PROPHECY: PROOF THE BIBLE IS GOD'S WORD!

THE TOTAL ACCURACY OF BIBLE PROPHECY

God knows the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:10).  He has a complete knowledge of all future events.  We would expect, therefore, that all of God’s predictions would be totally accurate and would come to pass exactly as predicted, that is, they would be literally fulfilled.  Here are just a few examples of God’s predictions and their precise fulfillment:

       *Jesus predicted that the temple in Jerusalem would be totally destroyed (Mt. 24:2).  About 40 years later this was literally fulfilled as the Romans destroyed the temple under Titus.
       *God predicted that Abraham's descendants would be slaves in a foreign land for 400 years (Gen. 15:13).  Several generations later, following the death of Joseph, this was literally fulfilled (Ex.1).
       *God, through Daniel, predicted the coming of the future world empires of Persia, Greece and Rome (Dan. 2, Dan. 7, Dan. 9) with such accuracy that unbelieving scholars have insisted that the book of Daniel must have been written at a much later time because no one living in Daniel’s day could have known about these future kingdoms!  [Note:  Daniel's prophecies were included in the Hebrew Septuagint which was written c. 200 B.C. while still under the Grecian Empire.  Rome did not conquer Israel until c. 63 B.C.!]
       *In 1 Kgs. 13:2, God predicted that a man would be born in the line of David by the name of Josiah.  The book of 1 Kings was written three centuries before Josiah’s birth!
       *In Isa. 44:28 and 45:1, God predicted that a future Persian king would come on the scene by the name of Cyrus. Yet Isaiah wrote this more than 100 years before Cyrus was even born!  This is one reason why unbelieving Bible scholars insist that Isaiah could not have written these chapters, as no one in Isaiah’s day could have known about this future ruler.  But God knew!
       *Countless other examples of fulfilled prophecy could be given, including all of the prophecies about the Lord Jesus Christ’s First Coming which were literally fulfilled.  For example, Micah, writing 700 years before His birth, predicted that God’s King would be born in an insignificant town called Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2)!  This would be analogous to a man living 200 years before Columbus predicting what town President Bush would be born in!

Probably the most significant prophecy that has been fulfilled since the time of Christ, was that Israel would become a nation again, and that it would claim Jerusalem as its capital; the rebirth of Israel happened in A.D. 1948, and Jerusalem was captured during the "Six Day War" in A.D. 1967!  This was extremely important in that Bible prophecies concerning the Tribulation required that Israel be a nation, the City of Jerusalem its capital, and a Jewish Temple (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15; Rev. Ch. 13)!

Due to space limitations, I will not talk about the yet to be fulfilled prophecies concerning the Rapture of the Church (Christ's removing born again believers before God's wrath is poured out on the remainder of the world's population), or the Tribulation (seven years dealing with Israel).  However, I would be remiss if I didn't speak about Christ's Second Coming.  The timing is at the end of the Tribulation (Mt. 24:29; Rev. 19).  Having defeated Satan and his minions, He will establish His Millennial Kingdom (a 1000 year earthly rule by the Son of God - Rev. 20)!

I will end today's blog with a quote for the Book of Acts, and one from Revelation:

Acts 1:9-11 - "And when (Jesus) had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; who said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven."
  
Revelation 19:11-13 - "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war.  His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself.  And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood:  and His name is called The Word of God."

ARE YOU READY?  YOU CAN BELIEVE THE BIBLE WHEN IT SAYS:

EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW, AND EVER TONGUE CONFESS JESUS IS LORD!