SEARCHLIGHT
How do you know what authoritative voices to trust?
SCRIPTURE
I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly, the Lord you are seeking will come to His temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. Malachi 3:1 NIV
SPOTLIGHT
A Reader’s Digest article identified 13 predictions of the future, that have become dead wrong. They were made by people who were considered to be knowledgeable. Here is the list:
#1 Cars will stop being popular. – Henry Ford’s lawyer
#2 Our brains will not be able to keep up with the speed of a car. – Brain specialist and doctor
#3 Everything will be made of steel. – Thomas Edison
#4 Recorded music will destroy all musical ability…– John Philip Sousa
#5 Electricity will flicker out of fashion. – J.P. Morgan’s father, J.P. had Edison wire his home
#6 All women will be giants. – Associated Press writer Dorothy Roe, 1950
#7 Cleaning the house will only require a hose- Science Editor, New York Times, 1950
#8 We’re all going to live forever-ish. – A lawyer friend of Winston Churchill
#9 Telephones will never catch on. - Western Union president, William Orton, 1876
#10 There is no chance the iPhone will catch on. – CEO Microsoft Steve Ballmer, 2007
#11 TVs won’t be a big thing. - 20th Century Fox kingpin Darryl Zanuck, 1946
#12 The World will go kablooey at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2000
#13 People will only want to shop in stores. – Time magazine, 1966
All 13 predictions can be described as some of history’s all-time prophetic goofs. All these authoritative voices were dead wrong. However, there is one book that has forecasted the future and proven to be 100% reliable. It is called the Holy Bible.
The Bible is filled with many prophecies regarding things to come. Fulfilled prophecy in the Old Testament is one of the major ways the credibility of the Bible is established and substantiated. There are hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament predicting the coming of the Messiah. Many of them can be seen to having been fulfilled by the coming of Jesus Christ. “AI” commented that, “The mathematical probability of even a handful of these diverse prophecies being fulfilled by one person is incredibly low, suggesting divine intervention.”
In today’s Scripture focus, we see that God predicted He would send someone to announce the coming of the Messiah. His name is not given but he is described as God’s messenger who would prepare the way. Jesus Christ identified this person as John the Baptist in Matthew 11:7-14. Note verse 10 where Jesus said, “This is the one about whom it is written: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” Mark supported Matthew, declaring this prophetical fulfillment. Luke quoted John the Baptist’s father, Zacharias, as fully agreeing that God’s forecasting had been fulfilled through his son. (Luke 1:76) In addition, Luke also quoted Jesus. (Luke 7:27)
Do you need reasons for believing that the Holy Bible is God’s inspired, inerrant Word? Once again, let me say that fulfilled prophecy is one of the major ways the credibility of the Bible is established and substantiated. Clearly Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah by declaring the fulfillment of Malachi 3:1. In addition, Jesus was also declaring the Old Testament to be God’s divine written voice.
The prophet Isaiah had forecasted that there would be a forerunner preceding the coming of the Messiah. “A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” (Isaiah 40) The Apostle John declared Isaiah’s prophecy had been fulfilled by John the Baptist. (John 1:23)
Never again doubt who God is. He has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ. Become a follower of Jesus. Never again doubt God’s written Word. Live by what the Bible says. It is God’s voice to you and me. The Holy Bible is God’s written gift so that you may know Him and His ways, and everything you need to know about the future.
SOMETHING TO DO
The book entitled “The World’s Worst Predictions”, identifies crazy, faulty predictions: *King George II said in 1773, that the American colonies had little stomach for revolution. *An official of the White Star Line, speaking of the firm's newly built flagship, the Titanic, launched in 1912, declared that the ship was unsinkable. *In 1939 The New York Times said the problem of TV was that people had to glue their eyes to a screen, and that the average American wouldn't have time for it. *An English astronomy professor said, in the early 19th century, that air travel at high speed would be impossible because passengers would suffocate. Write out reasons why you believe the Bible can be called “The World’s Best Predictions”.
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank you for giving to me prophetic reasons why I should believe the Bible. It is your divine voice written for my benefit. I would ask that the Holy Spirit illuminate my mind and spirit as I read your Word every day. Fill me with Your divine wisdom and knowledge. AMEN!