Prophecy Says: “It’s True!”
Chart Objective:
To examine fulfilled prophecy, which is the most amazing and valid proof that the Bible is the true, inspired Word of God.
Chart Outline:
A. The Prophets Proved It!
B. It Happened Then!
C. It’s Happening Now!
D. It Will Happen Soon!
A. The Prophets Proved It!
The future has always intrigued man. From the earliest days of civilization, methods have been devised for forecasting in the stars. Countless other means for determining the future have also been attempted, although most are highly ineffective.
We are interested in the hereafter! We want to know what will happen next. Man’s nature possesses a certain curiosity and wonder about coming events.
Yet our Book contains precise predictions. Its rate of accuracy has never been equalled. Our Bible contains some 6,000 specific prophecies. Thousands have already been fulfilled, exactly as given—100 percent accurate!
Prophecy is the infallible test. The proofs of science, medicine, history and archeology might be regarded as mere coincidence. But no one can dispute the validity of the biblical prophetic statements. Written thousands of years ago, proof is swift, incisive, unanswerable, and overwhelming in its utter abundance.
Considering how experts err in predicting events only a few days in advance, how utterly impossible it would be for the human mind to foretell the destinies of nations thousands
of years into the future!
For example, consider the June 12, 1967, issue of U.S. News and World Report. It was circulated the day before the Six-Day War broke out between the Israelis and the Arabs. In one article, a panel of key military experts made twelve predictions on the outcome of such a conflict. Result? In eleven of the twelve forecasts, they were wrong!
However, when considering Bible prophecies offered thousands of years ago, without exception the prophets have always been accurate! Many prophecies are described in vivid detail.
During the life of Christ alone, 333 prophecies were fulfilled. Actually, the prophets foretold the destiny of practically every existing ancient nation—and in every case proved correct. Even now, countless prophetic utterances are being realized. Yes, right now while you are living!
The Bible has proven to be history written in advance. It’s like reading tomorrow’s newspaper today!
B. It Happened Then!
Consider just a few prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ. Micah said Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. Isaiah foretold He would be born of a virgin, rejected by the Jews, and cruelly crucified.
Zechariah vividly described His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The psalmist David revealed Jesus’ betrayal by a friend, the giving of gall and vinegar on the cross, the piercing of His hands and feet and the gambling for His garments. Even the exact price of betrayal was predicted—thirty pieces of silver!
At least twenty-nine Old Testament prophecies relate to the betrayal, trial, death, suffering and burial of our Lord. Although spoken at various times by many different voices during the five centuries from 1000 to 500 B.C., every one of them was literally fulfilled in one twenty-four-hour period of time (Josh McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, page 158)!
Can there be any doubt that the Bible is the true, inspired Word of God?
C. It’s Happening Now!
Much of the current news about Israel in newspapers provides a wonderful opportunity of seeing Bible prophecy fulfilled before our eyes. It’s happening now!
Christ Himself predicted there would be worldwide wars and rumors of wars. He listed famines, pestilence, and earthquakes. Men’s hearts would fail them for fear. He warned that a state of political unrest and upheaval would exist. An identifying feature of the last generation would be an increase in deception, false Christs, and witchcraft.
The Bible also predicted gross immorality and rebellion. A “Beast” would ascend into world dominance and require every person to have a number in his forehead or hand to buy or sell.
All these predictions, plus many others, will be detailed in future lessons.
A most amazing prophetic fulfillment of our times has been the return of the Jews to their homeland. Consider the Old Testament predictions of Ezekiel and Jeremiah:
“And I scattered them among the heathen, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way . . . For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land . . . And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God” (Ezekiel 36:19, 24, 28).
“And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase” (Jeremiah 23:3).
These verses are a sample of the numerous prophecies concerning the regathering of Israel in the last days. Israel has been scattered around the world for 1,900 years. Yet hope never faded of returning to their homeland in Palestine.
Consider another amazing prophecy. An Old Testament prophet foretold the use of airplanes as a defensive means for Israel, thousands of years before the invention of modern transportation:
“As birds flying, so will the LORD of hosts defend Jerusalem; defending also he will deliver it; and passing over he will preserve it” (Isaiah 31:5).
Although the Turks still controlled Jerusalem in 1917, the British were confident of regaining power for the Jews. Early one morning, British commanders sent two reconnaissance planes over the Old City to review Turkish occupation. Few planes, if any, had ever appeared in that part of the world in 1917. The Turks saw them as omens of disaster and became alarmed. The following night, they slipped out of the north gates and fled the city without firing a single shot.
By the next morning, Jerusalem lay open for British occupation. Thus it came to pass as the prophet had declared 2,500 years earlier.
In 1917, the Balfour Declaration was signed by the British government giving Jews the right to return to Palestine and re-establish Israel as a nation. During the 1920s and 30s, hundreds of thousands of Jews migrated to Palestine.
Finally in May 1948, the creation of Israel as an independent state was announced, with official recognition by America and other major nations.
Immediately upon forming this new independent state, the government invited Jews all over the world to emigrate to Palestine with the privilege of citizenship. Within a few years, more than two million Jews had returned!
After 2,500 years, Ezekiel and Jeremiah’s words were accurately fulfilled—a unique event in the history of nations and another proof that the Bible is true!
Later, in 1967, the prophecy was dramatically repeated. At the beginning of the Six- Day War, Arab guns positioned on adjacent hills began firing into the city. A terrible destruction would have occurred had not the Israeli air force destroyed the Egyptian planes so quickly, allowing them to return and defend Jerusalem.
Israeli planes quickly silenced the Arab guns, and their soldiers took the Old City. At last, the promised city was in Jewish hands again. Once more, prophecy was fulfilled!
D. It Will Happen Soon!
Judging by the accuracy of prophecy already fulfilled, what events may we expect to happen? Many detailed prophecies are anticipated, some so alarming they would strike fear in the heart of any informed person. And others contain such beauty and promise of a brighter tomorrow, we are thrilled at the very thought! Many of these exciting prophecies will be discussed at length in coming lessons.
But just one hint for the future. Does the Bible say anything about the outcome of our world? Yes! Christ and the prophets have predicted a troubled age when men would be empowered to destroy all life on earth.
“The heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved” (II Peter 3:10-11).
Blood, fire, vapor, a great noise, fervent heat, melting, and dissolving are all very accurate descriptions of a nuclear explosion. Atomic warfare is the greatest pall that hangs over the human race. More than two thousand years ago, the prophet Joel and Peter prophesied it. Yet neither man could be termed a prophet of doom. Both gave marvelous descriptions concerning wonderful things God has prepared for the righteous. Those predictions will also be fully discussed in later lessons.
Considering all the prophecies mentioned, can there be doubt that God’s Word is true? If you are an intelligent person desiring to be enlightened with more truth, consider this amazing Book in which every prediction has occurred precisely. No other work on earth can match its record. It is flawless, exact, and incomparable!
Many proofs have been discussed that assure the truthfulness of the Bible. We can believe the powerful words written on its pages. The same power that prompted the sacred writers of Scripture can be ours as well. That same wonderful, life-changing power is available in every copy of the Bible.
This concludes Lesson 1 – Search For Truth #2
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