What is prophecy?
Well, there are two kinds: predicting and proclaiming.
Predicting is usually done about personal, largely insignificant matters. It is often vague and hit and miss.
Proclaiming is found in the Bible. It is 100% accurate. A prophet was recognized when his word came to pass in his life and through history. It is clear and specific, and evidence to a skeptical world that the Bible message is real, true, and one that we all need to know.
Show me a prophecy being fulfilled now
Ok. If you have a Bible read Ezekiel 36 to 39. This prophecy concerns not just Israel and the Middle East, but much of the world. It says that after many years of being scattered around the world, the Jews would return to the land of Israel and re establish their national state. (Fulfilled on May 14 1948. They were scattered by the Romans in 70 AD. That is nearly 2000 years without a land yet they remained a nation, an event unparalleled in history).
Then Magog, Rosh, Meshec, Persia, Gomer, Put, Cush, Togarmah (among others) would unite and attempt to destroy Israel through war.
I've never even heard of those countries!
Well, Ezekiel lived 2500 years ago. Nihon wasn’t known as Japan then either. These names are the names of the founders (ancestors) of real, modern day nations:
- Magog, Rosh, Meshec (Historically known as Scythia. Today Russia).
- Persia (Iran)
- Gomer (inhabited Turkey. Historically moved through Eastern Europe as far as Germany.)
- Put (Arab north Africa, includes Morocco, Algeria, Lybia, etc.)
- Cush (Islamic Africa. Sudan, Ethiopia, etc.)
- Togarmah (Today Turkey, Armenia, Stahn countries as far as China.)
(These nations and names are well documented in History and Anthropology. For the skeptics: this information is easily verifiable, so please ask!).
So in the latter days, Russia will come from the extreme north and align with Iran, Turkey and the former Soviet Islamic republics, Sudan and Islamic north Africa to Attack the new nation of Israel.
Consider this:
In Ezekiel’s time, these nations had little or no contact. Different religion, culture language etc. Today they are all united in their hatred of Israel and radical Islam.
Some of these countries have already been at war with Israel 3 times.
Consider the comment made this year by Iran’s president:
"We should wipe Israel off the world map."
In the recent war with Israel and Hizbolla, Hizbolla fought along side Iranian troops (some were killed in battle, and used rockets and military technology supplied by iran and Syria). So Iran is already at war with Israel.Russia, although not Islamic, has consistently supplied radical Islamic nations with arms. These have been consistently used against Israel. Russia has close ties with Islamic nations and will happily deliver Israel into their hands for their own interests.
What happens then???
Ah. You can read the details in Ezekiel 38 and 39! It is called the battle of Armageddon (that is the valley in Northern Israel where this invasion will occur). Just where Hizbolla rockets have been falling recently. It could conceivably take place at any moment.
It is also the time God has long warned about when Christ will return to judge this world for our sin and rejecting His message. Now is the time to find out what that message is. It is called the Gospel, the good news!
Is this kind of prophecy found in any other religions' books?
NO! The Bible contains close to 2000 prophecies. That is a lot of room for error (if any of them are wrong, then God is a liar!) But one by one, they have all come (or will soon come) to pass, showing that God is real and knows the future.
Read the Bible today. Suggestions: (OT Genesis, NT Matthew)
Pray that God will help you understand as you read (He certainly will).