8. Who is God?

 

Who is God?

The quest to find God has filled millions of volumes throughout history.  This quest for God translates into our search for meaning.  Why do we need to know, who God is?                                   Because, once we find God, we might understand the meaning of our life.  Is there life beyond this life?  What is our purpose? If we can find God, we can answer these questions. The question is can we find God?

            Logically, we can prove the greater probability of God’s existence.  By reason and logic, we know the universe is finite. We also know it was “Caused” in the past.  The depletion of energy (2nd law of Thermodynamics), the Radiation Echo, The Law of Relativity and the universe’s expansion all point to a finite universe.

             In addition, the complexity of life requires, a First Cause, God to exist.  Cell intricacy, infrastructure, DNA and cellular communications all defy laws of probability, logically demonstrating the need of an intelligent designer.

             Evolution, the alternative to intelligent design, is dependent on “accidental gene mutation[1], which can logically be eliminated based on improbability. Logically, we can conclude the probability of God (The First Cause); outweighs His non-existence.

            Is it logical to think man can find out who is God?

            We may be able to see evidence of God’s existence and some of his attributes by using reason, but unless God chooses to reveal Himself, we will always be limited to our senses. If God created the Heavens with an expanse measuring  more then 15 billion light years[2], and the smallest living thing, a cell, still beyond our understanding, it is only logical to assume our knowledge of God is limited to the extent of His revelation. If He made the eyes to see, and the ears to hear, it would be logical to conclude that unless He chooses us to know Him we could not.

 Has God revealed Himself?

            If God revealed Himself, can we use logic find Him?  Truth is that which corresponds to reality. Again, it would be logical to think the facts of reality correspond to God’s existence.  Our understanding of God’s identity is dependent on God’s revelation of Himself.  If we examine the faiths of the world, can we use reason and logic to discover truth? On the other hand, is faith separate from reason?

  Is faith separate from reason and logic?

             To understand the connection between faith and reason we need to define the terms, faith and reason.  Faith means to trust in that which is unseen. Reason translated in Greek, as “Logos”, means plan or word. Reason is the systematic assembling of facts, plan, to arrive at a conclusion. 

            For many the term faith is strictly a religious, term while science is associated reason and logic.  However, someone does not need to be religious to operate on faith.  Faith is required for any living rational being.  Without faith, even the most ardent atheist could do no more then stand in a corner and wait for reality.  Let us look at some examples of how faith operates. 

Flying in an airplane

 

  If Joe Atheist, wanted to leave Cleveland and go to Hawaii, Joe would more then likely choose to go via an airline.  Faith, means to put trust in the unseen.  Joe will use reason to understand that airplanes fly. Joe will probably connect several points of reason.

 

  • He has seen planes fly.
  • He has read about how planes fly.
  • He has friends who fly.
  • He has experienced flight.

 

            Using this collection of facts Joe, believes that if he enters an airplane in Cleveland he will be able to fly and land in Hawaii.  Joe has faith he will be able to fly to Hawaii, faith is confirmed when it becomes reality.  Joe does not know as fact, he will arrive in Hawaii he has faith. The airplane could crash, Hawaii might not have room for the plane, and Joe could die on the plane before it arrives.  Joe is operating on probability, obtained from reasoning with the facts.  The high probability gives credence to his faith. This probability with reason is the basis of his faith in his plan to fly to Hawaii. 

 

Belief in Santa

      The child who believes in Santa Claus as the source of gifts on Christmas is based on the credibility of the child’s parents.  The child reasons thus:

·         My parents tell me what is right and wrong

·         My parents words have become reality in the past

·         My parents tell me, Santa is real and will bring me presents.

·         I have presents therefore Santa must be real.

             The child has faith that Santa exists and is real.  This faith is based on the parent’s credibility, and the experience of receiving presents.  The child has faith that is reasoned and logical. However, if the child could examine the facts, (correspondence with reality) the child would see his parents as the source of presents.

             If we observe the different religions of the world, many claiming revelations from God, (First Cause) is there a logical way to determine which is true.  Not all religions can be true since they contradict each other (Law of Non-contradiction).  Truth is the correspondence to facts.  Since, truth corresponds to fact, logically if God would reveal Himself, his revelation would also correspond to fact. This is in contrast to the idea of blind-faith.

Blind faith is faith without evidence, which would be superstition. The Bible does not call us to blind faith. The Bible calls us to faith in evidence. Various truth claims, including Christianity, can be evaluated on evidence.

 

Types of Evidence

Encyclopedia Britannica defines evidence as,

 Evidence in law, any of the material items or assertions of fact that may be submitted to a competent tribunal as a means of ascertaining the truth of any alleged matter of fact under investigation before it.[3]

 The Depart of Justice defines evidence as,                                                                                         Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other. [4]

In addition, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English language defines evidence as

The data on which a judgment or conclusion may be based, or by which proof or probability may be established.[5]

 Evidence comes from the word “Evident” which means easily recognizable or perceived. Evidence is the data used to prove a case; the evidence should correspond with reality (Truth).

            We could classify evidence for the existence of God into four main classifications with several subcategories.

 

·         Objective Evidence: is concerned with material evidence as opposed to a mental concept idea or belief.  This type of evidence can be categorized into several categories

1. Historical: Evidence, which is a part of history and verified through actual locations, events, tombs, documents and witnesses. 

Example; The Roman empire’s conquest of Jerusalem is documented Roman history, verified in the Arch of Titus in Rome.

2. Archeology: is systematic recovery by scientific methods of material evidence remaining from man’s life and culture.

Example: The discovery of the Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser which shows  Jehu, King of Israel bowing and paying tribute to the Assyrian King Shalmaneser.

3. Documentary: is anything serving as evidence or proof, as a material substance bearing a revealing symbol or mark.

Example: The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls verified the textual integrality of the oldest existing Hebrew manuscripts.

4. Scientific: is the observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of natural phenomena.

Example:  The radiation echo demonstrates the universe is finite and therefore has a cause.

·         Eyewitness Accounts

Testimonies: this is often part of a documentary evidence since many times eyewitness accounts become part of the written record.

Example: Jesus appeared to the 11 disciples after his resurrection, their testimonies of this are recorded in the scripture.

 

·         Subjective Evidence: Is concerned with emotions and environment and takes place within a person’s mind.  For example to have a vision or dream is personal and subjective to the individual. Subjective evidence is not objectively verified, since no one can enter a person’s mind and verify.

1. Emotions: Evidence based on a feelings and emotions. 

Example: When I read the Bible, my spirit is calm.

2. Experience: Evidence based on personal experience.

Example: I prayed that God would heal me of cancer, and my last doctor’s visit showed the cancer was completely gone.

·         Super-natural Objective Evidence: Pertaining to evidence, which is outside the natural world; and especially not attributable to natural forces.

Prophecy: The foretelling of events before their occurrence demonstrates super-natural knowledge about future events.

Example: The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was foretold in the book of Daniel (Daniel 9:27) over 600 years before the event.

Verified Miracles: are Events occurring outside the natural order of things, such as raising somebody from the death. Naturally, people once they die do not come back to life.

Example: The Resurrection of Jesus after He was crucified.

 

What Tests could we apply to discover the Truth?

 

The population of the Earth is now well over 6 Billion people.  There are over 20 major religions and hundreds of subsets, is there any way to use reason, logic and evidence to find the truth?

Based on Logic, we  come to several conclusions;

·         We know we exit.

·         We are aware of our existence

·         We can logically deduce there is cause for the universe.

·         We can logically deduce there is intelligent design.

·         We can logically deduce that unless the First Cause and Intelligent Designer wanted us to know about Him, we could not.

           Therefore, we can deduce knowledge about the First Cause, a.k.a God, is revealed in the world. To assume we cannot know God, would mean we know something about God.

 

Can we use Logic, reason and evidence to discover who God is? 

Characteristics define who we are.  Birds are identified by feathers and beaks, fish by scales, fins and water, and man by intelligence, communication and domination.  We can logically deduce characteristics of God from logic, Super-intelligent, Very powerful, and outside of the natural order. If God were to reveal of Himself, it would be logical to assume it would be outside of nature, in other words Super-natural.

 Logically speaking we should be able to compare the truth claims of “Reveled works”[1] to corresponding reality.  Is there a logical test for revealed works that claim to have divine origin.

 

The Test of A Prophet

A prophet is someone who claims to speak for the “First Cause”, God. Is there a logical test for such a claim? The Bible has a test, of “Revealed” words that would not only apply to the Bible but to any book, claiming  “Super-natural” inspiration.

 

17“And the LORD said to me: ‘What they have spoken is good. 18I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him. 20But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’— 22when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.  Deuteronomy 18:17-22

The logic is simple, if God is the source of the revelation and God is beyond nature, then God would not be subject error. Since God is inerrant, his revealed words could also be expected to be without error. If someone claims to speak for God, but his claimed revelation is not fulfilled, then speaker is lying. The “prophets” words do not correspond with reality

 The future foretold in the past

 

Its easier to claim to know the future then to prove the claim. If someone told you the lottery number 3 days in advance and gave the right number most people would acknowledge three options are available.

  1. You guessed the right number
  2. You conspired with lottery
  3. You have super-natural information

If the feat can be repeated a 2nd and 3rd time without deception, then it would be logical to accept a super-natural cause to the information.

      The Bible claims super-natural evidence of inspiration, separating it from any other book. The ability to proclaim the future in the past.

      If the Bible is a revelation from God, then it should have characteristics that can only be attributed to God.  The ability to proclaim details of future events is outside of nature. Its super-natural, to proclaim what the future will be, such an ability is outside of natural realm.

 

6“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel,And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:‘I am the First and I am the Last;Besides Me there is no God.7And who can proclaim as I do?Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me,Since I appointed the ancient people.And the things that are coming and shall come,Let them show these to them. 8Do not fear, nor be afraid;Have I not told you from that time, and declared it?You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock;I know not one.’”  Isaiah 44:7-8

 

 

9Remember the former things of old,For I am God, and there is no other;I am God, and there is none like Me, 10Declaring the end from the beginning,And from ancient times things that are not yet done,Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,And I will do all My pleasure,’  Isaiah 46:9-10

 

 3“I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.4Because I knew that you were obstinate,And your neck was an iron sinew,And your brow bronze,5Even from the beginning I have declared it to you;Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you,Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them,And my carved image and my molded imageHave commanded them.’ Isaiah 48:3-5

 


 

If the Bible is God’s revealed word then we can look for characteristics fitting only with God’s nature.

  • Revealed words come to past (Super-natural objective evidence)
  • The ability to proclaim the future in the past (Super-nature objective evidence)
  • Correspondence with reality (Truth)

 

Does the Bible pass the Test?

 

            The Bible is a book revolving around facts. We can compare the Bible to corresponding reality. Was there a King Cyrus of Persia? Can we verify this fact outside of the Bible? Yes, we can actually go and visit the tomb of Cyrus of Persia, who is spoken about in 2 Chronicles, Isaiah, Daniel and Ezra as an historical figure. This fact is confirmed to correspond with the Bible. Cyrus’ Tomb can be classified, as an “Objective Archeological” evidence the Bible is true.

 

 

 

 

 

            The Bible records an Assyrian invasion of Jerusalem during Hezekiah’s reign, (Isaiah 36-37, 2 Chronicles 32, 2 Kings 18-19) can this fact be substantiated outside of the Bible?

Yes, we have an Assyrian document known as the Sennacherib Prism that records details of the invasion from the Assyrian viewpoint in 701 BC when Hezekiah was King of Judah.  This evidence would be an “Objective Document” affirming “Objective Historical” evidence about Assyrian invasion of Judah.

 

These are just a few instances, which can be multiplied thousands of times confirming the correspondence of historical, and archeological facts in the bible.

 

            The facts of the matter are that the Bible is absolutely the most reliable book of antiquity.  And archaeological discoveries, which have really come into prominence only in the last 25-40 years, have persistently and consistently supported historical declarations of the Scriptures. Nelson Gulik, a renowned Jewish archaeologist, has made this statement:  "No archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference." 

            However, if the Bible were just a history book this would be stupendous, but hardly proof of inspiration, this is what is expected of what is true.  The Bible in fact goes beyond the claim of just being truthful on historical information.  The Bible makes the claim of “Super-natural” objective evidence. 

Super-natural Objective Evidence, Some examples

            The creation of the state of Israel, involved the gathering after almost 2000 of the Jewish people from all over the world. This event was foretold many times in scripture as a future part of Israel’s destiny, along with the promise that Israel would be scattered first then gathered. 

Promise of Scattering and Gathering of Descendents of Jacob 1400 BC. 

64Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known—wood and stone. 65And among those nations you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place; but there the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul. 66Your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life. 67In the morning you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’ because of the fear which terrifies your heart, and because of the sight which your eyes see.  Deuteronmy 28:64-67

 3that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you. 4If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. 5Then the LORD your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. Deuteronmy 30:3-5

 Ezekiel writes the Israel will be gathered from many nations after a long period of time. 590 BC. 

8After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely.  Ezekiel 38:

 The assembling of Israel from the nations after many years was a super-natural revelation that was fulfilled 2500 to 3400 years after Ezekiel and Deuteronomy. There were only two times in Israel’s history they were gathered after they were scattered. The first time followed the Babylonian captivity in 537 BC, and the second occurred in the 20th century involving the founding of the State of Israel.

 Seventy-Weeks of Daniel

 This is just one of many prophecies we could classify as “Super-natural objective” evidence the Bible is revealed from God, the First Cause. One of the more detailed prophecies, the Seventy weeks of Daniel give us the exact day which The Messiah would be rejected by Israel, and later be killed. Following His death, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed this occurred in 70 AD.

 When we examine the accuracy of the super-natural objective evidence along with the historical, archeological and documentary evidence, we are forced to the conclusion that the Bible is God’s revelation.

In the example of the airplane, you can know the airplane flies, you can study how the airplane flies, you can talk to people how have flown in airplanes but still you need faith to believe the airplane will take you to the desired location.    Trusting the Bible’s words also requires faith; however, this is not “Blind faith”.  Faith in the Bible is based on both objective and “Super natural objective” evidence.  Since the Bible’s words are correct, telling its readers’ about events thousands of years before they occurred, we can trust its words about our eternal destiny. You can study the Bible, visit the locations, read the Bible in the original languages but you still need to make a choice if you will put your eternal destiny in the “Revealed word” of God. 

 Web sites of interest

 http://www.gospelcom.net/faithfacts/quest_blind_faith.html

 http://www.christiananswers.net/archaeology/home.html

 http://www.biblelight.org/arch1.htm

 http://www.bib-arch.org/

 http://www.israelmybeloved.com/history_prophecy/intro/index.htm

 http://contenderministries.org/prophecy/endtimes.php

 

Objective-Evidence

Description of Evidence

Importance of the Evidence

Objective Historical Israel and Judah.

As a nation and people Israel and Judah have an objective history with kings, cities, wars and dealings with other nations.  The bible revolves around the formation of Israel and Judah and their interaction with God and mankind around them.

 

Today we can go to the cities and towns of ancient Israel.  We can investigate buildings, roads, mountains and rivers and compare them to the historical writings. By using Archeology we can place the history under a microscope.

 

We can compare the historical records of other nations and writers with the history of Israel. We can corroborate facts  to the bible records.  People such as Rameses II of Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Cyrus the great are all historical figures that interacted with Israel and the Jewish people.  We can compare the objective evidence, what the writers of these nations say  to what the bible says about  the same events.

 

Objective Historical Persian History

The nation of Israel and the nation of Persia of  come into contact with each other from 539 BC to 333 BC.

 

The Persian-Median Kingdom defeats Babylon and the Jewish people and their lands come under Persian control.  Kings, cities and events are mentioned during this period of time. 

 

We can compare historical records of Persian history with that of the biblical accounts. We can see that history corroborates the objective points that are recorded in the bible by the authors.

Books such as Ester, Nehemiah, Ezra, Daniel, Habakkuk, interact with Persian history. 

 

Objective History Roman

The nation of Israel and the Jewish people came into contact with Rome from 54 BC to the present.  Rome first came to settle a dispute with the Hasmomite Jewish Kingdom.  Roman control existed during the time of Jesus.

 

Roman rulers such as Ceaser, Augustus, Nero and others are mentioned in the new testament.  Roman Legions, cities, coins, customs are all part of the records found in the New testament.  Roman history can be compared to actual people, cities.

 

Roman history validates the New testament records.  Small details about people and their positions have been verified in archeological discoveries many times over.  The existence of Pontus Pilate was questioned by many critics but recent discoveries have confirmed his existence as governor of Judea.

 

Objective: Archeological

City of Babylon The Ruins of ancient Babylon, capital of Babylonian Kingdom, cover 2000-3000 acres in  Iraq, 56 miles south of Baghdad.

 

Babylon’s ruins include one of many ziggurats (Stepped towers) from the area.

Later finds include ruins of the palace of

King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:29)

 

The palace of Nebuchadnezzar, who destroyed Jerusalem in 586 BC and sent the Jews into exile, was the site of Belshazzar’s feast in Daniel 5. Jeremiah wrote that the Lord would make Babylon desolate forever (Jer 25:12, 51)

 

Objective: Archeological Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser This 6.5 foot tall black basalt obelisk (Four sided pillar) reports in pictures and words the conquests of Assyrian King Shalmaneser III Israel’s foe.

 

The Black Obelisk was discovered in the palace at Nimrud in 1846 and shows the biblical Jehu, king of Israel, kneeling down and bringing tribute to the Assyrian king, Shalmaneser. Dating from 841 BC.

 

This find is the only picture we have so far of an Israelite king.  This is the first mention of tribute paid to Assyria by Israel. King Jehu’s reign is mentioned in 2 Kings 9-10.

 

Objective: Archeological The Moabite Stone

In 1868, A German missionary found a stone slab over three feet tall near Dibon, east of the Dead Sea.  Inscribed on the stone were the accomplishments of Mesha, King of Moab around 850 BC.  This stone is sometimes called the Mesha Stele.

 

The ancient Moabites were relatives of the Israelites according to Genesis 19:37. On this stone King Mesha brags of having driven the Israelites out of his land. 2 Kings 3 tells that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel after the death of King Ahab of Israel.

 

The Moabite stone is one of the earliest finds that mentions biblical people. The stone says that King Omri and his son Ahab “humbled” Moab for many years. After Ahab’s death, King Mesha said he had “Triumphed” over Ahab’s family and that Israel had “perished forever”. Some scholars say that the stone also contains a reference to the “House of David”

 

Objective: Archeological Siloam Carving 

Two boys discovered this ancient Hebrew inscription carved in stone along the wall of a tunnel as they were wading through the southern end of the tunnel’s waters in 1880.

 

The inscription comes from the days of Hezekiah (701 BC) who ordered the tunnel  to be made so the water from Jerusalem’s Gihon Spring could be brought in to the city to a man-made reservoir, The Pool of Siloam. This  tunnel provided water to Jerusalem during the anticipated siege of the King Sennacherib of Assyria.

 

The inscription celebrates the completion of this remarkable tunnel as mentioned in  2 Kings 20:20, 2 Chronicles 32:20.

 

Objective: Manuscript Dead Sea Scrolls

The Dead Sea Scrolls are actually hundreds of scrolls and scraps that date between 300BC and 70 AD. The first of them was found in 1947 in the caves in the Qumran area near the Dead Sea about seven miles south of Jericho.

 

Some of the scrolls were found in jars. About 1/2 of the scrolls contain copies of portions of Old Testament books every book but Esther)  These copies are over 1000 years older than most of the manuscripts scholars previously had available for study and translation.

 

This was one of the most important finds in history because it shows that the Old Testament was copied very accurately over the centuries. When the scrolls were compared with the oldest Masoretic text, on which most modern translations are based, only insignificant differences were found. Therefore we can be confident of our current texts.

 

Objective: Manuscript Septuagint

The Greek translation of the Old Testament dating to 300-250 BC

 

After the conquest of Alexander the Great over the Persian kingdom.  The writings of many cultures were translated into the Greek language. Including the Old Testament.  This translation was called the Septuagint.

 

The Septuagint was used by the early church as their bible.  But the Septuagint pre-dates the Christianity by 250  to 300 years.  The Septuagint validates the accuracy of the original Hebrew Bible. 

 

 

Super-Natural

 

Objective Evidence

 

Evidence

Description of Evidence

Importance

Mosaic Covenant: Dispersion of Israel

Duet 28:64 3450 years ago Moses foretold a scattering of the children of Israel

 

Two times in the history of Israel were they scattered as a nation. First during the Babylonian captivity in 608 BC and a second time during the Roman occupation 54BC– 638 AD.

 

70 AD Roman general and future emperor destroys the Jewish Temple and city and begins the process of scattering the Jewish people throughout the Roman empire to suppress opposition to Roman rule.  The events are recorded by Jewish historian and writer Flavious Josephus.

The Arch of Titus in Rome celebrates the Roman victory over Jerusalem.

 

Mosaic Covenant: Gathering of Israel Duet 30:3 3450 years ago Moses foretold a gathering of the children of Israel

 

Two times in history were the children of Israel gathered from the nations and placed back in the land of Israel after being scattered from the land. Once after Persian victory over Babylon and Second after creation of state of Israel in May 1948.

 

The creation of the State of Israel after 2000 year period of occupation by foreign forces was fulfilling  part of the Covenant Moses established but also prophecies from the book of Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel ,Joel, Amos and Micah.  All talked about a future gathering of a dispersed Jewish nation.

 


Gathering of Israel
Ezekiel 36-37

2600 years ago the Jewish priest Ezekiel describes a detailed gathering of Israel.

 

Ezekiel gives a detailed description of the gathering of the Jewish people after 1900 years of scattering. Jewish people from all over the world be gathered into a nation that was birthed into existence. 

 

Nearly 1900 years after the Roman armies expelled the Jews from the land of Israel and renamed it Palestine they returned.  But 600 even before they were expelled Ezekiel gave us a detailed account of their return from near extermination as a people with no hope or recovery.  The details of the prophecy defies all laws of probability. Some way Ezekiel knew the future in the past.

 

 

Gathering of Jews from Ethiopia. Isaiah 11:11  750 BC Isaiah describes Jews being gathered from Ethiopia

 

In 1980 known as Operation Solomon and In 1991 known as Operation Exodus  people known as the Falashi Jews of Ethiopia were taken to Israel.

 

2750 years ago the book of Isaiah foretold of the gathering of Jews from various nations including Ethiopia.  After a near extermination the nation of Israel sent Cargo planes into Ethiopia to save the remaining  of Jews who claimed  descent from Dan.

 

Jerusalem focus of world attention Zechariah 12:3 2550 years ago the city of Jerusalem was foretold to be a focus of world attention.

 

We are told that Jerusalem will be a burden for the world and the object of conflict.  The nations of the world will be at war with the descendents of Israel.

 

2550 years ago Jerusalem was not much different then any other regional large city.  But today over 3 billion people. Half the Earth population claim connection to Jerusalem. 1.3 billion Muslims believe  the City and Dome of the Rock belong to Islam. And Christian nations feel connected to it because

Of Jesus.  Zechariah was telling us the future in the past.

 

Abraham position Gen 12:2-3

Abraham is promised greatness in the Earth.

 

Abraham was an individual that lived over 4000 years ago in the city of Ur.  But his future is foretold with the following points. 1. Great nation to come descend from him.

2. Name great.  3. All people of Earth blessed through him

 

4000 years is a long-time.  The chance for one individual to be singled out and projected as someone who would be great in the Earth 4000 into the future is a near impossibility.  This was either someone who had power over time and space and  could reveal the future in the past or a very lucky guess.  In fact the name Abraham is the most popular name in the world.

 

70 Weeks of Daniel Daniel 9:24-27

Daniel writes about the date of the death of Messiah Prince, Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple, Rebuilding of Temple.

 

The exact month and year are foretold in Daniel when Messiah would die. Following his death the city and Temple would be destroyed. The Temple would later be rebuilt.

 

Jesus died in 33AD.  Over 500 years before his death Daniel would foretell the Month and year of his death. As well as the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. And a future yet to be rebuilt Temple.  The details of Daniel prophecy are such that they are beyond lucky guessing.  The source of Daniel’s writing is beyond Time and Space.

 

Messiah Rejected Isaiah 52:13-53 The person described in Isaiah is one who is to be exalted above all but will first be rejected and killed.

 

Jesus claimed to be Messiah but told that he must first suffer and be rejected for the sins of man.  750 years before his birth Isaiah describes events that would parallel  the life of Jesus and concur with his purpose.

 

Jesus who claimed to be Messiah was crucified by the Romans. Isaiah foretold events that were beyond the control of human nature.  “Raised and lifted up” first be “appalled at”, “Pierced for transgression”, “Die with the wicked”, “Buried with the rich” and then “See the light of life”.  750 years before his birth.  Today Christianity is the most populous religion.  What was Isaiah’s source?

 

Destruction of Temple Matthew 24 :2 Jesus foretold the destruction of the Jewish Temple in which each stone would be thrown down.

 

 

In 70 AD the Romans under Titus destroyed the Temple 37 years earlier that the Disciples admired.   The Temple was completely destroyed.

 

In 70 AD the Romans burned the Temple.  The gold from the Temple melted and poured into the rocks and crevices. The Roman soilders pried all the stones to get at the gold throwing each stone to the ground.  Fullfilling exactly what Jesus foretold.  The future foretold in the past.

 

 

 

 

 


[1] Revealed Works such as the Bible, Quran, Veda, Book of Mormon are works claimed to be “Super-naturally” inspired.


 

[1] Gene Mutation, is the only method available for those who deny intelligent design, for “New information” to be introduced into a living organism without an intelligence random mutation is the only option.  For example, for the lizard to evolve into a bird would take thousands of mutations, including the design of a wing, the feathers, bone structure and more.  The evolutionists need to add the element of “Time” to mutation to make the theory seem plausible.

[2] The speed of light is 186,282 miles per second. A light year is 365.26x24 (hours)x60 (minutes)x60 (seconds) x 186,282= 1 light year. The distance light travels in one year.

[3] Encyclopedia Britannica 2004, “Evidence”

[4] http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/eousa/kidspage/glossary.html

[5] American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1982, Evidence, Pg. 455