Why the Bible is Truth, General Prophesies Fulfilled

 Predictions in the Bible.

As we begin the new year, new year resolutions abound. Most will not be followed. Some may. One of the things I highly recommend is making an effort of reading God's Word on a daily basis. This is critical for any child of God. You must lay for yourself a solid foundation. The only way to do this is to pray and spend time in God's Word.

When Jesus was talking about the different people that hear the Word, and how they respond to it, He referred to four different types of people. Those along the path. The rocky soil. The thorn wrenched. Then finally the good soil. Matthew 13. The only way you get to go from the wayside to good soil is to read God's Word.

See first, those by the,,, well, why not let Jesus explain it. Turn to Matthew 13, start at verse 18

"Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."

This is why it is so important to study God's Word daily. Everything you need to ever know is right here {Holding up the Bible.} Now you are going to come across some who feel the Bible is nothing more than just another "religious book" and means little to nothing. Some will tell you that the Bible is full of contradictions and false information. Not true. There is not one single contradiction in the Bible. No not one. There are misunderstandings, differing points of view, and poor translations, but zero contradictions. Then you are going to have those who honestly ask, why should we believe the Bible? Why should we put the Bible over every other religious book? How do we know for a fact, that the Bible is true? This is what we will be addressing for the next few weeks.

One of the easiest ways to disprove the Bible is also one of the easiest ways to prove the Bible is Truth. You see. there are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament for a total of 1,817. This is according to “The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy” by J. Barton Payne.

Well? OK. If the Bible makes all these predictions, and they are proven false, then the Bible is indeed false. However, if the Bible makes all these predictions, some 26 percent of the total Bible is made up of prophecies, then predictions proven correct makes the bible true. We are going to look at four main topics. General, Scientific, Jesus Himself as the Messiah that was to come and then did, the present and future still to come. Let's get started with some general.

Babylon Will Rule Over Judah for 70 Years

"This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the Lord, making the land an everlasting waste." Jeremiah 25:11-12

Jeremiah said that the Jews would suffer 70 years of Babylonian domination and that after this was over, Babylon would be punished. Both parts of this prophecy were fulfilled. In 609 BC, Babylon captured the last Assyrian king and took over the holdings of the Assyrian empire, which included the land of Israel. Babylon then began to take many Jews as captives to Babylon and destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. This domination of the Jews ended in 539 BC, when Cyrus, a leader of Persians and Medes, conquered Babylon, bringing an end to the empire. This was predicted in Isaiah 45:1

"Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to lose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:"

Jeremiah 49:15-20; Ezekiel 25:12-14 both tell of how the luscious and beautiful land of Edom, today a part of Jordan, would become a desert and wasteland. Their description accurately tells the history of that now bleak region.

"For behold, I will make you small among the nations, despised among mankind. The horror you inspire has deceived you, and the pride of your heart, you who live in the clefts of the rock, who hold the height of the hill. Though you make your nest as high as the eagle's, I will bring you down from there, declares the Lord.

Edom shall become a horror. Everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its disasters. As when Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities were overthrown, says the Lord, no man shall dwell there, no man shall sojourn in her. Behold, like a lion coming up from the jungle of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly make him run away from her. And I will appoint over her whomever I choose. For who is like me? Who will summon me? What shepherd can stand before me? Therefore hear the plan that the Lord has made against Edom and the purposes that he has formed against the inhabitants of Teman: Even the little ones of the flock shall be dragged away. Surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate." Jeremiah 49:15-20

Ezekiel 25:12-14

"Thus says the Lord God: Because Edom acted revengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance on them, therefore thus says the Lord God, I will stretch out my hand against Edom and cut off from it man and beast. And I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan they shall fall by the sword. And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel, and they shall do in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath, and they shall know my vengeance, declares the Lord God."

Isreal itself is a prophesy fulfilled. Isreal? As we know it today? The exact location and construction sequence of Jerusalem's nine suburbs was predicted by Jeremiah about 2600 years ago.

"Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when the city shall be rebuilt for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. And the measuring line shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall then turn to Goah. The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be sacred to the Lord. It shall not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.” Jeremiah 31:38-40

Ezekiel 37:21-22 declares this

"then say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms."

Isaiah 66:7-8 describes this taking place in one day.

"Before she was in labor she gave birth; before her pain came upon her she delivered a son. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children."

This rebirth became history in 1948, in one day, and the construction of the nine suburbs has gone forward precisely in the locations and in the sequence predicted.

These are some general prophecies and or predictions that have become proven true, in some cases, hundreds of years after they were made. As we talked about in the beginning, there are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament for a total of 1,817. This makes up over 26 percent of the whole Bible. When fully examined, we find that the Bible is correct, 100 percent of the time. We just scratched the surface today.

Next time we come together we will be discussing another one of my favorite things, science. Is science and the Bible incompatible? Moreover, are they opposed? Can you believe both? Short answer? Yes. Sadly, it just takes science hundreds to thousands of years to catch up to the Bible. Guess what, when it does? Science proves the Bible right.

Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray.

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I believed He raised from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. 2 Corinthians 13

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Jesus is Lord!!