One of the most fascinating properties of the Bible is its ability to predict the future. It has been doing so, accurately, for thousands of years. Nearly one quarter of the Bible’s 31,163 verses are prophetic, i.e. they predict the future.  Many of these prophecies are documented by several different Biblical writers and over a period of many years. The Bible contains  approximately 2500 unique prophecies of which approximately 2000 have been fulfilled to date. Today, I would like to comment on two of these Biblical prophecies.

First, let’s consider the prophecy of the return of Israel to Palestine. After nearly 2000 years of being scattered among the nations, Israel returned to its homeland in 1948 and became a sovereign nation. This miraculous happening fulfilled one very specific prophecy in the Bible:

Amos 9:14-15 I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.
(Also see:   Ezekiel 37:10-14; Ezekiel 37:21-22; Jeremiah 16:14-15;  Ezekiel 34:13; Jeremiah 31:10; and Deuteronomy 30:3-5)

Note: This prophecy was recorded by several prophets over a period of hundreds of years.

Two world wars were fought to bring this prophecy to pass. As a result of World War I, Great Britain, in appreciation for Jewish aid to the war effort, issued the Balfour Declaration. Here is an excerpt:

“His Majesty’s government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavors to facilitate the achievement of this object …. “

This declaration simply stated that Great Britain supported the concept of the Jewish people returning to their homeland. This Balfour Declaration lay dormant for many years and bore no fruit, until the end of World War II, when there was much sympathy for the Jews because of the atrocities committed against them, including the Holocaust. At this time, the Jewish people were resolved to return to their homeland and the time was favorable.

There are many political, economic, and social factors which contributed to the inevitability for World Wars I and II, but, as a student of the Bible, I am convinced all these factors were used, by God, for the fulfillment of this Biblical prophecy. It is interesting that the Nazis were bent on exterminating the Jews, and their actions were one of the key ingredients that lead to restoring the Jews to the promised land. So, in 1948, Israel proved the Bible to be truth one more time.

I would like to point out that this prophecy stated that they, Israel, are ” never again to be uprooted from the land …” There are currently many who want to uproot Israel, but they will fail, according to the Bible. When all nations gather against Israel, the Bible says that Israel will prevail.

Zechariah 14:2    For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle…..

Zechariah 14:2    Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations….

Consider our second prophesy where Jesus said:
 

Matthew 11:28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

This is a prophesy and a promise. This prophesy has come true in many lives. It didn’t take two world wars; but, it took the life of Jesus, the Son of God. In order for this prophesy/promise to be realized, Jesus had to leave His throne; suffer mocking and humiliation; bear the consequence of our sin; and be taken down to Hades where He conquered sin and death. This single event, in my opinion, was the most significant of all time, and, because of it, Jesus has the power and authority to promise and give us rest.

The prophesies in the Bible are true; they either will come true or have come true, no matter the will, opinion, or actions of mankind. Jesus, while on earth, validated the Bible as it existed at that time, and the prophesies in the Bible validated Jesus. Prophesy is the glue that holds the Bible and Christianity together.

Suggestion: Teach your children about how prophesy works and the importance of it. Teach them that if a prophet is wrong, even one time, he cannot be trusted.