Is the Bible a message from a God I can’t see?

Accurate Predictions Part 2

Accurate Predictions Superpowers that led to modern Europe Egypt The Edomites The Ammonites The Jews

What 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 Jews Summary 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 world attention

Ancient Predictions Septuagint translation –Old Testament into Greek – BC No possibility that predictions written down 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 threats to become reality

Bible Prediction The 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 Jerusalem in AD70

Bible Prediction The 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 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 banner 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 AD66-70

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 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 survives

Egypt and slaves Historian 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 fulfilled

Overthrow of Jewish Nation Bible 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 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..

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?

Scattering around the world

Estimated Jewish population in 2006: Venezuela 15,000 Sweden 15,000 Spain12,000 Iran11,000 Romania10,000 Latvia 10,000 Austria 9,000 New Zealand 7,000 Azerbaijan 6,800 Denmark 6,400 South Africa72,000 Hungary 50,000 Mexico 40,000 Belgium 31,000 Netherlands30,000 Italy 29,000 Chile21,000 Belarus18,000 Uruguay 18,000 Switzerland 18,000 Turkey18,000 Israel 5,314,000 USA 5,275,000 France492,000 Canada374,000 United Kingdom297,000 Russia228,000 Argentina185,000 Germany 118,000 Australia 103,000 Brazil 97,000 Ukraine 80,000 The 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 time

The Challenge The Bible can be trusted You can trust its statements about your life

Summary Accurate 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 - you can trust the Bible about your future

Next time Predictions fulfilled more recently