We have noticed that fulfilled prophecy is one of the most convincing proofs of the inspiration of the Bible. A few of some 300 Old Testament prophecies about the coming Messiah and Savior, which were fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth several hundred years after they were given, were noted in last week’s article. Other prophecies, relating to various things, are brought to the reader’s attention in this article.
The Rebuilding of Jericho – Early in the conquest of Canaan, when Joshua led the Israelites in destroying this city, he predicted that the man who rebuilt it would lay the foundation with the death of his first-born son and set up the gates with the death of his youngest son (Joshua 6:26). Note the specifics in the prophecy. Some five hundred years later, during the reign of Ahab, the prophecy was fulfilled when Hiel presumed to rebuild Jericho, “according to the word of the Lord, which He had spoken through Joshua the son of Nun” (1 Kings 16:34). The length of time and the number of details involved render it impossible to explain apart from inspiration.
The Reforms of Josiah – Jeroboam introduced and promoted idolatry among the Israelites. On one occasion, as he stood by an altar to burn incense, a man of God predicted that a descendant of David, Josiah by name, would burn priests on that altar, along with the bones of men (1 Kings 13:1–2). About three and a half centuries later, Josiah, king of Judah, did exactly as this man of God had predicted to the last detail (2 Kings 23:15–20). How was the man of God able to predict such a thing, that long in advance, with such specifics? Inspiration is the only explanation. God spoke through him!
Daniel’s Prophecy of the Establishment of God’s Universal Kingdom – (Dan. 2:36–40) This prophecy, recorded about 600 B.C., foretold the coming of four great world powers. During the following centuries four world empires came to pass:
- The Babylonian (606–538 B.C.)
- The Medo-Persian (538–331 B.C.)
- The Grecian (331–168 B.C.)
- The Roman (168 B.C.–476 A.D.)
In the same prophecy, Daniel foresaw the establishment of God’s everlasting kingdom during this fourth empire. This was fulfilled in 33 A.D. when the church/kingdom Christ promised to build (Matt. 16:18–19) was established in Jerusalem (Acts 2). How could Daniel predict these things so far in advance, with such detail, and all come to pass hundreds of years later? Again, inspiration is the only answer.
Babylon Would Be Destroyed and Never Again Inhabited – Isaiah foretold the future of Babylon about 750 B.C. (Isa. 13:19–22). No doubt this was surprising to the people since Babylon was such a strong world power at the time, fortified like no other city on earth. Yet Babylon was destroyed just as Isaiah had predicted, and to this day it remains uninhabited. Wild beasts now roam where great palaces once stood, while other less important cities of that era still exist. This is another prophecy, among many that could be cited, that gives undeniable evidence of the inspiration of the Bible.
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