One of the major proofs that God gives us of the inspiration and infallibility of Scripture is the pinpoint accuracy of very specific prophecies fulfilled hundreds or thousands of years after they were spoken by God's prophets. Once we are convinced of the trustworthiness of Scripture and God's purpose of revealing the future beforehand, we'll be ready to search the Scripture for clues to the unfulfilled prophecies in our future.
In Daniel 9:24-26, the angel, Gabriel, appeared to Daniel and spoke about the future of the coming of the "Annointed One, the ruler":
“Seventy ‘sevens’ are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place.
“Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing.
According to research done by Sir Robert Anderson (1841-1918) and refined by Gavin Finley, the seven "sevens" and sixty-two "sevens" represent sixty-nine years (483 Jewish years of 360 days which equal 173,880 days or 476 years and 25 days in the Julian calendar years of 365.25 days). This fits in within 99.999% accuracy with the historical record from when King Artaxerses issued his decree in Nisan 2 or 3 (March 16 or 17)445 BC (Nehemiah 2:1) to rebuild Jerusalem to Palm Sunday on Nisan 10 (April 9 or 10) 32 AD when Jesus was presented to Israel as her Messiah.
Another remarkable Old Testament prophecy points to the day Israel was reborn as a nation on May 15, 1948. The prophet Ezekiel was told by God to first lay on his left side for 390 days to bear the sin of the northern 10 tribes of "Israel" for the number of years of their sin. Then he was told to lay on his right side for 40 days to bear the sin of the southern 2 tribes of "Judah" for the number of years of their sin. So the total number of years of God's judgment was to be 430 years (390+40).
Since Israel was exiled to Babylon for 70 years in judgment for her sin, 360 years of judgment remained (430-70). This perplexed Biblical scholars for some time until it was realized that passages in Leviticus 26:18,21,27-28,33) spoke about God using a factor of seven times for serious judgment. Seven times 360 prophetic years = 2,500 years x 360 days per prophetic year = 907,200 days or 2,483.78 Julian calendar years (907,200/365.25).
Israel experiended 70 years of judgment beginning in 606 BC when Israel was take into captivity in Babylon and lasted until 536 BC. If you add 2,483 remaining years and add 1 additional year since there is no 0 BC or 0 AD, the end of the judgment against the nation of Israel ends 1948 AD, the year Israel was reborn as a nation.
These two examples of mathematical precision in the pages of Scripture should convince us that we can trust the accuracy and Divine authority of Scripture. God reveals his plans and purposes in the Bible. He expects us to know the times we are in.
Are you ready for His return?
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Another barrier to the truth - Persecution
Persecution for the truth can take on many forms. It may be in the form of social stigma such as ridicule or isolation. It may cost us our job, our home, and even our family relationships. In some countries and cultures, it may cost us our life.
I recently heard a good analogy. If someone would shine a flashlight on you in a dark room while you are asleep, you would probably have some anger against that person. People who want to live their lives undisturbed by God's call to repent, get upset when the flashlight of truth shines on their life. (See John 3::19-20). However, if someone is lost in the dark, they would welcome the light because it will show them where they are and where to go. People who are truly seeking truth love the light of Scripture because it reveals how sinful mankind can be reconciled to a Holy God.
If you are the flashlight bearer, you will have different reactions from people depending on whether they want to remain "asleep" or they are "lost". Don't let the rejection of those who are "asleep" determine whether or not you shine the light of God's truth.
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Prayer Suggestion:
"Almighty God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, may all praise, honor, and glory be Yours forever. You have revealed to me, a sinner, a righteousness that is not from man's works but from You. In my own "self-righteousness" I cannot by justified, but with the cloak of Christ's righteousness given to me freely by faith, I have a sure and true hope of complete forgiveness and eternal life. May I boldly shine this hope into the lives of those around me that are lost or need to be awakened. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen."
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