| BIBLE PROOFS OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
russkellypphd@yahoo.com
July 29, 2017
The purpose of this article is to use the Bible to prove that it is inspired by God and God exists. In my opinion none of the material presented could be known by the ancient Hebrews apart from special divine revelation.
To help those who are not familiar with the Bible I have presented them in the order in which they appear in the Bible (which is not always chronological). While most conservative theologians assign Job and the first five books of the Bible to Moses prior to 1400 B. C. even the most liberal ones assign them to before 400 B.C. Daniel, which conservatives assign to about 536 B.C. is assigned to 168 B.C. by liberals. Even 168 B.C. is over 100 years prior to the birth of Jesus Christ.
KINGS LISTS: There were 23 kings from the time of King Saul to the end of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. The same is true of southern Judah in 586 BC. This is either an incredible coincidence or proves the Bible to be inspired.
1. GENESIS 1 CORRECTLY DESCRIBES THE ACCEPTED SEQUENCE OF CREATION.
This is the same sequence of creation which was not accepted by modern man until 3000 years later. Only divine revelation can explain this knowledge by the ancient Hebrews.
(1) Heavens and earth are created (v1).
(2) Earth was originally without form and void (v2).
(3) Life began in the waters as the Spirit of God brooded over them (v2).
(4) Some light penetrated the dense atmosphere (v3).
(5) With some light, periods of day and night became distinguishable on the surface (v5).
(6) The lower atmosphere formed as the waters from above and from below separated (v6-7).
(7) The expanse above the seas was called the heavens (v8).
(8) Dry land appeared (v9-10).
(9) The grasses and trees appeared (v11-12).
(10) The atmosphere cleared enough to clearly distinguish the sun and moon (v14-19).
(11) Life in the waters increased; giant sea animals and birds appeared (v20-22).
(12) Land animals appeared (v24-25).
(13) Mankind was the last species created (v26-27).
2. GENESIS 2:2 NO NEW MAJOR SPECIES HAVE APPEARED SINCE MAN WAS CREATED.
Man was the last phyla or “kind” created. While there has been much speciation within each existing species, none have evolved into any other entirely new species. God rested. The creation of new species ended with mankind. There is no way for Hebrew authors to have known this fact unless God revealed it.
Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3. GENESIS 3:15 THE MIRACULOUS VIRGIN BIRTH OF A DELIVERER IS FOUND IN THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE BIBLE.
Except for this one verse, every other use of “seed” refers to the seed of man. In this verse God told Eve that HER “seed” [Christ] would be bruised by Satan’s followers but Eve’s seed would bruise Satan’s head.
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity [a separation] between you [Satan] and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shalt bruise his heel.”
4. GENESIS 13:5 THE STARS CANNOT BE COUNTED.
When this was written over 3000 years ago other societies worshipped the stars as gods. As late as 1915, astronomers believed that our galaxy was the entire universe. It was not until 1925 that Hubble’s telescope proved that countless other galaxies existed. This truth could only be known through special divine revelation.
Genesis 15:5 … Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars; if you are able to number them and he said unto him, so shall your seed be.
5. GENESIS 17:12 CIRCUMCISION ON THE EIGHTH DAY ALLOWED FOR BLOOD CLOTTING.
God commanded Israelites to wait eight days before being circumcised. In addition to lowering infection, modern science has only recently discovered that the blood clotting essentials of Vitamin K and prothrombin are at their peak on the eighth day. Muslims wait until the 13th birthday. Any day prior to 3the eighth day could result in a serious loss of blood.
Genesis 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations …
6. GENESIS 49:10 MESSIAH WOULD BE FROM THE TRIBE OF JUDAH.
Jacob’s death-bed blessing was that his son Judah (not even his favorite son) would produce the Messiah and rulers of Israel. This must have been divinely revealed.
Genesis 49:10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”
7. EXODUS 19:10; 31:32 40:31 FAR DIFFERENT FROM OTHER NATIONS, ISRAEL WAS COMMANDED TO BATHE AND STAY AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE.
While our modern world only recently realized the value of washing and cleanliness to prevent germs and infections, over 3000 years ago Israelites were commanded to bathe regularly. Even as late as 1611 the famous King James never bathed even once in his entire life.
Exodus 19:10 Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow and let them wash their clothes.
Exodus 31:32 When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exodus 40:31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet there.
ABOUT THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS:
God wanted His special nation of Israel to “be holy for I am holy.” To “sanctify” means to “set apart for a holy purpose.”
A critical part of His covenant relationship with Israel was their total separation from other nations, the Gentiles. Both health laws and ceremonial cultic laws designed to keep Israel separate from others are blended together. Therefore it is often impossible to determine whether there is a real health protection found in a text, a strictly cultic separation, or both. This is especially true beginning in chapter 11.
8. LEVITICUS 6:28 FAR DIFFERENT FROM OTHER NATIONS, ISRAEL WAS COMMANDED TO OBSERVE RITUALS WHICH DESTROYED GERMS AND PREVENTED INFECTION.
While modern man did not understand the nature of germs and contagious disease until recently, the Bible is full of commands not to re-use cooking utensils of wood or clay.
Lev 6:28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is boiled shall be broken and, if it is boiled in a brass pot, it shall be both scoured and rinsed in water.
LEVITICUS 11: HEBREWS’ DO NOT EAT LIST
While most modern men do not consider eating the great majority of “unclean” food found in Leviticus 11, there are notable exceptions such as pork, shrimp, and lobster. Almost animals, birds, and insects on the list are scavengers which eat potentially polluted dead carrion. During the Old Testament period, there was no health department to test these foods for deadly heavy metals or disease as there is today. With modest testing equipment not available to the Hebrews and with modern ways to prevent trichinosis in pigs, these few items on the list are now far safer than they were in Bible times. God was still watching over His ancient people.
9. LEVITICUS 11:31-36 ISRAEL WAS PROTECTED FROM THE SPREAD OF GERMS AND INFECTION
Anything which a dead animal touched was unclean and should either be destroyed or thoroughly cleaned.
Leviticus 11:31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
Leviticus 11:32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, does fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
Leviticus 11:33 And every earthen vessel, wherein any of them falls, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
Leviticus 11:34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such [polluted] water comes shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
Leviticus 11:35 And everything whereupon any part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots — they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.
Leviticus 11:36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of [fresh flowing] water, shall be clean.
10. LEVITICUS 13:46; NUMBERS 19:14-16 THOSE WITH CONTAGOUS DISEASES WERE SEPARATED
Obedience to this simple command could have saved millions in Europe from numerous plagues. How did Israel know to do this if not commanded by God?
Lev 13:46 [leprosy] All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.
Num 19:14 This is the law, when a man dies in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.15 And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.16 And whosoever touches one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
11. LEVITICUS 17:11 ISRAEL WOULD NEVER HAVE PRACTISED BLOOD-DRAINING TO CURE ILLNESSES.
While President George Washington was being bled to death in 1789 by two of the best doctors of his time, the Bible told the truth over 3000 years ago. Bleeding the sick was based on the false theory that the blood must be removed in order to cure sick patients. This is also the origin of barber poles.
Leviticus 17:11For the life of the flesh is in the blood.
12. LEVITICUS 22:8 ISRAEL WAS FORBIDDEN TO EAT ANIMALS WHICH DIED UNUSUALLY.
They were not told why but this prevented them from contagious infections. How did Israel know to do this if not commanded by God?
Lev 22:8 That which dies of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD.
13 DEUTERONOMY 23:13 ISRAELL WAS COMMANDED TO BURY ITS FECES AND SEWAGE.
Many centuries later man in the medieval and Renaissance periods continued to deposit dung in open ditches throughout the town for rain to wash it away. People worn necklaces of spices to cover their own body odor and those around them. During Shakespeare’s time the Thames River in London was an open sewer. As late as 1902 there were five times more casualties from disease than from battles in war. This instruction to bury human waste is far ahead of the rest of the world. How would Israel have known to do this unless God had revealed it?
Deuteronomy 23:12 You shall have a place also outside the camp where you shall go forth abroadDeuteronomy23:13 And you shall have a paddle upon your weapon and it shall be, when you ease yourself abroad, you shall dig with it and shall turn back and cover that which comes from you.
14. JOB 26:7 JOB KNEW THAT THE EARTH HANGS ON NOTHING.
How did Job know there was nothing holding up the earth unless God revealed it? The rest of the world believed that it was held up by some god like Atlas who stood on an endless stack of turtles or something equivalent. Job knew the truth by divine revelation. The rest of the world thought otherwise until 1492.
Job 26:7 He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth upon nothing.
15. PSALM 16:10 MESSIAH WILL DIE; HIS SOUL WILL NOT BE LEFT IN SHEOL AND HIS BODY WILL NOT DECAY.
This prophetic Messianic Psalm was written about 1000 years before Christ. It is clearly Messianic because David died and remained buried (Psalm 16:10 compared with Acts 2:27). It is the first prophecy of the resurrection of Christ.
Ps 16:10 [Messiah is speaking] For you [God] will not leave my soul in hell [Sheol, the realm of the dead]; neither will you allow your Holy One to see corruption.
16. PSALM 22:14-16 ROMAN-STYLE CRUCIFIXION WAS DESCRIBED 1000 BEFORE IT WAS USED.
Written many centuries before Roman-style crucifixion, the Psalmist David could have only known how the Messiah would be killed by divine revelation. Jesus uttered the words of 22:1 from the cross while his detractors quoted 22:8 to Him.
Psalm 22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. Psalm 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. Psalm 22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17. PSALM 22:18 EXCEPT HIS SEAMLESS TUNIC, MESSIAH’S GARMENTS WILL BE DIVIDED.
This was literally fulfilled over 1000 years later as described in Matthew 27:35.
Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture.
18. PSALM 34:20 WHILE BEING TORTURED MESSIAH WILL NOT HAVE ANY BONES BROKEN.
This was fulfilled as described in John 19:36.
Ps 34:20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
19. ECCLESIASTES 1:6-7 ISRAELITES CORRECTLY UNDERSTOOD THE CYCLES OF RAIN AND WIND.
King Solomon who wrote Ecclesiastes correctly understood the wind and rain cycles long before the Greeks taught that separate gods blew them around.
Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind goes toward the south and turns about unto the north; it whirls about continually and the wind returns again according to his circuits.
Ecclesiastes 1:7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from where the rivers come, there they return again.
20. ISAIAH 35:7 THE PROPHET CORRECTLY PREDICTED THAT THE LAND OF ISREAL WOULD BECOME A FERTILE GARDEN.
Before 1948 this was barren un-irrigated land. This has been fulfilled and is still being fulfilled today since 1948. Yet all around Israel in Gaza and Jordan the land remains un-irrigated and barren.
Isa 35:7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of jackals, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
21. ISAIAH 40:22 THE EARTH IS A CIRCLE.
During a time when the rest of the world described it as flat until 1492, the prophet correctly described the Earth as a circle.
Isaiah 40:22 It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in.
ISAIAH 53:The incredible prophecy of Isaiah 53 is one of the strongest arguments in the Bible for Divine inspiration. While conservatives say it was written in the 7th century B.C., even critics admit it was written before 400 B. C. An ancient copy of Isaiah was found whole in the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1948 and this chapter is unchanged.
The Jewish argument that the Suffering Servant was Israel itself cannot be true. The following look at Isaiah chapters 48-52 clearly proves otherwise.
In 48:1 and 48:5 God or the prophet is clearly speaking to the nation of Israel.
Isaiah 48:1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. Isaiah 48:5 I have even from the beginning declared it to you; before it came to pass I showed it to you …
Messiah (righteous Israel; God’s obedient servant) is speaking to Jacob/Israel in 49:5. There is no possible way to interpret this as sinful Israel speaking to itself.
Isaiah 49:5 And now, says the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
Messiah (Christ) will be given by God as His servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob/Israel. Incredibly, God told Israel that its Messiah would enlighten the Gentiles and bring them salvation. This is contrary to what Hebrews thought and they did not attempt to convert Gentiles.
Isaiah 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
The prophecy of 49:7 is that the nation of Israel will reject its Messiah (Christ) and, afterwards, He will be exalted
Isaiah 49:7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
Yet Israel’s rejected Messiah will nevertheless eventually those who rejected him (49:8). Amazing grace.
Isaiah 49:8 Thus says the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve thee, and give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages.
The prophecy is that Israel will be brought back from among all nations to which it will be scattered (49:12). This began to be fulfilled in 1948.
Isaiah 49:12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
God cannot and will not forget his unconditional promises made to the nation Israel (49:15-16). This is why they became the only nation in history to cease to exist and return again as a nation.
Isaiah 49:15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
God will use the (non-Hebrew) Gentiles to help bring back scattered Israelites. This began to be fulfilled after WWI; it saw a great fulfillment in 1948 and its fulfillment is continuing as nations such as England, Russia and the United States are involved (49:22).
Isaiah 49:22 Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people and they shall bring your sons in their arms and your daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
While the nation Israel was punished for its own sin, God never completely forsook it (50:1). Northern Israel was scattered into Assyria in 722 B.C; southern Judah was taken to Babylon for 70 years from 606 to 536 B.C. Israel was ruled by Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. It disappeared as a nation from 135 A.D. to 1948 yet miraculously reappeared in 1948 as an independent nation.
Isa 50:1 Thus says the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement? Whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
22. Messiah speaks and describes how he was beaten and his beard plucked out (50:6).
Isaiah 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
23. Isaiah correctly described how Christ would appear after being beaten (52:14).
Isaiah 52:14 As many were astounded at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man and his form more than the sons of men.///The truth is that very few actually bother to read and study the Bible to see for themselves what the prophets wrote (53:1).
Isa 53:1 Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
24. The “our” and “we” of 53:2 is the prophet Isaiah and Israel. “He” is Messiah who will grow up before the LORD from childhood as an ordinary child. The nation cannot be both “we” and “he.”
Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
25. The prophecy was that the nation would despise and reject its Messiah.
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
26. In 53:4 the prophet was speaking for Israel. He correctly predicted that the Messiah would die FOR the sins of Israel and Israel would blame His suffering on God. He would die a substitute (vicarious) death for others (53:4-5). Note: You cannot be a substitute for yourself.
Isaiah 53:4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed.
While Isaiah was considered one of Israel’s greatest prophets, they did not want to believe that its Messiah would die a substitute death.
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
27. The prophet correctly predicted that Messiah would be quiet and not defend Himself at His trial (53:7).
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
28. The prophet correctly predicted that Christ would be shuffled back and forth from one judgment hall to another (53:8a). Next, he would die (be cut off) for the sins of Israel (53:8b).
Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
29. The prophet correctly predicted that Messiah will be buried with the rich (53:9a) although Pontius Pilate found no guilt in him (53:9b).
Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
30. The prophet correctly stated that the Messiah will die as a sin offering but afterwards would see his seed and prolong his days – clearly a reference to the resurrection of Christ from the dead (53:10). This is even more incredible since Israel never had human sacrifices.
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
This prophecy is the New Testament gospel in which God will justify lost sinners simply by grace through faith in knowing Christ – not by good works to earn salvation.
Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many for he shall bear their iniquities.
31. This prophecy correctly described how great Jesus Christ would become after dying among thieves and that he would intercede for lost sinners (53:12).
Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he has poured out his soul unto death and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
32. Even though Israel disappeared as a nation from A.D. 135 to 1948 (over 1900 years), the prophets foretold that it would survive because of God’s unconditional promises made to the Messiah through David (55:3-4).
Isaiah 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Isaiah 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
………………………………..
33. MICAH 5:2 MESSIAH WOULD BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM OF JUDAH.
While Jacob predicted that Judah would produce the Messiah, the prophet Micah narrowed it down to the city of Bethlehem. The rulers of Judah knew this and directed King Herod and the wise men to Bethlehem (Mt 2:3-8; Lk 2:15). The prophecy also says that the future king of Israel from Judah is eternal.
Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
34. ZECHARIAH 9:9 MESSIAH WOULD ENTER JERUSALEM TRIUMPHANTLY RIDING ON A COLT.
At a time when kings rode magnificent horses, this prophecy could only be from God.
Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes to you: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
35. ZECHARIAH 11:12 MESSIAH WOULD BE BETRAYED FOR THE PRICE OF A SLAVE.
Over 400 years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Zechariah foretold that Messiah would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver – the price of a slave.
Zechariah 11:12 And I said unto them, If you think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
36. ZECHARIAH 11:13 MESSIAH’S BETRAYAL MONEY WOULD BE USED TO BUY A FIELD.
The betrayal money would be used to buy a field to bury the poor.
Zechariah 11:13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prized at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.
37. ZECHARIAH 12:10 THE INHABIDTANTS OF JERUSALEM WILL MOURN FOR THE ONE THEY HAD PIERCED.
Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
…………………………..
OTHER ARGUMENTS TO CONSIDER
THE LAW OF ENTROPY
The Law of Entropy, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, describes the fact that all systems and elements of the universe tend to DISINTEGRATE to a lower order of available energy or organization. Do this experiment: Place any object with multiple parts and shake it up in a bag. What happens? Does it fall apart or does it increase in complexity? Evolutionists teach that unintelligent matter goes from simple to complex by random chance. That has never been demonstrated or proven. Creationist use entropy to prove that all things must have a beginning and complexity proves a mental guiding principle.
38. DANIEL 9:24-27
By changing prophetic time (360 day years) into literal time (365.25 day years), the exact time of Jesus’ crucifixion was prophesied by Daniel.
Daniel 9:24a Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people [national Israel] and upon thy holy city:
he Hebrew “seventy sevens” does not fit if translated as 70 days, 70 weeks or even 70 years. Scholars generally agree that it means “70 weeks of years,” that is, “490 years.”
The entire “490” period clearly must be interpreted as a time period which refers only to “thy people,” national Israel and “the holy city,” Jerusalem.
Daniel 9:24b A. to finish the transgression. B. to make an end of sins. C. to make reconciliation for iniquity. D. to bring in everlasting righteousness. E. to seal up the vision and prophecy, F. to anoint the most Holy.
Six things will be accomplished within the period of the “490” and will end when the “490” period ends.
Beginning in the mid-1800s even before the rise of early Zionism, a few theologians revived the literal principle of prophetic interpretation. When Israel ceased to exist as a nation the fulfillment of the 70th week was of necessity put on hold during the Church Age. The 70th week will be fulfilled during a period of tribulation and Great Tribulation before the second coming of Christ in glory in Revelation chapter 19.
Daniel 9:25a from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem
The 490-year prophetic time period was to begin when a king’s commandment was issued which allowed Israel to “restore and build Jerusalem.”
That exact decree and date are found in Nehemiah 2:1 to 2:8. In 444 Artaxerxes issued a decree which enabled Nehemiah to rebuild the wall and gates in Jerusalem.
Neh 2:1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king …
Nehemiah 2:8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
Dan 9:25b … unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks [7 weeks of years], and threescore and two weeks [62 weeks of years] [total 69 weeks of years=483 years]: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
The prophecy states that 69 (7 + 62) weeks of prophetic years (69 x 7 = 483 years) would reach to the time of Messiah. Using the decree of Nehemiah 2 to start at 445-444 B C and subtracting it from 483 yields AD 38-39 (when one year is added to allow for no year “0”).
Although this should be close enough to prove that God’s hand was in the prophecy, the prophecy can be even more precise.
In 1894 Sir Robert Anderson wrote The Coming Prince. He agreed that the Hebrews used a calendar of 360 days with twelve 30 day months. He then multiplied 483 years times 360 days to conclude that there were 173,880 prophetic days involved. Sir Robert was on the right track but he would have reached the same conclusion from studying ancient calendar calculations.
The Jews were forced to add extra days to their calendar in order to keep the Passover lined up with the third full moon of the New Year and springtime in the third month. Because of the lunar cycle they alternated 29 and 30 day months. They also added an extra month 4 times every 11 years and later 7 times every 19 years. This would give them 365 ¼ days year. Other surrounding nations made very similar adjustments.
The extra 5 ¼ days per literal year would move AD 38-39 back to the correct years of AD 31-32 which are historically accurate (173, 880 divided by 365.25 = 476 years) (476 minus 445-444 BC = AD 31-32).
|
russkellyphd@yahoo.com
BIBLE PROOFS OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
russkellypphd@yahoo.com
July 4, 2012
The purpose of this article is to use the Bible to prove that it is inspired by God and God exists. In my opinion none of the material presented could be known by the ancient Hebrews apart from special divine revelation.
To help those who are not familiar with the Bible I have presented them in the order in which they appear in the Bible (which is not always chronological). While most conservative theologians assign Job and the first five books of the Bible to Moses prior to 1400 B. C. even the most liberal ones assign them to before 400 B.C. Daniel, which conservatives assign to about 536 B.C. is assigned to 168 B.C. by liberals. Even 168 B.C. is over 100 years prior to the birth of Jesus Christ.
KINGS LISTS: There were 23 kings from the time of King Saul to the end of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC. The same is true of southern Judah in 586 BC. This is either an incredible coincidence or proves the Bible to be inspired.
1. GENESIS 1 CORRECTLY DESCRIBES THE ACCEPTED SEQUENCE OF CREATION.
This is the same sequence of creation which was not accepted by modern man until 3000 years later. Only divine revelation can explain this knowledge by the ancient Hebrews.
(1) Heavens and earth are created (v1).
(2) Earth was originally without form and void (v2).
(3) Life began in the waters as the Spirit of God brooded over them (v2).
(4) Some light penetrated the dense atmosphere (v3).
(5) With some light, periods of day and night became distinguishable on the surface (v5).
(6) The lower atmosphere formed as the waters from above and from below separated (v6-7).
(7) The expanse above the seas was called the heavens (v8).
(8) Dry land appeared (v9-10).
(9) The grasses and trees appeared (v11-12).
(10) The atmosphere cleared enough to clearly distinguish the sun and moon (v14-19).
(11) Life in the waters increased; giant sea animals and birds appeared (v20-22).
(12) Land animals appeared (v24-25).
(13) Mankind was the last species created (v26-27).
2. GENESIS 2:2 NO NEW MAJOR SPECIES HAVE APPEARED SINCE MAN WAS CREATED.
Man was the last phyla or “kind” created. While there has been much speciation within each existing species, none have evolved into any other entirely new species. God rested. The creation of new species ended with mankind. There is no way for Hebrew authors to have known this fact unless God revealed it.
Genesis 2:2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3. GENESIS 3:15 THE MIRACULOUS VIRGIN BIRTH OF A DELIVERER IS FOUND IN THE THIRD CHAPTER OF THE BIBLE.
Except for this one verse, every other use of “seed” refers to the seed of man. In this verse God told Eve that HER “seed” [Christ] would be bruised by Satan’s followers but Eve’s seed would bruise Satan’s head.
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity [a separation] between you [Satan] and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shalt bruise his heel.”
4. GENESIS 13:5 THE STARS CANNOT BE COUNTED.
When this was written over 3000 years ago other societies worshipped the stars as gods. As late as 1915, astronomers believed that our galaxy was the entire universe. It was not until 1925 that Hubble’s telescope proved that countless other galaxies existed. This truth could only be known through special divine revelation.
Genesis 15:5 … Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars; if you are able to number them and he said unto him, so shall your seed be.
5. GENESIS 17:12 CIRCUMCISION ON THE EIGHTH DAY ALLOWED FOR BLOOD CLOTTING.
God commanded Israelites to wait eight days before being circumcised. In addition to lowering infection, modern science has only recently discovered that the blood clotting essentials of Vitamin K and prothrombin are at their peak on the eighth day. Muslims wait until the 13th birthday. Any day prior to 3the eighth day could result in a serious loss of blood.
Genesis 17:12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations …
6. GENESIS 49:10 MESSIAH WOULD BE FROM THE TRIBE OF JUDAH.
Jacob’s death-bed blessing was that his son Judah (not even his favorite son) would produce the Messiah and rulers of Israel. This must have been divinely revealed.
Genesis 49:10 “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.”
7. EXODUS 19:10; 31:32 40:31 FAR DIFFERENT FROM OTHER NATIONS, ISRAEL WAS COMMANDED TO BATHE AND STAY AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE.
While our modern world only recently realized the value of washing and cleanliness to prevent germs and infections, over 3000 years ago Israelites were commanded to bathe regularly. Even as late as 1611 the famous King James never bathed even once in his entire life.
Exodus 19:10 Go unto the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow and let them wash their clothes.
Exodus 31:32 When they went into the tent of the congregation, and when they came near unto the altar, they washed as the LORD commanded Moses.
Exodus 40:31 And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet there.
ABOUT THE BOOK OF LEVITICUS:
God wanted His special nation of Israel to “be holy for I am holy.” To “sanctify” means to “set apart for a holy purpose.”
A critical part of His covenant relationship with Israel was their total separation from other nations, the Gentiles. Both health laws and ceremonial cultic laws designed to keep Israel separate from others are blended together. Therefore it is often impossible to determine whether there is a real health protection found in a text, a strictly cultic separation, or both. This is especially true beginning in chapter 11.
8. LEVITICUS 6:28 FAR DIFFERENT FROM OTHER NATIONS, ISRAEL WAS COMMANDED TO OBSERVE RITUALS WHICH DESTROYED GERMS AND PREVENTED INFECTION.
While modern man did not understand the nature of germs and contagious disease until recently, the Bible is full of commands not to re-use cooking utensils of wood or clay.
Lev 6:28 But the earthen vessel wherein it is boiled shall be broken and, if it is boiled in a brass pot, it shall be both scoured and rinsed in water.
LEVITICUS 11: HEBREWS’ DO NOT EAT LIST
While most modern men do not consider eating the great majority of “unclean” food found in Leviticus 11, there are notable exceptions such as pork, shrimp, and lobster. Almost animals, birds, and insects on the list are scavengers which eat potentially polluted dead carrion. During the Old Testament period, there was no health department to test these foods for deadly heavy metals or disease as there is today. With modest testing equipment not available to the Hebrews and with modern ways to prevent trichinosis in pigs, these few items on the list are now far safer than they were in Bible times. God was still watching over His ancient people.
9. LEVITICUS 11:31-36 ISRAEL WAS PROTECTED FROM THE SPREAD OF GERMS AND INFECTION
Anything which a dead animal touched was unclean and should either be destroyed or thoroughly cleaned.
Leviticus 11:31 These are unclean to you among all that creep: whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
Leviticus 11:32 And upon whatsoever any of them, when they are dead, does fall, it shall be unclean; whether it be any vessel of wood, or raiment, or skin, or sack, whatsoever vessel it be, wherein any work is done, it must be put into water, and it shall be unclean until the even; so it shall be cleansed.
Leviticus 11:33 And every earthen vessel, wherein any of them falls, whatsoever is in it shall be unclean; and ye shall break it.
Leviticus 11:34 Of all meat which may be eaten, that on which such [polluted] water comes shall be unclean: and all drink that may be drunk in every such vessel shall be unclean.
Leviticus 11:35 And everything whereupon any part of their carcass falls shall be unclean; whether it be oven, or ranges for pots — they shall be broken down: for they are unclean, and shall be unclean unto you.
Leviticus 11:36 Nevertheless a fountain or pit, wherein there is plenty of [fresh flowing] water, shall be clean.
10. LEVITICUS 13:46; NUMBERS 19:14-16 THOSE WITH CONTAGOUS DISEASES WERE SEPARATED
Obedience to this simple command could have saved millions in Europe from numerous plagues. How did Israel know to do this if not commanded by God?
Lev 13:46 [leprosy] All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.
Num 19:14 This is the law, when a man dies in a tent: all that come into the tent, and all that is in the tent, shall be unclean seven days.15 And every open vessel, which hath no covering bound upon it, is unclean.16 And whosoever touches one that is slain with a sword in the open fields, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall be unclean seven days.
11. LEVITICUS 17:11 ISRAEL WOULD NEVER HAVE PRACTISED BLOOD-DRAINING TO CURE ILLNESSES.
While President George Washington was being bled to death in 1789 by two of the best doctors of his time, the Bible told the truth over 3000 years ago. Bleeding the sick was based on the false theory that the blood must be removed in order to cure sick patients. This is also the origin of barber poles.
Leviticus 17:11For the life of the flesh is in the blood.
12. LEVITICUS 22:8 ISRAEL WAS FORBIDDEN TO EAT ANIMALS WHICH DIED UNUSUALLY.
They were not told why but this prevented them from contagious infections. How did Israel know to do this if not commanded by God?
Lev 22:8 That which dies of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile himself therewith: I am the LORD.
13 DEUTERONOMY 23:13 ISRAEL WAS COMMANDED TO BURY ITS FECES AND SEWAGE.
Many centuries later man in the medieval and Renaissance periods continued to deposit dung in open ditches throughout the town for rain to wash it away. People worn necklaces of spices to cover their own body odor and those around them. During Shakespeare’s time the Thames River in London was an open sewer. As late as 1902 there were five times more casualties from disease than from battles in war. This instruction to bury human waste is far ahead of the rest of the world. How would Israel have known to do this unless God had revealed it?
Deuteronomy 23:12 You shall have a place also outside the camp where you shall go forth abroadDeuteronomy23:13 And you shall have a paddle upon your weapon and it shall be, when you ease yourself abroad, you shall dig with it and shall turn back and cover that which comes from you.
15. God promised that the walls of Jericho would fall flat and not inwards as was normal for a siege. Modern archaeology confirms that this is true because the old city still exists as a waste. The walls did not fall inward as would be expected if they had been pushed down.
Josh 6:5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
Josh 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
16. JOB 26:7 JOB KNEW THAT THE EARTH HANGS ON NOTHING.
How did Job know there was nothing holding up the earth unless God revealed it? The rest of the world believed that it was held up by some god like Atlas who stood on an endless stack of turtles or something equivalent. Job knew the truth by divine revelation. The rest of the world thought otherwise until 1492.
Job 26:7 He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth upon nothing.
17. PSALM 16:10 MESSIAH WILL DIE; HIS SOUL WILL NOT BE LEFT IN SHEOL AND HIS BODY WILL NOT DECAY.
This prophetic Messianic Psalm was written about 1000 years before Christ. It is clearly Messianic because David died and remained buried (Psalm 16:10 compared with Acts 2:27). It is the first prophecy of the resurrection of Christ.
Ps 16:10 [Messiah is speaking] For you [God] will not leave my soul in hell [Sheol, the realm of the dead]; neither will you allow your Holy One to see corruption.
18. PSALM 22:14-16 ROMAN-STYLE CRUCIFIXION WAS DESCRIBED 1000 BEFORE IT WAS USED.
Written many centuries before Roman-style crucifixion, the Psalmist David could have only known how the Messiah would be killed by divine revelation. Jesus uttered the words of 22:1 from the cross while his detractors quoted 22:8 to Him.
Psalm 22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. Psalm 22:15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. Psalm 22:16 For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
19. PSALM 22:18 EXCEPT HIS SEAMLESS TUNIC, MESSIAH’S GARMENTS WILL BE DIVIDED.
This was literally fulfilled over 1000 years later as described in Matthew 27:35.
Psalm 22:18 They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture.
20. PSALM 34:20 WHILE BEING TORTURED MESSIAH WILL NOT HAVE ANY BONES BROKEN.
This was fulfilled as described in John 19:36.
Ps 34:20 He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.
21. ECCLESIASTES 1:6-7 ISRAELITES CORRECTLY UNDERSTOOD THE CYCLES OF RAIN AND WIND.
King Solomon who wrote Ecclesiastes correctly understood the wind and rain cycles long before the Greeks taught that separate gods blew them around.
Ecclesiastes 1:6 The wind goes toward the south and turns about unto the north; it whirls about continually and the wind returns again according to his circuits.
Ecclesiastes 1:7 All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from where the rivers come, there they return again.
22. ISAIAH 35:7 THE PROPHET CORRECTLY PREDICTED THAT THE LAND OF ISREAL WOULD BECOME A FERTILE GARDEN.
Before 1948 this was barren un-irrigated land. This has been fulfilled and is still being fulfilled today since 1948. Yet all around Israel in Gaza and Jordan the land remains un-irrigated and barren.
Isa 35:7 And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of jackals, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
23. ISAIAH 40:22 THE EARTH IS A CIRCLE.
During a time when the rest of the world described it as flat until 1492, the prophet correctly described the Earth as a circle.
Isaiah 40:22 It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in.
ISAIAH 53:The incredible prophecy of Isaiah 53 is one of the strongest arguments in the Bible for Divine inspiration. While conservatives say it was written in the 7th century B.C., even critics admit it was written before 400 B. C. An ancient copy of Isaiah was found whole in the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1948 and this chapter is unchanged.
The Jewish argument that the Suffering Servant was Israel itself cannot be true. The following look at Isaiah chapters 48-52 clearly proves otherwise.
In 48:1 and 48:5 God or the prophet is clearly speaking to the nation of Israel.
Isaiah 48:1 Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. Isaiah 48:5 I have even from the beginning declared it to you; before it came to pass I showed it to you …
Messiah (righteous Israel; God’s obedient servant) is speaking to Jacob/Israel in 49:5. There is no possible way to interpret this as sinful Israel speaking to itself.
Isaiah 49:5 And now, says the LORD that formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the LORD, and my God shall be my strength.
Messiah (Christ) will be given by God as His servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob/Israel. Incredibly, God told Israel that its Messiah would enlighten the Gentiles and bring them salvation. This is contrary to what Hebrews thought and they did not attempt to convert Gentiles.
Isaiah 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
The prophecy of 49:7 is that the nation of Israel will reject its Messiah (Christ) and, afterwards, He will be exalted
Isaiah 49:7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despises, to him whom the nation abhors, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
Yet Israel’s rejected Messiah will nevertheless eventually those who rejected him (49:8). Amazing grace.
Isaiah 49:8 Thus says the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard you, and in a day of salvation have I helped you: and I will preserve thee, and give you for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages.
The prophecy is that Israel will be brought back from among all nations to which it will be scattered (49:12). This began to be fulfilled in 1948.
Isaiah 49:12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.
God cannot and will not forget his unconditional promises made to the nation Israel (49:15-16). This is why they became the only nation in history to cease to exist and return again as a nation.
Isaiah 49:15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
God will use the (non-Hebrew) Gentiles to help bring back scattered Israelites. This began to be fulfilled after WWI; it saw a great fulfillment in 1948 and its fulfillment is continuing as nations such as England, Russia and the United States are involved (49:22).
Isaiah 49:22 Thus says the Lord GOD, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles and set up my standard to the people and they shall bring your sons in their arms and your daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.
While the nation Israel was punished for its own sin, God never completely forsook it (50:1). Northern Israel was scattered into Assyria in 722 B.C; southern Judah was taken to Babylon for 70 years from 606 to 536 B.C. Israel was ruled by Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. It disappeared as a nation from 135 A.D. to 1948 yet miraculously reappeared in 1948 as an independent nation.
Isa 50:1 Thus says the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother’s divorcement? Whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.
24. Messiah speaks and describes how he was beaten and his beard plucked out (50:6).
Isaiah 50:6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
25. Isaiah correctly described how Christ would appear after being beaten (52:14).
Isaiah 52:14 As many were astounded at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man and his form more than the sons of men.///The truth is that very few actually bother to read and study the Bible to see for themselves what the prophets wrote (53:1).
Isa 53:1 Who has believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
26. The “our” and “we” of 53:2 is the prophet Isaiah and Israel. “He” is Messiah who will grow up before the LORD from childhood as an ordinary child. The nation cannot be both “we” and “he.”
Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
27. The prophecy was that the nation would despise and reject its Messiah.
Isaiah 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
28. In 53:4 the prophet was speaking for Israel. He correctly predicted that the Messiah would die FOR the sins of Israel and Israel would blame His suffering on God. He would die a substitute (vicarious) death for others (53:4-5). Note: You cannot be a substitute for yourself.
Isaiah 53:4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed.
While Isaiah was considered one of Israel’s greatest prophets, they did not want to believe that its Messiah would die a substitute death.
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
29. The prophet correctly predicted that Messiah would be quiet and not defend Himself at His trial (53:7).
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.
30. The prophet correctly predicted that Christ would be shuffled back and forth from one judgment hall to another (53:8a). Next, he would die (be cut off) for the sins of Israel (53:8b).
Isaiah 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
31. The prophet correctly predicted that Messiah will be buried with the rich (53:9a) although Pontius Pilate found no guilt in him (53:9b).
Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
32. The prophet correctly stated that the Messiah will die as a sin offering but afterwards would see his seed and prolong his days – clearly a reference to the resurrection of Christ from the dead (53:10). This is even more incredible since Israel never had human sacrifices.
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
This prophecy is the New Testament gospel in which God will justify lost sinners simply by grace through faith in knowing Christ – not by good works to earn salvation.
Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many for he shall bear their iniquities.
33. This prophecy correctly described how great Jesus Christ would become after dying among thieves and that he would intercede for lost sinners (53:12).
Isaiah 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he has poured out his soul unto death and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
34. Even though Israel disappeared as a nation from A.D. 135 to 1948 (over 1900 years), the prophets foretold that it would survive because of God’s unconditional promises made to the Messiah through David (55:3-4).
Isaiah 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Isaiah 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
………………………………..
35. MICAH 5:2 MESSIAH WOULD BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM OF JUDAH.
While Jacob predicted that Judah would produce the Messiah, the prophet Micah narrowed it down to the city of Bethlehem. The rulers of Judah knew this and directed King Herod and the wise men to Bethlehem (Mt 2:3-8; Lk 2:15). The prophecy also says that the future king of Israel from Judah is eternal.
Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephratah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
36. ZECHARIAH 9:9 MESSIAH WOULD ENTER JERUSALEM TRIUMPHANTLY RIDING ON A COLT.
At a time when kings rode magnificent horses, this prophecy could only be from God.
Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes to you: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
37. ZECHARIAH 11:12 MESSIAH WOULD BE BETRAYED FOR THE PRICE OF A SLAVE.
Over 400 years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Zechariah foretold that Messiah would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver – the price of a slave.
Zechariah 11:12 And I said unto them, If you think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver.
38. ZECHARIAH 11:13 MESSIAH’S BETRAYAL MONEY WOULD BE USED TO BUY A FIELD.
The betrayal money would be used to buy a field to bury the poor.
Zechariah 11:13 And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prized at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD.
39. ZECHARIAH 12:10 THE INHABIDTANTS OF JERUSALEM WILL MOURN FOR THE ONE THEY HAD PIERCED.
Zechariah 12:10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
…………………………..
OTHER ARGUMENTS TO CONSIDER
THE LAW OF ENTROPY
The Law of Entropy, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, describes the fact that all systems and elements of the universe tend to DISINTEGRATE to a lower order of available energy or organization. Do this experiment: Place any object with multiple parts and shake it up in a bag. What happens? Does it fall apart or does it increase in complexity? Evolutionists teach that unintelligent matter goes from simple to complex by random chance. That has never been demonstrated or proven. Creationist use entropy to prove that all things must have a beginning and complexity proves a mental guiding principle.
38. DANIEL 9:24-27
By changing prophetic time (360 day years) into literal time (365.25 day years), the exact time of Jesus’ crucifixion was prophesied by Daniel.
Daniel 9:24a Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people [national Israel] and upon thy holy city:
he Hebrew “seventy sevens” does not fit if translated as 70 days, 70 weeks or even 70 years. Scholars generally agree that it means “70 weeks of years,” that is, “490 years.”
The entire “490” period clearly must be interpreted as a time period which refers only to “thy people,” national Israel and “the holy city,” Jerusalem.
Daniel 9:24b A. to finish the transgression. B. to make an end of sins. C. to make reconciliation for iniquity. D. to bring in everlasting righteousness. E. to seal up the vision and prophecy, F. to anoint the most Holy.
Six things will be accomplished within the period of the “490” and will end when the “490” period ends.
Beginning in the mid-1800s even before the rise of early Zionism, a few theologians revived the literal principle of prophetic interpretation. When Israel ceased to exist as a nation the fulfillment of the 70th week was of necessity put on hold during the Church Age. The 70th week will be fulfilled during a period of tribulation and Great Tribulation before the second coming of Christ in glory in Revelation chapter 19.
Daniel 9:25a from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem
The 490-year prophetic time period was to begin when a king’s commandment was issued which allowed Israel to “restore and build Jerusalem.”
That exact decree and date are found in Nehemiah 2:1 to 2:8. In 444 Artaxerxes issued a decree which enabled Nehemiah to rebuild the wall and gates in Jerusalem.
Neh 2:1 And it came to pass in the month Nisan, in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes the king …
Nehemiah 2:8 And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.
Dan 9:25b … unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks [7 weeks of years], and threescore and two weeks [62 weeks of years] [total 69 weeks of years=483 years]: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
The prophecy states that 69 (7 + 62) weeks of prophetic years (69 x 7 = 483 years) would reach to the time of Messiah. Using the decree of Nehemiah 2 to start at 445-444 B C and subtracting it from 483 yields AD 38-39 (when one year is added to allow for no year “0”).
Although this should be close enough to prove that God’s hand was in the prophecy, the prophecy can be even more precise.
In 1894 Sir Robert Anderson wrote The Coming Prince. He agreed that the Hebrews used a calendar of 360 days with twelve 30 day months. He then multiplied 483 years times 360 days to conclude that there were 173,880 prophetic days involved. Sir Robert was on the right track but he would have reached the same conclusion from studying ancient calendar calculations.
The Jews were forced to add extra days to their calendar in order to keep the Passover lined up with the third full moon of the New Year and springtime in the third month. Because of the lunar cycle they alternated 29 and 30 day months. They also added an extra month 4 times every 11 years and later 7 times every 19 years. This would give them 365 ¼ days year. Other surrounding nations made very similar adjustments.
The extra 5 ¼ days per literal year would move AD 38-39 back to the correct years of AD 31-32 which are historically accurate (173, 880 divided by 365.25 = 476 years) (476 minus 445-444 BC = AD 31-32).
This is incredible proof in the Bible of the existence of God. When you adjust the months mentioned, the very month of Christ’s crucifixion was predicted in Daniel.
Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe the gospel.///Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.
The Jews were expecting that the prophecy of the Messiah would soon be fulfilled in the first century. It is probable that Daniel’s 70-week prophecy was in view.
Dan 9:26a And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself…
The prophecy declared that Messiah would be “cut off” “after” the 69 weeks had been fulfilled (7 + 62).
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
russkellyphd@yahoo.com
www.tithing-russkelly.com/theology
|
|
| Although Judah was a nation for 136 years longer than Israel, they both had 23 kings. The 24th will be Jesus Christ. This is not a coincidence to me and shows the hand of God. It is inconceivable that somebody deliberately manipulated this list of kings to make both total 23.
KINGS OF ISRAEL AND JUDAH
1. SAUL 1050
2. DAVID 1010
3. SOLOMON 970
KINGS OF JUDAH
4. REHOBOAM 931
5. ABIJAM 913
6. ASA 911
7. JEHOSHAPHAT 873
8. JEHORAM 853
9. AHAZIAH
10. ATHALIAH 841 Queen
11. JOASH 835
12. AMAZIAH 796
13. UZZIAH 790
14. JOTHAM 750
15. AHAZ 735
16. HEZEKIAH 715
17. MANASSEH 695
18. AMON 642
19. JOSIAH 640
20. JEHOAHAZ 609
21. JEHOIKIM 609
22. JEHOICHIN 597
23. ZEDEKIAH 597-586
24. JESUS CHRIST
KINGS OF ISRAEL
4. JEROBOAM 931
5. NADAB 910
6. BAASHA 909
7. ELAH 886
8. ZIMRI 885
9. TIBNI 885-881 1 KG 16:21-22
10. OMRI 885
11. AHAB 874
12. AHAZIAH 863
13. JORAM 852
14. JEHU 841
15. JEHOAHAZ 814
16. JEHOASH 798
17. JEREBOAM II 793
18. ZECHARIAH 753
19. SHALLUM 752
20. MENAHEM 752
21. PEKAHIAH 742-740
22. PEKAH 740
23. HOSEA 732-722
24. JESUS CHRIST |
|
|
This is incredible proof in the Bible of the existence of God. When you adjust the months mentioned, the very month of Christ’s crucifixion was predicted in Daniel.
Mark 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe the gospel.///Gal 4:4 But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.
The Jews were expecting that the prophecy of the Messiah would soon be fulfilled in the first century. It is probable that Daniel’s 70-week prophecy was in view.
Dan 9:26a And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself…
The prophecy declared that Messiah would be “cut off” “after” the 69 weeks had been fulfilled (7 + 62).
Russell Earl Kelly, PHD
russkellyphd@yahoo.com
www.tithing-russkelly.com/theology
|
