Can the Bible be trusted? - God Knows the Future - Part 2
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Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.
Introduction
Introduction
Paul the Octopus, who lived from January 26, 2008, to October 26, 2010, gained global fame for accurately predicting the outcomes of international football matches, particularly during the 2010 World Cup. With an impressive overall record of 12 correct predictions out of 14, Paul achieved an approximately 85.7% success rate, solidifying his reputation as an animal oracle and captivating the world with his uncanny abilities.
We are fascinated in predicting the future. You can even train to be a Superforcaster
The Bible Predicts the Future
The Bible Predicts the Future
The Book of Daniel
The Book of Daniel
The prophet Daniel, was taken captive to Babylon 605BC when that kingdom had overpowered his nation of Judah. Renowned for his wisdom and ability to interpret dreams, Daniel served in the courts of Babylonian and Persian kings, including Nebuchadnezzar and Darius.
The Great Image
The Great Image
“This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,
Head of Gold - Babylon (605-539BC)
Head of Gold - Babylon (605-539BC)
Babylon ruled the world from 605 to 539 B.C. It was centered in the area occupied by modern-day Iraq, a distance from Baghdad. The Babylonians worshiped one god more than any other, Bel-Marduk, made out of solid gold. Nebuchadnezzar was surely pleased that the gold of his Babylonian Empire was represented by the statue’s head. But Babylon would not last forever.
Chest and Arms of Silver - Medo-Persia and Greece (539-331BC)
Chest and Arms of Silver - Medo-Persia and Greece (539-331BC)
In fulfillment of God’s prediction, Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom crumbled into ruins when Cyrus, the Persian general, overthrew the Babylonian Empire in 539 B.C. Interestingly enough, 150 years before this happened, the prophet Isaiah predicted that a man named Cyrus would be the one to overthrow Babylon (Isaiah 44:28 and Isaiah 45:1). Later in his book, Daniel named the two kingdoms that would succeed Babylon: Medo-Persia and Greece (Daniel 8:20, 21). The Medes and Persians ruled the world from 539 to 331 B.C.
Belly and Thighs of Bronze - Greece (331-168BC)
Belly and Thighs of Bronze - Greece (331-168BC)
The bronze belly and thighs of the image, Daniel said, represented “a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth” (vs. 39). This was the kingdom of Greece. The Greek ruler, Alexander the Great, defeated the Persians at the Battle of Arbela in 331 B.C., turning Greece into the world’s third great empire. Greece dominated from 331 to 168 B.C.
Legs of Iron - Rome (168BC-476AD)
Legs of Iron - Rome (168BC-476AD)
“And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, . . . and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others” (vs. 40).
The “iron empire” of Rome followed Greece on the world stage. After the death of Alexander the Great, his empire of Greece weakened and split into rival factions. At the battle of Pydna in 168 B.C., the Roman armies crushed Greece. Rome continued to rule the world through the time Jesus carried on His ministry here on Earth. Rome came to its end in A.D. 476.
Feet and Toes of Iron Mixed With Clay (AD351-476)
Feet and Toes of Iron Mixed With Clay (AD351-476)
In the metal image, the feet and toes were made of iron mixed with clay. This represented the fact that iron kingdom would become divided. “Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided . . . . The kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile” (vss. 41, 42).
The prophet predicted, not a fifth world empire, but a division of the iron monarchy of Rome. Rome would fracture into numerous kingdoms symbolized by the ten toes. During the fourth and fifth centuries (A.D. 351 to 476), barbaric invaders from the north poured down on the decaying Roman Empire, delivering blow after blow. Almost twenty Germanic tribes gained the territory of western Rome, but eventually numerous independent nations established themselves within the boundaries of western Europe. The statue’s toes of iron mixed with clay represent the modern nations of Europe. The prophecy was literally fulfilled, and history again harmonizes with what God foretold.
Verse 43 tells us that efforts will be made to unite the post-Roman nations of Europe under one ruler. God, however, says this simply won’t happen: “They will not adhere to one another.” Many men down through history have tried to unite Europe. Charlemagne, Napoleon, Hitler, and Stalin invested enormous resources and countless lives in their efforts. But each one failed. History can’t contradict the big picture in the Word of God. It remains accurate. And it assures us that the future is in God’s hands and we can safely trust in His promises.
The Stone
The Stone
Daniel 2:44-45 (ESV)
And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
After this period in which many different nations rule separately—as opposed to combining into one world power—another great event interrupts history. “And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people” (vs. 44).
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream ended when “a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth” (vss. 34, 35).
Daniel told the king that this stone represents a kingdom that God Himself will set up—a kingdom that will bring all the previous kingdoms of gold, silver, bronze and iron to an end. This kingdom will last forever (vs. 44).
Conclusion
Conclusion
The Good News
The Good News
and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
People recognize something's going to happen, and they'd better get ready—Tony LaHaye
