I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.
Read the prophets of the Old Testament, and you cannot help noticing that they are big on predicting the future. Self-consciously they bring words from God, not only for their own generations, but concerning events many generations later.
This is a distinctive feature of the Bible: there is little like this in other world faiths. But why is it so important? Can’t God just give His people instruction for their present needs, rather than the far future?
The prophecy of Isaiah (who flourished around 700BC) is an obvious place to look, for his book is full of predictions and promises about the future. Fascinatingly, in a central set of chapters (41-48), Isaiah explains the significance of these predictions from God. It is the Lord’s ability to say what will happen and then bring it about which distinguishes Him from pagan “gods” and idols. The true God says, “Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come – yes, let them foretell what will come.” (Isaiah 44:7) Thus the God Who speaks through the prophet is identified as the true God, the One whom alone we must listen to and trust.
This sustained argument – repeated again and again in these chapters – is wrapped around the prediction that God’s people would be rescued from exile, and particularly by Cyrus (a Persian king). He came to power 140 or more years after Isaiah named him. Naturally, some have said only a much later writer, a contemporary of Cyrus, could possibly have written this, not Isaiah himself. But that would be to miss the whole point Isaiah is seeking to make at this point.
Not only do these predictions identify the God speaking through Isaiah as the unique and living God, but they also demonstrate, Isaiah shows us, God’s sovereignty over the world. In chapter 10 he predicts the course of Assyrian history – fulfilled and reported later in the book. To say that “God is in control” is easy, but to prove it is rather harder! Predictive prophecy is a powerful piece of evidence for this bold assertion.
Most famously, Isaiah’s predictions concern the great Messiah, the King sent by God to rescue. In chapter 7, we hear that He will be born of a virgin. In chapter 9, He will be of David’s line, but His ministry will be up in Galilee. In chapter 42, He will not seek publicity. In chapter 53, He is the suffering Servant, who dies in our place for our sins. And more. The New Testament says of Jesus, “It’s a match!” The prediction and fulfilment help us identify Jesus as the One really sent by the deliberate plan of God.
Finally, Isaiah’s prophecy points to a glorious promise God makes about the world’s future. “See, I will create new heavens and a new earth.” (Isaiah 66:17) This promise is re-stated in the New Testament. Why believe it? Because here is the living God, who can tell us what will happen in the future – and then make it happen!
Here, then, are four reasons why predictive prophecy gets so much space in the Bible.
The summer is upon us: I don’t plan blogs for July and August, but hope to resume in September.
