Have you ever truly struggled in your relationship with God? Even to the point that you doubted His very existence? It’s an empty and terrifying place to be.
I had one of those experiences about midway through my Master’s degree program at Texas A&M University. I had almost completed my geology field work and was underway writing my thesis. One night, in the “safe” confines of a Bible study class, my theology, salvation, and faith were challenged and then discredited by a college professor that I greatly admired (he was teaching the class). I’ll share more details of the event and my testimony, Lord willing, in a future blog. However, it left me questioning my faith, my understanding of geology and the Bible, and my future career path. I struggled over the next three years; and, as my dear wife will confirm, I was often NOT a pleasant spouse.
Near the end of the third year, I decided to return to the basics and attempt to verify the validity of God’s Word (the Bible) in my own tortured mind. If so, it might reestablish God’s reality in my languished soul. My approach was to study the major prophesies in the Old Testament, i.e., the accurate foretelling of future events, if/how they were confirmed, and how many years passed before their confirmation. If these prophesies were truly valid, then the God of the Bible must exist and be all-knowing, and His Word must be valid. In summary, the exercise convinced me of the validity of His Word, His reality, and His presence in my life. I returned to God and His church; and, for the next 40+ years, I have diligently addressed the professor’s comments and attempted to encourage others who have been similarly wounded.
In hindsight, His omniscience (all-wise; complete wisdom) was the attribute that restored my faith. This characteristic of God—His overarching wisdom—is the theme of this blog.
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Perhaps you’ve experienced the omniscient God. It might have been His protection from, or prevention of some harmful future event. You recognized it in hindsight. Or perhaps it’s some physical aspect of this universe that should have been statistically impossible, and yet it obviously occurred and benefits mankind. (Scientists term this “Intelligent Design”—a topic of future blogs.)
God’s omniscience is expressed through several means. We’ll review four different biblical topics that demonstrate His foreknowledge of future events and His revelation to Old Testament writers of scientific information that predated mankind’s knowledge by centuries or millennia. The topics include:
- The Messianic prophesies;
- General, national, or political prophesies;
- Old Testament medical practices; and,
- General scientific information.
Each topic will include several examples that demonstrate His omniscience. The approximate dates of each prophesy or scientific disclosure, and its fulfillment or discovery will also be provided.
Messianic Prophesies1
Over 100 Old Testament prophesies described future aspects of our Lord and Messiah. They were provided by various Scriptural authors 400—1000(+) years before His birth and included specific information about His future life—from His birth to explicit details of His execution and death. Examples follow:
Birthplace (prophesied 720 B.C.). This important prophesy foretold Jesus’ birthplace approximately 725 years before His birth. Although prophesied to be born in Bethlehem (which He was), He grew up in Nazareth.
Micah 5:2
But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.
Signs of Healing (prophesied 701-681 B.C.). A major part of Jesus’ ministry included healing of the sick. He summarized His ministry in Matthew 11:4-6, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up….” These same details were prophesied through Isaiah about 1000 years earlier.
Isaiah 35:4-5
Say to those with anxious heart, “Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; the recompense of God will come, but He will save you.” Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.”
Execution by Crucifixion (prophesied 1000 B.C.).Jesus’ death via Roman crucifixion was a horribly torturous method of execution. Psalm 22 provides specific details of His crucifixion about 1000 years in advance. An amazing aspect of this prophecy is that crucifixion was not even conceived until a few hundred years before Christ. The author of Psalm 22 probably had no idea of what he was prophesying. Included here are verses 16-18 that describe the onlookers, His pierced hands and feet, and the parceling of His garments by the Roman soldiers. Other details are also provided in Psalm 22.
Psalm 22:16-18
“For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me; they pierced by hands and my feet. I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”
National and Other General Prophesies2
Dozens of Old Testament prophecies were recorded that foretold future events. Many spoke of changes that would affect the nation of Israel. God would judge Israel, cast them into captivity, and later restore the nation; however, He would also punish their captors for their brutal and cruel treatment. Included below are two prophetic examples of God’s future punishment of two of Israel’s surrounding neighbors and the dates of fulfillment.
Tyre’sDestruction and Fate (prophesied 587 B.C.). Tyre was the Phoenician Empire’s most powerful city and it sat upon an offshore island. Tyre attacked Israel and treated the nation with cruelty. Ezekiel prophesied their demise—they also would be attacked, plundered, and destroyed, and their city would be torn down and cast into the sea. In 333 B.C., 254 years later, Alexander the Great conquered the city, destroyed it, and cast it into the sea. He likely created the land bridge to the island that exists today.
Ezekiel 26:12
“They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea.”
Destruction of Babylon by Cyrus (prophesied 701-681 B.C.). Jeremiah had initially prophesied (Jer. 25:11-12) that Babylon would conquer Israel and rule over the captive nation for 70 years. Israel was indeed conquered in 609 B.C. and liberated 70 years later (539 B.C.) with the destruction and fall of Babylon. Isaiah (Isaiah 45:1) further prophesied of Babylon’s fall, of the conquering nation and their leader, and that God would punish her, as with Tyre, for cruelty toward Israel.
Babylon was massive and an incredible fortress. The Euphrates River flowed through the center of the city, underneath two of its walls. Reportedly, it had walls 70 ft thick and 300 ft high (some believe this was an exaggeration). Isaiah prophesied of Babylon’s fall—that her gates would be opened and not shut, and that a nation led by Cyrus would destroy her. In 539 B.C., about 170 years after Isaiah’s prophecy, the military leader of the Medes and Persians, Cyrus, diverted the Euphrates River into a large lake basin and walked into the city at night, with His army, through “open doors” created by the diverted river… gates that would not be shut.
Isaiah 45:1
“This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut…”
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These provide just a tiny sampling of numerous Old Testament prophesies of events that would occur several hundred years later. If you struggle with the authenticity of God and His Word as I did during those college days, spend some time researching these and other prophesies and especially the dates of fulfillment.
Part 2 will address the latter two topics from above, specifically, examples of God’s scientific wisdom that greatly preceded man’s knowledge at the time.
1Jews for Jesus; The Top 40 Messianic Prophesies, (August 4, 2020);
https://jewsforjesus.org/answers/top-40-most-helpful-messianic-prophecies/
2Believer’s Portal; List of Bible Prophesies Fulfilled, (BP-Pub-1; March 6, 2018);
https://believersportal.com/list-bible-prophecies-fulfilled/