Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Part 3 – Internal Evidences – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal Evidences -- Introduction Evidence from archeology and natural science are merely supportive, not proof Proof that the Bible is the Word of God must be internal A human can write a book that is completely accurate; that doesn’t make it inspired Proof must come in the form of internal evidences which the human mind cannot duplicate Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal Evidences -- Introduction An old homesteader’s shack is proof of the one-time existence of the homesteader The design is proof of the existence of the designer Proof of the existence of God would be a transcendent design, which human planning could not duplicate Does the Bible offer such a transcendent design? Predictions of history, of the Messiah, and of a plan carried out over thousands of years Yes! Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy Many historical prophecies in the Old Testament Let us consider three representative prophecies Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream The Ram and the Goat The Coming of Cyrus Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream – Daniel 2 Daniel was carried captive into Babylon in 604 BC After some training in Chaldean schools, he was assigned office with the soothsayers and magicians of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream He threatened his astrologers, commanding them to make known to him both the dream and its interpretation Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy As expected, none of Babylon’s magicians could tell the king what his dream was Daniel heard about this, asked the king for a little time, and prayed to God The Lord answered his request Daniel was able to tell the king what his dream was – Daniel 2:31-35 Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy Daniel then told the interpretation to the king Head of gold – Babylon Chest and arms of silver – Media-Persia Belly and thighs of bronze – Greece Legs of iron – Rome Feet of iron mixed with clay – Rome in later days Stone cut out without hands – Divine kingdom Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy Iron mixed with clay is a good description of Rome in the days of Christ Think of Jesus’ three trials – Jewish hierarchy, Herod the Great, Pontius Pilate Jesus confirmed to Pilate that He had a kingdom, but that it was not of this world Just as prophesied, there were four world kingdoms from Babylon until the foundation of the church How would the writer of Daniel know that there would be 4 world kingdoms, not 2 or 6? Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy The Ram and the Goat – Daniel 8:1-8 A ram with two horns (the second horn coming up longer) butting north, west, and south From the west, a male goat with one big horn between its eyes flying towards the ram The goat smashed the ram and trampled him The big horn was abruptly broken off, and four horns came up in its place Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy Interpretation given in Daniel 8:20-22 The ram represents Media-Persia The shaggy goat represents Greece The large horn was the Greek Empire’s first king The four horns represent the four kingdoms which arose from the first king’s power Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy Amazing description given in Daniel’s vision Two horns, with the second coming up longer than the first Medes and Persians had joint kingdom Medes were stronger at first, but then Persia began to dominate and became stronger than the Medes had ever been Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy The Persian Empire was spreading in all directions but east (the ram was butting north, west, and south) The Goat was pictured as flying In 333 BC, Greece smashed Persia’s power In 10 short years, Alexander the Great extended Greek domain, weeping that there were no more worlds to conquer Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy The large horn was broken off and replaced by four smaller horns Following Alexander’s death in 322 BC, his kingdom was divided among four generals Ptolemy – Egypt Seleucus – Syria and Palestine Cassander – Macedonia Lysimachus – Thrace and Asia Minor Incredible accuracy and detail – God knew what was going to happen ahead of time Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy The Coming of Cyrus – Isaiah 44:24-45:7 Isaiah prophesied from 740 to 700 BC In 605 BC the Babylonians conquered Judah; in 585 BC they destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple 50 years later the Medes and Persians, under King Cyrus of Persia and General Darius the Mede, captured Babylon Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy More than 175 years before the Persian capture of Babylon, God foretold through Isaiah what He was going to do through Cyrus “It is I [the Lord] who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd! And he will perform all My desire. And he declares of Jerusalem, “She shall be built.” And of the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.” ’ ” (Isaiah 44:28) Just as the Lord had declared, Cyrus allowed the city of Jerusalem to be rebuilt, and the foundation of the temple to be re-laid Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Internal – Fulfilled Historical Prophecy The predictions of Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream, the Ram and the Goat, and the Coming of Cyrus are all incredibly accurate and descriptive Those who deny the Bible assert that these prophecies had to have been written after the events prophesied If the Biblical dates are true, it is clear that they were given by God and that the Old Testament is His word Proof that the Bible is the Word of God!

Proof that the Bible is the Word of God! Part 4 – Internal Evidences – Fulfilled Messianic Prophecy