Thy Word is a Lamp Unto My Feet Outreach

Bible Prophecy Fulfilled

Biblical prophecy remains a powerful factor in helping establish faith.

WHAT ABOUT PROPHECIES?
Remember the former things of old; for I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure. [Isaiah 46:9, 10]

Every year people seek expert advice on how various stocks will do. Yet in the end, the experts can tell them everything except the one thing everyone wants to know: how stocks will perform in the future!

YHWH, though, knows the future. He’s proven this repeatedly through Bible prophecies. Many of these were written well in advance of the predicted events. And sure enough, time and again the events happened just as the Lord said. We know this because looking at history, we can see the prediction in Scripture, and then we can see that prediction came true. Surely the sovereign YHWH will do nothing but he revealeth his secret unto his servants, the prophets. [Amos 3:7] Having seen these past predictions were so accurate, we can trust the Lord on prophecies yet future — the greatest one being the second coming of Yahushua Messiah.

PROPHETIC LICENSE
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. [Matthew 24:24, 25]

In Hebrew, the verb NABA means “to prophesy.” It carries the idea of someone pouring forth words with fervor or inspiration. The noun NABI means a spokesperson, a prophet, a person authorized to speak for another. It appears that prophets have been given the ability to speak on matters that ordinary people might not see. Thus, not only do prophets see what others might not — they’re called by YHWH to speak on those things, often with fervor and might as well.
Nonetheless, Scripture warns about false prophets; if there are warnings about false ones, then true ones must likewise exist. After all, if we were to reject all prophets — that is, reject the gift altogether — there would be no need of warning about false ones.

Prophecy isn’t just about telling the future. Prophecy is given to strengthen our faith in YHWH and His Word after the events have occurred. The more we see fulfillment of prophecy, the more we believe that the Bible really comes from the Lord.
There are various types of prophecies. One kind has to do with the coming of the Messiah; others, the future of nations; still others, the end of the world — and beyond.

EARLY PROPHECIES
Believe in YHWH your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so ye shall prosper. [2 Chronicles 20:20]

From the very first book of the Bible, we can see prophecy plays an important role in the history of YHWH’s work with fallen Humanity. Perhaps among the more stunning examples are those for which evidences in world history are found. The initial prophecy of Daniel [chapter 2] tells of the rise and fall of world empires — not only many centuries before they occurred, but likewise to the present day.

Babylon’s golden kingdom ruled the world from 605 BC to 539 BC. Its influence was greatly extended, and it became the dominant power in the ancient Near East. Today, the city of Babylon’s ruins are located in Iraq, 70 miles south of Baghdad. Not only did Scripture predict the fall of the Babylonian empire (Jeremiah 51:49, 53), it also stated by name the individual was to direct the campaign against Babylon (Isaiah 45:1-4) approximately 175 years before it happened. The Medes and Persians ruled the world 539 BC to 331 BC. But then YHWH states in Daniel 2:39, And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee […] of brass, which shall bear rule over the whole earth. Daniel 8:21 names Greece (“Grecia”) as the third kingdom. Within a short time the Greek armies, led by Alexander the Great, conquered the world. Their armor comprised bronze breastplates and helmets, and they used bronze shields and swords. The Greek empire was then conquered by the iron monarchy of Rome in 168 BC. Rome had the longest reign of any other world power. More than 500 years of Roman rule was dominant; from the British Isles to the Arabian Gulf, from the North Sea to the Sahara, and from the Atlantic to the Euphrates, Rome held sway.

But as Daniel states, the kingdom shall be divided (Daniel 2:41). Rome was divided into independent kingdoms that later became nations of modern Europe — nations that would not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay (Daniel 2:43). In spite of the “European Union,” we’re living in the days when those nations won’t “cleave”; the “European Union” isn’t successful…a few headline examples:

• “European Disintegration? A Fraying Union” [Journal of Democracy, volume 12, issue 4, pp. 23-30, October 2012]
• “Differentiated Integration and Disintegration in the EU: Brexit, the Eurozone Crisis, and Other Troubles” [Journal of International Economic Law, volume 23, issue 2, pp. 489-507, June 2020]
• “European Disintegration? The Politics of Crisis in the European Union” by Douglas Webber, published by Red Globe Press, 2018.
• “A fragile and divided European Union meets Covid-19: further disintegration or ‘Hamiltonian moment’?” [Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, volume 47, issue 3, pp. 411-424, July 2020]
• “European Disintegration: A Search for Explanations” by Hans Vollard, published by Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.
• “Disintegration scenarios in the European Union: A case study of Eastern European economies” [Economic Modelling, volume 95, pp. 1-12, February 2021]

THE MESSIAH IN PROPHECY
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. [Isaiah 53:4, 5]

Of all the prophecies in the Old Testament, the ones concerning the first coming of Yahushua Messiah and His life events are among the most powerful. Here are some examples:

Prophecy: Born in Bethlehem
OT Scripture: Micah 5:2
NT Fulfillment: Matthew 2:1

Prophecy: Of King David’s lineage
OT Scripture: Jeremiah 23:5
NT Fulfillment: Revelation 22:16

Prophecy: Attempted murder by King Herod
OT Scripture: Jeremiah 31:15
NT Fulfillment: Matthew 2:16-18

Prophecy: Sold for 30 silver coins
OT Scripture: Zechariah 11:12
NT Fulfillment: Matthew 26:14-16

Prophecy: Year, day and hour of His death
OT Scripture: Daniel 9:26, 27; Exodus 12:6
NT Fulfillment: Matthew 27:45-50

Prophecy: Bodily resurrection
OT Scripture: Psalm 16:9, 10
NT Scripture: Luke 24:6-9

It’s exciting to study how Yahushua also refers to predictive prophecy about Himself and their fulfillment after the resurrection: Then he said unto them, ‘O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?’ And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. [Luke 24:25-27]

THE SECOND COMING
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. [John 14:3]

We’ve seen prophecies about past events being fulfilled; however, the Bible also talks about prophecies yet to take place. Among these are those pertaining to Yahushua’s second coming. Before leaving His disciples, the Savior promised them concerning the certainty of His coming. Peter, one of the closest disciples, wrote, Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. [2 Peter 3:13]

The Bible not only reveals the manner and characteristics of Yahushua’s second coming, but it also describes the signs. Here are a few of many examples:

• Political conditions: Matthew 24: 6, 7 say And ye shall of wars and rumors of wars […] for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
• Economic conditions: James 5:1-3 say Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
• Scientific discoveries: Daniel 12:4 says But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. During the period of the end, people would simultaneously begin to understand the prophecies of Daniel along with discovering great scientific knowledge (e.g., inventions of railway, automobiles, airplanes, rockets, telegraph, television, telephone, radio, computers…).
• Spread of modern spiritualism: 1 Timothy 4:1, 2 say Now the spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.
• There will be scoffers: 2 Peter 3:3, 4 say Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
• Sins and sinfulness will be prevalent: 2 Timothy 3:1-5 say This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankfuly, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such, turn away.
• A lack of faith and love: Luke 18:8 says I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
• There will be religious deceptions: Matthew 24:4-11, 24 say And Jesus answered them and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you […] and many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many […] For there shall be false Christs and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.