declaring the end from the beginning Isaiah 46

“declaring the end from the beginning” – Isaiah 46: 10 GOD’S TELESCOPE

God’s Telescope • It is not a piece of scientific equipment, it is his magnificent mind and his all-knowing (omniscient) nature • God knows many things in detail before they will occur; he looks into the far future and sees all • Man may be able to accurately predict some future events (weather, stock market, political races, sporting events, etc. ), but God perfectly prophesies future events

God’s Telescope • Consider how God looked into the future concerning nations (Isaiah 13 -23) • Consider how God looked into the future concerning individuals (Isaiah 44: 28; 45: 1) • Consider how God looked into the future concerning his coming Messiah (Isaiah 53; this is one of 300 prophesies concerning the Christ)

God’s Telescope and the Fall of Tyre Ezekiel 26 Ezekiel’s Prophecy Historical Record 1. Many nations would come against her because of her pride (26: 1 -3) 2. Her mainland inhabitants would first be slain by the Babylonians (26: 4 -11) Tyre attacked by Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Egypt, and Armenia Babylonians attacked Tyre shortly after this prophecy, from 585 to 573 B. C.

God’s Telescope and the Fall of Tyre Ezekiel 26 Ezekiel’s Prophecy Historical Record 3. Tyre would be scraped clean, laid bare, and its materials thrown into the sea (26: 4 -6, 12 -14) In 332 B. C. , Alexander the Great leveled “mainlain Tyre” and used the materials to build a causeway out to “island Tyre” (200 ft. x ½ mile) Today, parts of “mainland Tyre” are under water and “island Tyre” contains ruins from the Crusader period 4. Tyre would never be rebuilt (26: 15 -21)

God’s Telescope and the Fall of Tyre Ezekiel 26

God’s Telescope • OT prophets past three tests: 1) remoteness (wording that is far removed from the fulfillment date) 2) clarity (wording that is clear and specific) 3) numerical weight (wording that mentions multiple things about one particular event)

God’s Telescope • OT prophets were prophets, not reporters or historians (recording events after they happened) • Ezekiel gave his prophetic message about Tyre in 586 B. C. (1: 1 -2; 8: 1; 20: 1; 24: 1; 26: 1; 29: 1, 17; 30: 20; 31: 1; 32: 1, 17; 33: 21; 40: 1) • The book of Ezekiel is included in the LXX (250 B. C. )

Lessons For Today • God’s omniscience brings comfort to the troublehearted (Acts 18: 4 -10; 1 Cor. 2: 3) • God knows all and sees all (Heb. 4: 12 -13) • God’s word of prophecy is his divine word, not man’s word (2 Pet. 1: 19 -20) • God’s word about future events always comes true; therefore, be ready (2 Peter 3: 8 -14) • God’s word of prophecy is to be read and obeyed (Rev. 1: 3)