Probably my favorite thing when reading Scripture is coming across one of the many prophecies. Matthew’s Gospel is littered with prophecies foretold and prophecies fulfilled.
Everything from the virgin conception of Jesus (Isaiah 7:14), His birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), to the fleeing from Israel to Egypt (Hosea 11:1) were all predicted in the Old Testament.
But the book that I can never close when I begin to read it is Daniel. While most folks think about Daniel in the lion’s den, his book is actually the journal of a Jew who was exiled to Babylon and forced to serve under at least five different rulers while the Israelites were living away from the Holy Land.
It is filled with prophetic language and focused on future events. The entanglement, or lack thereof, with those placid felines is only one chapter of the book. The last six chapters of Daniel are actually devoted to prophecy.
Though future to Daniel, much of the book is history to us now in the 21st century. The conquests of Alexander the Great (Daniel 11:3) and the Roman Empire (Daniel 2:40) are both cited by Daniel. That’s remarkable.
The Bible is filled with prophecy; some of which has yet to be achieved. But therein lies hope for anyone who’s put their faith in Jesus Christ. Just read Hebrews 9:27-28.
‘Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.’
The thing I love most of prophecy is seeing it fulfilled because that gives me hope for the future. If God has done it before, He’ll do it again. He is coming back!
Truth & Discernment 