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