Chapter 2 - THE BOOK THAT REVEALS THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

A BOOK OF PROPHECY

Fulfilled prophecy gives conclusive evidence that the Bible is inspired of God.  The Bible contains many prophecies that have been fulfilled in detail.  Obviously, mere humans could not be responsible for this.  What, then, is behind these prophecies ?  The Bible itself says that "prophecy was at no time brought about by man's will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit,"  or God's active force. (2 Peter 1:21)  Consider some examples.

The fall of Babylon. Isaiah and Jeremiah both foretold Babylon's fall to the Medes and the Persians.  Remarkably, Isaiah's prophecy about this event was recorded some 200 years before Babylon was conquered!  The following aspects of prophecy are now matters of historical record:  the drying up of the Euphrates River by diverting its waters to an artificial lake  (Isaiah 44:27; Jeremiah  50:38); a careless lack of security at Babylon's river gates  (Isaiah 45:1); and the conquest by  a ruler named Cyrus. -Isaiah 44:28.

The rise and fall of "the king of Greece." In a vision, Daniel saw a male goat strike down a ram, breaking its two horns.  Then, the goat's horn was broken,and four horns came  up in its place.  (Daniel 8:1-8)  To Daniel it was explained:  "The ram that you saw possessing the two horns stands for the kings of Media and Persia. And the hairy he-goat stands for the king of Greece; and as for the great horn that was between its eyes, it stands for the first king.  And that one having been broken, so that there were four that finally stood up instead of it, there are four kingdoms from his nation that will stand up,but not with his power."  (Daniel 8:20-22)  True to this prophecy, some two centuries later, "the king of Greece," Alexander the Great, overthrew the two-horned Medo-Persian Empire. Alexander died in 323 B.C.E and was eventually replaced by  four  of his generals.  However, none of these subsequent kingdoms matched the power of Alexander's empire.

The life of Jesus Christ.  The Hebrew Scriptures contain scores of prophecies fulfilled  in the birth, ministry,  death, and resurrection of Jesus.  For example, more than 700 years in advance, Micah foretold that the Messiah, or Christ, would be born in Bethlehem.  (Micah 5:2; Luke 2:4-7) Micah's contemporary Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be struck and spit upon.  (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67)  Five hundred  years  in advance, Zechariah  prophesied  that the Messiah would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.  (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew 26:15) More than a thousand years beforehand, David foretold circumstances  associated with the death of Jesus the Messiah.  (Psalm 22:7, 8, 18; Matthew 27:35, 39-43) And some five centuries in advance, Daniel's prophecy revealed when the Messiah would appear as well as the length of his ministry and the time of his death. (Daniel 9:24-27)  This is just a sampling of the prophecies fulfilled in Jesus Christ.  You  will find it rewarding to read much  more about him later.

Many other long-range Bible prophecies have already been fulfilled.  'But,' you may ask, 'how does this affect my life?'  Well, if someone told you the truth for many years, would you suddenly doubt him when he said something new?  No! God has told the truth throughout the Bible.  Should this not build your trust in what the Bible promises, such as its prophecies regarding a coming earthly paradise?  Indeed, we can have the same confidence as did Paul, one of Jesus' first-century disciples, who wrote that 'God cannot lie.'  (Titus 1:2) Furthermore, when we read the Scriptures and apply their counsel, we are exercising wisdom that humans cannot achieve on their own, for the Bible is the book that reveals the knowledge of God that leads to everlasting life.


Next time: "FORM A LONGING " FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

The Book -KNOWLEDGE That Leads To Everlasting Life, 1995