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Bible prophecy
Posted: Sat Aug 01, 2009 4:12 pm
by WConn
I would like to ask which Bible Prophecy's do you think are the most persuasive? I have read the one about King Cyrus and returning the Jews to rebuild the temple. The prophecy was made about 150 years before it actually came to be.
Thank you,
Walt
Re: Bible prophecy
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 5:02 am
by WConn
Not trying to be difficult here but I would like to also know how I might go about verifying when passages were written and when the prophetic account actually happened.
I have a web site given to me that is quite convincing, but again I would like to verify the dates of these things myself.
http://www.reasons.org/fulfilled-prophe ... lity-bible
Any help would be very much appreciated.
W
Re: Bible prophecy
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 2:21 pm
by Gman
WConn wrote:Not trying to be difficult here but I would like to also know how I might go about verifying when passages were written and when the prophetic account actually happened.
I have a web site given to me that is quite convincing, but again I would like to verify the dates of these things myself.
http://www.reasons.org/fulfilled-prophe ... lity-bible
Any help would be very much appreciated.
W
Walt,
It's probably detailed in the Midrash or Talmud. I'll see if I can find it there...
Also, if you want some other prophetic things of the Bible, I would also suggest this article below..
http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/bibletru.html
Re: Bible prophecy
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 3:40 pm
by WConn
Thank you Gman. Again, I am not trying to be difficult, but when I am convinced, I am convinced. CSLewislover has helped me a great deal with some of my questions and with prophecy. Some of these things are really amazing. I've never believed in the ability to tell the future, at least not without a high degree of inaccuracy....kinda like my stock broker.
With CSLewislover's help and yours and a few others, I am sure I will get to where I want to be in the belief area. I believe in God as I have said, now I have to believe in the men who wrote the bible, inspired by God. Again, I must admit that much of this is amazing and at that, difficult for a mere mortal such as myself to grasp completely.
Walt
Re: Bible prophecy
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:44 pm
by Gman
WConn wrote:Thank you Gman. Again, I am not trying to be difficult, but when I am convinced, I am convinced. CSLewislover has helped me a great deal with some of my questions and with prophecy. Some of these things are really amazing. I've never believed in the ability to tell the future, at least not without a high degree of inaccuracy....kinda like my stock broker.
With CSLewislover's help and yours and a few others, I am sure I will get to where I want to be in the belief area. I believe in God as I have said, now I have to believe in the men who wrote the bible, inspired by God. Again, I must admit that much of this is amazing and at that, difficult for a mere mortal such as myself to grasp completely.
Walt
Oh no problem Walt, you are not being difficult at all.. I think it is a good question. Let me see what I can find...
Re: Bible prophecy
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 8:56 pm
by Gman
Walt,
I think you will find your answer here under "The Persian Empire."
"The Persian Empire, often called the Medo-Persian Empire, was the second great world empire represented in the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. In 549 B.C. a Persian named Cyrus conquered the area known as Babylonia in 539 B.C. as prophesied by Isaiah over 150 years before. (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1). "
http://www.biblestudy.org/prophecy/empire-history.html
Or
http://www.allaboutthejourney.org/bible ... filled.htm
http://www.cyrusgreat.com/content/view/13/2/
Re: Bible prophecy
Posted: Sun Aug 02, 2009 9:27 pm
by cslewislover
Walt, I know you have seen some of the probabilities of some of the prophecies being fulfilled. This excerpt is from one of the apologetics books I mentioned before, and it comes after their discussion of the probabilities.
"There are, of course, some prophecies that can be fulfilled intentionally, like entering Jerusalem on a donkey. But it must be understood that most of the prophecies cannot be discounted in such a way. The Messiah could not contrive His place of birth, time of birth, [ancestors], the actions of others (such as His betrayer), or manner of death. . . . It must also be understood that these prophecies were not added into the text later to fit the life of Jesus. Remember that Jewish interpreters used the exact same text that these prophecies came from. They never argued against the Christians by saying the prophecies were inserted. Rather, they argued against the interpretation and fulfillment of the prophecies" (Holman QuickSource Guide to Christian Aoplogetics, p 256).
This same book also notes: " . . . Old Testament canon was closed for all practical purposes 100 years or so before Alexander's conquests, making it highly unlikely any editing after the fact was done to make Ezekiel more accurate [referring to Ezekiel 26:3-14, 21]. If such were the case, we would expect to find variants in the texts, some with the accurate prophecies and some without. But that is just not the case. And even if the prophecies were added in or altered after Alexander's time or even later, it remains that the ancient city of Tyre, which was prosperous and thriving in Ezekiel's time, has never been rebuilt, a prophecy that was fulfilled regardless of when the writing of Ezekiel is fixed"(p 243-244).
Re: Bible prophecy
Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 4:16 am
by WConn
Gman and CSLewislover, thank you for your help. Hers is an interesting excerpt from a site I looked at, maybe one that was recommended, I don't remember but I found it interesting.
( "However, Cyrus did more than simply freeing the Jews. He commanded the Babylonians who lived near Jewish survivors to "contribute toward their expenses by supplying them with silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock, as well as a freewill offering for the Temple of God in Jerusalem". 11 He also returned all of the stolen items from the Temple when Nebuchadnezzar had captured Jerusalem. 12 Thus, he fulfilled the Lord's prophecy of Israel's freedom. 13 Cyrus did what very few heathen kings would have done, all because God's hand was upon him. After the conquest of Babylon, Cyrus had to deal with raiding Scythians, led by Queen Tomyris. 14 Instead of defeating his enemy, however, Cyrus lost his first battle and was killed in one of the skirmishes.
Although he lived over two thousand years ago, Cyrus was still remembered in recent history. In 1948, the United Nations helped establish the State of Israel, reuniting the Jewish nation. Israel recognized the efforts of the U.S. president at the time, Harry S. Truman.
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Once, after his [Truman's] retirement, he was introduced as the man who helped create the state of Israel." Without a moment's hesitation, Truman shot back, "What do you mean, helped create? I was Cyrus, I was Cyrus" - referring to the Persian monarch who enabled the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem after the first dispersion. 15
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Truman was considered as the deliverer to this new State of Israel. Because Cyrus had influenced and helped the Israel nation in such an important way, he also was a deliverer of the Jews. Like Moses before him, and Christ after, Cyrus saved the Jews from an unsettling situation. Through Christ, Cyrus fulfilled God's plan.")
It looks like Truman was taking a lot of credit. He seems to declare himself Cyrus. In today's political environment, that would have garnered a lot of criticism, would it not?
I must admit that if there is a prophecy that is going to make me believe, this will top the list.
Walt