ApologeticsSession 2 – Prophecies Israel and Other

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“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” - 1 Peter 3:15

Why Prophecy?

Let them (other gods) bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; As for the former events, declare what they were, That we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming; Declare the things that are going to come afterward, That we may know that you are gods;

-Isaiah 41:22-23 NASB

Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am [He].

-John 13:19 NASB

About 33% of the Bible is prophesy

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More Prophecies/Types

Sacrifice in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:21)Enoch – Flood – Noah (Genesis 5:24; 6)Abraham Sacrificing Isaac (Genesis 22)Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18; Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7)Isaac and Rebekah his Bride (Genesis 24) The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12)Egypt to Wilderness to Promised Land (Exodus-Judges)The Tabernacle/Sacrificial System (Exodus 26-28)Moses striking the Rock (Exodus 17)Moses speaking to the Rock (Numbers 20)Serpent in the Wilderness (Numbers 21 & John 3:14)Boaz and Ruth his Bride (Ruth)

(see article on Abraham and Isaac)

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Israelites in the Wilderness

“The people spoke against God and Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this miserable food." The LORD sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. So the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, because we have spoken against the LORD and you; intercede with the LORD, that He may remove the serpents from us." And Moses interceded for the people.  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery {serpent,} and set it on a standard; and it shall come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, he will live." And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.

-Numbers 21:6-9

Israelites in the Wilderness

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. “

-John 3:14-18

Ezekiel

Ezekiel's ministry was conducted in Jerusalem and Babylon in the first three decades of the 6th century. Before the first surrender of Jerusalem, he was a functioning priest. He was among those deported in 597 to Babylonia. Ezekiel's religious call came in July 592. He subsequently prophesied until 585 and then was not heard of again until 572. His latest utterance can be dated at about 570.

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Ezekiel“I have assigned you the same number of days

as the years of their sin. So for 390 days you will bear the sin of the house of Israel. After you have finished this, lie down again, this time on your right side, and bear the sin of the house of Judah. I have assigned you 40 days, a day for each year.”

-Ezekiel 4:5-6

Punishment = 390 years + 40 years = 430 years

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History of Israel

Because of their disobedience to God's commands, the Israelites (Jews) were taken captive in 605 B.C. by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chronicles 36:5-21).

Later, King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon.

In 536 B.C. Cyrus allowed the Jews to leave Babylon and return to their homeland.

· Punishment completed = 70 years (605 B.C – 536 B.C.)

· Punishment remaining = 430 year – 70 years = 360 years

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History of Israel

Even though King Cyrus gave all Jews permission to return home, only a small number actually accepted the offer. The Jews had become comfortable in pagan Babylon and chose to stay in exile.

"And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I (God) will punish you seven times more for your sins.“

-Leviticus 26:18(Leviticus 26:18, 26:21, 26:24 and 26:28)

New Punishment = 360 years x 7 = 2,520 years

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Calculation...

2,520 Hebrew/lunar years2,520 X 360 = 907,200 days907,200 days / 365.24 = 2483.8 Solar

years

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         606  B.C  Israel taken into Babylonian captivity (1st Siege)

    -     69  Years   for 70 years (69 solar years)

  =   537   B.C.      End of first 70 years of judgment

  + 2484   Years   Add the 2,484 years remaining

  +       1   Year    Add 1 year (no "0" B.C. or A.D.)

  = 1948   A.D.     End of judgment against nation Israel 

What happened on that day?11

What about Jerusalem?

         587  B.C       Jerusalem destroyed in 3rd seige by

Bablyon    -     69  Years   (69 solar)  =   518   B.C.      Completion of rebuilding walls  + 2484   Years   Add the 2,484 years remaining  +       1   Year    Added because there is no "0" B.C. or

A.D.  = 1967   A.D.     Jerusalem becomes capital of Israel 

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More Prophecies

Head of Gold - Babylon (609-539 BC) Chest and Arms of Silver - Medo-Persia (539-331 BC) Belly and Thighs of Brass - Greece (331-168 BC) Legs of Iron - Rome (168 BC - 476 AD) Feet of Iron and Clay - ???

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Ezekiel 37/38

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"Thus says the Lord God:     'Surely I will take the children of Israel from among the nations,wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every sideand bring them into their own land." 

      (Ezekiel 37:21)  

Yet to Come…

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Prophecy Verse Invasion of Israel (Gog/Magog) Ezekiel 38 Gospel Preached to all Nations Matthew 24:14 Rapture of the Church 1Thes4:16-18,5:4; 1Cor 15:51;

Rom 5:9; Isa 26:19-21 Rise of the Antichrist 2Thes2; Dan 8:23-25;7:20-27;

Rev 13:3-18 Final World Kingdom Daniel 2:31-35 Destruction of Damascus Isaiah 17; Psalm 83 Destruction of Babylon Revelation 17-18 Beheading of Believers Revelation 20:4 Great Tribulation Matt 24:21; Dan 9:24; Rev 7:14 Drying up of Euphrates River Revelation 16:12 Mark of the Beast Revelation 13:16-18 Return of Christ John 14:1-4; Matt 24:27-30;

Acts 1:11; many more New Heaven and New Earth Revelation 21:1-4

Appendix

Article on Ezekiel 4Article on Abraham/Isaac (Genesis 22)Jerusalem Siege HistoryTimeline on End Times (Larkin)

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