FULFILLED PROPHECIES CANNOT BE EXPLAINED WITHOUT DIVINE INSPIRATION
If a Prophet can predict world events many centuries in advance, including a fair amount of details, then that person must be inspired. The person must have the help of the all seeing, all powerful God. Not only do Old Testament Prophets abound with specific, detailed, prophecies of Jesus, they also lay out an outline for world history in the future. This includes the future just ahead of us. Daniel the Prophet has the most detailed, amazing, revelations in the Bible. Critics cannot explain away his works. Some then say the Jews must have continuously altered the Book of Daniel. Why? Because he sketched out history from 605 B.C. Thru 166 B.C. Accurately. But how could such a thing be possible? Remember a number of synagogues and scribes in various parts of the world had a copy of the Book of Daniel. Forgeries could not realistically occur without being seen openly. Now let us look at how the Book of Daniel proves the Bible's inspiration.
Daniel 7:2-3 NKJV 2 Daniel spoke, saying, "I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 "And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other.
Daniel predicted that four world ruling beast-like rulers were going to dominate the world. Since he was in the Babylonian Empire, predicting their future success it is not so amazing. However; he chose the next empire and was, of course, correct.
Daniel 7:5 NKJV 5 "And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: 'Arise, devour much flesh!'
Babylon was considered impregnable. Yet the Medes and Persians did the unthinkable; they redirected the river that flowed thru the city of Babylon. This Persian Empire had three major conquests ( the three ribs) Babylon 539 and Lydia 546 and Egypt 525. Remember Daniel wrote this in 605 B.C. How did he know? The only answer is divine inspiration. God only is powerful enough to control events and smart enough to predict human trends. Another prophet actually named the Persian Emperor years before he was born and told of his dramatic historical role in the ending of the exile of God's people.
Isaiah 44:28 NKJV 28 Who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built," And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid."'
Cyrus was not even born when he was named as the agent for the restoration of Judah. Isaiah's ministry was from 742 to 686 B.C. The Persian Empire had two parts and one came up to be the most dominate. Note Daniel said the beast would rise up on one side. What about the third of the four empires?
Daniel 7:6 NKJV 6 "After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
This is the Greek Empire of Alexander the Great. He moved with historically, unbelievable speed like a leopard. Shockingly, he had conquered the world by age 30. One could say Daniel got lucky in his prediction of the first two empires based on his analysis of world events at that time. Unlikely as that is, there is no way he could have predicted Alexander two hundred years in advance. How did the prophet know about the four generals who were the power structure of this third empire? Furthermore, how did the prophet know that it was a Greek Empire to come over two centuries in advance?
Dan 8:21 And the rough goat is the King of Greece; and the great horn that was between his eyes is the first king.
The Book of Daniel conveys on the Bible supernatural inspiration. It is undeniable.
THE IRON EMPIRE, THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE IS PREDICTED
Daniel indicates that the fourth empire is dramatically different than the others. It is stronger in a frightening manner.
Daniel 7:7 NKJV 7 "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. 2:42 And [as] the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
Each empire would be of lesser quality metals but of greater strength. Roman legions were normally so dangerous that they were like weapons of mass destruction. The manner in which they destroyed nations like Carthage and Jerusalem was devastating. This fourth empire also had a quasi-religious political icon ingredient that made it different.
Daniel 7:8 NKJV 8 "I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.
These men claim to represent the true God on earth. Wow! This happened in the past but will again happen in an even bigger climatic manner in the future.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 NKJV 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Daniel also revealed many years ago that this empire would exists at the end of this age and be destroyed and replaced by the coming Kingdom of God.
Daniel 7:9 NKJV 9 "I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
Daniel gives us the good news far in advance that Jesus is coming to save us in the end. We win in the end.
THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE AND OUR FUTURE
Daniel gives us some very detailed prophecies in Daniel Chapter 11. The numerous details cannot be explained except for divine guidance of the prophet.
Daniel 11:2-4 NKJV 2 "And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. 3 "Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 4 "And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these.
Daniel accurately predicts the four way division of Alexander's empire and then the prominence of the kings of the north and south. Then kings of north and south set the stage for the end of this age. The king of the north is clearly in political bed with Babylon the evil political/religious system. This system is in our future as well as our past.
Revelation 17:8 NKJV 8 "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Most do not realize that Hitler and Mussolini called their Fascist state empire in Europe the Holy Roman Empire 1927-1945. The Holy Roman Empire has existed in Europe in various strong or weakened forms since Charlegmane and Otto the Great, restarted it 800 & 936 A.D.. Our current EU formed originally as the Treaty of ROME and is trying to fulfill that role. This evil empire is in our past and is kind of there now and will return for a final battle with Jesus. It WAS and IS and will return to the wonderment of the world. Britain is finding out the claws and power of the EU now as they attempt to exit. For the last four centuries the power of Great Britain and America has suppressed the power of European empires.
Dan 7:24 And as to the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall arise ten kings; and another shall arise after them; and he shall be different from the former, and he shall subdue three kings.
Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have not yet received a kingdom, but receive authority as kings one hour with the beast. (DBY)
Read Daniel chapter eleven and see the unerring accuracy of his predictions. He and the Apostle John will be accurate in the future as well. Ten kings will arise to reform the EU into a military super power the fourth empire again, Babylon the Great. It will challenge Christ at his second coming and be destroyed. The unifying of Europe after the very divisive WWII, proves that Daniel was inspired in his predictions 2600 years ago. Normally Europe would stayed divided. All this and more prove the Bible's accuracy.
Daniel also predicted the desecration of the Temple as a type of what the final beast like ruler would do as forerunner of the end time. Daniel predicted this event almost four centuries in advance. Also, how did Daniel know that these final ten kings would be half weak clay? WWII and the present, have shown that half of Europe is weak militarily and financially. How did Daniel know? Divine Inspiration is how he knew!
Daniel 11:31-32 NKJV 31 "And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. 32 "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.
The king of the north put abominations in the Temple of God in 168 B.C. And Daniel and Christ say it is coming again.
