INTERNAL EVIDENCES OF THE BIBLE

Fulfilled Prophecies of the Nations: Israel

Lesson # 4

Intro.

1. 1 Pet. 3:15 - Our task is sobering & serious, but the result establishes & reassures our faith in God & His word.

2. Fulfilled prophecy is a major area of study to assess whether the Bible is from God or man - Deut. 18:21-22.

3. God challenged idols to fulfill prophecy to show their divinity. And, God offers fulfilled prophecy to prove His presence & power:

a. Isa. 41:21-24 - "That we may know that you are gods."

b. Isa. 42:8-9 - Fulfilled prophecy identifies the Lord as the living God.

c. Isa. 44:6-8 - There is no other God & fulfilled prophecy proves it.

d. Isa. 45:20-22 - Look to Him for salvation because of His power.

e. Isa. 46:8-10 - God's word firmly stands - He fulfills His purposes.

I. GOD RULES OVER THE NATIONS OF MEN - Jer. 27:1-8; Dan. 4:32; Acts 17:26.

A. Prophets Spoke God's Will About The Nations - Jer. 18:1-10.

B. If Their Words Failed, They Were False Prophets & Their God (And Ours) Is A False God - Deut. 18:21-22. {Reverse is also true!}

C. All Bible Prophecies Against The Nations Were Fulfilled - cf. Josh. 21:45; 1 Kgs. 8:56.

II. CRUCIAL ELEMENTS OF PROPHETIC FULFILLMENT.

A. The Time Element (Isa. 46:10).

B. Current Conditions Or Situations Do Not Suggest The Prophecy.

C. Not A Guess, Speculation Or Vague Generalization.

*Example of these elements of prophecy: Cyrus - Isa. 44:28.

1. Time element: ~200 years before it happened.

2. Current situation: Medo-Persian kingdom did not exist!

3. Specific, not general: Names the man & what he would do.

D. Many Prophecies Are Conditional In Nature (if this…then this) - Deut. 28:1, 15.

III. PROPHECIES ABOUT ISRAEL.

-[Frederick the Great (k of Prussia, 1740-86), demanded: "Give me in one word, a proof of the truth of the Bible," & the famous reply was, "the Jews." (Reasons for Faith, Gerstner, by Jenkins, Intro. to Christian Evidences, 95)]

A. Prophecies Concerning Israel - Deut. 28 (c. 1400 BC).

1. All these blessings - 28:1-14 -- Psa. 105:44-45.

2. A king - 28:36 -- Saul (1050 BC) and others.

3. Go into captivity - 28:36, 41 - Assyria (721 BC) -- 2 Kgs. 17:6; & Babylon (606-536 BC) -- 2 Kgs. 24:10-16.

4. A hiss & byword - 28:37 -- Jer. 29:18-19 (~597 BC).

5. Serve other nations - 28:47-48 -- 2 Chrn. 12:8; Jer. 28:13-14.

6. A nation from afar to come against Israel - 28:49-51.

a. Assyria (721 BC) -- 2 Kgs. 17:4-6.

b. Babylon (606, 597, 586 BC) -- cf. Hab. 1:5-11.

c. Rome (70 AD) -- Lk. 21:20, 24.

7. Suffering during sieges - 28:52-57.

a. Syrian siege (850 BC) -- 2 Kgs. 6:24-31 (boiled children).

b. Babylonian siege (597 BC) -- Lam. 2:20; 4:10.

c. Roman siege (70 AD) -- Josephus, Wars, 6:3:4.

8. Scattered among the nations - 28:64 -- Ezek. 20:23-24.

a. Assyrians -- 2 Kgs. 18:11-12.

b. Babylonians -- 2 Chrn. 36:20-21.

c. cf. Neh. 1:8 - Confirms Moses as a true prophet!

9. Sold into slavery in Egypt - 28:68 -- 70 AD (Josephus, Wars, 6:9:3).

10. Remnant would return to land - Deut. 30:1-3 -- Neh. 1:3.

11. Always a people, never fully eliminated - Jer. 30:10-11 (46:27-28).

**Isa. 43:9-13: Israelites witnesses that God had foretold the future & fulfilled his word!

Conclusion

1. Random guesses made centuries before they occurred? Manipulations by entire nations to fulfill Hebrew prophecies? Coincidences that defy explanation? Or…

2. The word of an all-powerful, all-knowing God via His prophets?!

3. Isa. 41:21-24 - Man & his gods cannot do what the God of the Bible has done!