Many times in apologetic debates there is an assumption on the part of the skeptic that the Bible is simple a religious book that must be believed without any evidence. Which may sound good in a contemporary modernistic setting, yet the Bible is not simply one book which was written recently. It is a collection of books that have survived past hundreds of other religious counterparts and centuries of changing civilizations and by no means was there any empirical authority to blame until Constantine 2,000 years after Moses compiled Genesis! So what was the convincing component that led to the Bible having so much acceptance as a supernatural inspiration? Fulfilled Bible Prophecy!
Bible Prophecy)
The attack of authorship) One of the first attacks upon Bible prophecy was the claim that the prophetic books were written later. After all, if they were written after the fact, they would not be supernatural. But we must remember that history did not present the Holy Bible to us as an obvious myth. And the burden of proof is up to the critic to present the scriptures as a masterful conspiracy.
The problem is that we have not found evidence of this conspiracy.
The attack of genre) Many New Evangelicals leave Bible prophecy impotent through allegorizing. But the scriptures pose more problems interpreting that way than solutions, religious Christians of a moderate to liberal persuasion will have to come to a consensus on what is the dividing line between literal and figurative interpretation.
"Allegory by no means sprang from spontaneous piety, but was the child of rationalism which owed it's birth to the heathen theories of Plato. it deserved it's name, for it made Scripture say something else than it really meant...Origen borrows from heathen Platonist and from Jewish Philosophers a method which converts the whole of scripture, alike the New and Old Testament, into a series of clumsy, varying, and incredible enigmas. Allegory helped him get rid of chiliasm and superstitious literalism and the antithesis of the Gnostics, but it opened the door for deadlier evils." F.W.FerrarHistory of Interpretation p. 81(London: MacMillan and Co., 1886)
Now we need to be clear, this debate between Literal interpretation(historical grammatical hermeneutics) and allegory is not about whether to understand figures of speech and symbolism. The question is about eisegesis(interpreting the bible out of context) vrs. exegesis(interpreting the Bible within Context.)
Many have tried to make prophecy out to be an author's use of creative writing literature. A work of His own imagination.
"It is a mistake often made by educated persons who happen to have but little knowledge of historical theology to suppose that fundamentalism is a new strange form of thought. It is nothing of the kind
; It is the partialand uneducated survival of a theology, which was onceuniversally held by all christians. How many were there, for instance in Christian churches in the eighteenth century doubted the infallible inspiration of all scripture? A few perhaps, but very few. No, the fundamentalist may be wrong; I think he is. But it is we who have departed fromt the tradition, not he; and I am sorry for anyone who tries to argue with a fundamentalist on the basis of authorirty. The Bible and the corpus theologicum of the church are on the fundamentalist side." Kirsopp Lake The Religion of Yesterday and Tomarrow (Boston: Houghton, 1926) p. 61
The proof of probability
"Now, what are the odds that only 48 of the more than 700 [that we know of] prophecies of Jesus were fulfilled? Dr Peter Stoner [Science Speaks, 1958] estimated the odds against just 48 of the 300 or so Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah being fulfilled in one person. He calculated the odds at 1 in 10 to the power 157." [1]1. Science Speaks, by Peter W. Stoner. Copyright © 1958, 1963, 1968 by the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago. (P. 333).
"This illustrates why it is absolutely impossible for anyone to have fulfilled the Messianic prophecies solely by chance. Emile Borel is a leading authority on the probability theory, and he states in his book Probabilities and Life, once we go past one chance in 10 to the 50th power, the probabilities are so small it's impossible to think they will ever occur."Borel, Emil (1962), Probability and Life, Dover, translated from the original, Les Probabilite et la Vie
It is clear that the Bible has made claims which are not ambiguous. If these claims have come to pass, it is obvious that one would have evidence of the supernatural nature of this book.
The proof of fulfillment
A. short term fulfillment
Short term fulfilment is required for the survival of inspired scrfipture. People need to have a sign that the prophets were not messing around.
What are some examples of short term prophetic fulfillment?
a. The Great Flood)
Genesis 6:13 And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. 15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. 16 A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it. 17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. 18 But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. 20 Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. 21 And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.
Their is universal historical agreement as to the historical fact of the flood.
Yes, there are geologist who argue over the possibility of the flood.( Although there are many flood defenders in geology as well) However, there are accounts of the Great Flood all over the world.
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/flood-myths.html
One, source reports over 600 global flood myths
http://rabbithole2.com/presentation/mythology/over_600_flood_myths_from_around_world.htm
But if the flood did occur; how could humanity have survived with out divine intervention? How would Noah have known of the Flood and have the time to build such a superior sea vessel to protect people and animals from toxic flood water? Atheists acknowledge how amazing it would be for humanity to survive an event at this time period. So If the Flood did happen then God has spoken and proven himself to be almighty. But if this did not happen then why did everyone say it did? While this is an interesting story there are grandeur fantasies.
Why did this attract humanity?
Many have given a primordial psychological explanations. But Psychology has been ranked at times as a pseudo-science. Especially when analyzing human kind on an ancient observation. If the ancient past is not relieble on 600 accounts, then is human history reliable at all? If history is not valid then how can science be valid? afterall the validity of science depends upon the witness of history. perhaps scientist are capable of may hallucinations and observations.
B. The exodus) The exodus is the foundation of the history of Judaism. What is the history of Judaism without the Old Testament?
psalms 105:26 He sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen.
27 They shewed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
28 He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word.
29 He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.
30 Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings.
31 He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.
32 He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land.
33 He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and brake the trees of their coasts.
34 He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,
35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
36 He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.
37 He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes.
38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them."
How did the Jews escape the Egyptian empire? If they were not In the Egyptian empire, then why would they admit something so humiliating? People typically don't like to brag about how inferior their kingdom was to another. How could the Jews withstand the Egyptian empire?
Now by quoting this psalm, I am showing how early this tradition was taking roots. How come the neighboring countries and egypt call the hebrews out as Liars? Why is it that this religion kept hold to the point that it won over the polytheistic world?
This people would be impoverished and at a military disadvantage, why would the Egyptians let them go? Why would they see themselves as impoverished slaves?
1. The lack of Egyptian attestation has been explained due to the hyksos empire occupying the land for several hundred years before finally being expulsed.
"The Hyksos, Semitic tribes from Canaan and Syria knew no pity. With the fateful year of 1730 B.C. the thirteen hundred year rule of the dynasties came to an abrupt end. The Middle Kingdom of the Pharoahs was shattered under the onslaught of these asiatic peoples, the "rulers of foreign lands". That is the meaning of the name Hyksos." Werner Keller The Bible as History 2nd edit.
2. Joseph was recorded to have reigned in egypt.
"Below is from a stone tablet from a tomb (discovered in 1850) of a wealthy Yemenite woman who died during the Egyptian famine recorded in Genesis 41. This tablet confirms the biblical account of Joseph’s careful management of Egyptian food reserves during the 7 years of famine in Egypt.
I Tajah, the daughter of Dzu Shefar, sent my steward to
Joseph,
And he delaying to return to me, I sent my hand maid
With a measure of silver, to bring me back a measure of
And not being able to procure it, I sent her with a measure of gold:
And not being able to procure it, I sent her with a measure of pearls:
And not being able to procure it, I commanded them to be ground:
And finding no profit in them, I am shut up here.
Whosoever may hear of it, let him commiserate me;
And should any woman adorn herself with an ornament
From my ornaments, may she die with no other than my
death.”
Sinaitic Inscriptions in Wadee El-Mukattab, Sinai"
http://godssecret.wordpress.com/2009/03/27/archeological-biblical-proofs-0f-joseph-in-egypt-exodus-and-first-temple-period/
3. ancient paintings reveal Egyptians owning Semitic slaves"In a tomb at Beni Hassan in Egypt a scene is found of a migration of Semitic people entering into Egypt - women, children, animals and a man with a hand-held instrument, like the one David played before the Ark of the Covenant.
These Semitic people are clearly different from the depictions of the Egyptians all around them, for they have fairer skin, sharper features and the men have pointed beards. These depictions date to the time of Joseph and those characterised are wearing multi-coloured coats. This painting acts as an interesting confirmation of the description that the Bible gives us of Joseph and his family."http://www.byfaith.co.uk/paul2017.htm
4. There is record of the pharoah's son's death
"But the king despised the words of Moses, and horrible plagues came upon the Egyptians, unlike those of any nation before. First the river ran with bloody water, and the Egyptians who risked drinking it were overcome with great pain and torment. There was no other source of water, but to the Israelites the river was sweet. drinkable and perfectly normal. Then the king, fearful and perplexed, gave the Israelites permission to go, but when the plague ended, he changed his mind." pg 53.Josephus the Essential Writings, Jewish antiquities
trans. by Paul L Maier
But why doesn't Egypt have a record?
Many naturalists argued that there was no evidence of the Egyptian stay by the Hebrews and the exodus. But as it turns out the Egyptians had a habit of making there history exaggeratedly old. This can be seen for example in the Septuagint. Because the Egyptian jews who translated this bible exaggerated the ages of the patriarchs in the Genesis genealogy by 100 years a piece.
" It is true that there is no evidence for Moses, the ten plagues that fell upon Egypt or the exodus ‘at that time’. But there are a number of scholars who claim that a gross error in chronology has been made in calculating the dates of Egyptian history and that they should be reduced by centuries.5 Such a re-dating could bring the 12th dynasty down to the time of Moses, and there is plenty of circumstantial evidence in that dynasty to support the Biblical records."
"In the Leiden Museum in Holland is a papyrus written in a later period, but most scholars recognize it as being a copy of a papyrus from an earlier dynasty. It could have been from the 13th dynasty describing the conditions that prevailed after the plagues had struck. It reads,
‘Nay, but the heart is violent. Plague stalks through the land and blood is everywhere … . Nay, but the river is blood. Does a man drink from it? As a human he rejects it. He thirsts for water … . Nay, but gates, columns and walls are consumed with fire … . Nay but men are few. He that lays his brother in the ground is everywhere … . Nay but the son of the high-born man is no longer to be recognized … . The stranger people from outside are come into Egypt … . Nay, but corn has perished everywhere. People are stripped of clothing, perfume and oil. Everyone says "there is no more". The storehouse is bare … . It has come to this. The king has been taken away by poor men.’20"Searching for Moses by David Down April 1, 2001
David Down is a field archaeologist who takes a group of tourists to the Middle East every year. At the conclusion of the tour most of the tourists stay behind and work as volunteers on his digs, which are under the auspices of the Israeli Antiquities Authority. He publishes a monthly archaeology newsletter called Diggings, and the magazine Archaeological Diggings, which is distributed by newsagents throughout Australia.
Erman, A., Ipuwer Papyrus, Leiden Museum, quoted from The Ancient Egyptians, a source book of their writings, Harper and Row, New York, pp. 94—101, 1966.
"At Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baalzephon, pharoah overtook them with his army. There Moses divided the waters with his rod and they passed through the midst of the Trythraean or Red Sea, into the desert of Etham. When Pharoah and his army tried to follow, they were all drowned when the waters came together again. At dawn, the Israelites were completely freed from the bondage of the egyptians, whose bodies they saw floating along the sea and washed up on the shore." Annals of the World James Usher "The fourth age of the World" 1491 BC 4)
C. Elijah and the prophets of Ba'al
Here is another prophecy which does not exalt Israel. Israel is portrayed as unfaithful why couldn't this story have been focused on the prophets who opposed?
"Ahab, king of Israel, ruled for 22 years at Samaria, and outdid the previous kings in extraordinary wickedness and lawlessness. He worshiped the heifers which jeroboam had made, as well as the native gods of his wife jezebel, who was the daughter of the king of Tyre. This bold woman built a great temple to baal, the Tyrian god, and appointed priests and false prophets to this deity." Josephus the Essential Writings, Jewish antiquities pg. 151. trans. by Paul L Maier
Soon a great famine came upon the land. :"This arid period is also cited by Menander in His work on the King of Tyre."
"The Elijah prayed to God, asking Him to show His power to a people that had remained in error for so long. Suddenly fire fell from Heaven and consumed the altar. Even the water was evaporated, and the place was completely dry. Elijah told the king that he could go home for lunch, since rain was coming." pg.153
A major point to remember about Josephus is that He was giving specifically historical record. If the existential/naturalistic worldview were correct and the Bible was not inspired; it would still be obvious that Josephus was writing a historical account. Otherwise all He would have need to do was offer Rome a latin translation of the LXX. But instead Josephus wrote a massive volume of his understanding of the historical record.
D. The rise of the empires
Daniel 2:8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can shew me the interpretation thereof.
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king's matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can shew it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king's guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
15 He answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter.
24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will shew unto the king the interpretation.
25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.
26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king;
28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
29 As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.
30 But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart.
31 Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.
32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass,
33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay.
34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.
35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.
36 This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king.
37 Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory.
38 And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold.
39 And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
40 And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise.
41 And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.
42 And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.
43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay.
44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.
Here we have the prediction of 3 successive empires; Persian, Greek and Roman.
Assuming the traditional date of the book of Daniel. Daniel has successfully and repeatedly predicted the future, using the dream of the gentile king.
This prophecy along with the rest of the book daniel is rejected out right because of critical theory which claims the book was written around 164 BC.
1. the critical theories had an obvious anti-supernatural evolutionary naturalist bias.
"A second fundamental fallacy of the higher criticism is it's dependence on the theory of evolution as the explanation of the history of literature and of religion. The progress of the higher criticism towards it's present state has been rapid and assured since Vatke discovered in the Hegelian philosophy of evolution a means of biblical criticism. The Spencerian philosophy of evolution, aided and reinforced by Darwinism, has added greatly to the confidence of higher critics."pg 61 chapter 3 Fallacies of Higher criticism Franklin johnsonD. D., LL. D. The fundamentals vol. 1
2. The greek LXX :The Septuagint /ˈsɛptjuːəˌdʒɪnt/, /ˈsɛptuːəˌdʒɪnt/, /ˌsɛpˈtuːədʒɪnt/, /ˈsɛptʃuːəˌdʒɪnt/, from the Latin word septuaginta (
Assuming the popular scholarship is correct in this date. The book of daniel was produced in Hebrew at the same time that the book of daniel was translated into Greek. Then the book of daniel was given additional stories and the jews would rejected them because the hebrew daniel which was fabricated apparently and did not have them even though it was written at the same time!!
" The linguistic evidence, both Hebrew and Aramaic, suggests a date possibly in the 4th or even 5th century. The evidence of the LXX and Qumran indicates that Daniel was in existence in it's full form, and had been distributed over a relatively wide area, prior to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes." lasor, Hubbard, Bush Old Testament Survey pg. 574
Eerdmanns 1996
3. "If Daniel was written as late as is claimed then how did he know of details about Babylon that had been lost within a half-century of its fall to Cyrus in 539 B.C. (Xerxes having destroyed its palaces, walls, and temples in 480 B.C.)? The typical Daniel, critic ignores this point." ibid
4. 70 weeks
"The Prophecy of the Seventy Weeks troubled the Jewish translators. It foretold disaster to Jerusalem. City and sanctuary would be destroyed. they had been destroyed 464 years before by Nebuchadnezzar. Would they be destroyed again? The translators were unwilling to believe that such that such a calamity would occur again. Could they not make out that the words referred to troubles under Antiochus? It was true thathe had destroyed neithercity nor temple, but he had polluted the temple. Perhaps that was equivalent to destruction. At all events they did not daresay that another destruction of jerusalem lay in the future. But there stoodthe words. From the going forth of commandment to restore Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince would be seven weeks and three score and two weeks, 483 years. they could do nothing with those words. they left them out, and mangled the rest of the passage to give obscurely the impression that the disasters there foretold were a thing of the past. This mistranslation of a Divine oracle to amke it say what they had wished it to say was a high-handed proceeding, but it did not prevent its fulfillment. At the time appointed Messiah came and was crucified and Jerusalem fell. The critics efforts to force some meaning, other then than a prediction of Christ, into this prophecy is thus seen to be not without precedent."The Book of Daniel Prof. Joseph D. Wilson D.D.pg266 The fundamentals vol 1.
Cities judged)
sodom and gomorrah
genesis 19:20 Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.
21 And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.
22 Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.
23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
24 Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven;
25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
"Sodom and Gomorrah, notoriously sinful cities in the Old Testament Book of Genesis. They are now possibly covered by the shallow waters south of Al-Lisān, a peninsula near the southern end of theDead Sea in Israel. Sodom and Gomorrah constituted, along with the cities of Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar (Bela), the five biblical “cities of the plain.” Destroyed by “brimstone and fire” because of their wickedness (Genesis 19:24), Sodom and Gomorrah presumably were devastated about 1900 bc by anearthquake in the Dead Sea area of the Great Rift Valley, an extensive rift extending from the Jordan River valley in Israel to the Zambezi River system in East Africa.
Archaeological evidence indicates that the area was once fertile in the Middle Bronze Age (c. 2000–1500 bc), with fresh water flowing into the Dead Sea in sufficient amounts to sustain agriculture. Because of the fertile land, the biblical Lot, the nephew of the Hebrew patriarch Abraham, selected the area of the cities of the Valley of Siddim (the Salt Sea, or the Dead Sea) to graze his flocks. When the catastrophic destruction occurred, the petroleum and gases existing in the area probably contributed to the imagery of “brimstone and fire” that accompanied the geological upheaval that destroyed the cities. Har Sedom (Arabic: Jabal Usdum), or Mount Sodom, at the southwestern end of the sea, reflects Sodom’s name..."
Elam:Jeremiah 49:34-39
King James Version (KJV)
34 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying,
35 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.
36 And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.
37 For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, saith the Lord; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them:
38 And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the Lord.
39 But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith the Lord.
35 Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.
36 And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.
37 For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, saith the Lord; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them:
38 And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the Lord.
39 But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith the Lord.
"This greatest period of Elamite conquest ended when Nebuchadrezzar I of Babylon(reigned c. 1119–c. 1098 bc) captured Susa. For almost 300 years thereafter nothing is known of Elamite history. In 640 bc, however, the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal invaded Elam, sacked Susa, and deported some of the leading citizens to Samaria in Palestine. Later Elam formed a satrapy of the Persian Achaemenian dynasty, and Susa became one of the three most important cities of the Persian realm...."http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/181902/Elam"
Jesus prophecy of the destruction of the Jerusalem temple)
Luke 21:5 And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said, 6 As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
The gospels account of this prophesy had to be before the destruction of the temple in 72 A.D. Luke had written the book of acts prior to Paul's death in 66. AD.
Luke's gospel was based upon several accounts including the gospel of mark and the gospel of Matthew. the gospel of Matthew was said to be written first.
So the prophecy of the destruction of the temple was clearly prior to the event. Even Josephus lends credibility to this prophecy. This combined with the prophecy of Daniel seals the case.
B. Longterm fulfillment)
Because we are removed from the prophets by thousands of years, it is easy for critics of the Bible to claim that these prophecies were writtten about after the fact. Intensive studies by bible scholars can debunk these skeptics. But not convincingly enough for those who are less educated on history and archaeology. So that Is why the Lord has developed a back-up plan. Long term prophecy! As pects of prophecy still in fulfillment today!
Israel
"For better or for worse, the role of the West in humanities history is singular Because of this, the role of the Jews, the inventors of Western culture, is also singular: there is simply no one else remotely like them; there's is a unique vocation. Indeed as we shall see, the very idea of vocation, of a personal destiny, is a jewish ideA." PG3 The gift of the Jews Thomas Cahill
a. perpetuation: No ancient people in world history has survived dispersion for almost 2,000 years and yet been able to return and to re-establish their name and language.
Psalm 105: 8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.
9 Which covenant he made with Abraham, and his oath unto Isaac;
10 And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant:
11 Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance:
b. persecution period
"The World has by now discovered that it is impossible to destroy the Jew" Lord Beaconsfield (disraeli)
luke 21:24"And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled."
This is a continuation of prophecies on the Old Testament about Jacob's trouble. The Jews are the most persecuted ethnic group on earth.
The Jews have been oppressed by the Egyptians, the Assyrians, The Babylonians, the Greeks, the Romans, The Holy Roman Empire, Europe, Russia, The Muslims, the communist, the czech's, the American South, Palestine, france, Poland etc. etc.
They have been enslaved, kidnapped, had their temple destroyed, forced into ghettos, mistreat, had their employment revoke, subject to genocide, imprisoned, bombed etc etc. For thousands of years. One would think all the opposition would finish these people, yet they have survived longer than their oppressors.
c. restoration
Isaiah 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
"I do not think we attach enough significance to the restoration of the Jews. We do not think enough of it. But certainly if anything is promised in the Bible it is this." Charles Haddon Spurgeon Sermons vol. 1(NEw York: Funk and Wagnells, n.d. 136)
After the horrors of the Holocaust there was a massive immigration to the holy land. (though there was much immigration from Jews before and after.) What was once in the 1800's an abandoned wasteland is now one of the most powerful military and economic as well as educational nations in the world. Due to the scope of this article. I will leave the evidence of this up to other publications. But for a nation to survived thousands of years even though enduring regular persecution and exile; yet then to emerge as a world superpower is nothing short of miraculous.
Church
a. global nature
matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
matthew 28:
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
b. perpetuation
Ephesians 3:21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Christians have survived, even despite persecution and temptation many christians have the same faith as that of the early church. This faith has spread around the globe and will continue to do So until the 2nd coming.
Bible
a. preservation) Beginning with the pagan Roman Empire Bibles were destroyed and burned. this continued with the Roman Catholic church and the muslims. As well as communists countries.
b. Mark 13:10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations.
According to Josh Mcdowell as of 1932 there were 1,330,213,815 Bibles in print. It is difficult to imagine the amount of Bibles we have close to a century later. It is the most available book on earth.
c.influence: To this day Western society has been influence by the Bible, Whether it be phrases in our language. Laws on the books or even our Calendar. We can not escape the influence of scripture.
Great whore of Babylon
a. association with the church
b. persecution of the church
c. wealth
d. association with the world and the Beast
We seen in Revelation 17-18 A woman who rides the beast. This great world empire would support an apostate global church. We see this prophecy fulfilled in the Holy Roman Empire as Christianities greatest persecutor was an institution which claimed allegiance to Christ. We see this growing today as well in the ecumenical movement as christian groups depart from the Bible and accept pagan practices as well as fellowship without the unifying authority of the Word of God. For the apostasy to have such a dominate role is a sign from God that the end is drawing near.
C. Pascal's Wager.... But Jehovah's Guarantee!
If it is likely that the fulfillment of prophecy is not simply coincedence. Then the chances of God placing you under judgement increase. This brings us back to pascal's wager with graver consequences.
Nowadays, we have a society that is more new age and inclusive on issues of eternal judgement. But this is irrational. What motivation would an eternal deity have for granting mankind eternal life? Without revelation to dictate that God is a loving God we have no right to assume such a thing. So we are hoping that either we are irrationally granted immortality or that we will cease to exist.
Either way, a christian life does not risk much of anything besides the judgement of a few cults. meanwhile the rejection of christ is a rational justification for the condemnation of Hell which is eternal and unchanging.
Prophecy and Adam
gen 3:14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: 15 and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18 thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19 in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. 21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever: 23 therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. 24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Here in the beginning we start to understand the very beginning of humanity and the family unit that still affects us today.
Abraham's prophecy)
Genesis 12
King James Version (KJV)
12 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
15:3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
15:3 And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir.
4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
joseph's vision) genesis 39-41
How could a slave rise to prominence over one of the most powerful countries of the world? here we see the claim that Joseph did so through the interpretation of dreams. Interpreting dreams is important in the sense that another person has the vision/dream so that message is not an individual effort.
Samuel's prophecy about David
David and christ
1 Samuel 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
1 samuel 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refusedhim: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath the Lord chosen this.
10 Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The Lord hath not chosen these.
11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
The city of Tyre
Ezekiel 26:3 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up.
4 And they shall destroy the walls of Tyrus, and break down her towers: I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock.
5 It shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God: and it shall become a spoil to the nations.
6 And her daughters which are in the field shall be slain by the sword; and they shall know that I am the Lord.
7 For thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people.
8 He shall slay with the sword thy daughters in the field: and he shall make a fort against thee, and cast a mount against thee, and lift up the buckler against thee.
21 I will make thee a terror, and thou shalt be no more: though thou be sought for, yet shalt thou never be found again, saith the Lord God."For much of the 8th and 7th centuries bc the town was subject to Assyria, and in 585–573 it successfully withstood a prolonged siege by the Babylonian king Nebuchadrezzar II. Between 538 and 332 it was ruled by the Achaemenian kings of Persia. In this period it lost its hegemony in Phoenicia but continued to flourish. Probably the best-known episode in the history of Tyre was its resistance to the army of the Macedonian conqueror Alexander the Great, who took it after a seven-month siege in 332. He completely destroyed the mainland portion of the town and used its rubble to build an immense causeway (some 2,600 feet [800 metres] long and 600–900 feet [180–270 metres] wide) to gain access to the island section. After the town’s capture, 10,000 inhabitants were put to death, and 30,000 were sold into slavery. Alexander’s causeway, which was never removed, converted the island into a peninsula."http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/611914/Tyre
So How did Ezekiel know that many many centuries later a ruler from an unknown land would use Tyre's buildings to build a land bridge? It is extremely unlikely that Alexander the great would take the time to learn the language of a relatively small nation out of the known world to study their language and read this particular prophecy so that he could fulfill the will of God which he did not worship.
Cyrus) Isaiah 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
This was written at least a century prior to the Jews encountering anyone named Cyrus.
"Or Coresh, as his name in the Hebrew language is; and in the Persian tongue signifies the "sun"; from whence he had his name, as Ctesias F17 and Plutarch F18 say; to which the Hebrew word "cheres", which signifies the "sun", has some affinity; though Joseph Scaliger F19 would have the name of Cyrus to signify "food" in the Persian language, and which answers to his character as a shepherd. The father of this illustrious person was Cambyses, king of Persia; his mother's name was Mandane, daughter of Astyages, king of Media F20. This prophecy, concerning him, was nearly two hundred years before he was born. Josephus says F21, that Cyrus read this prophecy himself, which Isaiah had delivered out two hundred and ten years before; and which is a proof both of God's prescience of future contingencies, and of the truth of divine revelation. The Lord honours him with the title and character of his "shepherd", who was to lead his flock, the people of Israel, out of the Babylonish captivity, and guide them into their own land. It is very usual, both in sacred and profane writings, for kings to be called shepherds; and if Cyrus signifies "food", as before observed, his name and office agree."http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/isaiah-44-28.html
False prophets
cults
jehovah's witness) The Jehovah's Witnesses have had a laundry list of failed predictions in their "Watchtower society publications.
"
- 1877: Christ's kingdom would hold full sway over the earth in 1914; the Jews, as a people, would be restored to God's favor; the "saints" would be carried to heaven.[26]
- 1891: 1914 would be "the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men."[27]
- 1904: "World-wide anarchy" would follow the end of the Gentile Times in 1914.[28]
- 1916: World War I would terminate in Armageddon and the rapture of the "saints".[29]
- 1917: In 1918, Christendom would go down as a system to oblivion and be succeeded by revolutionary governments. God would "destroy the churches wholesale and the church members by the millions." Church members would "perish by the sword of war, revolution and anarchy." The dead would lie unburied. In 1920 all earthly governments would disappear, with worldwide anarchy prevailing.[30]
- 1920: Messiah's kingdom would be established in 1925 and bring worldwide peace. God would begin restoring the earth. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful patriarchs would be resurrected to perfect human life and be made princes and rulers, the visible representatives of the New Order on earth. Those who showed themselves obedient to God would never die.[31]
- 1922: The anti-typical "jubilee" that would mark God's intervention in earthly affairs would take place "probably the fall" of 1925.[32]
- 1924: God's restoration of Earth would begin "shortly after" October 1, 1925. Jerusalem would be made the world's capital. Resurrected "princes" such as Abel, Noah, Moses and John the Baptist would give instructions to their subjects around the world by radio, and airplanes would transport people to and from Jerusalem from all parts of the globe in just "a few hours".[33]
- 1938: Armageddon was too close for marriage or child bearing.[34]
- 1941: There were only "months" remaining until Armageddon.[35]
- 1942: Armageddon was "immediately before us."[36]
- 1961: Awake! magazine stated that the heavenly kingdom "will, within the twentieth century, cleanse the entire earth of wickedness."[37]
- 1966: It would be 6000 years since man's creation in the fall of 1975 and it would be "appropriate" for Christ's thousand-year reign to begin at that time.[38] Time was "running out, no question about that."[39] The "immediate future" was "certain to be filled with climactic events ... within a few years at most", the final parts of Bible prophecy relating to the "last days" would undergo fulfillment as Christ's reign began.
- 1967: The end-time period (beginning in 1914) was claimed to be so far advanced that the time remaining could "be compared, not just to the last day of a week, but rather, to the last part of that day".[40]
- 1968: No one could say "with certainty" that the battle of Armageddon would begin in 1975, but time was "running out rapidly" with "earthshaking events" soon to take place.[41] In March 1968 there was a "short period of time left", with "only about ninety months left before 6000 years of man's existence on earth is completed".[42]
- 1969: The existing world order would not last long enough for young people to grow old; the world system would end "in a few years." Young Witnesses were told not to bother pursuing tertiary education for this reason.[43]
- 1971: The "battle in the day of Jehovah" was described as beginning "[s]hortly, within our twentieth century".[44]
- 1974: There was just a "short time remaining before the wicked world's end" and Witnesses were commended for selling their homes and property to "finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service."[45]
- 1984: There were "many indications" that "the end" was closer than the end of the 20th century.[46]
- 1989: The Watchtower asserted that Christian missionary work begun in the first century would "be completed in our 20th century".[47] When republished in bound volumes, the phrase "in our 20th century" was replaced with the less specific "in our day"."http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criticism_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses
mormons)
Prophecy # 1 - The Coming of the Lord
President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called, because God had commanded it; and it was made known to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit. . . . it was the will of God that they should beordained to the ministry and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, for the coming of the Lord, which was nigh - even fifty six years should wind up the scene. (History of the Church, Vol. 2, page 182).
This prophecy was spoken by Joseph Smith in 1835, and recorded by Oliver Cowdery. The fifty-six years were passed by 1891.
Prophecy # 2 - David W.Patten to go on a mission
Prophecy # 2 - David W.
Verily, thus saith the Lord: It is wisdom in my servant David W. Patten, that he settle up all his business as soon as he possibly can, and make a disposition of his merchandise, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring, in company with others, even twelve including himself, to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto the world. (Doctrine & Covenants 114:1)
This prophecy was made on April 17, 1838. David W. Patten died in October of 1838 and thus never went on a mission the following spring.
Prophecy # 3 - The UnitedStates Government to be overthrown in a few years
Prophecy # 3 - The United
Joseph Smith made this prophecy in May 6, 1843. However, the United States Government did not redress any of the wrongs committed against the Mormons in Missouri, and now over 150 years later, the U.S. Government still stands.http://www.mit.irr.org/failed-prophecies-of-joseph-smithI prophecy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the wrongs committed upon the Saints in the state of Missouri and punish the crimes committed by her officers that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a potsherd left for their wickedness in permitting the murder ofmen , women and children, and the wholesale plunder and extermination of thousands of hercitizens to go unpunished (History of the Church, Vol. 5, page 394).
occult
Nostradamus
"A Clear Example of Ambiguity
Nearly any of Nostradamus’s quatrains might be used to illustrate this ambiguity. Quatrain 1–35 launched the prophet’s career and has arguably been his most famous. One would expect this quatrain to be among his least ambiguous:
The young lion will overcome the old one,
On the field of battle in single combat;
He will burst his eyes in a cage of gold,
Two fleets one, then to die, a cruel death.
This quatrain is said to refer to the accidental death of King Henry II of France. At a royal wedding festival, Gabriel, Count of Montgomery defeated King Henry (young lion will overcome the old one) in a friendly jousting competition (on the field of battle in single combat). The count’s lance shattered, and a splinter ran through Henry’s helmet (cage of gold) into his brain, entering just above his eye (burst his eyes). Henry died after days of suffering (then to die, a cruel death).
Critics argue that the items in this quatrain are either not specific or just do not fit the event closely enough to support the accuracy ascribed to it. First, contrary to what the enthusiasts declare, the French never used the “lion” as an emblem, so this figure of speech fits neither Henry nor the count in that respect. Second, “young lion” versus “old one” at best overstates the age difference between the two, Henry being at the most six years older; nor was Henry “old,” being only 41. Third, “The field of battle in single combat” could refer to any number of battles in history, and it is unlikely to be a reference to a friendly jousting competition at a marriage festival where, as James Randi points out, it was a serious faux pas even to draw blood.9 Fourth, the shattered lance did not “burst” Henry’s eyes but entered his brain above only one eye. Fifth, “a cage of gold” could only vaguely refer to a helmet of gold. In any case, neither competitor wore a gold helmet since gold is a metal too soft to be used for protective armor; nor is there any evidence Henry’s helmet was gilt in gold. Sixth, the phrase “two fleets one” presents a problem. The French word classe is translated “fleet” everywhere else in the Centuries. Since “fleet” does not fit anything in this event, the enthusiasts, without justification, find a similar sounding Greek word, klasis, which means “a fracture,” and change the line from “two fleets one” to “two wounds made one,” meaning one wound for Henry and another for France who lost her king. Finally, the only line that is remotely descriptive of this event is that Henry “died a cruel death” after days of suffering."http://www.equip.org/articles/nostradamus/#christian-books-2
naturalists
a. modern technology) One only needs to look at the realm of science fiction to realize that we have not lived up to the expectations of the modern age. technology indeed has it's limits even though they offer so much.
b. health) Our society is tetoring off and on over the problems of healthcare and yet the average lifespan has not gown very much over the last 50 years, diets are constantly changing and reformulating it appears there remains a great deal of mystery to human health even with infinite studies.
d. weather: Quite frankly this is running joke. I myself think about the shock following the appearance of hurricane katrina. If we can not predict a hurricane, how can we trust the weather man?
e. global warming
a short excerpt from http://blog.jim.com/global-warming/watts-big-list-of-failed-global-warming-predictions.html
2008 Dr. James Hansen of the Goddard Space Institute (NASA) on a visit to Britain: “The recent warm winters that Britain has experienced are a sign that the climate is changing.” Implying that the warm winters are now going to be typical, a short
June 30, 1989, Associated Press: U.N. OFFICIAL PREDICTS DISASTER, SAYS GREENHOUSE EFFECT COULD WIPE SOME NATIONS OFF MAP–entire nations could be wiped off the face of the earth by rising sea levels if global warming is not reversed by the year 2000. Coastal flooding and crop failures would create an exodus of ‘eco-refugees,’ threatening political chaos,” said Brown, director of the New York office of the U.N. Environment Program. He added that governments have a 10-year window of opportunity to solve the greenhouse effect. I heard the exact same prediction last night on the television (in 2014), entire nations disappearing, hordes of eco refugees creating political instability, with the date for doomsday changed from 2000 to 2030.
Sept 19, 1989, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “New York will probably be like Florida 15 years from now.”
December 5, 1989, Dallas Morning News: “Some predictions for the next decade are not difficult to make…Americans may see the ’80s migration to the Sun Belt reverse as a global warming trend rekindles interest in cooler climates.”
Good bye winter. Never again snow?” Spiegel, 1 April 2000
“Within a few years winter snowfall will become a very rare and exciting event. … Children just aren’t going to know what snow is.”
David Viner, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia, 20 March 2000
“Winter has gone forever and we should officially bring spring forward instead. … There is no winter any more despite a cold snap before Christmas. It is nothing like years ago when I was younger. There is a real problem with spring because so much is flowering so early year to year.”
Express, Dr Nigel Taylor, Curator of Kew Gardens, 8 Feb 2008
“Unfortunately, it’s just getting too hot for the Scottish ski industry.”
David Viner, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia, 14 Feb 2004
“Spring is arriving earlier each year as a result of climate change, the first ‘conclusive proof’ that global warming is altering the timing of the seasons, scientists announced yesterday.”
Guardian, 26 August 2006.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2006/aug/26/climatechange.climatechangeenvironment
“The global temperature will increase every year by 0.2°C”
Michael Müller, Socialist, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Environment, in Die Zeit, January 15, 2007
“Unfortunately, it’s just getting too hot for the Scottish ski industry. It is very vulnerable to climate change; the resorts have always been marginal in terms of snow and, as the rate of climate change increases, it is hard to see a long-term future.”
David Viner, of the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia.
February 14, 2004
http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/feb/14/climatechange.scotland
1990 Actress Meryl Streep “By the year 2000 – that’s less than ten years away–earth’s climate will be warmer than it’s been in over 100,000 years. If we don’t do something, there’ll be enormous calamities in a very short time.” Heard the same prediction on television last night, though they were a bit vaguer about the date.
Edward Goldsmith, 1991, (5000 Days to Save the Planet): “By 2000, British and American oil will have diminished to a trickle….Ozone depletion and global warming threaten food shortages, but the wealthy North will enjoy a temporary reprieve by buying up the produce of the South. Unrest among the hungry and the ensuing political instability, will be contained by the North’s greater military might. A bleak future indeed, but an inevitable one unless we change the way we live…At present rates of exploitation there may be no rainforest left in 10 years. If measures are not taken immediately, the greenhouse effect may be unstoppable in 12 to 15 years.”
April 22, 1990 ABC, The Miracle Planet: “I think we’re in trouble. When you realize how little time we have left–we are now given not 10 years to save the rainforests, but in many cases five years. Madagascar will largely be gone in five years unless something happens. And nothing is happening.”
November 7, 1997, (BBC commentator): “It appears that we have a very good case for suggesting that the El Niños are going to become more frequent, and they’re going to become more intense and in a few years, or a decade or so, we’ll go into a permanent El Nino. So instead of having cool water periods for a year or two, we’ll have El Niño upon El Niño, and that will become the norm. And you’ll have an El Niño, that instead of lasting 18 months, lasts 18 years.”
This reveals a general pattern the experts in the natural science lack the power of prediction Scripture has the power to predict the future it indeed has authority over all other forms of knowledge.
This article will have a second volume to deal with the claims of Christ. Because quite frankly that deserves a massive volume. But we must ask the question concerning the prophetic power for the rest of scripture. The Bible of the protestants has been able to make clearly supernatural predictions. Predicting a worldwide global catastrophe; Predicting a supernatural escape and emancipation of a small race which would shape western society as well as outlast every civilization of that era. It would predict and provide a supernatural judgement upon pagan competitors provided all the opportunity to override them. It would provided detailed predictions concerning the succession of world empires. It would provide powerful judgements upon upon much stronger societies than the society of the Hebrews. It would produce the most popular religious ideology in History. It would provide the most illegalized an yet published book on this earth. (even if limited to the KJV)
It is obvious that the supernatural acts of the scripture are an out word historical experience. Many can claim the axiom of naturalism. The problem is, why wasn't anyone aware of that reality, when in fact they were experiencing reality? Many of the ancients were capable of ingenious mental feats, why couldn't they figure out that there was no supernatural reality? even if we credit evolution. We must admit that there are plenty of common atheist who are nowhere near the IQ of Aristotle.
But in truth the naturalist axiom is a metaphysical category. It is placing a presupposition over mysterious things which we do not know. this is a recognized inductive fallacy. You can not find certainty in the things which you have not observed. Science only has authority over that which has been observed. Just as much as the laws of science do not give us enough certainty to always predict the future. (global warming) it does not give us enough certainty to predict the past. Historical record must be relied upon the most. And the historical record has validated the supernatural nature of the scriptures.
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