Bible Prophecy Is Batting 1000
Things You Can Take To The Bank, part 3 of 6
Today many people are perplexed about what the future holds with so much uncertainty in the economic front as well as other areas like civil unrest, the breakup of the family and the rise of crime. We grow concerned about the future. Is there a liable God that can help us predict the future because it has a track record of past success? The answer is yes! And it is not found in Nostrodomis, or any other supposed prophet but found in the pages of the bible. In this message we will look at how the bible has amazingly detailed hundreds of prophecies that came to pass in the exact way in which they are described and explain how this past track record of success guarantees that the bible or God’s word is accurate about the future. We will also end by providing some insight on what the bible says will happen in the future.
Download the notes.I) THE THREE COMMON VIEWS OF THE BIBLE
1) The Bible is ___FANCIFUL FICTION___.
2) The Bible is ___A FAIRYTALE FABLE___.
3) The Bible is ___FAITHFULLY FACTUAL___.
“No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
(2 Peter 1:20-21)
II) EVALUATING THE BIBLE’S “BATTING AVG.”
The Accuracy Of The Bible Regarding The Future
1) The Bible and the ___WORLD’S POLITICAL SYSTEMS___.
“This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king [Nebuchadnezzar]…You are that head of gold. After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron… Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay..”
(Daniel 2:36,38b-41,NIV)
(see also the Lion, Bear, Leopard, and Terrifying Beast parallel in Daniel 7)
“Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘…hear the word of the Lord!.. I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life…these bones are the house of Israel… and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.””
(Ezekiel 37:4,5,13-14, NIV)
*What does the Bible say about future world political systems?
“And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion… the whole world was astonished and followed the beast.”
(Revelation 13:1-3, NIV)
2) The Bible and the ___GROWTH OF CHRISTIANITY___.
“…I will build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
(Matthew 16:18b, NIV)
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place… All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit…”
(Acts 2:1,4a, NIV)
* What does the Bible say about the future growth of Christianity?
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”
(Matthew 13:31-32, NIV)
“[Jesus] purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”
(Revelation 5:9c, NIV)
3) The Bible and the ___PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST___.
Precise information of His birth: Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14, Matt. 1:18, 24,25)
From the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10, Luke 3:23,33)
From the family of David (Jer. 23:5, Luke 3:23,32)
Born at Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Matt. 2:1)
Accurate details of His death: Betrayed by a friend, Judas (Ps. 41:9, Matt.10:4)
Sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zech. 11:12, Matt.26:15)
His bones not broken (Ps. 34:20, John 19:33)
His heart broken (Ps. 22:14, John 19:34)
Valid prediction of His resurrection: Buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isa.53:9, Mt.27:57-60)
Resurrected back to life (Ps. 16:10, Acts 2:31)
(seen by Roman guards Matt. 28:11-15, disciples Jn. 20:10-31, 500+ people 1 Cor.15:6)
* What does the Bible say about the future events involving Christ?
“Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
(Revelation 22:7, NIV)
*If the Bible has been verifiably accurate for 3,500 years, what does that say about its reliability today?
“All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field…the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”
(Isaiah 40:6b,8, NIV)
“The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful for us to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right.”
(2 Timothy 3:16, LB)