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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Searching into what particular, or what manner, of season the Spirit of Christ which was in them was pointing to, when witnessing beforehand as to - The sufferings, for Christ, and the glories, after these, -
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/emb'>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.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And enmity, will I put between thee, and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed, - He shall crush thy head, but, thou, shalt crush his heel.
And Yahweh said unto Abram: Come thou on thy way, Out of thy land and out of the place of thy birth and out of the house of thy father, - Unto the land that I will show thee; That I may make thee into a great nation, And bless thee and make great thy name, And become thou a blessing; read more. That I may bless them who bless thee, But him who maketh light of thee, will I curse, - So shall be, blessed in thee, all the families of the ground.
And Yahweh appeared unto Abram, and said: To thy seed, will I give this land, - And he built there an altar, unto Yahweh who appeared unto him.
And, Yahweh, said unto Abram after that Lot had separated himself from him, Lift up, I pray thee thine eyes and look, from the place where thou art, - northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which thou art beholding - to thee, will I give it, and to thy seed unto times age-abiding; read more. and I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, - so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, thy seed also, may be numbered. Rise! go up and down in the land, to the length thereof and to the breadth thereof, for to thee, will I give it.
And he brought him forth abroad and said - Look steadfastly. I pray thee towards the heavens, and number the stars, if thou be able to number, them, And he said to him, Thus, shall be thy seed.
In that day, did Yahweh solemnise with Abram a covenant, saying, - To thy seed, have I given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river - the river Euphrates: the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite; read more. and the Hittite and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim; and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.
That I may set my covenant betwixt me and thee, And may multiply thee, exceedingly.
As for me, lo! my covenant is with thee, - So shalt thou become - father of a multitude of nations; And thy name shall no more be called Abram, - but thy name shall become Abraham, for father of a multitude of nations, have I appointed thee; read more. And I will make thee fruitful, exceedingly, and grant thee to be nations, - Yea kings, out of thee, shall come forth;
therefore have I come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians, and to take them up out of that land, into a land good and large, into a land flowing with milk and honey, - into the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite, and the Amorite and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
therefore do I say - I will bring you up out of the humiliation of Egypt, into the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite, and the Amorite and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, - into a land flowing with milk and honey.
Thou wilt cause me to know, the path of life, - Fulness of joys before thee, Pleasures at thy right hand evermore.
Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led in procession a body of captives, Thou hast received gifts consisting of men, Yea even the rebellious, That, Yah, Elohim, might settle down to rest.
And, the idols, shall wholly pass away; And they shall enter into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of clay, - Because of the terribleness of Yahweh, And for his majestic splendour, When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. read more. In that day shall the son of earth cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, - which had been made for him to worship, into the hole of the mice, and to the bats; That he may enter into the clefts of the rocks, and into the fissures of the crags, - Because of the terribleness of Yahweh, And for his majestic splendour, When he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Wherefore let My Lord Himself give you a sign, - Lo! a Virgin, being with child and giving birth to a son, thou wilt call his name Immanuel.
For, A Child, hath been born to us, A Son, hath been given to us, And the dominion is upon his shoulder, - And his Name hath been called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty GOD, Father of Futurity, Prince of Prosperity. Of the increase of dominion, and of prosperity, There shall be no end - Upon the throne of David and Upon his kingdom, By establishing it and By sustaining it, With justice and With righteousness, - From henceforth, Even unto times age-abiding: The jealousy of Yahweh of hosts, will perform this!
But there shall come forth a shoot from the stock of Jesse, - And, a sprout from his roots, shall bear fruit; And the spirit of Yahweh shall rest upon him, - The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and reverence of Yahweh;
The noise of a tumult of kingdoms Nations gathered together, Yahweh of hosts, mustering a host for battle!
Who saith to the deep - Be dry and Thy rivers, will I drain!
So shall the sons of the foreigner, build thy walls, And their kings, shall wait upon thee, - For in my vexation, I smote thee, But in my favour, have I had compassion upon thee.
The glory of Lebanon, unto thee, shall come, The fir-tree the holm-oak, and the sherbin-cedar, together, To adorn the place of my sanctuary, And the place of my feet, will I make glorious.
Then shalt thou send them unto the king of Edom and unto the king of Moab and unto the king of the sons of Ammon, and unto the king of Tyre and unto the king of Zidon, - by the hand of messengers coming into Jerusalem, unto Zedekiah king of Judah. And thou shall give them charge unto their lords saying, - Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts God of Israel, Thus shall ye say unto your lords: - read more. I, made The earth - The man and the beast that are on the face of the earth - By my great power, And by mine outstretched arm, - And gave it to whomsoever was right in mine own eyes. Now, therefore, I, have given all these lands, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon my servant, - Moreover also, the wild beast of the field, have I given him, to serve him. Therefore shall all the nations serve him, and his son, and his sons son, - until the time even of his own land, itself arrive, when many nations and great kings, shall use him as a slave.
For, I, know the plans which I am planning for you Declareth Yahweh, - Plans of welfare and not of calamity, To give you a future and a hope. So shall ye call upon me, - And go and pray unto me, - And I will hearken unto you; read more. So shall ye seek me and find, For ye will enquire after me with all your heart; And I will be found of you, Declareth Yahweh, And will turn back your captivity, And will gather you out of all the nations and out of all the places whither I have driven you, Declareth Yahweh, And will bring you back into the place whence I had caused you to be carried away captive:
On account of the day that cometh to lay waste all the Philistines, To cut off from Tyre and Zidon every escaped one that could have helped, - For Yahweh is laying waste the Philistines, The remnant of the Coastland of Caphtor. Baldness hath come, upon Gaza, Silenced is Ashkelon the remnant of their vale, - How long, wilt thou cut thyself? read more. Ah! thou sword of Yahweh, How long, wilt thou not be quiet? Withdraw into thy scabbard, Rest thyself and be still. How, can it be quiet, when, Yahweh, hath given it a charge, - against Ashkelon and against the shore of the sea? There, hath he appointed it!
A drought, is against her waters, And they shall be dried up, - For a land of images, it is, And with their shocking things, they act as men who are mad:
A cup of gold, was Babylon in the hand of Yahweh, Making drunk all the earth, - Of her wine, have the nations drunk, For this cause have the nations been acting as men who are mad.
Therefore, Thus, sith Yahweh, Behold me! pleading thy cause, So then I will execute the avenging of thee; And will dry up her sea, And make dry her spring:
When they are heated, I will spread their banquets, And let them drink that they may become uproarious, So shall they sleep an age-abiding sleep and not wake, - Declareth Yahweh.
Then will I make drunk - Her princes and her wise men, Her governors, and her deputies and her heroes, And they shall sleep an age-abiding sleep, and not wake, - Declareth the King, Yahweh of hosts, is his name.
The third part of thee by pestilence, shall die, and by famine, be consumed in thy midst And the third part by the sword, shall fall round about thee,- And the third part to every wind, will I scatter, and a sword, will I make bare after them.
Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, Because of what the Philistines have done by way of vengeance,- In that they have taken vengeance with contempt in the soul, to destroy, with the enmity of age-past times. Therefore, Thus, saith My Lord. Yahweh, Behold me! stretching forth my hand over the Philistines, And I will cut off the Cherethim, - And will cause to perish the remnant of the coast of the sea; read more. And I will execute upon them great vengeance, with rebukes of indignation: shall they know that I am Yahweh, when I put forth mine avenging against them.
Therefore, Thus, saith My Lord Yahweh, Behold me! against thee O Tyre, - So then I will bring up against thee many nations, As the sea bringeth up its rolling waves; And they shall destroy the walls of Tyre. And break down her towers, And I will scrape clean her dust from off her, - And make of her the glaring face of a cliff: read more. A place for the spreading of nets, shall she become, in the midst of the sea, For, I, have spoken Declareth My Lord. Yahweh,-And she shall become a prey to the nations.
And I will make of thee the glaring face of a cliff. A place for the spreading of nets, shalt thou become, Thou shalt not be but any more, For I. Yahweh have spoken it, Declareth My Lord Yahweh. Thus saith My Lord. Yahweh, to Tyre: Shall it not be that. At the sound of thy fall. With the groan of thy pierced one. With the slaughter made in thy midst, The Coastlands shall tremble? read more. Then shall come down from off their thrones all the princes of the sea, And shall lay aside their robes. And their embroidered garments, shall strip off, - With tremblings, shall they clothe them. selves Upon the ground, shall they sit, And shall tremble every moment and be astonished over thee. Then shall they take up over thee a dirge, And say to thee,- How hast thou perished, And ceased from the seas,- The city renowned which was strong in the sea She and they who dwelt in her, Who imparted their terror To all who dwelt in her. Now, shall tremble the Coastlands, In the day of thy fall,- And shall shudder the isles that are in the sea. At thine exit! For thus saith My Lord Yahweh, When I make thee a desolate city, Like cities which cannot be dwelt in,- When I bring up over thee the roaring deep, And the mighty waters cover thee, Then will I bring thee down with them that go down into the pit. Unto the people of age-past times And cause thee to dwell in the earth below Among the desolations from age-past times With them that go down into the pit That thou mayest not be dwelt in, Nor yet present thyself in the land of the living. A terror, will I make thee And thou shalt not be: Though thou be sought for, Thou shalt not be found any more To times age-abiding, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh.
Therefore, behold me! against thee and against thy rivers,- And I will make the land of Egypt to be most desolate an astounding desolation, from Migdol to Syene even up to the boundary of Ethiopia:
More than any of the kingdoms, shall she be abased, And shall lift herself up no more over the nations, - Yea I will make them too small to rule over the nations.
Thus saith Yahweh, Then shall fall the supporters of Egypt, Then shall come down the pride of her strength, - From Migdol to Seweneh, by the sword shall they fall therein, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh.
And I will make the rivers dry, and will sell the land into the hand of wicked one. - and make the land desolate with the fulness thereof, by the hand of foreigners, I, Yahweh! have spoken. Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, Therefore will I destroy the manufactured gods and Cause to cease the worthless goals, out of Noph, And prince out of the land of Egypt, shall none arise any more,- And I will cause fear in the land of Egypt.
And, after thee, shall arise another kingdom, inferior to thee, - and another - a third kingdom, of bronze, which shall bear rule throughout all the earth. And, the fourth kingdom, shall be hard as iron, - in like manner as iron breaketh in pieces and crusheth all things, - even as iron which bringeth to ruins all these, shall it break in pieces and bring to ruins.
These great wild beasts, which are four, - are four kings who shall arise out of the earth; but the holy ones of the Highest, shall receive the kingdom, - and shall possess the kingdom for the age, yea for the age of ages. read more. Then desired I to be sure, concerning the fourth wild beast, which was diverse from all of them, - exceeding terrible, whose, teeth, were iron, and, his claws, of bronze, he devoured, brake in pieces, and, the residue - with his feet, he trampled down; also concerning the ten horns, which were in his head, and the other, which came up, and there fell - from among them that were before it - three, - and this horn which had, eyes, and, a mouth, speaking great things, and, his look, was more proud than his fellows: I continued looking, when, this horn, made war with the holy ones, - and prevailed against them: until that the Ancient of Days, came, and, justice, was granted to the holy ones of the Highest, - and, the time, arrived, that the holy ones should possess, the kingdom. Thus, he said, The fourth wild beast, is a fourth kingdom which shall be in the earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, - and shall devour all the earth, and shall trample it down, and break it in pieces. And, the ten horns of that kingdom, are ten kings who will arise, - and, another, will arise after them, and, he, will be diverse from the former ones, and, three kings, will he cast down;
and, out of the first of them, came forth a little horn, - which became exceedingly great, against the south and against the east, and against the beautiful land ;
My God will reject them, because they hearkened not unto him, - that they may become wanderers throughout the nations.
Thus, saith Yahweh, Because of three transgressions of Gaza, and because of four, will I not turn it back, - Because of their taking into exile the whole body of exiles, to deliver to Edom, Therefore will I send a fire upon the wall of Gaza, - which shall devour the palaces thereof; read more. And I will cut off the inhabitant out of Ashdod, and the holder of the sceptre out of Ashkelon, - and will turn my hand against Ekron, So shall perish the remnant of the Philistines, saith My Lord, Yahweh.
Thou, therefore, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though, little, to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee, shall Mine come forth, to be ruler in Israel, - whose comings forth, have been from of old, from the days of age-past time.
Though they were like thorns intertwined, and as drunkards drenched with their drink, yet have they been devoured, like stubble fully dry.
Yet, as for Nineveh, like a reservoir of waters, are her waters, - but, those men, are in flight! Stand! stand but no one is turning. Plunder silver, plunder gold, - and there is no end to the costly furnishing, rich with every article of delight. read more. Emptiness, yea turned to emptiness, aye deserted is she ! with, heart, unnerved, and, a tottering, of knees, and, anguish, in all loins, and, the faces of them all, have withdrawn their colour. Where is the lair of the lions? Yea the very feeding-place of the young lions, - where walked the lion, the lioness, the lion's whelp, with none to make them afraid? The lion, used to tear in pieces enough for his whelps, and to strangle for his lionesses, - and then fill with prey his holes, and his lairs with what he had torn. Behold me! against thee, Declareth Yahweh of hosts, Therefore will I burn up in smoke her chariots, and, thy young lions, shall be devoured by the sword, - so will I cut off, out of the earth, thy prey, nor shall be heard any more, the voice of thine envoy.
Art thou better than No-amon, who sat among the Nile-streams, waters round about her, - whose fortress was the sea, from the sea, her wall. Ethiopia, was her strength, and Egypt - Yea, without end, - Put and Lubim, were among thy helpers. read more. Yet, she, was given up to exile, she went into captivity, even her babes, were dashed to the ground, at the head of all the streets, - and, for her honourable men, cast they lots, and, all her great men, were bound together in chains.
Thy mercenary crowds, are like the swarming locust, and, thy mixed multitudes, like locusts - swarms of locusts, - which settle in the hedges on a cold day, the sun, hath broken forth, and they are in flight, and unknown is the place where they are! Asleep are thy shepherds, O king of Assyria, thy nobles, must needs rest. Scattered are thy people upon the mountains, and there is none to gather them. read more. No lessening of thine injury, grievous is thy wound, - all who have heard the report of thee, have clapped their hands over thee, for, upon whom, hath not thy cruelty passed without ceasing?
For, Gaza, forsaken, shall be, and, Ashkelon, a desolation, - Ashdod! at high noon, shall they drive her forth, and, Ekron, be uprooted: Alas! for the inhabitants of the line of the sea, the nation of Kerethim, - The word of Yahweh, is against you, O Canaan of the land of the Philistines, therefore will I destroy thee, to the last inhabitant. read more. So shall the line of the sea become a meadow, the wells of shepherds, and the folds of flocks; And the line shall belong to the remnant of the house of Judah, Thereon, shall they feed their flocks, - In the houses of Ashkelon, shall they, at eventide, lie down, for Yahweh their God will visit them, and bring their captives back.
For, thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, Yet once, a little, it is, - and I am shaking the heavens and the earth, and the sea and the dry land; And I will shake all the nations, and the delight of all the nations, shall come in, - and I will fill this house with glory, saith Yahweh of hosts. read more. Mine is the silver and Mine the gold, Declareth Yahweh of hosts: Greater shall be the last glory of this house than the first, saith Yahweh of hosts, - and, in this place, will I give prosperity, Declareth Yahweh of hosts.
Ashkelon, shall see, and fear, Gaza, also, which shall writhe in great anguish, Ekron, also, because abashed is her expectation, - and the king, shall perish, from Gaza, and, Ashkelon, not be inhabited; And there shall be seated a half-breed in Ashdod, - So will I cut off the arrogance of the Philistines; read more. And will take away his reeking prey out of his mouth, and his abominations, from between his teeth, but, he that is left, even he, shall belong to our God, - So shall he become as a chief in Judah, and, Ekron, as a Jebusite! Then will I encamp about my house - against an army, against him that passeth by, and against him that returneth, neither shall an exactor, tread them down any more, - for, now, have I seen with mine own eyes.
A, disciple, is not above, the teacher, nor, a servant, above, his lord:
And, thou, Capernaum! Unto heaven, shalt thou be uplifted? Unto hades, thou shall be brought down; because, if, in Sodom, had been done the works of power, which were done in thee, it would, in that case, have remained until this day.
And, Jesus, said unto them - Verily, I say unto you, As for you who followed me in the regeneration, When the Son of Man shall take his seat on his throne of glory, ye also, shall be seated upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Wherefore I say unto you, The kingdom of God, will be taken away from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof: And, he that falleth on this stone, will be sorely bruised; but, on whomsoever it may fall, it will utterly destroy him.
But, whensoever the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the messengers with him, then will he sit on his throne of glory; And there will be gathered before him, all the nations, and he will separate them one from another, just as, the shepherd! separateth the sheep from the goats, - read more. And he will set, the sheep, indeed, on his right hand, but, the goats, on the left. Then, will the king say to those on his right hand: Come ye, the blessed of my Father! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; For I hungered, and ye gave me to eat, I thirsted, and ye gave me drink, a stranger, was I, and ye took me home, Naked, and ye clothed me, sick, and ye visited me, in prison, was I, and ye came unto me. Then, will the righteous answer him, saying: Lord! when, saw we thee - hungry, and fed thee, or thirsty, and gave thee drink? And, when, saw we thee - a stranger, and took thee home, or naked, and clothed thee? And, when, saw we thee - sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And, answering, the king will say unto them: Verily, I say unto you - Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my least brethren, unto me, ye did it. Then, will he say unto those also, on his left hand: Depart ye from me, accursed ones! Into the age-abiding fire, which hath been prepared for the adversary and his messengers; For I hungered, and ye gave me not to eat, and I was thirsty, and ye gave me not to drink, A stranger, was I, and ye took me not home, naked, and ye clothed me not, sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then, will, they also, answer, saying: Lord! when saw we thee - hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and ministered not unto thee? Then, will he answer them, saying: Verily, I say unto you - Inasmuch as ye did it not, unto one of these least, neither unto me, did ye it. And, these, shall go away, into, age-abiding, correction, but, the righteous, into, age-abiding, life.
And, on the first of the days of unleavened bread, the disciples came unto Jesus, saying - Where wilt thou, that we make ready for thee to eat the passover? And, he, said - Go your way into the city, unto such-a-one, and say to him, The teacher, saith, My season, is, near, with thee, will I keep the passover, with my disciples. read more. And the disciples did, as Jesus directed them, and made ready the passover. And, when, evening, came, he was reclining with the twelve disciples; and, as they were eating, he said - Verily, I say unto you, One from among you, will deliver me up. And, being exceedingly grieved, they began to be saying to him, each one - Can it be, I, Lord? And, he, answering, said - He who hath dipped with me his hand in the bowl, the same, will deliver me up. The Son of Man, indeed, goeth his way, according as it is written concerning him, - But alas! for that man, through whom the Son of Man, is being delivered up: Well, had it been for him, if, that man, had not been born! And Judas, who was delivering him up, answering, said - Can it be, I, Rabbi? He saith unto him - Thou, hast said. And, as they were eating, Jesus, taking a loaf and blessing, brake, - and, giving to his disciples, said - Take, eat! This, is, my body. And, taking a cup, and giving thanks, he gave unto them, saying - Drink of it, all of you; For, this, is my blood of the covenant, which, for many, is to be poured out, for remission of sins. Moreover, I say unto you - In nowise, will I drink, henceforth, of this produce of the vine, until that day, whensoever I shall drink it with you, new, in the kingdom of my Father. And, having sung praise, they went forth unto the Mount of Olives. Then, Jesus saith unto them - All ye, will find cause of stumbling in me, during this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and, the sheep of the flock, will be scattered abroad; But, after my arising, I will go before you into Galilee. Now Peter, answering, said unto him - Though, all, shall find cause of stumbling in thee, I, shall never find cause of stumbling. Jesus saith unto him: Verily, I say unto thee - During this night, before a cock crow, Thrice, wilt thou deny me. Peter saith unto him: Even though it be needful for me, with thee to die, in nowise, will I deny thee. Likewise, all the disciples also, said.
Arise! let us be going, - Lo! he that delivereth me up, hath drawn near.
Jesus saith unto him: Thou, hast said; Moreover, I say unto you - Hereafter, ye will see the Son of Man, sitting on the right hand of power, and coming upon the clouds of heaven.
And he was saying to them: Verily, say unto you - There, are, certain of those here standing, who shall in nowise taste of death, until they see the kingdom of God, already come in power.
who shall not receive a hundredfold, now, in this season, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, - with persecutions, and, in the age that is coming, life age-abiding.
And, when they are drawing near unto Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, towards the Mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples, - and saith unto them - Go your way into the village that is over against you, and, straightway, as ye are entering it, ye shall find a colt tied, upon which, no, man, yet, hath sat: loose him, and bring him. read more. And, if anyone unto you should say - Why are ye doing this? say - The Lord, of him hath need; and, straightway, he sendeth him off again here. And they departed, and found a colt, tied unto a door outside, on the street, - and they are loosing him. And, certain of them that were there standing, were saying unto them - What are ye doing, loosing the colt? and they said unto them as, Jesus, said, - and they let them go.
And, answering, he said unto it - No more, unto times age-abiding, let anyone of thee, eat fruit. And his disciples were listening.
And, on the first day of the unleavened cakes, when, the passover, they were slaying, his disciples say unto him - Where wilt thou, we depart and make ready, that thou mayest eat the passover? And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them - Go your way into the city, and there will meet you a man, a jar of water, bearing, - follow him; read more. and, wheresoever he shall enter, say ye unto the householder - The teacher, saith, Where is my lodging, where, the passover, with my disciples, I may eat? And, he, unto you, will shew, a large upper-room, spread ready, and, there, make ye ready for us. And the disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found, according as he had said unto them, - and they made ready the passover. And, when evening arrived, he cometh, with the twelve. And, as they were reclining and eating, Jesus said - Verily, I say unto you - One from among you, will deliver me up, he that is eating with me. They began to be grieved, and to be saying unto him, one by one, - Can it be, I? And, he, said unto them - One of the twelve, he that is dipping with me into the onebowl: Because, the Son of Man, indeed, goeth his way, - according as it is written concerning him; but alas! for that man, through whom the Son of Man is being delivered up, - Well for him, if that man, had not been born! And, as they were eating, taking a loaf, he blessed and brake, and gave unto them, and said - Take! this, is, my body; And, taking a cup, he offered thanks, and gave unto them; and they, all, drank of it. And he said unto them - This, is, my blood of the covenant, that is to be poured out in behalf of many. Verily, I say unto you - No more, will I in anywise drink of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall be drinking it new, in the kingdom of God.
And Jesus saith unto them - Ye, all, will find cause of stumbling, because it is written, - I will smite the shepherd, and, the sheep, will be scattered abroad;
And, Peter, said unto him - Even if, all, shall find cause of stumbling, certainly not, I. And Jesus saith unto him - Verily, I say unto thee, thou, this day, in this night, before that twice a cock crow, thrice, will deny me. read more. But he, most vehemently, was saying - Even though I must needs die with thee, in nowise, will I, deny thee. Likewise, indeed, were, all besides, saying.
Be rousing yourselves, let us be leading on! Lo! he that is delivering me up, hath drawn near.
And Jesus said - I, am; and ye shall see the Son of Man - sitting, on the right hand, of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.
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 sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor the commanders staff a from between his feet, - Until that he come in as a Shiloh, And, his, be the obedience of the peoples:
In one house, shall it be eaten, thou shalt not take forth out of the house any of the flesh outside; and a, bone thereof, shalt thou not break.
He, shall build a house for my name, - and I will establish his kingly throne unto times age-abiding: I, will become his father, And, he, shall become my son: If he commit iniquity, then will I correct him, with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the sons of men;
And he made proclamation against the altar, by the word of Yahweh, and said, O altar! altar! Thus, saith Yahweh, - Lo! a son to be born unto the house of David, Josiah his name, who shall sacrifice upon thee the priests of the high-places, who are making a perfume upon thee, and, human bones, shall be burned upon thee; and he shall give, on that day, a sign, saying, This, is the sign of which Yahweh hath spoken, - Lo! the altar, is to be rent, and the ashes that are upon thee shall be, poured out!
Life, he asked of thee, Thou hast given it him, length of days, to times age-abiding and beyond. Great is his glory, in thy salvation, Honour and majesty, wilt thou lay upon him; read more. For thou wilt appoint him blessings evermore, wilt cheer him with joy by thy countenance;
For dogs have surrounded me, - An assembly of evil doers, have encircled me, They have pierced my hands and my feet, I may tell all my bones, They, look for - they behold me! read more. They part my garments among them, and, for my vestment, they cast lots.
I waited patiently for Yahweh, - And he inclined, unto me, and heard my cry for help;
Then, said I - Lo! I am come, In the written scroll, is it prescribed for me; To do thy good-pleasure, O my God, is my delight, And, thy law, is in the midst of mine inward parts: read more. I have told the good-tidings of righteousness in a great convocation, Lo! my lips, do I not restrain, O Yahweh, thou, knowest: Thy righteousness, have I not hid in the midst of my heart, Thy faithfulness and thy salvation, have I spoken, I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truthfulness from the great convocation.
I, said - O Yahweh, show me favour, heal thou my soul, for I have sinned against thee:
Wherefore let My Lord Himself give you a sign, - Lo! a Virgin, being with child and giving birth to a son, thou wilt call his name Immanuel.
And I will raise up over them one shepherd And he shall tend them, Even my servant David, - Hell will tend them, And libel will become to them a shepherd;
I continued looking in the visions of the night, when lo! with the clouds of the heavens, one like a son of man, was coming, - and, unto the Ancient of days, he approached, and, before him, they brought him near; and, unto him, were given dominion and dignity and kingship, that all peoples, races and tongues, unto him, should do service, - his dominion, was an age-abiding dominion, which should not pass away, and, his kingdom, that which should not be destroyed.
And he will confirm a covenant to the many, for one week, - but, in the middle of the week, will cause sacrifice and present to cease, and, in his stead, shall be the horrid abomination that astoundeth, even till, a full end, and that a decreed one, shall be poured out on him that astoundeth.
And the king, will do according to his own pleasure, and will exalt himself, and magnify himself against every GOD, yea, against the GOD of GODS, will he speak wonderful things, - and will succeed, until exhausted is the indignation, for, what is decreed, must be done; and, for the god of his fathers, will he have no regard, nor, for the delight of women, nor for any god, will he have regard, - for, against all, will he magnify himself.
And I heard the man clothed with linen who was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left unto the heavens, and sware by him that liveth unto times age-abiding, - For a set time and times and a half, and, when the dispersion of a part of the holy people, is brought to an end, then shall come to an end all these things.
When Israel was, a child, then I loved him, - and, out of Egypt, called I my son.
Thou, therefore, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though, little, to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee, shall Mine come forth, to be ruler in Israel, - whose comings forth, have been from of old, from the days of age-past time.
Exult greatly, O daughter of Zion, Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem, Lo! thy king, cometh unto thee, vindicated and victorious, is he, - lowly, and riding upon an ass, yea, upon a colt, a young ass.
Behold me! sending my messenger, who will prepare a way before me, - and, suddenly, shall come to his temple The Lord whom ye are seeking, even the messenger of the covenant in whom ye are delighting, Lo! he cometh! saith Yahweh of hosts.
But, all this, hath come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord, through the prophet, saying:
and was there, until the death of Herod, - that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt, called I my son.
And, if ye are willing to accept it, he, is Elijah - the one destined to come.
Whensoever, therefore, ye shall see the abomination desolation, that was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place, - he that readeth, let him think,
And, just as, Moses, lifted up the serpent in the desert, so, must, the Son of Man, be lifted up, -
Not, concerning you all, am I speaking, - for, I, know of whom I made choice; but -- that, the Scripture, might be fulfilled: He that feedeth on my bread, hath lifted up against me, his heel.
For these things came to pass, that, the Scripture, might be fulfilled - A bone thereof, shall not be crushed;
That is - not the children of the flesh, the same are children of God; but, the children of the promise, are reckoned as a seed. For, of promise, is this word - According to this season, will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. read more. And, not only so, but, when, Rebekah also, was with child, of one - Isaac our father, - They, in fact, not being yet born, nor having practised anything good or bad, - in order that the purpose of God by way of election might stand, - not by works but by him that was calling, It was said unto her - The elder, shall serve the younger; Even as it is written - Jacob, have I loved, but, Esau, have I hated.
For I wish not ye should be ignorant, brethren, that, all our fathers, were, under the cloud, and, all, passed through the sea, - And, all, immersed themselves into Moses, in the cloud, and in the sea; read more. And, all, did eat the samespiritual food, And, all, drank, the same spiritual drink, - for they continued to drink of the spiritual rock that followed them, and, the rock, was the Christ: - Nevertheless, with the most of them, God, was not well-pleased, for they were strewed along in the desert. But, in these things, they became, ensamples for us, to the end we should not be covetous of evil things, even as, they, also coveted; Neither become ye, idolaters, as some of them, - as it is written - The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to be making sport; Neither let us commit fornication, as, some of them, committed fornication, and there fell, in one day, three and twenty thousand; Neither let us be putting the Lord to the test, as, some of them, put him to the test, and, by the serpents, were perishing; Neither be ye murmuring, even, as some of them, murmured, and perished by the destroyer. But, these things, by way of type, were happening unto them, and were written with a view to our admonition, unto whom, the ends of the ages, have reached along.
For it is written, that, Abraham, had two sons - one by the bondmaid, and one by the free woman; But, he that was of the bondmaid, after the flesh, had been born, whereas, he that was of the free woman, through means of a promise. read more. Which things, indeed, may bear another meaning; for, the same, are two covenants, - one, indeed, from Mount Sinai, into bondage, bringing forth, the which is Hagar, - And, the Hagar, is Mount Sinai, in Arabia, - she answereth, however, unto the present Jerusalem, for she is in bondage with her children; But, the Jerusalem above, is free, - the which is our mother; For it is written - Be gladdened, O barren one! that wast not giving birth, break forth and shout, thou that wast not in birth-pains, - because, more, are the children of the deserted one, than of her that had the husband. And, we, brethren, after the manner of Isaac, are children of a promise. But, just as, then, he that after the manner of the flesh had been born, did persecute him who had been born after the manner of the Spirit, thus, also now. But, what saith the scripture? Cast out the serving woman and her son; for in nowise shall the son of the serving woman inherit with the son of the free. Wherefore, brethren, we are not children of a serving woman, but of the free: -
For unto which of the messengers said he at any time - My Son, art, thou, I, this day have begotten thee? and again - I, will become, his father, and, he, shall become my Son?
Where a forerunner in our behalf hath entered, even Jesus, who, according to the rank of Melchizedek, hath become, a high-priest unto times age-abiding.
For, this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him, - To whom even a tenth of all Abraham apportioned, first, indeed, when translated, King of Righteousness, but, after that, King of Salem also, which is King of Peace, - read more. Without father, without mother, without pedigree, having, neither beginning of days, nor of life an end, but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest evermore.
Who, indeed, are rendering divine service, with a glimpse and shadow, of the heavenly things; even as Moses hath received intimation, when about to complete the tent, - For see! saith he - Thou shalt make all things according to the model which hath been pointed out to thee in the mount.