Prophecy - 150 years in Advance!

[Steve Myers] We all love to know what's coming down the line. I think we're all interested in what could happen in the future. And that's one of the interesting things about Bible prophecy. Bible prophecy gives us insight into the future. And one way we can verify that is looking at fulfilled prophecy. And there's really an interesting fulfilled prophecy back in the book of Isaiah.

[Darris McNeely] This is part of our continuing series on prophecy and specifically we've been going into some fulfilled prophecies. One of the most fascinating is where God foretold 150 years in advance who would conquer Babylon and how that conqueror would also be involved in the restoration of Jerusalem through the Jews. In Isaiah chapter 44 we read where it says, God says, "Who confirms the word of His servant...Who says to the deep, 'Be dry and I will dry up the rivers', Who says of Cyrus 'he is My shepherd, he shall perform all My pleasure'" (Isaiah 44:26-28). Cyrus, a historical figure, King of Persia. History tells us that Cyrus conquered Babylon and actually when we understand the story of how he did it, we find it right here in the Scriptures foretold 150 years in advance of the actual time that it occurred by God.

[Steve Myers] Now remember the scenario—the Jews had been carried off into Babylon and Babylon then was overtaken by the Persians, by Cyrus. And so Cyrus ultimately then comes into play in prophecy. And that fulfilled prophecy is an amazing story because here in Isaiah, long before this actually happens, God inspires Isaiah to record it—and not just the timing, but he also says the individual. He points out the name of the king that ultimately would release the Jews so they'd be able to come back to Jerusalem.

[Darris McNeely] In two specific references in Isaiah chapter 44 and chapter 45 we find this mentioned. In chapter 44, which we just read, he talks about drying up the rivers. In Isaiah chapter 45, God says to His anointed, to Cyrus, "Whose right hand I have held to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings so that the gates will not be shut and that he would open the double doors" (Isaiah 45:1). Babylon had double doors at the main, one of the main entrances. He created a diversion within the Euphrates River and allowed his troops to go under. It's a point of history, a matter of fact and it was foretold by God in advance. These two prophecies, Isaiah 44 and 45, tell us. And by foretelling this, once again we see a very critical proof not only of the Bible, but of the power of God.

[Steve Myers] It is an amazing story. I mean, it's just phenomenal. We have the name of the individual 150 years before and we even have the military strategy of how they did conquer Babylon so they could go in there after they divert the River Euphrates. So it's just an amazing proof of the power of God and fulfilled prophecy so that we can trust in God. We can trust in His word as well.

[Darris McNeely] One final reference in Isaiah 46:11 God says, "Indeed I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it, I will also do it." What God purposes to do—whether a specific prophecy with a world figure, a leading emperor of a major world power Cyrus, or even in our own individual lives, when we obey Him and seek the blessings that God promises and even predicts for us in our own personal lives as prophecy also applies there, it shows the power not only the Bible, but of God.

[Steve Myers] So don't forget you can believe in the power of the Word of God. What He says will come to pass. That's BT Daily. We'll see you next time.