THE PROOF OF PROPHECY

Prove it! Where is the proof? Often, we hear statements like this regarding claims made by someone. The Bible is UNIQUELY a prophetic book, but how do we know it is true? A KEY proof is fulfilled prophecy. To know the future is to control it and only God has this kind of power.

Prophecy in the OT had a near aspect and a far aspect. The reason the prophet could be trusted for prophecies that pertained to the distant future is because those he had predicted in the near future came true with 100% accuracy.

Deuteronomy 18:22 (ESV)
22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

One day the true prophet Jeremiah had a confrontation with a false prophet by the name of Hananiah. This is how it went down.

Jeremiah 28:15–17 (ESV)
15 And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie.
16 Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have uttered rebellion against the LORD.’ ”
17 In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.

This established two things: 1) It proved Jeremiah to be a true prophet and 2) it clearly showed Hananiah to be a false prophet. And beyond that, because what Jeremiah said about the short term was fulfilled to the letter he could also be trusted for his long-range prophecies.

"The validity of a prophet was based upon prophecies occurring with 100 percent accuracy in a relatively brief period of time (Deut. 18:22). The people were to test a prophet’s speech based upon proclamations that would be fulfilled in months, a year, or two years. If such accuracy was demonstrated, the people realized that a true prophet had spoken, and they were to receive the prophecies occurring in an extended period of time." – Ronald J. Bigalke

The reason we can believe that all the prophecies related to the Second Coming will be fulfilled is because all those related to the First Coming have already been fulfilled. The reason we can believe the 500 prophecies that are still unfulfilled, is because of the 500 that have already been fulfilled to the letter. This is how prophecy works in the Bible.

And note that the prophecies fulfilled in the Bible are always LITERALLY fulfilled. When Genesis 15:13 predicted that Abraham’s descendants would be strangers and afflicted in a foreign land for 400 years that was literally fulfilled in Egypt. When Micah 5:2 predicted the Ruler of Israel would come forth from Bethlehem that was literally fulfilled in the birthplace of Jesus. And so it goes. Prophecy is always LITERALLY fulfilled.

Prophetic revelation was progressive until it was completed with the book of Revelation. Revelation is like a grand central station in which all the aspects of prophecy find culmination in a glorious completion. The Messiah figures predominantly. This is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1). Israel is there with Revelation 12 giving an overview of Israel’s history and her relationship with the Messiah. The nations are there under the judgment of God. And the Church is there in the first 3 chapters prior to being raptured out and kept from the hour of trial which is to come upon the whole world (cf. Rev. 3:10).

In Daniel 2 when Nebuchadnezzar had a troubling dream and demanded that someone tell him the dream and its meaning Daniel said this to the king.

Daniel 2:27–28 (NKJV)
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king.
28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these:

This is the unique glory of the God of Israel. He knows the future and He reveals it. This is God’s unique prophetic glory and by it He proves Himself to be true.

In Isaiah 41 God gives this challenge to the false gods. True Godhood involves the ability to predict the future, bring it to pass, and explain the purpose of what is happening.

Isaiah 41:21–23 (ESV)
21 Set forth your case, says the LORD; bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob.
22 Let them [the false gods] bring them, and tell us what is to happen. Tell us the former things, what they are, that we may consider them, that we may know their outcome; or declare to us the things to come.
23 Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know that you are gods; do good, or do harm, that we may be dismayed and terrified.

Note the challenge: "Tell us what is to come hereafter, that we may know you are gods". Accurately predicting what is to come is a GOD-THING! Only God knows the future and therefore only He can tell us things to come. This proves that He sovereignly controls history. He knows because He controls.

Isaiah 41 then sets the stage for the great prophetic truth of the coming Messiah as revealed in what is called the four “Servant Songs” of Isaiah found in Isa. 42, 49, 50, 53 (cf. Isa. 42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-11; 52:13 – 53:12).

The first “Servant Song” concludes with these verses…

Isaiah 42:7–9 (ESV)
7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
8 I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Note the subject matter is prophetic concerning the coming Messiah and what He will do. In that prophetic context God says, “my glory I give to no other”. And what in context is His glory? Read on… "Behold the former things have come to pass”. What God has predicted has seen fulfillment. This is God’s glory. He continues: “Behold… new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” This is prophecy! This is telling in advance what is going to happen and then fulfilling it. This is God’s glory alone! No one else can do this! And note this prophetic glory is here attached specifically to the coming Messiah!

Looking for PROOF that the Bible is true! Consider the TRUTH of fulfilled prophecy! Look at the fulfillment of prophecy in the person of Christ! There is no other book that can hail such a claim! The PROOF of fulfilled prophecy proves the truth of the God of the Bible!

Daniel 2:20–22 (ESV)
20 Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.