Prophecies in the Bible

by setfreefinally 7 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  setfreefinally

  Were they actually written before the events happened?
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  SixofNine

  If they were, I take back anything unkind I said about Jehovah!
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  City Fan

  Here's an example of a bible prophecy -

  Isaiah 17:1-2 "An oracle concerning Damascus. Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city, and will become a heap of ruins. Her cities will be deserted for ever; they will be for flocks, which will lie down, and none will make them afraid."

  Wrong!!!
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  blondie

  The WTS says that prophecies are not understood until they are being fulfilled. Kind of defeats the purpose, eh?

  WT 8/15/97 p 16 As events develop, though, our understanding of prophecy has become clearer. History shows that rarely, if ever, are divine prophecies fully understood before their fulfillment.
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  setfreefinally

  Thanks! But does that quote only apply to the WTS interpretation of bible prophecies or bible prophecies fulfilled in bible times?
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  blondie

  Only to the WTS, SFF, since it is their position on prophecies. Personally, I think they are doing some damage control with that statement.

  Blondie

  I have felt that the one about the succession of kings in Daniel 8:20 to be interesting as well as the one that pinpoints the appearance of the Messiah, Daniel 9:24-27, as well as Isaiah 45:1-7 regarding Cyrus. Of course, the validity of these as prophecies depends on being able to establish with some certainty that these words were penned before the events they talk about. Ancient history (even current history) is not that easy to establish.

  Ask yourself, why do I believe that George Washington was a real person, lived around 1776, and was the first president of the US? It can be revealing what we base our beliefs on; very little is on first or secondary sources but most likely tertiary or worse.
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  setfreefinally

  Blondie:Of course, the validity of these as prophecies depends on being able to establish with some certainty that these words were penned before the events they talk about. Ancient history (even current history) is not that easy to establish.

  So in your opinion do you think there is a high degree of certainty they were penned before the events?

  Or not?
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  blondie

  SFF, I guess that is where I don't go farther. I let others make their own journey of research and discovery. I focus on the practical aspects of life and the here and now.

  1 Corinthians (NIV)

  2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.