In just a few days, we will be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus; the most important event in all of human history! During Jesus’ first visit to Planet Earth as a man, over 300 specifically detailed events were fulfilled. The detail and accuracy of these prophecies span from specific words spoken at specific times to specific ministry events.
Some of these fulfilled prophecies date back to the Garden of Eden. Others were several hundred years old! Yet, they were all fulfilled with pinpoint accuracy. The first time I read the New Testament, the fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies profoundly affected my trust for God’s Word. After all, if He could foretell hundreds of specific events with such detail, every Word He spoke could be trusted!
Reading the gospels in a good reference Bible would probably be a great personal exercise. Look up all the times an Old Testament prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus’ life and ministry. Let the Bible convince you of God’s profound reliability. You will never build your faith in God’s Word by reading commentaries. It will happen by reading the Scripture.
In this time of darkness, it seems more Christians are looking for and seeking to understand the coming of the antichrist than the second coming of Jesus! Seek to know, believe, and understand the coming Savior who will give us absolute victory! Most of that knowledge will be discovered in the prophecies.
Prophecies were not only given so we could have hope and faith. They were also given so we could understand the times and know what to do. However, over the centuries, religion diminished the value of prophecy!
As the gift of prophecy became more about religious showboating, we soon lost our love of prophecy! In the ’50s, ‘60s, and ‘70s prophecy became an irrational, over-emotional event where someone in the congregation incoherently shouted something that was often nonsensical. Prophecies were never judged for Biblical compliance or accuracy. Contrary to the Biblical mandate, prophecy began to be despised!
Biblical prophecy, however, is the most unique sign proving the existence and uniqueness of God. When God would foretell an event in explicit detail hundreds of years before it would occur, it gave us proof that God exists outside of time and space. It shows He is not limited to the finite knowledge of man. It proves He is the only true God revealing the end from the beginning.
When Cyrus, the ruler of Persia, overthrew Babylon, he was met by the prophet Daniel as he entered the city. Daniel presented him with the scroll of Isaiah, foretelling Cyrus’ victory. Isaiah not only prophesied that Cyrus would overthrow Babylon but also the methods he would employ to win the battle.
Isaiah 44:27-28 says, Who says to the rivers, ‘Be dry! And I will dry up your rivers’; 28 Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” And to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”‘
Cyrus overthrew Babylon without fighting a battle. He diverted the river surrounding Babylon and walked into the city victoriously.
Isaiah 45:1-6, “Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held — To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut: 2 ‘I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron. 3 I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel. 4 For Jacob My servant’s sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me. 5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other;
Besides sharing all the many impressive facts, God gave this prophecy to Isaiah 150 years before this event. He called Cyrus by name even though he had not yet been born. He used him to recover the Jews to Israel and rebuild the temple.
When Cyrus heard this prophecy, he was so moved that he allowed the Jews to return from captivity. He returned the sacred utensils that had been taken from the temple. But most significantly, he allowed them to rebuild the temple.
There were over 300 detailed prophecies fulfilled when Jesus came to Planet Earth for the first time. There are now nearly 3000 prophecies concerning His second coming waiting to be fulfilled. The prophecies of His first appearance foretold of His resurrection. Those related to His second coming foretell the rapture and His second coming.
We are taking the gospel of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth to provide faith and hope for those who dwell on Planet Earth. There are many dimensions to the gospel of the Kingdom. One of the most significant is this: The rapture will take place, then Jesus will return and overthrow the antichrist. This will be followed by His kingdom being established on earth for 1000 years. This is the message that will give hope and comfort!
Thank you for helping me take the Gospel of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth! Together
We are changing the way the world sees God!
Blessings,
Jim
P.S. Please enjoy the following testimonies made possible by your generous support:
For years, I walked in shame over my past choices. I never had any self-confidence or even knew who I was–I just survived. Even though I was in and out of church my whole life, l never really understood what Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection meant to for me personally. This teaching on connecting to the love of God has changed how I view my present and my wonderful future.
Thank you, Jim Richards, for giving us so much helpful information, coaching, examples, and tools. I can’t imagine where I would be without it.
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Bless you, Jim. Every teaching is uplighting and empowering….In this season of my life I have a few mentors I listen to, you are one of them…
There has only been a few ministries of the gospel I have connected with on my journey with God. I appreciate all the ministers of the gospel because they have all been instrumental in life…but I have only connected with a few on deeper level you are one of them…..Thank you for your teachings. You are truly changing the way people see God.