John...

Submitted by Servant of Christ (United States), Feb 14, 2007 at 18:25

If a worldwide flood did happen, then the egyptians would have wrote it down.

Very good, we're getting somewhere. Except Mizraim (the father of Egyptians) would have passed down the story just like Sin (father of the Chinese) would have passed down the story. The point is, if the Flood would have occurred, then not just one nation should have a flood account. That is exactly what we do have. But did the Egyptians invent the story? No, because all the world had a story similar to it. But the Israelites have the correct one because they have the actual dimensions and vivid descriptions with evidence attesting to it.

Consider the Epic of Gilgamesh, Ea/Enki destroys man because they are loud and he cannot sleep. This clearly sounds silly. Ea/Enki tells Gilgamesh to build a 900 by 900 by 900 'boat'. This giant block/cube is definately inadequate to survive the harsh waters. While the Biblical ark would be fit to survive such a storm!

Do not ignore the bone beds...

I already have.

No you haven't. What you have done is ignored my article.

Again, let's be serious. Each human has a God-given characteristic called a conscience. Because Egypt and Israel agree on "killing is bad", does not mean Israel forged their religion from a book. If you examine the book of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy in which the Ten Commandments are given, you will see that many other commandments are given that are unrelated to other nations but are scientifically healthy and morally right.

Sigh... Killing was wrong from the beginning. Even before Cain killed Abel, it was wrong. Just because religions have similarities do not mean they were copies. Since Hinduism and Christianity do not sanction murder, one must have copied from the other right?!?

Why must you ignore the evidence that is screaming out at you. The ceremonial laws in the Bible are very healthy, far too healthy for the simple man to figure out alone in the fourteenth century BC.

I had some faith in him. The only reason i left was because they was so much suffering in the world and if they was God he would have done something about it.

Were you Catholic?
Suffering is something that points to God's existence. Suffering entered the world when Adam and Eve rebelled against God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. (Romans 8:22). The suffering will continue. Always will the sins of one man will cause suffering to another. For example, an alcoholic mother may have a deformed baby. A drunk driver may kill several people on a bus. To put it simply, life on earth isn't fair. We had paradise at first and then we lost it when we lost God. God reconciled those who would choose God with the blood of Jesus Christ.

Job suffered though he did nothing wrong. When God appeared before him, Job asked many questions. But the answers God gave him did not satisfy Job, it was the presence of God. The solution of these problem the world suffers is not asking questions, it is the presence of God that will finally satisfy those who believe. So if God has given us a way to be saved then who is cruel, man or God? The rebellion against God has caused all this suffering.

Forget about the prophecies, I seen about 300 on a christian website.

I plan to prove the divinity of the Bible :p.

1. The Destruction of the Second Temple and Jerusalem

Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, 6"As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down." (Luke 21:5-6) NIV

"When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:20-24) NIV

The Temple of Herod would be destroyed and not one stone will be left on another concerning that temple. Jerusalem will be surrounded and it will fall. Then the Jews will be slain, scattered, or taken as prisoners.

Fulfillment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destruction_of_the_Second_Temple

Some scholars will deny the divinity of this prophecy by claiming this prophecy was written after the Temple's fall. However, how can this be since if this is indeed true, would not the Apostles include the fulfillment of this prophecy as further proof? Furthermore, Luke's gospel is agreed by scholar's as the third gospel. Luke is a two series book, with the Gospel of Luke first and the Book of Acts second; the Acts of the Apostles does not include any material pass 60 AD. Therefore, Luke must have been written BEFORE the Temple's annihilation and since it is the last of the so called "Synoptic Gospels", Matthew's and Mark's prophecies are even earlier. Therefore, the prophecy that Jesus made is indeed valid.

2. Sennacherib's Fall

Isaiah 37 talks about how God delivered Hezekiah from Sennacherib, King of the feared Assyrians. Jerusalem does not have the power to fight Sennacherib but God delivers them in this prophecy:

In a very short amount of time, Sennacherib's army was destroyed. Of course, the Assyrian account says that Sennacherib defeated the Jews and took Hezekiah hostage (Sennacherib's Prism). However, just like the Bible says, One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer cut him down with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king. (Isaiah 37:38) NIV.

3. The Rise and Fall of Empires

Daniel 11 is another very descriptive prophecy that was dated:

Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will appear in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece. 3 Then a mighty king will appear, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases. 4 After he has appeared, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted and given to others. (Daniel 11:2-4) NIV

Cyrus II the Great, established the Persian Empire and ruled it from 550–529.

Cambyses II, his son, ruled 530–522.

Smerdis, his alleged brother, ruled 522.

Darius I the Great, son of Hystaspes, ruled 521–486.

Xerxes I, his son, ruled 486–465.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_Persia

After Cyrus came three Persia/Mede rulers. The fourth, Xerxes, had campaigns against Greece (v. 2).

Fulfillment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xerxes_I_of_Persia

The "mighty king" is Alexander the Great. The four winds are his four generals who divided his kingdom (v. 4). His only descendant did not inherit the kingdom, thus fulfilling the other part of the prophecy.

Fulfillment: http://homeschooling.about.com/od/favoritehistoricalfigure/p/alexander2.htm

"The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power. 6 After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power ^[a] will not last. In those days she will be handed over, together with her royal escort and her father ^[b] and the one who supported her. (Daniel 11:5-6) NIV

Ptolemy I, one of the four heirs of Alexander's kingdom, was the King of the South. Seleucus is the "commander" in verse 5. He later created the Seleucid Empire.

Fulfillment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_I , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucus_I_Nicator

The son of Ptolemy I (Ptolemy II), king of the South, gives Berenice, his daughter, to the king of the North who is Antiochus II, the successor of the Seleucid empire. After Ptolemy II died, Antiochus returned to his first wife, Laodice. Laodice poisons Antiochus and has Berenice and her son murdered; thus this fulfills verse 6.

Fulfillment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_II , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berenice_(Seleucid_queen) , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laodice_I

"One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious. 8 He will also seize their gods, their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt. For some years he will leave the king of the North alone. 9 Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country. 10 His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood and carry the battle as far as his fortress. (Daniel 11:7-10) NIV

Berenice's brother, Ptolemy III, strikes at Seleucus II, the son of Laodice. The result is a success and Ptolemy takes much treasure from his campaign. Seleucus manages to flee from the attack. When Ptolemy returns back to his land, Seleucus reclaims Syria.

Fulfillment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seleucus_II , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_III

Verse 10 is fulfilled when Seleucus III, the son of Seleucus II, amasses an army against the south. He was killed within two years. His brother, Antiochus III, continued the campaigns against the south.

"Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated. 12 When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant. 13 For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped (Daniel 11:11-13) NIV

Ptolemy IV defeats Antiochius III in the battle at Raphia. As a result, the prideful king tries to enter the Jewish Holy of Holies which is forbidden. He slaughters "thousands" of Jews:

Fulfillment: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ptolemy_IV , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_Maccabees , other historical site

Later. Ptolemy IV loses the land he just received to the King of the North's new army.

"In those times many will rise against the king of the South. The violent men among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success. 15 Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand. 16 The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it. 17 He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans ^[c] will not succeed or help him. 18 Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back upon him. 19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more. (Daniel 11:14-19) NIV

Ptolemy IV and V face rebellion from Egyptians, but eventually fail. The might of the Seleucid Empire then defeats the Ptolemys and takes back the "Beautiful Land", which of course is Palestine/Israel. Finally, Antiochus gives Ptolemy Cleopatra I as a wife in hopes that she will tear Egypt apart. Unfortunately, Cleopatra did no side with her father, so Antiochus reached Greece (the coastlands). He was stopped by Rome which ended his glory. He returned to his country and later was killed.

Fulfillment: http://www.answers.com/topic/antiochus-iii-the-great , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleopatra_I

Because of such accuracy of this prophecy, Daniel is usually dated in 160 BC by scholars since they disbelieve the existence of God. However, this theory holds no water. The book claims to be written in the 6th century BC and is supported. Josephus the historian has documented that Alexander the Great received a copy of Daniel when he took control of Jerusalem. The Septuagint includes Daniel (compiled from Hebrew to Greek in 300 BC). Furthermore, the Dead Sea Scrolls include Daniel and they are dated to about 200 BC

These are very accurate prophecies :D.

May God Bless

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