04/30/2022 – Day 062 – Isaiah 45 – 50 – “The Predictive Prophecy as an evidence of Deity was one of Isaiah’s foremost theses.”
I am going back to Henry H. Halley’s Bible handbook from last week’s Day 055. I will start with a repeat of the concluding question for all of us: “Is there, anywhere, in the literature of the whole world, predictions from of old of the whole unfolding story of man’s religious history – anywhere except in the BIBLE?”
“That Predictive Prophecy is an evidence of Deity, was one of Isaiah’s foremost theses. He was very fond of ridiculing idols and idol-worshippers, saying, These gods that the nations worship cannot even do what men can do, cannot see, nor speak, nor hear. But, says Isaiah, Our God whom we worship in our Hebrew nation, not only can do what men can do, but He can do some things that men cannot do: He can Foretell things to come. Then Isaiah invistes a conference of nations, for comparision of gods, and asks if any nation has in its literature predictions from of old of things that afterward came to pass. We have, says he, in our national annals, from of old, a continuous stream of predictions of things that were afterward continually coming to pass. ” (pg 302)
Note – 45:1: “The is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:”
This is the only case in the entire Bible when a “foreignor” was annointed.
Soli Deo Gloria!