HOLDING ON TO TRUTH - THE RELIABILITY OF THE BIBLE - PART 2
We trust today’s message encouraged and guided you in your journey of following Jesus. These notes are meant to help you remember and reflect on the message, help you go deeper into study on the subject, or be used for a sermon group discussion.
Sermon Title: THE RELIABILITY OF THE BIBLE - PART 2
Main Scripture: 2 PETER 1:16-21; PSALM 119:160; ISAIAH 40:8
If you’re going through this discussion with a community group this week consider taking the time to read the provided scripture to catch everyone up!
Summary:
Pastor Ryan is encouraging us by sharing stunning evidence for the Bible’s validity and reliability. This week we learned that Fulfilled Prophecy invites us to see how truthful and faithful God is at His Word. God cares deeply for us and works His will on our behalf. God cared about His people then and how they were being treated, God continues to care for all of His believers today. We can rest and be confident that God is working all things together for our good. Now, let’s know His Word, trust it, and obey it. God’s Word hasn’t failed so it won’t fail us!
Notes:
Fulfilled Prophecy
One of the most powerful and potent arguments for the validity and reliability of the Bible is fulfilled prophecy.
27% of the Bible is prophetic. https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-prophecy.html
There are around 1800 prophecies in the Bible. Approximately half have been fulfilled and every one of them has been accurate.
There is no other book in the world that predicts and fulfills prophecies like the Bible.
Biblical prophecy is not vague…it names places, events, and people in detail.
The Prophetic Fulfillment of Tyre’s Destruction
Ezekiel 26:1-14 NLT
Facts about Tyre:
The city of Tyre was inhabited by the Phoenicians and it was known to be one of the greatest coastal cities in the ancient world.
The city was in two parts, the coastline and the island about a mile off from the coast.
Tyre was known for its ports and ships for commercial trading.
The murex shellfish provided purple dye. It took thousands of shellfish to make one purple robe. Only the wealthy could afford to pay for these purple robes which is why they were common among royalty.
Why did God orchestrate Tyre’s destruction?
Their celebration of Jerusalem’s destruction, their greed, and their prideful worship of themselves, instead of God (Ezekiel 26:2; 28:1-10).
The details of this prophecy:
I will bring many nations against you
Tyre will be destroyed and become bare like a flat rock
A rock in the sea where fishermen spread their nets
Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the city
Tyre will be thrown into the water and never rebuilt
All of these predictions were fulfilled by Nebuchadnezzar and Alexander the Great. (Secular historians verify these attacks definitely took place in world history.)
Nebuchadnezzar attacked Tyre and it took a grueling 13 years (586-573 B.C.) The Jewish historian Josephus confirmed this: “Nabuchodonosor besieged Tyre for thirteen years in the days of Ithobal, their king; after him reigned Baal, ten years;” (AgainstApion, 1.21). Josephus quoted the historian Philostratus (circa 170 to 250 B.C) who also confirmed this siege.
Nebuchadnezzar did not have a proper navy so his attack was on the mainland. The prophecy doesn’t say by boats but by horses and chariots.
To add to the evidence: A broken cuneiform tablet first published in 1926 by German archeologist Eckhard Unger refers to provisions of food for “the king and his soldiers for their march against Tyre”. Other cuneiform tablets show that at some point Tyre was in the hands of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar.
But this is a partial fulfillment…what about the Island portion of Tyre? Nebuchadnezzar lost so much money he did not pursue the island of Tyre.
Remember the prophecy said, “many nations.” Approximately 250 years later Alexander the Great comes to Tyre longing to worship their god, Melkart, in their temple on the island. They denied him access…so the siege of the Island of Tyre began in 332 B.C.
Alexander did something Nebuchadnezzar probably would have not considered. Alexander took the rubble from the mainland and began building a causeway, a land bridge to the island. After about 7 months of brutal warfare and a large navy from other nations, Alexander the Great besieged Tyre, killing all the men and selling the women and children into slavery.
Tyre over the centuries
After Alexander the Great’s conquest, Tyre was never the same.
The Muslims conquered Tyre in 638 AD
Crusaders from Europe conquered Tyre in 1124 AD
The Mameluke Muslims retook the area in AD 1291 and reduced Tyre to ashes. The place remained uninhabited for the next 300 years.
Tyre Today
Tyre truly became a place for fishermen to spread their nets.
Today it has become the 4th largest city in Lebanon with about 200,000 people.
But the prophecy said, “to never be rebuilt.” Critics say this means the prophecy was false. This is not true. The Phoenicians were completely driven out and the prestige of Tyre was never restored. The city and people it once was no longer exist.
Old Testament Prophecies Literally Fulfilled in Christ
Floyd Hamilton, in The Basis of Christian Faith, writes, "There are in the Old Testament 332 distinct predictions which were literally fulfilled in Christ." (Hamilton, BCK 160) J. Barton Payne lists 191 in his Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy. (Payne, EBC. 665-670) They are listed below as an invitation to the reader for further exploration and research. -McDowell pg. 229-230
See charts below
Takeaway: After Jesus’ resurrection, He walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself…These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning me.” Luke 24:27 & 44
Illustration: The probability of fulfilled prophecy
Peter Stoner (1969)– Professor Emeritus of Science at Westmont College
The odds that a person could have randomly fulfilled only 8 of the hundreds of prophecies is 1 in 1017 (17 zeros)
Cover the entire state of Texas (268,580 sq mi) with silver dollars… 2 feet deep… mark 1, then thoroughly mix them all up. Blindfold someone and have them try to pick the marked one on the 1st try.
48 prophecies? 1 in 10157
“Mathematicians and statisticians, who were without faith, had to acknowledge that it is scientifically impossible to deny that Jesus is the Christ.” -Stoner
(McDowell, pages 230-231)
Fulfilled prophecy confirms:
There is no God like our God and no book like the Bible.
Isaiah 41:21-24 “Present the case for your idols,” says the Lord. “Let them show what they can do,” says the King of Israel. 22 “Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what’s going to happen. 23 Yes, tell us what will occur in the days ahead. Then we will know you are gods. In fact, do anything—good or bad! Do something that will amaze and frighten us. 24 But no! You are less than nothing and can do nothing at all. Those who choose you pollute themselves.”
Isaiah 46:9-10 Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. 10 Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.
God made this challenge and yet no other book in history and no other god has even begun to rise to the challenge.
God is true and reliable in all He says. God accomplishes all that He says.
Isaiah 48:3-5 “Long ago I told you what was going to happen. Then suddenly I took action, and all my predictions came true. 4 For I know how stubborn and obstinate you are. Your necks are as unbending as iron. Your heads are as hard as bronze. 5 That is why I told you what would happen; I told you beforehand what I was going to do. Then you could never say, ‘My idols did it. My wooden image and metal god commanded it to happen!’ 6 You have heard my predictions and seen them fulfilled, but you refuse to admit it…”
Application
The fulfilled prophecies of the Bible give conclusive evidence that the Bible truly is the revelation of God.
God has given us ample evidence that faith in His word is not in vain. When Jesus says, “I go to prepare a place for you,” He is doing it. When His word says, “God works all things together” for our good, it’s going to be okay. When His word says, we will resurrect or be gathered to be with Jesus at His second coming, it’s going to happen! We can leave here encouraged and full of joy that whosoever believes has eternal life!
Discussion:
What stuck out to you from the scriptures we read?
What stuck out to you from this message?
If we are doubting God’s Word and faithfulness what could be the reasons?
How can this sermon strengthen our faith in God and His Word?
How do we live and apply this message to our lives so it will impact unbelievers?
The most important decision you will ever make!
Are you ready to experience salvation and be transformed? We encourage you to process this decision with a strong believer and when you’re ready say a simple prayer like this from your heart: Dear God, I acknowledge and admit I have sinned. I see my need for Jesus Christ. I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I believe I am forgiven and cleansed of my sin by His death. I also believe I have eternal life because of His resurrection from the dead. I repent, I turn away from my old ways and I choose to live my life to worship you and follow Jesus, amen!
We would love to know if you made the decision to accept this wonderful gift from God. Let us know here.
Pray Together
We hoped you found this AFTER THE SERMON discussion helpful for your walk with Jesus. We pray you can find ways to apply it this week!