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 responsible for  this.  What, then, is behind these prophecies?  The Bible itself says that "prophecy was at no time brought 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, Isiah'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 any 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 great horn was broken, and four horns came up in its place.   (Daniel 8:1-8) To Daniel it was explained:   "The ram 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 his eyes, it stands for the first king. And that one have been broken, so that there were four that finally stood up instead of it, there are four kingdoms from this 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 true 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 a book that reveals the knowledge of God that leads to everlasting life. 

Next time: THE BOOK THAT REVEALS THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD/"FORM A LONGING" FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

From the book: KNOWLEDGE That Leads to Everlasting Life