Listen to this newly converted lady’s story:
While I was Muslim, I was taught that Jesus crying out on the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me!”, was proof that he couldn't be God.
Because if He is divine, then why can't He save Himself?
But once I actually studied Scripture, my mind was blown because that line people use against Jesus is actually one of the strongest proofs that He is God!
When Jesus says, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?”, He's actually quoting the opening line of Psalm 22.
Back then, psalms weren't numbered. So, 1st Century Jews didn't say, Psalm 22!
They referenced them by their first line!
So, by quoting the first line, Jesus was basically saying, “Go, read the whole thing!”
This is the overwhelming scholarly consensus among Christian and non-Christian scholars.
With this in mind, now, look at what that Psalm says! See https://www.bible.com/bible/59/PSA.22.ESV
We see:
It describes… hands and feet being pierced
… bones literally exposed
… intense thirst
… garments divided
… lots cast for clothing
… and mockers shaking their heads, saying: “He trusts in the Lord! Let God rescue Him!”
It literally describes what is happening to Jesus at that very moment while He was on the cross!
And the wild thing here is: The crucifixion didn't even exist yet when David wrote this!
It shows up centuries later under the Romans! Yet, the imagery matches the cross almost unnervingly!
Well, he's basically saying: This, right now, this is that prophecy happening!
And in John 10:18, He says: “No one takes my life from Me! I lay it down of My own accord!”
So, He chose to give his life for us!
He didn't want to save Himself!
That was the whole plan from the very first book of the Torah, from Genesis, from the story of Adam and Eve.
Because in Genesis 3:15, God says to the serpent: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between her seed, and yours! He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel!”
Notice how it says, the woman's “seed”, when usually it says the “man's seed” when referring to offspring!
That's because it's talking about Jesus!
And Jesus had no earthly father! He was born to a virgin, Mary!
He crushed the head of the serpent when He paid the debt of all our sins on the cross and then rose again on the third day!
And the serpent “striking his heel”, was His suffering during the brutal course of the crucifixion!
And Jesus even says, “Everything written about Me in the Law of Moses, and the Prophets, and the Psalms, must be fulfilled!” (Luke 24:44)
So, He had to die on the cross, because it was written in Genesis 3, and Psalm 22, and in over 300 other places in the Old Testament!
He repeatedly predicted His death!
He stopped Peter from fighting and said, “Legions of angels” were available if He wanted out!
And Psalm 22 doesn't end in despair!
It ends in victory and worldwide worship!
Which He fulfilled when He rose again on the third day!
And the good news spread across all nations!
The amount of evidence for Jesus being God is absolutely insane!
He loves you and wants you to know the truth about Him!