Bible Prophecies and their fulfilment

World history foretold in advance

Bible Prophecy

• In the Bible, prophecy can take a number of forms:• Inspired utterances• Short term prophecies – fulfilled in the prophet’s

lifetime• Long term prophecies – extending from the prophets’

time, or later, and on into the future• Prophecies can concern individuals, families or whole

nations

Bible Prophecy

Our subject tonight is:

World History Foretold in Advance

So we will concentrate on major national or international prophecies.

• Here is a notable and well-known example…

Fabled ancient Babylon

With its’ famous Ishtar Gate

Fantastic hanging gardens

Was to become a ruin!

Turn to Jeremiah 51:33-37;59-64

“Thus shall Babylon sink to rise no more”

The prophecy took centuries to be completely fulfilled…but eventually Babylon disappeared

under the desert sands, until a century or so ago, the Archaeologist dug up its ruins.

..Saddam Hussein tried to rebuild Babylon which would have falsified the prophecy..but we know what happened

to him!

• There are a number of other equally significant ancient cities and empires, the complete demise of which were predicted centuries before in Bible prophecy, but, now in accordance with our emphasis on world history foretold in advance, I want to consider one of the great prophecies given to the prophet Daniel.

• Daniel was a Jewish captive, taken to Babylon to serve king Nebuchadnezzar, but who lived on until Chaldean rule was succeeded by that of the Medes and Persians.

World History Foretold in Advance

• The prophecy I would like to consider tonight in some depth, is found in the chapter our Chairman read as an introduction, Daniel chapter 7.

Dan 7:2-3behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. 3 And four great beasts came up out of the seaESV

Four great beasts came up out of the sea

The four beasts of Daniel chapter 7 correspond to the four empires represented by the metals of the “image” prophecy found in Daniel chapter 2

Dan 7:4 The first was like a lion and had eagles' wings.ESV

Assyrian lion from Nineveh

Babylonian lion-glazed onto the bricks of Babylon

Nebuchadnezzar’s empire

another beast.. like a bear. It was raised up on one side. It had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth

Arise, devour much flesh!

Dan 7:6another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back

behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong.

It had great iron teeth

it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left

with its feet!

The Roman empire broke up into ten nations (horns) as

Daniel 7.v.24 said

there came up among them another horn, a little one

before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots (Daniel 7.v.8)

Pepin, the king of the Franks, conquered Italy in the 8th Century and gave three kingdoms to the Pope

Daniel 7.v.9

As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of days took his seat his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames

Dan 7.vs.11-12

And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away

Dan 7.vs.13-14

behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him

Dan 7.v.14

his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

• These verses are telling us of the second coming of Jesus Christ to this earth, to whom God will give the kingdoms of men. Many Bible Testament prophecies testify to the blessings for the righteous and idyllic conditions that will prevail in this kingdom of god on earth. Look, for example, at the following passages:• Luke 1:32-33• Isaiah 9:7-7; 11:1-9• Psalm 72• Matthew 25:14-23; 31-34

And the kingdom and the dominionand the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heavenshall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;

their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,and all dominions shall serve and obey them.'

ESV

But, where will all this leave you and me? If we try to please God now and do His will, then the

words of Daniel 7: 27 will come true for us..