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Prophecy
Prophecy
The
Chinese say that it’s very difficult to prophesy
especially about the future.
── Michael P. Green《Illustrations
for Biblical Preaching》
Prophecy
There
is a sense in which prophecy does for us what traveling in space has done. Much
has been learned about the earth from going out there and looking back-things
about weather patterns
location of natural resources
and so forth
which we
could never have known from earth
where we are too close to really see what is
there.
In a
similar fashion
prophecy takes us out of the limitations of seeing only what
our immediate circumstances allow and helps us to see the big picture. The
result should be that we become better stewards of our time and other resources
now and that we live our life on eternal values. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
Prophecy
Dr.
Charles C Ryrie has pointed out that
by the law of chance
it would require
two hundred billion earths
populated with four billion people each
to come up
with one person who could achieve one hundred accurate prophecies without any
errors in sequence. But the Bible records not one hundred but over three
hundred prophecies fulfilled in Christ’s first coming. ── Michael P. Green《Illustrations for Biblical Preaching》
Theoretically
television
may be feasible
but I consider it an impossibility--a development which we
should waste little time dreaming about.
Lee de Forest
1926
inventor of the cathode ray tube.
I think there is a world
market for about five computers.
Thomas J. Watson
1943
Chairman of the Board of IBM.
We don't think the Beatles
will do anything in their market. Guitar groups are on their way out.
Recording company expert
1962.
A devout believer in astrology
French king Louis XI was deeply impressed when an astrologer correctly foretold
that a lady of the court would die in eight days' time. Deciding
however
that
the too-accurate prophet should be disposed of
Louis summoned the man to his
apartments
having first told his servants to throw the visitor out of the
window when he gave the signal. "You claim to understand astrology and to
know the fate of others
" the king said to the man
"so tell me at
once what your fate will be and how long you have to live."
"I shall die just
three days before Your Majesty
" answered the astrologer. The shaken king
canceled his plans!
Today in the Word
July 16
1993.
The book The World's
Worst Predictions lists some of history's all-time prophetic goofs:
King George II said in
1773 that the American colonies had little stomach for revolution.
An official of the White
Star Line
speaking of the firm's newly built flagship
the Titanic
launched
in 1912
declared that the ship was unsinkable.
In 1939 The New York Times
said the problem of TV was that people had to glue their eyes to a screen
and
that the average American wouldn't have time for it.
An English astronomy
professor said in the early 19th century that air travel at high speed would be
impossible because passengers would suffocate.
Marshal Ferdinand Foch in
1911: "Airplanes are interesting toys
but they have no military
value."
Business Week
1958:
"With over 50 foreign cars already on sale here
the Japanese auto
industry isn't likely to carve out a big slice of the U.S. market."
Frank Knox
U.S. Secretary
of the Navy
on December 4
1941: "Whatever happens
the U.S. Navy is not
going to be caught napping."
Economist Irving Fisher on
October 16
1929: "Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high
plateau."
The World's Worst
Predictions
in Reader's Digest
March 1991.
Fiedler's Forecasting
Rules. (1) It is very difficult to forecast
especially about the future. (2)
He who lives by the crystal ball soon learns to eat ground glass. (3) The
moment you forecast
you know you're going to be wrong -- you just don't know
when and in which direction. (4) If you're ever right
never let them forget
it.
Edgar R. Fiedler
economist
quoted in The Official Rules
Paul Dickson.
I am fond of a line from
Niels Bohr
the physicist
and have quoted it before.
"Prediction is a very
difficult art
" he says
"especially when it involves the future.
Scientists at the Goddard
Space Flight Center report that one of the largest stars in our galaxy is about
to self-destruct. Eta Carinae
which has a mass 100 times greater than that of
our sun
is giving signs that its life is about over. Researchers say that it
could become a supernova -- a blazing
exploding star -- within the next 10
000
years. What was especially interesting about the Science 81 report was the
statement that since light from the star takes 9
000 years to reach the earth
the actual explosion could have already taken place.
This striking fact reminds
me of the nature of biblical prophecy. For example
the predictions found in
Revelation 8 are often written in the past tense. This is done because even
though the prophet is writing of a future event
he has already
"seen" it. Also
in the mind of God it's as if the events have
already happened. Even though Christians differ on the interpretation of
today's Scripture
we can definitely say that God's judgment against sin is
certain. The outpouring of His anger against those who continually resist Him
is so sure that it has been written about in the past tense. This should cause
us to reflect with the apostle Peter
who wrote so appropriately
"Seeing
then
that all these things shall be dissolved
what manner of persons ought ye
to be in all holy living and godliness?" (2 Peter 3:11). As Christians
we
know what's ahead for this world
and that knowledge should keep us living
close to God.
Our Daily Bread.
The book The World's Worst
Predictions lists some of history's all-time prophetic goof.
King George II said in
1773 that the American colonies had little stomach for revolution.
An official of the White
Star Line
speaking of the firm's newly built flagship
the Titanic
launched
in 1912
declared that the ship was unsinkable.
In 1939 The New York Times
said the problem of TV was that people had to glue their eyes to a screen
and
that the average American wouldn't have time for it.
An English astronomy
professor said in the early 19th century that air travel at high speed would be
impossible because passengers would suffocate.
The World's Worst
Predictions.
Years ago a hydroelectric
dam was to be built across a valley in Maine. The people in the town were to be
relocated and the town itself submerged.
During the time between
the initial decision and the completion of the dam
the town
which had once
been well-kept
fell into disrepair. Why keep it up now?
Explained one resident:
"Where there is no faith in the future
there is no work in the
present."
Source Unknown.
The rule on staying alive
as a financial forecaster is to give them a number or give them a date
but
never give them both at once.
Jane Bryant Quinn.
Dr. George Sweeting once
estimated that "more than a fourth of the Bible is predictive
prophecy...Both the Old and New Testaments are full of promises about the
return of Jesus Christ. Over 1800 references appear in the O.T.
and seventeen
O.T. books give prominence to this theme. Of the 260 chapters in the N.T.
there are more than 300 references to the Lord's return--one out of every 30
verses. Twenty-three of the 27 N.T. books refer to this great event...For every
prophecy on the first coming of Christ
there are 8 on Christ's second
coming."
Today in the Word
MBI
December
1989
p. 40.
D.L. Moody once said
"I never preach a sermon without thinking that possibly the Lord may come
before I preach another."
Source Unknown.
Wesley was not an advocate
of sensationalism in preaching. But on one occasion
he interrupted his own
sermon and shouted
"Lord
is Saul also
among the prophets? Is James Watson here? If he be
show Thy power!" And
James Watson dropped to the floor and began to cry loudly for God's
mercy!
W. Wiersbe
Wycliffe
Handbook of Preaching and Preachers
Moody Press
1984
p. 247.
At a Monday evening prayer
meeting
Charles Spurgeon suddenly interrupted his sermon
pointed in a certain
direction
and said
"Young man
those
gloves you are wearing have not been paid for; you have stolen them from your
employer!" After the meeting a young man came to the vestry and begged to
see Spurgeon. Pale and trembling
the young man confessed that he had stolen
the gloves he was wearing! He promised never to steal again and begged Spurgeon
not to expose him to his employer.
W. Wiersbe
Wycliffe
Handbook of Preaching and Preachers
Moody Press
1984
p. 219.
When Charles Spurgeon was
pastor at New Park Street in London
God used his words to
bring about amazing changes in the lives of people. A man who was on his way to
get some gin saw the crowd at the church door and pushed his way in to see what
was going on. At that moment
Spurgeon turned and faced the man and said that
there was a man in the gallery who had a gin bottle in his pocket and had come
with no good motive. The startled man listened to the rest of the message and
was converted.
One evening a prostitute
on her way to Blackfriars Bridge to commit suicide
stopped at the church
hoping to hear some word that would prepare her to meet her maker. Spurgeon was
preaching from Luke 7:36-50
the story of the prostitute who wiped Jesus feet
with her tears. His text was verse 44; "Seest thou this woman?" As
Spurgeon preached
the woman saw herself but also saw the grace of God and
trusted Christ.
W. Wiersbe
Wycliffe
Handbook of Preaching and Preachers
Moody Press
1984
p. 231.
Characterized by:
1. Adultery (Jer. 23:14)
2. Lying (Micah 2:11)
3. Treachery (Zeph. 3:4)
4. Opportunistic (Micah
3:11)
5. Drunkenness (Isa 28:7)
Airplanes are interesting
toys
but they have no military value.
Marshal Ferdinand Foch in
1911.
With over 50 foreign cars
already on sale here
the Japanese auto industry isn't likely to carve out a
big slice of the U.S. market.
Business Week
1958.
Whatever happens
the U.S.
Navy is not going to be caught napping.
Frank Knox
U.S. Secretary
of the Navy
on December 4
1941.
Stocks have reached what
looks like a permanently high plateau.
Economist Irving Fisher on
October 16
1929 (March 1991
Reader's Digest).
Fiedler's forecasting
rules
1. Forecasting is very
difficult
especially if it's about the future.
2. For this reason: He who lives by the crystal ball soon learn to eat ground
glass.
3. Similarly: The moment you forecast you know you're going to be wrong
you
just don't know when and in which direction.
4. Nevertheless
always be precise in your forecasts because: Economists state
their GNP growth projections to the nearest tenth of a percentage point to
prove they have a sense of humor.
5. Another basic law: If the facts don't conform to the theory
they must be
disposed of.
6. If you've always had doubts about the judgments of forecasters
it's quite
understandable because: An economist is a man who would marry Farrah
Fawcett-Majors for her money.
7. By the same reasoning
your suspicions about the narrow range of most
forecasts are justified: The herd instinct among forecasters make sheep
look like independent thinkers.
8. When presenting a forecast: Give them a number or give them a date
but
never both.
Source Unknown.