Page 498 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

PROPHECY

most incomprehensible attributes of the Deity, and is forms part of the evidence of Christianity. described the
exclusively a divine perfection. ... No clearer testimony desolation of cities and of nations, whose greatness
or greater assurance of the truth can be given, and if was then unshaken, and whose splendor has ever since
men do not believe Moses and the prophets, neither been unrivaled—and their predictions were of such a
would they be persuaded though one arose from the character, that time would infallibly refute or realize
dead. ... The voice of Omnipotence alone could call the them.
dead from the tomb—the voice of Omniscience alone “The history of the life and character of Christianity’s
could tell all that lay hid in dark futurity, which to man Founder, as it was written at the time, and
is as impenetrable as the mansions of the dead—and acknowledged as authentic by those who believed on
both are alike the voice of God. him, is so completely without a parallel, that it has
“Of the antiquity of the Scriptures there is the amplest often attracted the admiration, and excited the
proof. The books of the O.T. were ... received by the astonishment of infidels—and one of them even ...
Jews as of divine authority; and as such they were acknowledges that the fiction of such a character is
published and preserved. They were proved to be more inconceivable than the reality. He possessed no
ancient 1,800 years ago (Josephus, Apion). Instead of temporal power; he inculcated every virtue; his life
being secluded from observation, they were translated was spotless and perfect as his doctrine; he was put to
into Greek above 250 years before the Christian era; death as a criminal. His religion was rapidly
and they were read in the synagogues every Sabbath- propagated; his followers were persecuted, but their
day. ... They have ever been sacredly kept unaltered, in cause prevailed. ...
a more remarkable degree, and with more scrupulous “The Christian ‘religion’ has been extended over a great
care, than any other compositions whatever. … No part of the world, and it is still enlarging its boundary;
stronger evidence of their antiquity could be alleged, and the Jews, though it originated among them, yet
than what is indisputably true; and if it were to be continue to reject it. In regard to the political changes
questioned, every other truth of ancient history must or revolutions of states, since the prophecies
first be set aside. That the prediction was prior to the concerning them were delivered—Jerusalem was
event, many facts in the present state of the world destroyed and laid waste by the Romans. The land of
abundantly testify; and many prophecies remain even Palestine, and the surrounding countries, became
yet to be fulfilled. But independently of external thinly inhabited, and, in comparison of their former
testimony, the prophecies themselves bear intrinsic fertility, almost converted into deserts. The Jews have
marks of their antiquity, and of their truth. been scattered among the nations, and remain to this
“They are, in general, so interwoven with the history of day a dispersed and yet a distinct people. [Israel has
the Jews—so casually introduced in their application been reinstated as a nation in her own land, the dry
to the surrounding nations—so frequently concealed in bones living again yet remaining spiritually dead].
their purport, even from the honoured but unconscious Egypt, one of the first and most powerful of nations,
organs of their communication, and preserving has long ceased to be a kingdom. Nineveh is no more.
throughout so entire a consistency—so different in the Babylon is now a ruin. The Persian Empire succeeded
modes of their narration, and each part preserving its to the Babylonian. The Grecian Empire succeeded to
own particular character—so delivered without form the Persian, and the Roman to the Grecian. The old
or system—so shadowed under types and symbols—so Roman empire [separated into eastern and western
complete when compared and combined—so divisions] further divided into several kingdoms. Rome
apparently unconnected when disjoined, and revealed itself became the seat of a government of a different
in such a variety of modes and expressions, that the nature from any other than ever existed in the world.
very manner of their conveyance forbids the idea of The doctrine of the gospel was transformed into a
artifice; or if they were false, nothing could be more system of spiritual tyranny and of temporal power. The
impossible to have been conceived by man. And they authority of the pope was held supreme in Europe for
must either be a number of incoherent and detached many ages. The Saracens obtained a sudden and
pretensions to inspiration, that can bear no scrutiny, mighty power; overran a great part of Asia and of
and that have no reference to futurity but what Europe; and many parts of Christendom suffered much
deceivers might have devised; or else, as the only from their incursions. The Arabs maintain their warlike
alternative, they give such a comprehensive, yet character, and retain possession of their own land. The
minute representation of future events—so various, yet Africans are a humble race, and are still treated as
so distinct—so distant, yet so true—that none but he slaves. The colonies have been spread from Europe to
who knoweth all things could have revealed them to Asia, and are enlarging there. The Turkish empire
man, and none but those who have hardened their attained to great power; it continued to rise for the
hearts and closed their eyes can forbear from feeling space of several centuries, but it paused in its progress,
and from perceiving them to be credentials of the has since decayed ...
truth, clear as light from heaven. “These form some of the most prominent and
“Religion deserves a candid examination, and it remarkable facts of the history of the world from the
demands nothing more. The fulfillment of prophecy ages of the prophecies to the present time; and if, to

498 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity