In Search of Trustworthy Predictions
SOON after the Macedonian king who came to be known as Alexander the Great ascended the throne in 336 B.C.E., he visited the oracle of Delphi, in central Greece. His ambitious plans for the future were nothing less than to conquer much of the world of that time. But he desired divine assurance that his tremendous undertaking would succeed. According to legend, on the day he happened to visit Delphi, it was not permissible to consult the oracle. Not wanting to leave without an answer, Alexander insisted, forcing the priestess to give a prediction. She cried out in frustration: “Oh, child, you are invincible!” The young king took that as a favorable omen—one promising a victorious military campaign.
However, Alexander would have been much better informed about the outcome of his campaign if he had examined prophecies found in the Bible book of Daniel. With remarkable accuracy, they foretold his speedy conquests. Tradition has it that Alexander eventually got an opportunity to see what Daniel had recorded about him. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, when the Macedonian king entered Jerusalem, he was shown Daniel’s prophecy—presumably chapter 8 of that book. (Daniel 8:5-8, 20, 21) Reportedly, because of this, the city was spared by Alexander’s destructive armies.
An Inherent Human Need
King or commoner, ancient or modern—man has felt the need for trustworthy predictions regarding the future. As intelligent creatures, we humans study the past, are aware of the present, and are especially interested in the future. A Chinese proverb aptly says: “He who could foresee affairs three days in advance would be rich for thousands of years.”
Throughout the ages, millions have attempted to peer into the future by consulting what they perceived as being divine. Take the ancient Greeks as an example. They had scores of sacred oracles, such as those of Delphi, Delos, and Dodona, where they would go to inquire of their gods with regard to political or military developments as well as such private affairs as travel, marriage, and children. Not just kings and military leaders but entire tribes and city-states sought guidance from the spirit realm through these oracles.
According to one professor, there is now a “sudden proliferation of organizations devoted to the study of the future.” Yet, many prefer to ignore the only accurate source of prophecy—the Bible. They pointedly dismiss any possibility that Bible prophecies contain the very information they are seeking. Some scholars go so far as to equate Bible prophecy with the predictions given by ancient oracles. And modern-day skeptics are usually biased against Bible prophecy.
We invite you to check the record for yourself. What does a careful comparison of Bible predictions and human oracles reveal? Can you trust Bible prophecy more than ancient oracles? And can you reliably build your life around Bible prophecies?
[Picture on page 3]
The Bible foretold Alexander’s speedy conquests
[Credit Line]
Cortesía del Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain
[Picture on page 4]
Alexander the Great
[Credit Line]
Musei Capitolini, Roma
[Picture Credit Line on page 2]
COVER: General Titus and Alexander the Great: Musei Capitolini, Roma