Is the Bible a message from a God I can’t see?
Accurate PredictionsPart 2
Accurate Predictions
• Superpowers that led to modern Europe
• Egypt
• The Edomites
• The Ammonites
• The Jews
The JewsWhat do we know about them:
• Disliked by many
• Found in most countries
• Persecuted in the Holocaust
• At the centre of Middle East tensions
• Seem to be different from other people
• Often in the news
• Often found in positions of influence
The JewsSummary of the Jews’ story:
• A nation under king David
• Turbulent history
• Scattered round world AD70
• Persecuted
• Survived for 1900 years – no homeland
• Returned to homeland
• Jewish state formed 1948
Focus of Focus of worldworld attention attention
Ancient Predictions
• Septuagint translation– Old Testament into
Greek
– 285-246 BC
No possibility that predictions written No possibility that predictions written down after the eventsdown after the events
The Jews
Points to remember:
• Looking at Bible predictions
• Not considering rights and wrongs of people
• No political interest
Overthrow of Jewish Nation
• Leviticus and Deuteronomy
• Written when Jewish nation founded~1500 BC
• List of consequences for rebellion against God
• Rest of Old Testament a record of the disobedience
If predictions come from God expect the If predictions come from God expect the threats to become realitythreats to become reality
Bible PredictionThe Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, a nation of fierce countenance, which does not respect the elderly nor show favour to the young.
Deuteronomy 28 v 49 and 50
Predicting the Romans attacking Predicting the Romans attacking Jerusalem in AD70Jerusalem in AD70
Bible PredictionThe Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, a nation of fierce countenance, which does not respect the elderly nor show favour to the young.
Deuteronomy 28 v 49 and 50
Romans:
• Came from further away than previous attackers
• Language totally different from Hebrew
• Conquests were rapid
• Banner was an eagle
• Aggressive and merciless
Arch of Titus
• Built by Roman general Titus
• Commemorates overthrow of Jerusalem in AD70
Arch of Titus in Rome
No doubt Jerusalem was capturedNo doubt Jerusalem was captured
seven-branched lamp stand being taken by Romans
Roman Eagle
102 BC:
• Roman consul Gaius Marius
• Decreed eagle would be symbol of Senate & People of Rome
Modern reconstruction of Roman eagle
Roman conquest was swift and their Roman conquest was swift and their banner was an eaglebanner was an eagle
The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies
Deuteronomy 28 v 49
Roman Invasion
They shall besiege you at all your gates until your high and fortified walls, in which you trust, come down throughout all your land; and they shall besiege you at all your gates throughout all your land which the Lord your God has given you.
Deuteronomy 28 v 52
A Roman battering ram
Came true in AD66-70Came true in AD66-70
Horrors of the Invasion
Jerusalem in AD 70:• Jews ate their children• Romans destroyed nearly
all the cities in Israel• Splendid temple in
Jerusalem was destroyed – All worship there ceased
You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters… I will lay your cities waste and bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not smell the fragrance of your sweet aromas.
Leviticus 26 v 29 and 31
Bible prediction came true to the letterBible prediction came true to the letter
Jesus’ Prediction
Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
Matthew 24 v 2
A model of the ancient temple at Jerusalem
Jesus’ Prediction
A model of the ancient temple at Jerusalem
• AD 135:• Jews rebelled under the
Jewish leader Bar Kochba• Romans suppressed
rebellion• Jerusalem finally destroyed • Foundations of temple torn
up • Land of Jerusalem was
ploughed
Not even a ruin of temple survivesNot even a ruin of temple survives
Egypt and slavesHistorian Diodorus:
• Survivors of siege sent to Egypt as slaves
• Slave markets swamped
• Many worked in Egyptian mines
And the Lord will take you back to Egypt in ships, by the way of which I said to you, ‘You shall never see it again.’ And there you shall be offered for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.
Deuteronomy 28 v 68
Prediction was fulfilledPrediction was fulfilled
Overthrow of Jewish NationBible predictions:• Jews to be attacked by powerful nation:
– From far away– language different from Hebrew– Swift as an eagle– Merciless– Would besiege all cities in conquest
• Jews would eat own children in the sieges
• Cities in the land would be destroyed• Not one stone of temple left • All places of worship would be destroyed• Jews sold as slaves in Egypt
Clear accurate predictions all fulfilledClear accurate predictions all fulfilled
Scattering around the world
I will scatter you among the nations…
Leviticus 26 v 33
…Then the Lord will scatter you among all nations, from one end of the earth to the other
Deuteronomy 28 v 64
Many more like this . .Many more like this . .
Scattering around the world
•I will scatter them also among the Gentiles, whom neither they nor their fathers have known… •Jeremiah 9 v 16
•I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries…•Ezekiel 22 v 15
What happened?What happened?
Scattering around the world
Scattering around the world
Scattering around the world
Scattering around the world
Estimated Jewish population in 2006:
Venezuela 15,000
Sweden 15,000
Spain 12,000
Iran 11,000
Romania 10,000
Latvia 10,000
Austria 9,000
New Zealand 7,000
Azerbaijan 6,800
Denmark 6,400
South Africa 72,000
Hungary 50,000
Mexico 40,000
Belgium 31,000
Netherlands 30,000
Italy 29,000
Chile 21,000
Belarus 18,000
Uruguay 18,000
Switzerland 18,000
Turkey 18,000
Israel 5,314,000USA 5,275,000France 492,000Canada 374,000United Kingdom 297,000Russia 228,000Argentina 185,000Germany 118,000Australia 103,000Brazil 97,000Ukraine 80,000
The Bible was rightThe Bible was right
Jews’ Land to be Desolate
I will scatter you among the nations…your land will be laid waste and your cities will lie in ruins.
Leviticus 26 v 33
The Challenge
• Clear and precise
• Written before the event
• Writers had no power to make predictions come true
• Fulfilled by people not aware of their involvement
Can you find anything else like Bible predictions?
Correct every timeCorrect every time
The Challenge
The Bible can be trusted
You can trust its statements You can trust its statements about about youryour life life
SummaryAccurate predictions:• Overthrow of the Jewish nation
– Prediction fulfilled by Romans• Horrors of invasion predicted
– Jews would eat own children in the sieges
– Cities in the land would be destroyed
• Jesus predicted not one stone of temple left– Came true to the letter
• Jews to be scattered all over the world
• Land was to be desolate
Correct every time - Correct every time - you can trust the Bible you can trust the Bible about your futureabout your future
Next time
Predictions fulfilled more recentlyPredictions fulfilled more recently