Were bible predictions ever correctly interpretted before the fact?

Question

Of can the prophecies only be recognized after the fact? If they can only be recognized after the fact, what the hell is the point?

Answer 1

The FACT is you can place almost all those prophecies in any time period in history!!! Most likely they were not really predictions, but events that were taking place during the writers lifetime and exaggerated to create interest.

Answer 2

Sure, there were plenty of prophesies that were fully understood before the fact. For example, Jeremiah's repeated prophesies that Israel and Judea would be taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar. Another example is Jesus' prophecy that the Second Temple would be destroyed.

However, there exists a second type of prophecy that cannot be understood by believers until it has been fulfilled. For example, God's prophecy at Jeremiah 49:35-39. This wasn't understood until AFTER the Islamic Revolution overthrew the monarchy in Iran for the first time since Jeremiah's time. Believers now know that Iran's people have been regathered for judgement. When one considers Iran's role in the upcoming Ezekiel 38/39 invasion (along with Russia, Turkey, Libya and other Muslim nations), it becomes clear how God plans to exact judgement on the Iranians. And by the way, this fulfilled prophecy confirms we are in the "latter days," i.e. end times.

Answer 3

Jesus referenced this point a lot, that when we as people we always want a sign from God, but would we really listen or believe it? This is the case that when God sent prophets to Israel and Judah, they never really believed them or took action to repent and change their ways. We don't know how God thinks, because His thoughts are above our thoughts. God gave us more than enough information, and it really doesn't matter what we think is going to happen based upon prophecies. So the point is that God shared every thing to us, and will reveal what He wants to reveal to us in His perfect will, besides would we really change our lives if we knew exactly how the future would happen.

"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."

Deuteronomy29:29

Answer 4

The opinions of others nothwithstanding, Yes.

It's just that it might be difficult to scrape the land for people who would believe them!

One example is Jonah. Not the whale thing, but the message that he was supposed to deliver to Ninevah. They believed and repented.

And then there is the prophecies concerning Tyre. That happened long after when Alexander defeated it.

And then there are the prophecies of this:
Zechariah 14
2 I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it; the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped. Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city. 3 Then the LORD will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle.
4 On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain moving north and half moving south. 5 You will flee by my mountain valley, for it will extend to Azel. You will flee as you fled from the earthquake [a] in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

6 On that day there will be no light, no cold or frost. 7 It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime—a day known to the LORD. When evening comes, there will be light.

8 On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea [b] and half to the western sea, [c] in summer and in winter.

9 The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and his name the only name.


Will you believe it before it happens?

Israel has a lot of enemies. What chance do you think that in this modern age that will happen? Likely? Unlikely? Maybe?

Then read this:
Ezekiel 39
1 "Son of man, prophesy against Gog and say: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 2 I will turn you around and drag you along. I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel. 3 Then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand. 4 On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals. 5 You will fall in the open field, for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign LORD. 6 I will send fire on Magog and on those who live in safety in the coastlands, and they will know that I am the LORD.

From a scholarly source, Gog is an ancient name for certain areas in Russia. And the list of the other names include: Iran, Sudan, Northern Ethiopia, Libya, and Turkey. How Muslim are those countries, ask yourself? And how has Russia sided in the affairs of the area?
Likely? Probable?

Answer 5

According to the Bible many prophecies came true. The coming of Christ was the biggest fulfillment.

Answer 6

Look, the only way you can tell is to look around you at this current time. Alot of atheists and such will say that it is bullshit but alot of prophecies are being fulfilled now as we speak. You can't help but to see it.

Answer 7

The point is faith. When we have faith in God and his prophets, then life will go much better for us.

Only eight people survived the Flood, because none else had the faith to believe in the prophecy. Life was much better to those who believed and heeded the prophecy before it was too late.

Moses lifted up the serpant to heal all who would believe his words in faith. Those that exercised faith and believed *before* the prophecy was fulfilled were healed... those who didn't perished in faithlessness.

The point of prophecy, then, is to believe in faith... the consequences of that faith (or lack thereof) will certainly follow.

Answer 8

Maybe the theories are more easily recognized, or at least the patterns behind them. The only true comminality is the person.

Answer 9

Well, you can not recognize it if you don't know what it looks like. Thats usually the problem.
The coming of the messiah was predicted in Daniel 9:27ff, to the very day. The Jews missed it. Wonder why.

Answer 10

The very word 'prophecy' (or 'prediction') indicates full understanding would come only after realization.