Topical Bible: Prophecy: God Accomplishes

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Prophecy in the biblical context refers to the divine communication of God's will and purpose, often concerning future events. The Bible is replete with prophetic declarations that reveal God's sovereign plan and His ability to accomplish what He has spoken. This entry explores the theme of prophecy as a demonstration of God's power to fulfill His promises and execute His divine will.

Divine Sovereignty and Fulfillment

The Bible consistently portrays God as sovereign over history, orchestrating events according to His divine plan. In Isaiah 46:10, God declares, "I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’" This verse underscores the certainty of God's prophetic word and His ability to bring it to fruition.

Prophecies Concerning Nations

Throughout the Old Testament, God uses prophecy to communicate His plans for nations. For instance, the fall of Babylon was foretold by the prophet Isaiah long before it occurred. Isaiah 13:19 proclaims, "And Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chaldeans, will be overthrown by God like Sodom and Gomorrah." This prophecy was fulfilled when Babylon fell to the Medes and Persians, demonstrating God's control over the rise and fall of empires.

Messianic Prophecies

One of the most significant aspects of biblical prophecy is the foretelling of the coming Messiah. The Old Testament contains numerous prophecies about the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Micah 5:2, the birthplace of the Messiah is predicted: "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me one to be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." This prophecy was fulfilled in the New Testament with the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1).

The Role of Prophets

Prophets served as God's messengers, delivering His word to the people. They were often called to speak difficult truths and warn of impending judgment. Jeremiah 1:9-10 illustrates the divine commissioning of a prophet: "Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me: 'Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you today over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.'" Prophets like Jeremiah were instrumental in conveying God's plans and purposes.

The Certainty of God's Word

The fulfillment of prophecy serves as a testament to the reliability and authority of God's word. In Numbers 23:19, it is written, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?" This assurance of God's faithfulness is a cornerstone of biblical prophecy, affirming that what God has spoken will indeed come to pass.

Eschatological Prophecies

The Bible also contains prophecies concerning the end times, revealing God's ultimate plan for creation. The Book of Revelation, for example, provides a prophetic vision of the final victory of God over evil and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. Revelation 21:1-4 describes the new heaven and new earth, where God will dwell with His people, and there will be no more death or suffering.

Conclusion

The theme of prophecy as God accomplishing His will is woven throughout the biblical narrative. From the rise and fall of nations to the coming of the Messiah and the promise of future glory, prophecy reveals the power and faithfulness of God to fulfill His word. Through prophecy, believers are reminded of God's sovereignty and the assurance that His purposes will ultimately prevail.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 44:26
That confirms the word of his servant, and performes the counsel of his messengers; that said to Jerusalem, You shall be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, You shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Acts 3:18
But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he has so fulfilled.
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Library

Lord God
... Elohim (God) expresses the power which accomplishes; Jehovah (Lord ... in connection
with the Church of God, affords us ... spoke of it in promise and prophecy; in 2 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bullinger/commentary on revelation/lord god.htm

Election Confirmed by the Calling of God. The Reprobate Bring Upon ...
... the Lord by the efficacy of his calling accomplishes towards his ... And Christ, in quoting
the prophecy of Isaiah, "They shall be all taught of God," (John 6 ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 24 election confirmed by.htm

The Distinction to be Made Between the Righteous and the Wicked ...
... in his own person the apostasy, and accomplishes whatever he ... the works that He had
made; and God rested upon ... formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxviii the distinction to be.htm

Antichrist in Daniel
... of Christ) is passed by unnoticed in this prophecy of the ... the Christian dispensation
is ended when God again takes up Israel and accomplishes His purpose ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the antichrist/4 antichrist in daniel.htm

The Prophet Joel.
... also, one of the principal punishments of God, is often ... described which the fire
of war accomplishes among Israel ... In Jeremiah 14.-- a prophecy which has been ...
/.../hengstenberg/christology of the old testament/the prophet joel.htm

The Sword of the Lord
... of sweet waters breaks the current of his prophecy is the ... God does not delight in
punishment ... His bearing them accomplishes the ends at which punishment aims, in ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the sword of the lord.htm

Prayer and Consecration
... It is the consecrated man who accomplishes most by His ... It seeks to serve God, but
in entirely a ... of John the Baptist, in his wonderful prophecy and statement in ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/viii prayer and consecration.htm

Letter clxvi. (AD 415. )
... 2720] "an opinion which your book on Jonah's prophecy declares in ... Moreover, if God
accomplishes, in any measure, the correction of the parents when they are ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter clxvi a d 415.htm

The Same Conclusion Supported by the Transfiguration Marcion ...
... 4332] in the cause of the new prophecy, [4333] that ... Him, "Who is there among you
that feareth God? ... it is suitable conduct for one who accomplishes His purpose ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter xxii the same conclusion supported.htm

Lastly He Displays at Length the Folly of Eunomius, who at Times ...
... to the statement that the Spirit accomplishes the operation ... And to the loving-kindness
of God confessedly belongs ... thing of which we learn in prophecy, as the ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/section 15 lastly he displays.htm