The Certainty of Prophecy.
By J. D. Herr, D. D.
MUCH of the prophecy of past ages has crystallized into history of the present. Nothing tests prophecy like history, and therefore the wonderful statements of the Bible must stand or fall, as the verdict of history is written. The unique character of the Bible is most clearly shown in the numerous statements concerning future events. Prophecy is peculiar to the word of God, and distinguishes it from all other systems of faith. False religions do not deal much with future events. Mahomet, in his public life, expressly disclaimed reliance on prophetic testimony. He was much too sagacious to lay the writings of the Koran open to the certain and unrelenting detection of history. What Mahomet failed to do has been grandly assumed by the inspired word, and the Bible challenges history to detect a flaw in the marvelous assertions made concerning the future. The Bible does not confine itself to predictions fulfilled within its own limits, and confined alone to its own records. This earth bears the footprints of prophecy, and nations, cities and temples have all met their doom through the blast of Scriptural trumpets. The record of such doom is so plainly written upon the face of history as to be beyond any cavil of the skeptic. If any man doubts whether Jerusalem and its magnificent temple were ever destroyed, he can read Josephus or Gibbon. If he will not accept the statement of Christians concerning Babylon, Tyre, Petra or Nineveh, he can walk among their ruins as he follows profane history or visits the places upon the face of earth where once these proud cities stood in grandeur. The literal fulfillment of predictions which have passed into history should be to each and all an earnest of the future unfolding of those statements yet lying in the womb of coming events. The very certainty of prophecy should induce to its faithful study. We cannot be too deeply impressed with the fact that every word of prophecy shall yet be fulfilled. "Hath He said, and shall he not do it?" What was declared to John amid the awful and sublime revelations on the Isle of Patmos should be carefully remembered by each one as he reads that wonderful book, "These are the true sayings of God." The more fully the mind can penetrate with a conviction of the certainty of prophecy, the higher will be its elevation and enrichment. Nothing is so stimulating to the devout student as to mark the footprints of God along the highways of the centuries. It is the privilege of every student to emulate the Bereans by searching the Scriptures daily. Such an attitude is honorable to God and worthy the stupendous issues involved in future events.—J. D. Herr, D. D.