Reference: Prophecy
American
The foretelling of future events, by inspiration from God. It is very different from a sagacious and happy conjecture as to futurity, and from a vague and equivocal oracle, without any certain meaning. A true prophecy can come only from God; and is the highest proof of the divine origin of the message of which it is a part. A true prophecy may be known by these marks; being announced at a suitable time before the event it foretells; having a particular and exact agreement with that event; being such as no human sagacity or foresight could produce; and being delivered by one claiming to be under the inspiration of the Almighty. Many of the prophecies of Scripture foretold events ages before they occurred - events of which there was then no apparent probability, and the occurrence of which depended on innumerable contingencies, involving the history of things and the volitions of persons not then in existence; and yet these predictions were fulfilled at the time and place and in the manner prophesied. Such were the predictions respecting the coming and crucifixion of the Messiah, the dispersion and preservation of the Jews, etc. The Scripture prophecies are a scheme of vast extent, the very earliest predictions reaching down to the end of the world's history - a scheme gradually and harmoniously developed from age to age, and by many different persons, some of them not fully apprehending, and "searching diligently what the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify," 1Pe 1:11, the whole manifestly the work of Jehovah, and marvelous in our eyes. A degree of obscurity rests on the prophetic writings, which patient and prayerful study alone can dispel; while those that are yet unfulfilled must await the coming of the events, which will make all at length clear. Many predictions relating primarily to events and deliverance's near at hand, were also designed of God as sure prophecies of yet more illustrious events in the future. For example, the general subject of the predictions in Mt 24 is the coming of Christ, to judge his foes and deliver his friends. In penning a sketch of this subject, Matthew imitates a painter depicting from an eminence the landscape before him: the tower of the village church in the near foreground, and the mountain peak in the dim and remote horizon, rise side by side on his canvas. So in painting the coming of Christ, Matthew sketches first some features of his coming in the destruction of Jerusalem to occur within forty years, and in the next verse some distinctive features of his second coming at the end of the world; yet both belong to the same general view. Respecting the New Testament phrase, "This was done that it might be fulfilled," etc., see FULFILLED. For other meanings of "prophecy," see PROPHETS.
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investigating for what [person] or which time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating [when he] testified beforehand to the sufferings with reference to Christ and the glories after these [things],
Easton
or prediction, was one of the functions of the prophet. It has been defined as a "miracle of knowledge, a declaration or description or representation of something future, beyond the power of human sagacity to foresee, discern, or conjecture." (See Prophet.)
The great prediction which runs like a golden thread through the whole contents of the Old Testament is that regarding the coming and work of the Messiah; and the great use of prophecy was to perpetuate faith in his coming, and to prepare the world for that event. But there are many subordinate and intermediate prophecies also which hold an important place in the great chain of events which illustrate the sovereignty and all-wise overruling providence of God.
Then there are many prophecies regarding the Jewish nation, its founder Abraham (Ge 12:1-3; 13:16; 15:5; 17:2,4-6, etc.), and his posterity, Isaac and Jacob and their descendants (Ge 12:7; 13:14-15,17; 15:18-21; Ex 3:8,17), which have all been fulfilled. The twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy contains a series of predictions which are even now in the present day being fulfilled. In the writings of the prophets Isaiah (Isa 2:18-21), Jeremiah (Jer 27:3-7; 29:11-14), Ezekiel (Eze 5:12; 8), Daniel (Da 8; 9:26-27), Hosea (Ho 9:17), there are also many prophecies regarding the events which were to befall that people.
There is in like manner a large number of prophecies relating to those nations with which the Jews came into contact, as Tyre (Eze 26:3-5,14-21), Egypt (Eze 29:10,15; 30:6,12-13), Ethiopia (Na 3:8-10), Nineveh (Na 1:10; 2:8-13; 3:17-19), Babylon (Isa 13:4; Jer 51:7; Isa 44:27; Jer 50:38; 51:36,39,57), the land of the Philistines (Jer 47:4-7; Eze 25:15-17; Am 1:6-8; Zep 2:4-7; Zec 9:5-8), and of the four great monarchies (Da 2:39-40; 7:17-24; 8:9).
But the great body of Old Testament prophecy relates directly to the advent of the Messiah, beginning with Ge 3:15, the first great promise, and extending in ever-increasing fulness and clearness all through to the very close of the canon. The Messianic prophecies are too numerous to be quoted. "To him gave all the prophets witness." (Comp. Mic 5:2; Hag 2:6-9; Isa 7:14; 9:6-7; 11:1-2; 53; 60:10,13; Ps 16:11; 68:18.)
Many predictions also were delivered by Jesus and his apostles. Those of Christ were very numerous. (Comp. 24/type/leb'>Mt 10:24; 11:23; 19:28; 21:43-44; 24; 25:31-46; 26:17-35,46,64; Mr 9:1; 10:30; 13; 11:1-6,14; 14:12-31,42,62; 16:17, etc.)
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And I will put hostility between you and between the woman, and between your offspring and between her offspring; he will strike you [on the] head, and you will strike him [on the] heel."
And Yahweh said to Abram, "Go out from your land and from your relatives, and from the house of your father, to the land that I will show you. And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great. And you will be a blessing. read more. And I will bless those who bless you, and those who curse you I will curse. And all families of the earth will be blessed in you."
And Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." And he built an altar there to Yahweh, who had appeared to him.
And Yahweh said to Abram after Lot had separated from him, "Now, lift up your eyes and look from the place where you [are] to the north, and to the south, and to the east and to the west, for all the land which you see I will give to you, and to your descendants, forever. read more. I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth which, if anyone were able to count the dust of the earth, your descendants would be [so] counted. Arise, go through the length of the land and through its breadth, for I will give it to you."
And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward the heavens and count the stars if you are able to count them." And he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."
On that day Yahweh {made} a covenant with Abram saying, "To your offspring I will give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates river, [the land of] the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, read more. the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites."
so that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you {exceedingly}."
"[As for] me, behold, my covenant [shall be] with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. Your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I will make you the father of a multitude of nations. read more. And I will make you {exceedingly} fruitful. I will make you a nation, and kings shall go out from you.
And I have come down to deliver them from the hand of [the] Egyptians and to bring them up from this land to a good and wide land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.
And I said, "I will bring you up from the misery of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey." '
You will make known to me [the] path of life. In your presence [is] fullness of joy. At your right hand [are] pleasures forever.
You have ascended on high; you have led away captives. You have received gifts [from] among humankind, and even [from the] rebellious, so that Yah God may dwell [there].
And the idols shall pass away entirely, and they will enter into [the] caves of [the] rocks and into [the] holes of [the] ground from the presence of the terror of Yahweh and from the glory of his majesty {when he rises} to terrify the earth. read more. On that day humanity will throw away its idols of silver and its idols of gold, which they made for it to worship, to the rodents and to the bats-- to enter into the crevices of the rocks and into the clefts of the crags from the presence of the terror of Yahweh and from the glory of his majesty, {when he rises} to terrify the earth.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look! the virgin [is] with child and she is about to give birth [to] a son, and she shall call his name 'God with us.'
For a child has been born for us; a son has been given to us. And the dominion will be on his shoulder, and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. {His dominion will grow continually, and to peace there will be no end} on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and sustain it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will do this.
And a shoot will come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from its roots will bear fruit. And the spirit of Yahweh shall rest on him-- a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and might, a spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh.
A sound, a noise [is] on the mountains, [the] likeness [of] many people! A sound of [the] roar of [the] kingdoms, of nations gathering! Yahweh of hosts [is] mustering an army for battle.
And {foreigners} shall build your walls, and their kings shall serve you, for in my anger I struck you, but in my favor I have taken pity on you.
The glory of Lebanon shall come to you; [the] cypress, [the] plane, and [the] pine together, to glorify the place of my sanctuary, and I will do honor to the place of my feet.
and send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the {Ammonites}, and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon in [the] hand of [the] envoys who have come [to] Jerusalem, to Zedekiah, the king of Judah. And you must command them for their masters, {saying}, 'Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, this you shall say to your masters: read more. "I have made the earth with humankind and animals that [are] on the face of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and I give it to whomever is right in my eyes. And now I myself have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and also the animals of the field I have given to him to serve him. And all the nations will serve him, and his son, and {his grandson}, until the coming of the time of {his own} land. Then many nations and great kings will let him work.
For I know the plans that I [am] planning concerning you,' {declares} Yahweh, 'plans for prosperity and not for harm, to give to you a future and a hope. Then [when] you call me, and you come and pray to me, then I will listen to you. read more. When you search for me, then you will find [me], if you seek me with all your heart. And I will let myself be found by you,' {declares} Yahweh, 'and I will restore your fortunes, and I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places to which I have driven you,' {declares} Yahweh, 'and I will bring you back to the place from which I deported you.'
Because of the day that is coming to destroy all [the] Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and from Sidon every survivor [who could] help, for Yahweh [is] destroying [the] Philistines, the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor. Baldness has come upon Gaza, Ashkelon is destroyed. O remnant of their valley, {how long} will you cut yourself with a blade? read more. Ah, sword of Yahweh, {how long} will you not be quiet? Gather to your sheath, keep quiet and stand still. How can you be quiet when Yahweh has given an order to it? Against Ashkelon and against the shore of the sea, there he has appointed it."
A drought [will come] against her waters, and they will dry up, for it [is] a land of images, and because of the frightful [objects], they act like madmen.
Babylon [was] a cup of gold in the hand of Yahweh, making drunk all the earth. [The] nations drank of her wine. {Therefore} [the] nations acted like madmen.
{Therefore} thus says Yahweh, "Look, I [am] going to contend your case, and I will avenge your vengeance, and I will cause her sea to dry up, and I will cause her fountain to dry up.
At their becoming hot I will set their banquets, and I will make them drunk, so that they will fall into a swoon, and they will sleep {an everlasting sleep}, and they will not wake up," {declares} Yahweh.
"And I will make drunk her officials, and her wise men, her governors, and her officials, and her warriors, and they will sleep {an everlasting sleep}, and they will not wake up," {declares} the King, Yahweh of hosts [is] his name.
A third of you will die because of the plague, and because of the famine they will perish in the midst of you, and a third will fall through the sword around you, and a third I will scatter to every direction of the wind, and I will draw [the] sword behind them.
Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "Because of the {acting} of [the] Philistines in vengeance, so that they avenged themselves relentlessly with malice in themselves for destruction {with everlasting hostility}, therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: 'Look! I [am] stretching out my hand against [the] Philistines, and I will cut off the Kerethites, and I will destroy the remainder of {the seacoast}. read more. And I will execute on them great vengeance with punishments of rage, and they will know that I [am] Yahweh when I exact my vengeance on them!"
Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: 'Look! I [am] against you, Tyre, and I will bring up against you many nations like the stirring up of the sea {stirring up its waves}. And I will destroy the walls of Tyre, and they will demolish its towers, and I will scrape away its earthen dirt from it, and I will make it into {a bare rock}. read more. It will become a place for spreading out dragnets in the midst of the sea; for I have spoken,' {declares} the Lord Yahweh. 'And it will become as plunder for the nations,
And I will make you into {a bare rock}, a place for [the] spreading out of dragnets. You will not be built again, for I, Yahweh, I have spoken," {declares} the Lord Yahweh. Thus says the Lord Yahweh to Tyre, "Will not the coastlands shake from the sound of your downfall, at [the] groaning of the wounded, {at people being killed} in the midst of you? read more. And all the princes of the sea will go down from their thrones, and they will remove their robes, and their {beautiful garments} [of] finished cloth they will take off. With terror they will be clothed, and on the ground they will sit, and they will tremble {continually}, and they will be appalled over you. And they will raise a lament over you, and they will say to you, 'How you have been lost [who was] inhabited from [the] seas; the city that was praised, that was strong. It [is] [located] on the sea, and its inhabitants imposed their terror {on all of its inhabitants}. Now the coastlands will tremble [at] the day of your downfall, and the islands that [are] in the sea will be horrified because of your departure.'" For thus says the Lord Yahweh: "When I make you a desolate city, like the cities that are not inhabited, when bringing up over you the deep, the {great surging waters} will cover you. And I will bring you down with [those who are] going down to the grave, {an ancient people}, and I will cause you to dwell in the world of [the] depths, in the ruins from of old with [those who are] going down to [the] grave, so that you will not be inhabited and {have a place} in [the] land of [the] living. Sudden terrors I will bring [on] you, and you shall no [longer exist]; and you will be sought, and you will not be found again {forever}," {declares} the Lord Yahweh.
Therefore look! I [am] against you and against your Nile streams, and I will make the land of Egypt into ruins, pile of rubble, desolation from Migdol [to] Syene and up to the boundary of Cush.
Of [all] the kingdoms it will be [the most] lowly, and it will not exalt itself again over the nations, and I will make them small [so as] not to rule over the nations.
Thus says Yahweh: "And the supporters of Egypt will fall, and the majesty of its strength will go down from Migdol [to] Syene; by the sword they will fall in it," {declares} the Lord Yahweh.
and I will make the Nile streams dry land, and I will sell the land into [the] hand of bad [people], and I will lay waste [the] land and its fullness by [the] hand of strangers. I, Yahweh, I have spoken." Thus says the Lord Yahweh: "And I will destroy [the] idols, and I will put an end to [the] worthless idols from Memphis. And there will {no longer be} a prince from the land of Egypt, and I will put fear in the land of Egypt.
And after you another kingdom inferior to yours will arise, and another third [kingdom] of bronze that will rule over the whole earth. And fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, [and] {just as} iron crushes and smashes {everything}, and as iron shatters all of these [other metals], [so] it will crush and it will shatter [these nations].
'These great beasts which are four [in number] [are] four kings [who] will arise from the earth. But the holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom, and they will take possession of the kingdom forever, {forever and ever}.' read more. "Then I desired to make certain concerning the fourth beast that was different from {all the others}--exceedingly terrifying, with its iron teeth and its claws of bronze; it devoured and crushed [and] stamped the remainder with its feet-- and concerning the horns that [were] on its head, and [concerning] [the] other [horn] that came up and {before which three horns fell}, and this horn {had eyes} and mouth speaking {boastfully}, and its appearance [was] larger than its companions. {I continued watching}, and this horn made war with [the] holy ones and it prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came and gave judgment to [the] holy ones of [the] Most High; and the time arrived and [the] holy ones took possession of the kingdom. "And he said, 'The fourth beast [is] the fourth kingdom [that] will be on the earth that will be different from all the [other] kingdoms, and it will devour the whole earth and it will trample it and it will crush it. And [as for] the ten horns [coming] from it, [from] this kingdom ten kings will arise, and another will arise after them. And he will be different from the earlier [ones], and he will subdue three kings.
{And from one of them} came forth horn, {a little one}, and it grew exceedingly toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the beautiful land.
My God will reject them because they did not listen to him, and they will be wanderers among the nations.
Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not revoke [the punishment], because they exiled a whole community, handing them over to Edom! So I will send a fire against the wall of Gaza and it will devour its citadel fortresses. read more. And I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashdod and the one who takes hold of the scepter of Ashkelon. I will also turn my hand against Ekron, and the remnant of the Philistines will perish," says the Lord Yahweh.
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, [too] small to be among the clans of Judah, from you one will go out for me, to be ruler in Israel; and his origins [are] from of old, from ancient days.
For like entangled thorns, and like their drink which is drunk, they will be consumed like fully dry chaff.
Nineveh [is] like a pool of water without its water. {As they flee}, [she cries,] "Stop! Stop!" But there is no one who turns back. Plunder the silver! Plunder the gold! There is no end to the spoils, an abundance of {everything one could want}! read more. Emptiness and plundering and devastation! Their hearts faint and their knees tremble, {All their loins shake} and all their faces {turn} pale. Where [now] [is] the den of [the] lions and [the] cave of the fierce lions? There the lioness, the cub, and the lion once {prowled}, {and no one disturbed them}. The lion tore apart enough [prey] for his cubs, he strangled [prey] for his lioness; he filled {his lair} [with] prey and his den [with] mangled carcass. "Look! I am against you!" {declares} Yahweh of hosts. "I will burn her chariots {with fire}; the sword will devour fierce lions. I will cut off your prey from the earth; the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard."
Are you better than Thebes? She who sits at the Nile, surrounded by her waters, her rampart [was the] sea and water [was] her wall. Cush [was] her strength, Egypt without end; Put and Libya were among {your allies}. read more. Yet she went into captivity as an exile; her children were dashed to pieces at the head of [the] streets; they cast lots for all of her nobles; all of her dignitaries were bound with chains.
Your officials [are] like locusts; your commanders [are] like a swarm of locusts. They encamp on the walls on a cold day; when the sun rises, they fly away-- no one knows where they have gone. Your shepherds are sleeping, king of Assyria! Your nobles slumber. Your people are scattered on the mountains; no one can gather them. read more. There is no healing for your wound; your injury is fatal. All who hear the report of you will clap [their] hands [for joy] concerning you, {For who has not suffered at the hands of your endless cruelty}?
For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon as a desolation. [As for] Ashdod, at noon they will drive her away, and Ekron shall be uprooted. Woe [to you], inhabitants of the region of the sea, people of the Kerethites! The word of Yahweh [is] against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines. I will destroy you {until there is no inhabitant}. read more. And you, O region of the sea, shall become pastures [and] meadows [for] shepherds and sheep pens [for the] flocks. And it shall become a region for the remnant of the house of Judah; upon them they shall graze, and in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down in the evening. For Yahweh their God shall be mindful of them, and he will restore their fortunes.
For thus says Yahweh of hosts: 'Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and dry land. I will shake all the nations so that the treasure of all the nations will come, and I will fill this house [with] glory,' says Yahweh of hosts. read more. 'The silver [is] mine and the gold [is] mine,' {declares} Yahweh of hosts. 'The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,' says Yahweh of hosts, 'and in this place I will give peace' {declares} Yahweh of hosts.'"
Ashkelon will see and will be afraid, and Gaza will writhe exceedingly, and Ekron [also], because its hope is ruined. And the king from Gaza will perish, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited. A mongrel people will dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut down the pride of [the] Philistines. read more. I will remove its blood from its mouth, and its abominations from between its teeth. And it too will be a remnant for our God; and it will be like a tribal chief in Judah, and Ekron [will be] like [the] Jebusite. But I will encamp at my temple [like a] guard, against those crossing through and returning; no oppressor will cross through them again, for now I have seen with my [own] eyes.
"A disciple is not superior to his teacher, nor a slave superior to his master.
And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until today.
And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you that in the renewal [of the world], when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me--you also will sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
For this [reason], I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and will be given to a people who produce its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and [the one] on whom it falls--it will crush him!"
Now when the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate them from one another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. read more. And he will place the sheep on his right and the goats on the left. Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, [you] who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world! For I was hungry and you gave me [something] to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me [something] to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me as a guest, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed [you], or thirsty and give [you something] to drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome [you] as a guest, or naked and clothe [you]? And when did we see you sick or in prison and come to you?' And the king will answer [and] say to them, 'Truly I say to you, in as much as you did [it] to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did [it] to me.' Then he will also say to those on [his] left, 'Depart from me, [you] accursed ones, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry and you did not give me [anything] to eat, I was thirsty and you did not give me [anything] to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not care for me.' Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and not serve you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly I say to you, in as much as you did not do [it] to one of the least of these, you did not do [it] to me.' And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Now on the first [day] of the feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came up to Jesus, saying, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?" And he said, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is near. I am celebrating the Passover with you with my disciples." ' read more. And the disciples did as Jesus directed them, and they prepared the Passover. And [when it] was evening, he was reclining at table with the twelve disciples. And [while] they were eating he said, "Truly I say to you, that one of you will betray me." And greatly distressed, each one began to say to him, "{Surely I am not he, am I}, Lord?" And he answered [and] said, "The one who dips his hand in the bowl with me--this one will betray me. The Son of Man is going just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if that man had not been born." And Judas, the one who was betraying him, answered [and] said, "{Surely I am not he, am I}, Rabbi?" He said to him, "You have said [it]." Now [while] they were eating Jesus took bread and, [after] giving thanks, he broke [it], and giving [it] to the disciples, he said, "Take, eat, this is my body." And [after] taking the cup and giving thanks he gave [it] to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. But I tell you, from now [on] I will never drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of my Father." And [after they] had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of me during this night, for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." But Peter answered [and] said to him, "If they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away!" Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that during this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times!" Peter said to him, "Even if it is necessary for me to die with you, I will never deny you!" And all the disciples said the same [thing].
Jesus said to him, "You have said [it]. But I tell you, from now [on] you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
And he said to them, "Truly I say to you, that there are some of those standing here who will never experience death until they see the kingdom of God having come with power."
{who will not} receive a hundred times as much now in this time--houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, together with persecutions--and in the age to come, eternal life.
And when they came near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the village before you, and right away [as you] enter into it you will find a colt tied, on which no one [has] ever sat. Untie it and bring [it]. read more. And if anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing this?' say 'The Lord has need of it, and will send it here again at once.'" And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those who were standing there said to them, "What are you doing, untying the colt?" So they told them, just as Jesus had said, and they allowed them [to take it].
And he responded [and] said to it, "Let no one eat fruit from you any more {forever}!" And his disciples heard [it].
And on the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go [and] prepare, so that you can eat the Passover?" And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, read more. and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?" ' And he will show you a large upstairs room furnished [and] ready, and prepare for us there." And the disciples went out and came into the city and found [everything] just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. And [when it] was evening, he arrived with the twelve. And [while] they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, that one of you who is eating with me will betray me." They began to be distressed and to say to him one by one, "Surely not I?" But he said to them, "[It is] one of the twelve--the one who is dipping [bread] into the bowl with me. For the Son of Man is going just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! [It would be] better for him if that man had not been born." And [while] they were eating, he took bread [and], [after] giving thanks, he broke [it] and gave [it] to them and said, "Take [it], this is my body." And [after] taking the cup [and] giving thanks, he gave [it] to them, and they all drank from it. And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many. Truly I say to you that I will never drink of the fruit of the vine any longer until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." And [after they] had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away, because it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered.' But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee." But Peter said to him, "Even if they all fall away, certainly I will not!" And Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that today--this night--before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times!" But he kept saying emphatically, "If it is necessary for me to die with you, I will never deny you!" And they all were saying the same [thing] also.
And Jesus said, "I am, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven."
And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will expel demons, they will speak in new tongues,
Watsons
PROPHECY, the prediction of future events; it is especially understood of those predictions which are contained in the Holy Scriptures; all of which claim divine inspiration, and by their wonderful fulfilment are proved to have proceeded from God, who only with certainty can know the future. Prophecy is one great branch of the external evidence of the truth of the Scriptures; and the nature and force of this kind of evidence may here be properly pointed out. No argument a priori against the possibility of prophecy can be attempted by any one who believes in the existence and infinitely perfect nature of God. The infidel author of "The Moral Philosopher," indeed, rather insinuates than attempts fully to establish a dilemma with which to perplex those who regard prophecy as one of the proofs of a divine revelation. He thinks that either prophecy must respect events necessary, as depending upon necessary causes, which might be certainly foreknown and predicted; or that, if human actions are free, and effects contingent, the possibility of prophecy must be given up, as it implies foreknowledge, which, if granted, would render them necessary. The first part of this objection might be allowed, were there no predictions to be adduced in favour of a professed revelation, except such as related to events which human experience has taught to be dependent upon some cause, the existence and necessary operation of which are within the compass of human knowledge. But to foretel such events would not be to prophesy, any more than to say that it will be light to-morrow at noon, or that on a certain day and hour next year there will occur an eclipse of the sun or moon, when that event had been previously ascertained by astronomical calculation. If, however, it were allowed that all events depended upon a chain of necessary causes, yet, in a variety of instances, the argument from prophecy would not be at all affected; for the foretelling of necessary results in certain circumstances is beyond human intelligence, because they can only be known to him by whose power those necessary causes on which they depend have been arranged, and who has prescribed the times of their operation. To borrow a case, for the sake of illustration, from the Scriptures, though the claims of their predictions are not now in question; let us allow that such a prophecy as that of Isaiah respecting the taking of Babylon by Cyrus was uttered, as it purports to be, more than a century before Cyrus was born, and that all the actions of Cyrus and his army, and those of the Babylonian monarch and his people, were necessitated; is it to be maintained that the chain of necessitating causes running through more than a century could be traced by a human mind, so as to describe the precise manner in which that fatality would unfold itself, even to the turning of the river, the drunken carousal of the inhabitants, and the neglect of shutting the gates of the city? This being by uniform and universal experience known to be above all human apprehension, would therefore prove that the prediction was made in consequence of a communication from a superior and divine Intelligence. Were events, therefore, subjected to invincible fate and necessity, there might nevertheless be prophecy.
The other branch of the dilemma is founded on the notion that if we allow the moral freedom of human actions, prophecy is impossible, because certain foreknowledge is contrary to that freedom, and fixes and renders the event necessary. To this the reply is, that the objection is founded on a false assumption, the divine foreknowledge having no more influence in effectuating or making certain any event than human foreknowledge in the degree in which it may exist, there being no moral causality at all in knowledge. This lies in the will, which is the determining acting principle in every agent; or, as Dr. Samuel Clarke has expressed it, in answer to another kind of objector, "God's infallible judgment concerning contingent truths does no more alter the nature of the things, and cause them to be necessary, than our judging right at any time concerning a contingent truth makes it cease to be contingent; or than our science of a present truth is any cause of its being either true or present. Here, therefore, lies the fallacy of our author's argument. Because, from God's foreknowing the existence of things depending upon a chain of necessary causes, it follows that the existence of the things must needs be necessary; therefore, from God's judging infallibly concerning things which depend not on necessary but free causes, he concludes that these things also depend not upon free but necessary causes. Contrary, I say, to the supposition in the argument; for it must not be first supposed that things are in their own nature necessary; but from the power of judging infallibly concerning free events, it must be proved that things, otherwise supposed free, will thereby unavoidably become necessary." The whole question lies in this, Is the simple knowledge of an action a necessitating cause of the action? And the answer must be in the negative, as every man's consciousness will assure him. If the causality of influence, either immediate, or by the arrangement of compelling events, be mixed up with this, the ground is shifted; and it is no longer a question which respects simple prescience. (See Prescience.) This metaphysical objection having no foundation in truth, the force of the evidence arising from predictions of events, distant, and beyond the power of human sagacity to anticipate, and uttered as authentications of a divine commission, is apparent. "Such predictions, whether in the form of declaration, description, or representation of things future," as Mr. Boyle justly observes, "are supernatural things, and may properly be ranked among miracles." For when, for instance, the events are distant many years or ages from the uttering of the prediction itself, depending on causes not so much as existing when the prophecy was spoken and recorded, and likewise upon various circumstances and a long arbitrary series of things, and the fluctuating uncertainties of human volitions, and especially when they depend not at all upon any external circumstances nor upon any created being, but arise merely from the counsels and appointment of God himself,
See Verses Found in Dictionary
The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff between his feet, until Shiloh comes. And to him shall be the obedience of nations.
It will be eaten in one house; you will not bring part of the meat out from the house to the outside; and you will not break a bone of it.
He will build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be a son for me, whom I will punish when he does wrong, with a rod of men and with blows of the {human beings}.
Then he proclaimed against the altar by the word of Yahweh and said, "O altar, altar, thus says Yahweh: 'Look, a son will be born to the house of David, Josiah by name, and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who burn incense on you, and human bones shall burn on you.'" He gave a sign on that day, saying, "This [is] the sign that Yahweh has predetermined: Look, [this] altar will be torn [apart], and the ashes that [are] on it will be poured out."
He asked life from you; you gave [it] to him-- length of days forever and ever. His honor [is] great because of your help. Splendor and majesty you have bestowed upon him. read more. For you set [on] him blessings forever. You make him glad with [the] joy [of] your presence.
Because dogs have surrounded me; a gang of evildoers has encircled me. Like the lion [they are at] my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; they gaze, they look at me. read more. They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.
I waited patiently for Yahweh, And he inclined to me and heard my cry for help.
Then I said, "Look, I come. In [the] scroll of [the] book it is written concerning me: 'I delight to do your will, O my God, and your law [is] {deep within me}.'" read more. I have brought good tidings [of] righteousness in the great congregation. Look, I have not shut my lips. O Yahweh, {you surely know that}. Your righteousness I have not hidden in the midst of my heart. I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loyal love or your faithfulness from [the] great congregation.
As for me, I said, "O Yahweh, be gracious [to] me. Heal me, for I have sinned against you."
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look! the virgin [is] with child and she is about to give birth [to] a son, and she shall call his name 'God with us.'
And I will set up over them one shepherd, and he will feed them; [that is], my servant David. He will feed them, and he will be for them as a shepherd.
"{I continued watching} in the visions of the night, and look, with the clouds of heaven [one] like a son of man was coming, and he came to the Ancient of Days, and {was presented} before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and kingship that all the peoples, the nations, and languages [would] serve him; his dominion [is] a dominion {without end} that will not cease, and his kingdom [is one] that will not be destroyed.
And he will make a strong covenant with the many [for] one week, but [in] half of the week he will let cease sacrifice and offering {and in its place} a desolating abomination [comes] even until {the determined complete destruction} is poured out on [the] desolator."
"Then the king will do {as he pleases}, and he will exalt himself and will consider himself above any god, and he will speak horrendous things {against} [the] God of gods, yet he will succeed until [the period] of anger is finished, for [what] is determined will be done. He will not pay respect to the gods of his ancestors, or to [the] darling of women, and not to any god will he pay respect, for he will consider himself great over all [gods].
And I heard the man [who] was clothed in linen who [was] above the water of the stream, and he raised his right hand and his left hand to heaven and he swore {by the one who lives forever} that [an] appointed time, appointed times, and half [an appointed time] [would pass] when [the] shattering of {the power of the holy people} {would be completed}; [then] all these things will be accomplished.
When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, [too] small to be among the clans of Judah, from you one will go out for me, to be ruler in Israel; and his origins [are] from of old, from ancient days.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king comes to you; he [is] righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a male donkey, {the foal of} a female donkey!
"Look! I [am] going to send my messenger, and he will prepare [the] way {before me}. And the Lord whom you [are] seeking will come suddenly to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant, [in] whom you [are] taking pleasure--look!--[he is] about to come," says Yahweh of hosts.
Now all this happened in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying,
And he was there until the death of Herod, in order that what was said by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled, saying, "Out of Egypt I called my son."
and if you are willing to accept [it], he is Elijah, the one who is going to come.
"So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken about by the prophet Daniel standing in the holy place" (let the one who reads understand),
And just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, thus it is necessary [that] the Son of Man be lifted up,
"I am not speaking about all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but in order that the scripture would be fulfilled, 'The one who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'
For these [things] happened in order that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not a bone of his will be broken."
That is, [it is] not the children {by human descent} [who are] children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. For the statement of the promise [is] this: "At this time I will return and {Sarah will have} a son." read more. And not only [this], but also [when] Rebecca conceived children by one [man], Isaac our father-- for [although they] had not yet been born, or done anything good or evil, in order that the purpose of God according to election might remain, not by works but by the one who calls--it was said to her, "The older will serve the younger," just as it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
For I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all went through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, read more. and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed [them], and the rock was Christ. But God was not pleased with the majority of them, for they were struck down in the desert. Now these [things] happened [as] examples for us, so that we should not be desirers of evil [things], just as those also desired [them], and not become idolaters, as some of them [did], just as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play," nor commit sexual immorality, as some of them committed sexual immorality, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day, nor put Christ to the test, as some of them tested [him], and were destroyed by snakes, nor grumble, just as some of them grumbled, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these [things] happened to those [people] as an example, but are written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the female slave and one by the free woman. But the one by the female slave was born according to human descent, and the one by the free woman through the promise, read more. which [things] are spoken allegorically, for these [women] are two covenants, one from Mount Sinai, bearing [children] for slavery, who is Hagar. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is a slave with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, which is our mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, O barren woman, who does not give birth to [children]; burst out and shout, [you] who do not have birth pains, because many [are] the children of the desolate [woman], even more than [those of] the one who has a husband." But you, brothers, are children of the promise, just as Isaac. But just as at that time the [child] born according to human descent persecuted the [child born] according to the Spirit, so also now. But what does the scripture say? "Drive out the female slave and her son, for the son of the female slave will never inherit with the son" of the free woman. Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the female slave but of the free woman.
For to which of the angels did he ever say, "You are my son, today I have begotten you," and again, "I will be {his father}, and he will be {my son}"?
where Jesus, the forerunner for us, entered, [because he] became a high priest {forever} according to the order of Melchizedek.
For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham [as he] was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth of everything--in the first place, [his name] is translated "king of righteousness," and then also "king of Salem," that is, "king of peace"; read more. without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God--he remains a priest for all time.
who serve a sketch and shadow of the heavenly [things], just as Moses was warned [when he] was about to complete the tabernacle, for he says, "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain."