the core: a widespread earthquake in 31 B.C. and a seismic event that happened sometime between the years 26 and 36. The latter period occurred during “the years when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea and when the earthquake of the Gospel of Matthew is historically constrained,” Williams said."The day and date of the crucifixion (Good Friday) are known with a fair degree of precision," he said. But the year has been in question.
  • All four gospels and Tacitus in Annals (XV, 44) agree that the crucifixion occurred when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea from A.D. 26 to 36.
  • All four gospels say the crucifixion occurred on a Friday.
  • All four gospels agree that Jesus died a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath (nightfall on a Friday).
  • The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) indicate that Jesus died before nightfall on the 14th day of Nisan, right before the start of the Passover meal.
  • John’s gospel differs from the synoptics, apparently indicating that Jesus died before nightfall on the 15th day of Nisan.
When data about the Jewish calendar and astronomical calculations are factored in, a handful of possible dates result, with Friday, April 3, 33, being the best match, according to the researchers.
Now why is so much of the article included above? If you are not a believer and follower of Jesus Christ or are only following Jesus when convenient, reading just a portion of the article is powerful enough to reconsider your stance on Jesus and your life. Many say they believe in God yet treat God as some little fairy but the Holy Bible is real, the events are real not just stories, Jesus is real, Heaven and Hell are real. The plight of your soul (mind and emotions) and spirit is real. If you are not on the right path, it's a good time to start. What will you say on your judgement day? Tomorrow may never come for you. What are you doing today? Think about the information the geologists have found that support what happened to our beloved Savior all for the sake of saving you and me from our sins if you just accept Him.

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