A Ready Defense - Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in history

OLD TESTAMENT

PROPHECY

FULFILLED IN HISTORY
Chapter 6

ne of the unique and fascinating aspects of the Bible is that in no other religious literature do we find the accuracy of fulfilled prophecy. Biblical predictions recorded sometimes hundreds of years in advance of their happening are fulfilled in minute detail. Following are a few of those predictions and fulfillments.

Cyrus

The prophet Isaiah, writing about 700 B.C., names Cyrus as the king who will say to Jerusalem that it shall be built and that the Temple foundation shall be laid (Isaiah 44:28; 54:1).

At the time of Isaiah's writing, the city of Jerusalem was fully built and the entire temple was standing. Not until more than 100 years later, in 586 B.C., would the city and Temple be destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar.

After Jerusalem was taken by the Babylonians, it was conquered by the Persians in about 539 B.C. Shortly after that, a Persian king named Cyrus gave the decree to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. This was around 160 years after the prophecy of Isaiah!

Thus Isaiah predicted that a man named Cyrus, who would not be born for about a hundred years, would give the command to rebuild the Temple, which was still standing in Isaiah's day and would not be destroyed for more than a hundred years. This prophecy is truly amazing, but it is not isolated. There are, in fact, hundreds of prophecies which predict future events.

Daniel's Seventy Weeks

In Daniel 9:24-27, a prophecy concerning the Messiah is given in three specific parts. The first part states that at the end of 69 weeks, the Messiah will come to Jerusalem. (Actually the 7 and 62 weeks are understood as 69 seven-year periods. For the explanation see Hoehner 69/117ff.) The starting point of the 69 weeks is the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.

Concerning the first part of the prophecy (the coming of the Messiah), Wilson explains:

Included in the prophecy of the seventy weeks is the specific prediction that from the going forth of a commandment to restore and build Jerusalem unto Messiah the Prince, there would be sixty-nine weeks. Those weeks are weeks of years. After four hundred and eighty-three years Messiah was to come. 133/139

Daniel 9:24-27:

Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.

So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. Then after the sixty two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.

Beginning of Seventy Weeks

Several commandments, or decrees, in Israel's history have been suggested as the tenninus a quo of the 483 years. These are:

1 The decree of Cyrus, 539 B.C. (Ezra 1:1-4)

2. The decree of Darius, 519 - 518 B.C. (Ezra 5:3-7)

3. The decree of Artaxerxes to Ezra, 457 B.C. (Ezra 7:11-16)

4. The decree of Artaxerxes to Nehemiah, 444 B.C. (Nehemiah 2:1-8) 68/121ff.

J. D. Wilson comments on the starting point of this prophecy:

The next decree is referred to in Nehemiah 2. It was in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes. The words of the decree are not given, but its subject matter can easily be determined. Nehemiah hears of the desolate condition of Jerusalem. He is deeply grieved. The King asks the reason. Nehemiah replies, "The city, the place of my fathers' sepulchers, lieth in waste and the gates thereof are consumed with fire." The king bids him make request. He does so promptly, asking an order from the King that "I be sent to the city that I may build it." And as we read, he was sent, and he rebuilt Jerusalem.

This decree then is the "commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem." There is no other decree authorizing the restoration of the city. This decree authorizes the restoration and the book of Nehemiah tells how the work was carried on. The exigencies of their various theories have led men to take some other decree for the terminus a quo of their calculations, but it is not apparent how any could have done so without misgivings. This decree of Nehemiah 2 is the commandment to restore and rebuild Jerusalem; no other decree gives any permission to restore the city. All other decrees refer to the building of the Temple and the Temple only. 133/141-42

Wilson then gives the length of the year used in the calculation of the 483 years:

The only years whose length is given in the Bible are of 360 days twelve months of 30 days each. Gen. vii 11, vii 3-4; Rev. xi, 2-3, xii, 6, xiii, 5. It seems not unreasonable to take the period designed as 360 days. In that case the 483rd year from 444 B.C. is A.D. 33, the date of the Crucifixion. 133/143

If Daniel is correct, the time from the edict to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (Nisan 1, 444 B.C.) to the coming of the Messiah to Jerusalem is 483 years, each year equaling the 360-day year (173,880 days). Will these calculations match with history and time?

Day of Christ's Crucifixion

Hoehner demonstrates that the only logical day for Christ's crucifixion is Nisan 14, A.D. 33, or according to our calendar, April 3, A.D. 33. See chapters IV and V of Hoehner's Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ.

Calculation of 69 Weeks

Using the 360 day year, Hoehner calculates the terminal day of the 69 weeks of Daniel's prophecy as follows:

Multiplying the sixty-nine weeks by seven years for each week by 360 days gives a total of 173,880 days. The difference between 444 B.C. and A.D. 33 then is 476 solar years. By multiplying 476 by 365.24219879, or by 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45.975 seconds, one comes to 173,855 days. This leaves only 25 days to be accounted for between 444 B.C. and A.D. 33. By adding the 25 days to March 5 (of 444 B.C.), one comes to March 30 (of A.D. 33), which was Nisan 10 in A.D. 33. This is the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. 69/138

The terminal event of the 69 weeks is the presentation of Christ Himself to Israel as the Messiah as predicted in Zechariah 9:9. This materialized on Monday, Nisan 10 (March 30), A.D. 33. On the following Friday, April 3, A.D. 33, Christ was crucified or "cut off' (Daniel 9:26).

After the termination of the 69 weeks and before the commencement of the 70th week, two events had to occur:

(1) The "cutting off" of the Messiah.

(2) The destruction of the city and the Temple.

The Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 by Titus the Roman. Therefore, according to Daniel's prophecy, the Messiah had to come and be crucified between March 30, A.D. 33 and A.D. 70. Christ was crucified April 3, A.D. 33.

Verification of the prophetic calculations using our calendar (Julian):

a. 444 B.C. to A.D. 33 is 476 years.
(444 plus 33 is 477, but 1 B.C.
to A.D. 1 is 1 year not two.
One must subtract 1 year from 477.)

b. 476 years x 365.24219879 days = . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173,855 days

c. c. March 5 to March 30 = . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 days

173,880 days

Historical Cities

1. Tyre (E/274-80)

Ezekiel 26 (592-570 B.C.)

Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and

I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. "And they will destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers; and I will scrape her debris from her and make her a bare rock" (verses 3,4).

For thus says the Lord GOD, "Behold, I will bring upon Tyre from the north Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a great army. He will slay your daughters on the mainland with the sword; and he will make siege walls against you, cast up a mound against you, and raise up a large shield against you (verses 7,8).

"Also they will make a spoil of your riches and a prey of your merchandise, break down your walls and destroy your pleasant houses, and throw your stones and your timbers and your debris into the water (verse 12).

"And I will make you a bare rock; you will be a place for the spreading of nets. You will be built no more, for I the LORD have spoken," declares the Lord GOD (verse 14).

"I shall bring terrors on you, and you will be no more; though you will be sought, you will never be found again," declares the Lord GOD (verse 21).

Predictions

1. Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the mainland city of Tyre (26:8).

2. Many nations will come against Tyre (26:3).

3. She will be made a bare rock; flat like the top of a rock (26:4).

4. Fishermen will spread nets over the site (26:5).

5. The debris will be thrown into the water (26:12).

6. She will never be rebuilt (26:14).

7. She will never be found again (26:21).

NEBUCHADNEZZAR

Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to mainland Tyre three years after the prophecy. The Encyclopedia Britannica says: "After a 13-year siege (585 573 B.C.) by Nebuchadnezzar II, Tyre made terms and acknowledged Babylonian suzerainty." 43/xxii 452

When Nebuchadnezzar broke the gates down, he found the city almost empty. The majority of the people had moved by ship to an island about one-half mile off the coast and fortified a city there. The mainland city was destroyed in 573 (prediction #1), but the city of Tyre on the island remained a powerful city for several hundred years.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

The next incident was with Alexander the Great.

"In his war on the Persians," writes the Encyclopedia Britannica, "Alexander 111, after defeating Darius III at the Battle of Issus (333), marched southward toward Egypt, calling upon the Phoenician cities to open their gates, as it was part of his general plan to deny their use to the Persian fleet. The citizens of Tyre refused to do so, and Alexander laid siege to the city. Possessing no fleet, he demolished old Tyre, on the mainland, and with the debris built a mole 200 ft. (60m.) wide across the straits separating the old and new towns, erecting towers and war engines at the farther end. 43/mdi 452 (Prediction #5.)

The Tyrians countered here with a full-scale raid on the whole operation, which was very successful; they made use of fireships to start the towers burning and then swarmed over the mole after the Greeks were routed. General destruction of the mole was made to as great an extent as the raiding party was capable. Arrian progressed to the sea struggle. Alexander realized he needed ships. He began pressuring and mustering conquered subjects to make ships available for this operation. Alexander's navy grew from cities and areas as follows: Sidon, Aradus, Byblus (these contributed about 80 sails), 10 from Rhodes, 3 from Soli and Mallos, 10 from Lycia, a big one from Macedon, and 120 from Cyprus. (Prediction #2.)

With this now superior naval force at Alexander's disposal, the conquest of Tyre through completion of the land bridge was simply a question of time. How long would this take? Darius 111, Alexander's Persian enemy, was not standing idle at this time, but finally the causeway was completed, the walls were battered down, and mop-up operations began.

"The causeway still remains," writes Philip Myers, "uniting the rock with the mainland. When at last the city was taken after a siege of seven months, eight thousand of the inhabitants were slain and thirty thousand sold into slavery." 99/153

Philip Myers made an interesting observation here; he is a secular historian (not a theologian), and this is found in a history textbook:

Alexander the Great ... reduced [Tyre] to ruins (332 B.C.). She recovered in a measure from this blow, but never regained the place she had previously held in the world. The larger part of the site of the once great city is now bare as the top of a rock [prediction #31 -a place where the fishermen that still frequent the spot spread their nets to dry. 99/55 (Prediction #4.)

John C. Beck keeps the history of the island city of Tyre in the proper perspective:

The history of Tyre does not stop after the conquest of Alexander. Men continue to rebuild her and armies continue to besiege her walls until finally, after sixteen hundred years, she falls never to be rebuilt again. 21/41

Specific Fulfillment

1. Nebuchadnezzar did destroy the old (mainland) city of Tyre.

2. Many nations were against Tyre. This fact can be seen even in this very brief history by Beck:

Because a characteristic of waves is that they come in succession with their destructive force due to their repetition and continuous pounding, this author understands Ezekiel to be referring to a succession of invaders extending over a prolonged period of time.

With this understanding, this summary of Ezekiel (verses 3-6) unfolds. First, "They will destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers" (Nebuchadnezzar's siege). Next, "I will also scrape her dust from her and make her a bare rock" (Alexander's siege). And finally, "She shall become a spoil to the nations" (history following the siege of Alexander). 21/11-12

3. Alexander scraped the old site of Tyre clean when he made the causeway out to the island and left a "bare rock."

4. Numerous references have been previously made (some by secular observers) to the spreading of nets. Nina Nelson observes during a visit: "Pale turquoise fishing nets were drying on the shore." 100/220

Hans-Wolf Rackl describing the present situation of the site of ancient Tyre, writes: "Today hardly a single stone of old Tyre remains intact.... Tyre has become a place 'to dry fish nets,' as the prophet predicted." 105/179

5. Alexander threw the debris into the water in order to make the causeway.

"Ezekiel's prophecy," writes Joseph Free, "concerning the laying of the stones, the timber, and the dust in 'the midst of the water' (Ezek. 26:12b) was specifically fulfilled when Alexander's engineers built the mole, and used the remains of the ancient land city of Tyre, laying them in the midst of the water." 51/263-64

6. The city was never to be rebuilt.

Floyd Hamilton in The Basis of the Christian Faith states:

It is also written, "Thou shalt be built no more" (XXVI:14) Other cities destroyed by enemies had been rebuilt; Jerusalem was destroyed many times, but always has risen again from the ruins; what reason was there for saying that Old Tyre might not be rebuilt? But twenty-five centuries ago a Jew in exile over in Babylonia looked into the future at the command of God and wrote the words, "Thou shalt be built no more!" The voice of God has spoken and Old Tyre today stands as it has for twenty-five centuries, a bare rock, uninhabited by man! Today anyone who wants to see the site of the old city can have it pointed out to him along the shore, but there is not a ruin to mark the spot. It has been scraped clean and has never been rebuilt.

The great freshwater springs of Reselain are at the site of the mainland city of Tyre, and no doubt supplied the city with an abundance of fresh water. These springs are still there and still flow, but their water runs into the sea. The flow of these springs was measured by an engineer, and found to be about 10,000,000 gallons daily. It is still an excellent site for a city and would have free water enough for a large modern city, yet it has never been rebuilt.

7. The city was never to be found again.

Most commentators say that the actual site of the ancient city would be forgotten or lost because of destruction. A better interpretation of this verse is that the seeking by men would be for the purpose of elevating Tyre to her former position of wealth and splendor. It is difficult to believe that the actual location of the city could be lost when it formerly occupied completely the island with walls built to the water's edge.

CONCLUSION

Peter Stoner's seven predictions regarding this miracle were like the ones here -except for my last one, which he did not use, and one of his which is omitted. Stoner evaluated the miracle in the following manner:

If Ezekiel had looked at Tyre in his day and had made these seven predictions in human wisdom, these estimates mean that there would have been only one chance in 75,000,000 of their all coming true. They all came true in the minutest detail.

2. Sidon

Ezekiel 28:22,23 (592 - 570 B.C.) And say, "Thus says the Lord GOD,

'Behold, I am against you, O Sidon, and I shall be glorified in your midst.

Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I execute judgments in her. And I shall manifest My holiness in her.

'For I shall send pestilence to her

And blood to her streets,

And the wounded will fall in her midst by the sword upon her on every side;

Then they will know that I am the LORD."'

Predictions

1. There is no mention of her destruction.

2. Blood will be in the streets (28:23).

3. A sword will be on every side (28:23).

George Davis strikes a good contrast between Tyre and Sidon in his book, Fulfilled Prophecies That Prove the Bible. He says:

The prophecy against Sidon is very different from that concerning Tyre. It was foretold that Tyre would be destroyed, made bare like a rock, and built no more. The prediction against Sidon is that blood will be in her streets, her wounded shall fall in the midst of her, and the sword is to be on her every side. But there is no doom of extinction pronounced against her as was the case of Tyre.

Fulfillment

Floyd Hamilton explains what happened in the fourth century B.C.:

In 351 B.C. the Sidonians, who had been vassals of the Persian king, rebelled, and successfully defended their city against his attacks. At last their own king, in order to save his own life, betrayed the city to the enemy. Well knowing what the vengeance of the Persian king would be, 40,000 of the citizens shut themselves up in their homes, set fire to their own houses and perished in the flames rather than submit to the torture of their enemies! Blood indeed was sent into the streets. (Prediction #2.)

Mr. Davis explains that "not once but many times blood has been in [Sidon's] streets, her wounded have fallen in the midst of her and the sword has been 'upon every side.' " (Predictions #2 and 3.)

In The Basis of the Christian Faith, Floyd Hamilton cites another time Sidon was destroyed, writing that Sidon

was soon rebuilt, however, and though it has been captured over and over again, its citizens butchered and houses razed time after time, the city has always been rebuilt, and is today [19271 a town of over 15,000 inhabitants. Blood has flowed in the streets again and again, but the city stayed in existence and stands today, a monument to fulfilled prophecy. 65/300

George Davis records: "In the days of the Crusades (Sidon) was taken and retaken, again and again, by opposing forces. Three times it was captured by the Crusaders, and three times it fell before the Moslem armies."

And he further notes that

even in modern times tribulation has continued to be meted out to the city. It has been the scene of conflicts between the Druses and the Turks, and between the Turks and the French. In 1840 Sidon "was bombarded by the combined fleets of England, France and Turkey."

Morris explains: "No fate of extinction was foretold for Sidon and even today it is a city of about 20,000 [19561. However, it has had one of the bloodiest histories any city ever had." 97/113 (Predictions #1 and 2.)

CONCLUSION

George Davis concludes with a chilling claim:

No human mind could have foretold 2,500 years ago that Tyre would be extinct, and Sidon would continue, but suffer tribulation during the succeeding centuries, instead of Tyre enduring sorrows, and Sidon being desolate and deserted during the long period.

3. Samaria

Hosea 13:16:

Samaria will be held guilty, for she has rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, Their little ones will be dashed in pieces, And their pregnant women will be ripped open.

Micah 1:6:

For I will make Samaria a heap of ruins in the open country,

Planting places for a vineyard. I will pour her stones down into the valley,

And will lay bare her foundations.

Predictions

1. The city will fall violently (Hosea).

2. It will become "as a heap in the field" (Micah).

3. Vineyards will be planted there (Micah).

4. Samaria's stones will be poured down into the valley (Micah).

5. The foundations shall be "discovered" (Micah).

Fulfillment

According to the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Sargon took Samaria in 722 B.C. Not only did Samaria fall by the sword in 722, but also in 331 B.C. by Alexander and a third time in 120 B.C. by John Hyreanus, all conquerors causing great damage and death to the citizens of Samaria. Even the skeptic who would contend that the destruction of Samaria came after the event will not be able to disagree about the rest of the ramifications.

John Urquhart records Henry Maundrell's reaction in 1697 to what he witnessed:

Sabaste is the ancient Samaria, the imperial city of the ten tribes after their revolt from the house of David.... This great city is now wholly converted into gardens, and all the tokens that remain to testify that there has ever been such a place, are only on the north side, a large square piazza encompassed with pillars, and on the east some poor remains of a great church. (Predictions #2 and 3.)

Predictions #4 and #5 find fulfillment through Van de Velde, who calls Samaria

a pitiable hamlet, consisting of a few squalid houses, inhabited by a band of plunderers.... The shafts of a few pillars only remain standing to indicate the sites of the colonnades.... Samaria, a huge heap of stones! Her foundations discovered, her streets ploughed up, and covered with corn fields and olive gardens.... Samaria has been destroyed, but her rubbish has been thrown down into the valley; her foundation stones, those ancient quadrangular stones of the time of Omri and Ahab, are discovered, and lie scattered about on the slope of the hill. 128/128 (Predictions #4 and 5.)

4. Gaza-Ashkelon

There are two cities on the Mediterranean coast west of the Dead Sea, Gaza and Ashkelon, which have been mentioned in prophecy.

Amos 1:8 (775 - 750 B.C.)

"I will also cut off the inhabitant from Ashdod,

And him who holds the scepter, from Ashkelon;

I will even unleash My power upon Ekron,

And the remnant of the Philistines will perish,"

says the Lord GOD.

Jeremiah 47:5 (626 - 586 B.C.)

Baldness has come upon Gaza;

Ashkelon has been ruined.

0 remnant of their valley,

How long will you gash yourself?

Zephaniah 2:4,6 (640 - 621 B.C.)

For Gaza will be abandoned,

And Ashkelon a desolation;

Ashdod will be driven out at noon,

And Ekron will be uprooted...

So the seacoast will be pastures,

With caves for shepherds and folds for flocks....

And the coast will be

For the remnant of the house of Judah,

They will pasture on it.

In the houses of Ashkelon they will

lie down at evening;

For the LORD their God will care for them

And restore their fortune.

Predictions

1. The Philistines will not continue (Amos 1:8)

2. Baldness shall come upon Gaza (Jeremiah 47:5).

3. Desolation shall come on Ashkelon (Zephaniah 2:4).

4. Shepherds and sheep will dwell in the area around Ashkelon (Zephaniah 2:6).

5. Remnant of the house of Judah will reinhabit Ashkelon (Zephaniah 2:7).

Fulfillment

George Davis comments:

And not only was Ashkelon destroyed but the entire nation of the Philistines was "cut off" precisely as predicted by the prophet Ezekiel 2,500 years ago. The Philistines have been destroyed so completely that there is not a single Philistine living anywhere in the world today. 37/46 (Prediction #1.)

Davis gives a good picture of present-day Ashkelon:

Following the establishment of the State of Israel the Jews recognized the splendid location of the old city of Ashkelon on the seacoast of their country. They decided to make it a beautiful city of Israel's new State. The Jerusalem Post says the new city of Ashkelon has been "designed on the lines of a Garden City."

Davis adds that today, "after long centuries of mighty Ashkelon lying waste and desolate, it is now being transformed into a garden city. The coast of the Mediterranean is indeed for 'the house of Judah,' and 'in the house of Ashkelon shall lie down in the evening.' " (Prediction #5.)

Davis presents a good conclusion:

Ashkelon was destroyed exactly as foretold! The Philistines were "cut off" from the face of the earth till not one Philistine remains in all the world! [Prediction #1.) And lastly, long desolate Ashkelon (prediction #31 has been revived from its ruins of centuries, and is becoming a Garden City.

Of Gaza, Peter Stoner writes,

A city of Gaza still exists, so for a long time, the prophecy with respect to Gaza was thought to be in error. Finally a careful study was made of the location of Ga