Reference: Prophecy
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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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They tried to find out what era or specific time the Spirit of the Messiah in them kept referring to when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow.
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/isv'>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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"I'll place hostility between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring. He'll strike you on the head, and you'll strike him on the heel."
The LORD told Abram, "You are to leave your land, your relatives, and your father's house and go to the land that I'm going to show you. I'll make a great nation of your descendants, I'll bless you, and I'll make your reputation great, so that you will be a blessing. read more. I'll bless those who bless you, but I'll curse the one who curses you, and through you all the people of the earth will be blessed."
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "I'll give this land to your descendants." So Abram built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
After Lot had separated from Abram, the LORD told Abram, "Look off to the north, south, east, and west from where you're living, because I'm going to give you and your descendants all of the land that you see forever! read more. I'll make your descendants as plentiful as the specks of dust of the earth, so that if one could count the specks of dust of the earth, then your descendants could also be counted. Get up! Walk throughout the length and breadth of the land, because I'm going to give it to you."
Then the LORD took him outside. "Look up at the sky and count the stars if you can!" he said. "Your descendants will be that numerous."
That very day the LORD made this covenant with Abram: "I'm giving this land to your descendants, from the river of Egypt to the great Euphrates River including 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."
I'll establish my covenant between me and you, and I'll greatly increase your numbers."
"Look, I've made a covenant with you. You will be the father of many nations. Your name is no longer to be Abram. Instead your name will be Abraham, since I'll make you the father of many nations. read more. I'm going to cause you to have many descendants, and I'll bring nations from you. Kings will come from you.
so I have come down to deliver them from their domination by the Egyptians and to bring them out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the territory of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.
I have said that I will bring you out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites to a land flowing with milk and honey."'
You cause me to know the path of life; in your presence is joyful abundance, at your right hand there are pleasures forever. A Davidic Prayer.
You ascended to the heights, you took captives. You received gifts among mankind, even the rebellious, so the LORD God may live there.
Their idols will utterly vanish. "They will enter caverns in the rocks and holes in the ground to escape the presence of the terror of the LORD, to escape the splendor of his majesty when he arises to terrify the earth. read more. At that time, mankind will throw their silver and gold idols that their fingers have made as objects of worship to the moles and to the bats. They will enter caverns in the rocks and clefts in the cliffs, to escape the terror of the LORD and to escape the splendor of his majesty, when he arises to terrorize the earth.
"Therefore the LORD himself will give you a sign. Watch! The virgin is conceiving a child, and will give birth to a son, and his name will be called Immanuel.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the growth of his government and peace there will be no end. He will rule over his kingdom, sitting on the throne of David, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of the Heavenly Armies will accomplish this.
"A shoot will come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch will bear fruit from his roots. The Spirit of the LORD will rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and power, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.
"Listen! There's a noise on the mountains like that of a great multitude! Listen! There's an uproar among the kingdoms, like that of nations massing together! The LORD of the Heavenly Armies is mustering an army for battle.
who says to the watery deep, "Be dry I will dry up your rivers;"
"Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in my anger I struck you down, in my favor I have shown you mercy.
"He has given you the glory of Lebanon, and it will come to you, the cypress, and the plane tree, and the pine, to adorn the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
Then send messengers to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon through the envoys who come to Jerusalem to king Zedekiah of Judah. Give them this order for their masters: "This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says, and this is what you are to say to your masters, read more. "By my great power and outstretched arm I made the earth, mankind, and the animals that are on the face of the earth, and I give it to whomever I see fit. Now I've given all these lands to my servant, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I've even given him the wild animals to serve him. All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until his country's time also comes, and then many nations and great kings will use him as a slave.
For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the LORD, "plans for well-being, and not for calamity, in order to give you a future and a hope. When you call out to me and come and pray to me, I'll hear you. read more. You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart. I'll be found by you,' declares the LORD, "and I'll restore your security and gather you from all the nations and all the places to which I've driven you,' declares the LORD. "I'll bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.'
for the day is coming to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper who remains. For the LORD is destroying the Philistines, the remnant of the coastlands of Caphtor. Baldness is coming to Gaza. Ashkelon is silenced. Remnant of their valley, how long will you gash yourself? read more. Ah, sword of the LORD, how long before you are quiet? Put yourself into your scabbard, be at rest, be silent! How can it be quiet, when the LORD has ordered disaster to come to Ashkelon and the seashore? That's where he has assigned it."
A drought against her waters. They'll dry up. For it's a land of idols, and they go mad over their terrifying images.
Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, making the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine, therefore the nations have gone mad.
Therefore this is what the LORD says: "Look, I'm going to argue your case and take vengeance for you. I'll dry up her sea and make her fountain dry.
When they're excited I'll serve them their banquet, and make them drunk until they're merry. They'll sleep forever and won't wake up," declares the LORD.
I'll make their leaders, their wise men, their governors, their deputies, and their warriors drunk so that they sleep forever and don't wake up," declares the King whose name is the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.
A third of you will die by pestilence, starving because of the famine in your midst. Another third will die violently by the violence of war around you. The final third I'll scatter to the wind as I unsheathe my sword to pursue them.
"This is what the Lord GOD says: "Because Philistia has made it their practice to carry out retribution, accompanied by extraordinary malice in their personal vendettas vendettas that spring from their everlasting hostility this is what the Lord GOD says: "Look out! I'm raising my clenched fist in Philistia's direction. I'm going to execute the Cherethites and destroy what's left of the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. read more. I'll take vengeance on them, punishing them severely in my anger. They'll know that I am the LORD when I take my vengeance on them."'"
"Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: "Watch out! I'm coming to get you, Tyre! I'm about to bring many nations to attack you. They'll come in wave after wave, like the advancing tide, and will destroy the city walls of Tyre. After they break down her fortified towers, I'll scrape away the city's debris, right down to the bare bedrock, read more. and it will become a place where nets will be spread out right in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Because I have declared this to happen,' declares the Lord GOD, "Tyre will be treated as the spoils of war by the invading nations.
I'll turn you into bare rock, and your city will become a place to spread nets. You will never be built again, because I the LORD have decreed this,' declares the Lord GOD." "This is what the Lord GOD says to Tyre: "When your wounded citizens groan while the slaughter takes place among you, the people who live in the coastlands will tremble in terror as they hear about your fall, will they not? read more. That's when all the kings of the seafaring nations will abandon their thrones, strip off their fancy clothes, and collapse trembling on the ground. They'll be so frightened as they observe what has happened to you that they'll be unable to stop trembling. They will be utterly appalled at you! They'll sing this mourning song for you: "How lost you are, you inhabited city, that was built in the middle of the sea! How famous you were! How strong on the sea! She and her inhabitants inflicted terror to everyone who lived within her." "Now the coastland inhabitants will tremble on the day that you fall. The coastland inhabitants, who make their living from the sea, will be terrified when you pass away!' "This is what the Lord GOD says: "When I turn your city into a ghost town, when I flood you with deep water that covers you completely, I'll make sure that you go straight to the Pit, into the lowest part of the earth, where you'll be with people who lived in ancient times. You'll keep company there with the dead, who have gone into the Pit. As a result, your city won't be inhabited. Meanwhile, I will display my glory in the land of the living. I'm going to send terrifying calamity in your direction, and you won't exist any longer. You might be sought after, but you'll never be found again,' declares the Lord GOD."
therefore watch out! I'm coming to get you! I'm going to attack your waterways, and then I'm going to make the land of Egypt a total wasteland from the Aswan fortress to the border of Ethiopia!
the least significant of kingdoms. It will never again dominate other nations. I will make them so small that they will never again rule any nation.
"This is what the LORD says: "Those who are supporting Egypt will fall; her majestic strength that she brought from the Aswan fortress will collapse by the sword that invades her,' declares the Lord GOD.
I'll dry up their waterways, and evil men will sell off the land. I'm going to make that land desolate, along with everything that's in it, and I'm going to use foreigners to do it. I, the LORD have spoken!'" "This is what the Lord GOD says: "I will destroy the idols and put an end to the images that come from Memphis. There will no longer be a prince from the land of Egypt, and I will terrify the land of Egypt.
"After you, another kingdom will arise that is inferior to yours, and then a third kingdom of bronze will arise to rule all the earth. Then there will be a fourth kingdom, as strong as iron. Just as all things are broken to pieces and shattered by iron, so it will shatter and crush everything.
He said, "These four great animals are four kings who will rise to power from the earth. But the saints of the Highest will receive the kingdom forever, inheriting it forever and ever.' read more. "I wanted to learn the precise significance of the fourth animal that was different from all the others, extremely awe-inspiring, with iron teeth and bronze claws, and that had devoured and crushed things, trampling under its feet whatever remained. Also, I wanted to learn the significance of the ten horns on its head and the other horn that had arisen, before which three of them had fallen that is, the horn with eyes and a mouth that uttered magnificent things and which was greater in appearance than its fellows. "As I continued to watch, that same horn waged war against the saints, and was prevailing against them until the Ancient of Days arrived to pass judgment in favor of the saints of the Highest One and the time came for the saints to take possession of the kingdom. So he said: "The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from all the kingdoms. It will devour the entire earth, trampling it down and crushing it. Now as to the ten horns, ten kings will rise to power from this kingdom, and another king will rise to power after them. He will be different from the previous kings, and will defeat three kings.
"A somewhat insignificant horn emerged from one of them. It moved rapidly against the south, against the east, and against the Glory.
"My God will reject them, because they did not obey him, and they will become wanderers among the nations."
This is what the LORD says: "For three transgressions of Gaza and now for a fourth I will not turn away; because they exiled the entire population, delivering them to Edom. So I will send down fire upon the wall of Gaza, and it will devour their fortified citadels; read more. and I will cut off the inhabitants of Ashdod, along with Ashkelon's ruler. I will turn to attack Ekron, and the rest of the Philistines will die," says the Lord GOD.
"As for you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, even though you remain least among the clans of Judah, nevertheless, the one who rules in Israel for me will emerge from you. His existence has been from antiquity, even from eternity.
Indeed, while tangled as by a thorn bush, while drunken as by a strong drink, the Ninevites will be burned like dry straw.
Nineveh is a reservoir whose water is draining away. "Wait! Wait!" they cry, yet not even one person looks back. Take the silver! Take the gold! There is no end to the treasure fabulous riches of every imagination. read more. Nineveh is devastated, deserted, and desolate. Her heart melts, her knees knock. Every stomach is upset, every face grows pale. Where is this lion's den? Where is the place where the young lions fed, where the lion and its mate walked with their young, the place where they feared nothing? This lion renders its prey to pieces to feed its whelps, and strangles enough prey for its mate, filling its lairs with prey and its dens with rendered flesh. "I am against you," declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, "and I will send your chariots up in smoke. A sword will devour your young lions, I will eliminate your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers will no longer be heard."
"Are you any better than Thebes, which sits by the upper Nile, surrounded by water? The sea was her defense, the waters her wall of protection. Sudan was her source of strength, along with Egypt there were no limits. Put and the Libyans were her allies. read more. But she, too, was exiled she went into captivity! Her young children were dashed to pieces at every crossroad of their streets, and her famous citizens were sold by lottery, while all of her aristocrats were put in chains.
Your imperial guards are like the swarming grasshopper; your marshals are like hordes of grasshoppers, settling in the stone walls on a chilly day. The sun rises, and they flee away; no one knows where they went. Hey king of Assyria! Your shepherds are asleep and your nobles are lying down! Your people lie scattered on the mountains, and there is no one to gather them together. read more. There is no healing for your injury your wound is fatal. Everyone who hears about you will applaud, because who hasn't escaped your endless evil?"
"For Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon deserted Ashdod will be emptied at high noon; even Ekron will be uprooted. Woe to those who live along the coast, the people of Philistia! This message from the LORD is being spoken against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines: "I'll destroy you until no one lives there!' read more. The Philistine coast will become meadows for shepherds and sheep pens. The survivors of Judah will find pasture on it; at twilight they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon, for the LORD their God will visit them, restoring their prosperity."
"For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: "Once more, in a little while, I will make the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land to shake. I will shake all nations, and the One desired by all nations will come. Then I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. read more. "The silver belongs to me, as does the gold," declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "The glory of this present house will be greater than was the former," declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. "And in this place I will grant peace," declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies."
Ashkelon will see it happen and will be terrified; Gaza will tremble greatly. Ekron will be ashamed of her expectations, Gaza's king will perish, and Ashkelon will become uninhabited. A strange people will inhabit Ashdod, and I will eliminate the arrogance of Philistia. read more. I will remove the blood from its mouth, along with its abominations from between its teeth. Its survivors will be dedicated to our God; It will be like a clan of Judah, and Ekron will be as a Jebusite. I will set a garrison around my Temple, to hinder those who might come and go, and to guard against oppressors who intend to invade; for I have taken note of this with my eyes."
"A disciple is not above his teacher, and a slave is not above his master.
"And you, Capernaum! You won't be lifted up to heaven, will you? You'll go down to Hell! Because if the miracles that happened in you had taken place in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
Jesus told them, "I tell all of you with certainty, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne in the renewed creation, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, governing the twelve tribes of Israel.
That is why I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce fruit for it. The person who falls over this stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush anyone on whom it falls."
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels are with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be assembled in front of him, and he will cull them out, one from another, like a shepherd separates sheep from goats. read more. He will put the sheep on his right but the goats on his left. "Then the king will say to those on his right, "Come, you who have been blessed by my Father! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world, because 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. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' "Then the righteous will say to him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you something to eat, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you as a stranger and welcome you, or see you naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?' The king will answer them, "I tell all of you with certainty, since you did it for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.' "Then he will say to those on his left, "Get away from me, you who are accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the Devil and his angels! Here's why: I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger, and you didn't welcome me. I was naked, and you didn't clothe me. I was sick and in prison, and you didn't visit me.' "Then they will reply, "Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or as a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and didn't help you?' Then he will say to them, "I tell all of you with certainty, since you didn't do it for one of the least important of these, you didn't do it for me.' These people will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life."
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover meal?" He said, "Go to a certain man in the city and say to him, "The Teacher says, "My time is near. I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house."'" read more. So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When evening came, Jesus was sitting at the table with the Twelve. While they were eating, he said, "I tell all of you with certainty, one of you is going to betray me." Feeling deeply distressed, each one began to ask him, "Surely I am not the one, Lord?" He replied, "The man who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man is going away, just as it has been written about him. How terrible it will be for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had never been born." Then Judas, who was going to betray him, asked, "Rabbi, I'm not the one, am I?" Jesus told him, "You have said so." While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and handed it to the disciples, saying, "Take this and eat it. This is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, because this is my blood of the new covenant that is being poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins. I tell all of you I will never again drink the product of the vine until that day when I drink it with you once again in my Father's kingdom." After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus told them, "All of you will turn against me this very night, because it is written, "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' However, after I have been raised, I will go to Galilee ahead of you." But Peter told him, "Even if everyone else turns against you, I certainly won't!" Jesus told him, "I tell you with certainty, before a rooster crows this very night, you will deny me three times." Peter told him, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!" And all the disciples said the same thing.
Get up! Let's go! See, the one who is betraying me is near!"
Jesus told him, "You have said so. Nevertheless I tell you, from now on you will see "the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power' and "coming on the clouds of heaven.'"
who will not receive a hundred times as much here in this world homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields, along with persecution as well as eternal life in the age to come.
When they came near Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples on ahead and told them, "Go into the village ahead of you. As soon as you go into it, you will find a colt tied up that no one has ever ridden. Untie it, and bring it along. read more. If anyone asks you, "Why are you doing this?,' say, "The Lord needs it,' and he will send it back here at once." So they went and found the colt outside in the street tied up next to a doorway. While they were untying it, some men standing there asked them, "What are you doing untying that colt?" The disciples told them what Jesus had said, and the men let them go.
So he told it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" Now his disciples were listening to this.
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover meal?" He sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and you will meet a man carrying a jug of water. Follow him. read more. When he goes into a house, say to its owner that the Teacher asks, "Where is my room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?' Then he will show you a large upstairs room that is furnished and ready. Get everything ready for us there." So the disciples left and went into the city. They found everything just as Jesus had told them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were at the table eating, Jesus said, "I tell all of you with certainty, one of you is going to betray me, one who is eating with me." They began to be very sad and asked him, one after the other, "Surely I am not the one, am I?" He told them, "It's one of you Twelve, the one who is dipping his bread into the bowl with me. For the Son of Man is going away, just as it has been written about him, but how terrible it will be for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had never been born." While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and handed it to them, saying, "Take some. This is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He told them, "This is my blood of the covenant that is being poured out for many people. I tell all of you with certainty, I'll never again drink the product of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus told them, "All of you will turn against me, because it is written, "I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.' However, after I've been raised, I'll go to Galilee ahead of you." But Peter told him, "Even if everyone else turns against you, I certainly won't." Jesus told him, "I tell you with certainty, today, this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you'll deny me three times." But Peter kept saying emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I'll never deny you!" And all the others kept saying the same thing.
Get up! Let's go! See, the one who is betraying me is near!"
Jesus said, "I AM, and "you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power' and "coming with the clouds of heaven.'"
These are the signs that will accompany those who believe: In my name they'll drive out demons, they'll speak in new languages,
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 will not depart from Judah, nor a ruler's staff from between his feet, until the one comes, who owns them both, and to him will belong the allegiance of nations.
It is to be eaten in one house, and you are not to take any of the meat outside the house, nor are you to break any of its bones.
He will build a Temple dedicated to my Name, and I will make the throne of his kingdom last forever. I will be a father to him, and he will be to me a son who, when he commits iniquity, I will discipline with the rod wielded by armies and with wounds inflicted by human beings.
He cursed the altar in this message from the LORD: "Hey altar! Hey altar! This is what the LORD says: "Pay attention to this! A son is going to be born in David's dynasty. His name will be Josiah. He will sacrifice the priests who burn incense on you in these high places. Human bones will be burned on you!'" Later that same day, he gave them a special display of power of what was to come when he said, "Here's proof that the LORD has decreed this: Look! This altar will be split apart and the ashes that are on it will spill out."
He asked life from you, and you gave it to him a long life for ever and ever. His glory is great because of your deliverance, you have given him honor and majesty. read more. Indeed, you have given him eternal blessings; you will make him glad with the joy of your presence.
For dogs have surrounded me; a gang of those who practice of evil has encircled me. They gouged my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look at me; they stare at me. read more. They divide my clothing among themselves; they cast lots for my clothing!
I waited expectantly for the LORD, and he took notice of me and heard my cry.
Then I said, "Here I am! I have come! In the scroll of the book it is written about me. I delight to do your will, my God. Your Law is part of my inner being." read more. In the great congregation I have proclaimed the righteous good news. Behold, I did not seal my lips, LORD, as you know. I have not ignored your righteousness in my heart; instead, I have proclaimed your faithfulness and deliverance. I have not concealed your gracious love and truthfulness from the great congregation.
As for me, I said, "LORD, be gracious to me! Heal me, for I have sinned against you!"
"Therefore the LORD himself will give you a sign. Watch! The virgin is conceiving a child, and will give birth to a son, and his name will be called Immanuel.
""Then I'll install one shepherd for them my servant David and he will feed them, will be there for them, and will serve as their shepherd.
"I continued to observe the night vision and look! someone like the Son of Man was coming, accompanied by heavenly clouds. He approached the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. To him dominion was bestowed, along with glory and a kingdom, so that all nations, nations, and languages are to serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion it will never pass away and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed."
He will make a binding covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he will suspend both the sacrifice and grain offerings. Destructive people will cause desolation on the pinnacle until it is complete and what has been decreed is poured out on the desolator.'"
""The king will do as he pleases. He'll exalt and magnify himself above every god, speaking amazing things against the God of Gods. He'll succeed until the indignation is completed, because what has been determined must be carried out. He'll recognize neither the gods of his ancestors nor those desired by women he won't recognize any god, because he'll exalt himself above everything.
"I heard the man dressed in linen clothes, who was standing above the waters of the river as he lifted his right and left hands to heaven and swore by the one who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and a half. When the shattering of the power of the holy people has occurred, all these things will conclude."
"When Israel was a young child I loved him, and from Egypt I called my son.
"As for you, Bethlehem of Ephrathah, even though you remain least among the clans of Judah, nevertheless, the one who rules in Israel for me will emerge from you. His existence has been from antiquity, even from eternity.
"Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; cry out, daughter of Jerusalem! Look! Your king is coming to you. He is righteous, and he is able to save. He is humble, and is riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
"Watch out! I'm sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly, the LORD you are looking for will come to his Temple. He is the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Watch out! He is coming!" says the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.
Now all this happened to fulfill what was declared by the Lord through the prophet when he said,
He stayed there until Herod's death in order to fulfill what was declared by the Lord through the prophet when he said, "Out of Egypt I called my Son."
If you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.
"So when you see the destructive desecration, mentioned by the prophet Daniel, standing in the Holy Place (let the reader take note),
Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
I'm not talking about all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But the Scripture must be fulfilled: "The one who ate bread with me has turned against me.'
because these things happened so that the Scripture might be fulfilled: "None of his bones will be broken."
That is, it is not merely the children born through natural descent who were regarded as God's children, but it is the children born through the promise who were regarded as descendants. For this is the language of the promise: "At this time I will return, and Sarah will have a son." read more. Not only that, but Rebecca became pregnant by our ancestor Isaac. Yet before their children had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God's plan of election might continue to operate according to his calling and not by actions), Rebecca was told, "The older child will serve the younger one." So it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."
Now I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the fact that all of our ancestors who left Egypt were under the cloud. They all went through the sea, and they all were immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. read more. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink, for they drank from the spiritual rock that went with them. That rock was the Messiah. But God wasn't pleased with most of those people, and so they were struck down in the wilderness. Now their experiences serve as examples for us so that we won't set our hearts on evil as they did. Let's stop being idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to play." Let's stop sinning sexually, as some of them were doing, and on a single day 23,000 fell dead. Let's stop putting the Lord to the test, as some of them were doing, and were destroyed by snakes. You must stop complaining, as some of them were doing, and were annihilated by the destroyer. These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down as a warning for us in whom the culmination of the ages has been attained.
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and the other by a free woman. Now the slave woman's son was conceived through human means, while the free woman's son was conceived through divine promise. read more. This is being said as an allegory, for these women represent two covenants. The one woman, Hagar, is from Mount Sinai, and her children are born into slavery. Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery along with her children. But the heavenly Jerusalem is the free woman, and she is our spiritual mother. For it is written, "Rejoice, you childless woman, who cannot give birth to any children! Break into song and shout, you who feel no pains of childbirth! For the children of the deserted woman are more numerous than the children of the woman who has a husband." So you, brothers, are children of the promise, like Isaac. But just as then the son who was conceived according to the flesh persecuted the son who was conceived according to the Spirit, so it is now. But what does the Scripture say? "Drive out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman must never share the inheritance with the son of the free woman." So then, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman.
For to which of the angels did God ever say, "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father"? Or again, "I will be his Father, and he will be my Son"?
where Jesus, our forerunner, has gone on our behalf, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Now this man Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, met Abraham and blessed him when he was returning from defeating the kings. Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of everything. In the first place, his name means "king of righteousness," and then he is also king of Salem, that is, "king of peace." read more. He has no father, mother, or genealogy, no birth date recorded for him, nor a date of death. Like the Son of God, he continues to be a priest forever.
They serve in a sanctuary that is a copy, a shadow of the heavenly one. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tent: "See to it that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain."