14. The Prophecies of the Bible

From now on, we will examine the Bible's prophecies that have been fulfilled in the current generation in which you and I are living, are currently being fulfilled, or will occur in the future.

The most clearly fulfilled prophecy in the current generation is the restoration of the nation of "Israel." First, let's briefly look at the history of Israel.

The history of the "Israeli" people was a history of suffering. The Jews, who ended their life of slavery in Egypt under the charismatic leader Moses, entered the promised land of Canaan in 1020 BC, led by Joshua. Later, King Saul established the kingdom, King David united the kingdom, and it enjoyed glory under Solomon.

However, around 932 BC, after the death of King Solomon, it was divided into northern Israel and southern Judah. Israel was destroyed by Assyria, and southern Judah was destroyed by the Neo-Babylonian Empire. In 63 BC, it was occupied by Rome (Pompey), and in AD 70, Jerusalem fell and the temple was destroyed. Afterward, the Jewish people were scattered and wandered around the world, enduring a time of suffering.

After nearly 2,000 years of wandering around the world and experiencing the tragic reality of the Holocaust during World War II, the Jews launched the Zionist movement (return to Palestine) starting in the late 19th century. Later, with the promise of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine through the British Balfour Declaration of 1917, the nation of "Israel" was miraculously established in 1948 under UN approval.

Afterward, using territorial disputes as a pretext, the First Middle East War broke out with the surrounding seven Arab countries. Israel, which won this war, occupied 80% of the Palestinian territory. However, as a result, 3 million Palestinians became refugees and have been in constant ethnic friction with Israel to this day.

Israel is the only case in history where a nation that was completely destroyed and its people were scattered around the world for about 2,000 years returned to their homeland and established a nation.

How could a wandering people who were completely destroyed, scattered, and experienced a huge massacre of 6 million return to their homeland and establish a nation without any power? Is this just a coincidence?

14.1. The Establishment of Israel

The Bible had very detailed prophecies about the destruction and rebuilding of Israel, as well as the subsequent process. Before Israel was destroyed by Rome, Jesus prophesied as follows:

"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled."

"And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled." (Luke 21:20-24)

This prophecy was literally fulfilled in AD 70. The Roman general Titus cruelly suppressed the rebellion, executed many Jews, sold many Jews as slaves to other countries, completely destroyed Jerusalem, and burned the temple.

About 1,000 Jewish soldiers, women, and children resisted the Roman army for several months in the desert fortress of Masada. However, it eventually fell in AD 100, and Israel literally ceased to exist.

Afterward, the people of Israel were scattered to many countries, the land of Israel became a ruin, and it was ruled by other countries. It was exactly as recorded in Luke.

The prophecies that Israel would be scattered all over the world after its destruction and would return to its homeland and establish a nation in the future are recorded in detail in many parts of the Bible, written at least 2,500 years ago.

"Therefore behold, the days are coming," says the Lord, "that it shall no more be said, 'The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,' but, 'The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them.' For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers." (Jeremiah 16:13-15) (Recording date 627-580 BC)

"The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you. And there you will serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice." (Deuteronomy 4:27-30) (Recording date 1410-1395 BC)

"Then they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer. And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord God." (Ezekiel 39:28) (Recording date 593-571 BC)

14.2. The Restoration of Israel

Events that occurred less than half a century ago are clearly mentioned in several places in the Bible, which was written over 2,500 years ago. This is not all. The Bible also prophesies about how Israel will be restored after its establishment.

After the destruction of Israel, the land of Palestine was a desolate place, as prophesied. When Mark Twain visited Palestine in the 1870s, he described it as "dreadful desolation." He mentioned that there was no vegetation to be seen anywhere, only erosion, deteriorating regions, and malarial swamps.

Until the 20th century, there were hardly any people living in that land except for a few nomadic herders. No one in their right mind could have imagined that such a desolate land would become fertile soil. However, the Bible prophesied through the Book of Ezekiel 2,500 years ago that this wasteland would turn into fertile land, and this prophecy, which seemed utterly absurd, has now been literally fulfilled.

"But you, O mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come. For indeed I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown. I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt. I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. And the desolate land shall be tilled instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass by. So they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the wasted, desolate, and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.'" (Ezekiel 36:8,9,10,11,34,35)

"Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit." (Isaiah 27:6)

After the establishment of Israel, large-scale afforestation projects were carried out, and trees covered the country. Water was drained from the swamps, sand dunes were strengthened with vegetation, soil quality was improved, and extensive irrigation projects were promoted. From 1948, when Israel was established, to 1970, rainfall increased by 550%, and wastelands turned into vast meadows. Agriculture was modernized, and they began to produce corn, wheat, cotton, peanuts, sugar beets, and nuts. Israel now produces more than 70% of the food they need.

Currently, Israel is the world's second-largest producer of grape products, and Israel's oranges are world-famous. Grapes, bananas, dates, lemons, and other fruits are grown and exported along with enormous quantities of vegetables.

What do you think? This is a prophecy from just half a century ago. It is a prophecy fulfilled in this era in which you and I are living. Even if you stubbornly deny the ancient prophecies we examined earlier, claiming that they are absurd, can you still claim that this prophecy, which was literally fulfilled less than half a century ago and for which there are countless documents, is also a fabrication?

Of course, it is clear that the content of the Bible has not changed even a single stroke from 2,000 years ago to the present. Even if you try your hardest to deny it, the prophecies have been fulfilled so clearly that it is impossible to deny them.

14.3. Current Prophecies

Still, for those of you who obstinately deny it, let's examine a biblical prophecy that is currently in progress in 2021. It is the very well-known prophecy related to the war of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. First, let's briefly review this prophecy and compare the biblical verses with the current situation.

Ezekiel, Zechariah, Psalms, and others prophesy that at the "end times," Israel will move to its homeland and rebuild the nation (as we examined earlier), and this was exactly fulfilled on May 14, 1948.

Afterwards, Israel experiences a period of unprecedented peace (which is the current time), but during this time, Israel becomes the focus and headache of the entire world, according to a prophecy in Zechariah. Around this time, numerous Arab countries (Islamic forces) surrounding Israel form an alliance to attack the isolated Israel in order to annihilate it, and Russia is also prophesied to take on the role of "leader" in this war and attack Israel.

The Bible identifies Russia and Iran as the most important countries among this coalition. From a commonsense perspective, it is already an impossible situation for the small nation of Israel to fight a war alone against Russia, the world's second-strongest military power, but if numerous Arab allies surrounding Israel also join in, no matter how desperately Israel fights, the outcome would be obvious as expected. However, the Bible prophesies the complete opposite.

With God's absolute help, Israel alone will completely annihilate all the coalition forces including Russia and achieve a one-sided victory. The Bible even details that the weapons of this defeated coalition will be burned for seven full years. It also prophesies that the corpses of the defeated coalition forces will be buried in a place called the "Valley of Hamon-Gog" and that it will take seven months, and that numerous animals will come and devour the piled-up corpses. Now, let's examine the prophecies of Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 in earnest.

The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal; prophesy against him and say: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.

Magog and Rosh historically and geographically refer to the region of present-day Russia, while Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Togarmah are generally the area of present-day Turkey. Persia is present-day Iran, Cush is Ethiopia, and Put is seen as including Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco in addition to Libya. This passage contains a prophecy that Russia will lead the war as the leader of the Arab coalition forces and attack Israel, which is dwelling in peace.

This is what the Sovereign Lord says: On that day thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil scheme. You will say, "I will invade a land of unwalled villages; I will attack a peaceful and unsuspecting people—all of them living without walls and without gates and bars. I will plunder and loot and turn my hand against the resettled ruins and the people gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at the center of the land." Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all her villages will say to you, "Have you come to plunder? Have you gathered your hordes to loot, to carry off silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods and to seize much plunder?"'

"Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

Israel completely defeats this tremendous coalition with God's absolute help, according to the content. The reason such a commonsensically impossible victory by Israel is possible is to reveal the existence of the living God through such an unbelievably miraculous victory (Ezekiel 39:6-7).

How is this prophecy, written 2,500 years ago, progressing in 2021? Because this is a prophecy currently in progress in 2021, you skeptical readers don't even need to dig through dusty old documents.

If you search the latest international news on the internet or newspapers, you can see how this prophecy is progressing. Of course, this prophecy has not yet been completely fulfilled, but the critical point is that the current situation is progressing in a way extremely similar to the fulfillment of this prophecy.

The current Middle East situation can be summarized into three main points: the sharp confrontation between Israel and Iran due to Iran's nuclear development, the military alliance between Iran and Russia, and Israel's international isolation and ostracization due to friction with Arab forces.

Due to the issue of Iran's nuclear development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already threatened to independently attack Iran's nuclear facilities before the end of his next term if necessary, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has a military alliance with Iran, previously stated that "attacking Tehran is tantamount to attacking Moscow." Furthermore, the relationship between Arab forces and Israel is worsening by the day due to the conflict between Hamas and Israel.

Looking at Ezekiel 38:3-4, there is a prophecy that Gog, the chief prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, will be compelled to lead the war against his will, which is interpreted as meaning that Russia will inevitably have to participate in the war if Israel attacks Iran.

Currently, Israel is endlessly clashing with its neighboring country Syria, and recently, it not only fiercely bombed the Gaza Strip under the pretext of war with Hamas but even threatened to deploy ground troops, becoming a common enemy not only to the surrounding Arab forces but to the entire world. Of course, for the prophecies in Ezekiel to be fulfilled, an Arab coalition must be formed and Russia must participate as the leader to attack Israel, whether triggered by Israel's attack on Iran or some other event.

Although the prophecies have not yet been fulfilled, what is crystal clear is that the prophecies of a prophet written 2,500 years ago are progressing in a way astonishingly similar to today's international situation, and from this perspective, we need to be vigilant and watch future developments. I'm sure there are some among you who will endlessly raise doubts, thinking, "Oh, that could just happen to align by chance." If you think such a thing could just happen to occur by chance, I recommend you try predicting the international situation 2,500 years from now.

Even if you stubbornly insist to the end that this event just happened to coincidentally align, if the commonsensically impossible event of Israel achieving a complete victory over a grand coalition including Russia while in a state of total isolation actually occurs, then you will have no choice but to truly acknowledge it at that point.

Thus far, we have historically examined the numerous prophecies mentioned in the Bible. The many prophecies recorded in the past have already been definitively fulfilled, and the prophecies about the restoration of Israel and war that were said to occur in the "end times" are currently in progress in the very era we are living in.

The fact that biblical prophecies recorded thousands of years ago are so accurately and specifically predicting the current history of humanity powerfully proves that the Bible is by no means a religious text arbitrarily fabricated by human thoughts.

In the next post, we will examine biblical prophecies that will be fulfilled in the future (and are partially in progress now). For those curious about the future history of humanity, be sure to read the next post.