There are many people who try to predict the future. Almost all are completely wrong, but every so often there is one that is pretty close to an event. It is interesting to note that the person who may have predicted an event does not seem to keep on being accurate in future predictions. When it comes to predicting large scale events years in advance, we see that humans are woefully lacking in this ability.
Almighty God tells us plainly that only He is able to make a prediction and then make it come to pass. He challenges humans (or angels) to prophesy and make it happen. He strongly warns and cautions about false prophets who use His name for their words. God says prophecy belongs to Him and helps to prove that He exists and is God! Let's look at a few scriptures:
Isaiah 46:9-10 There is no other God declaring the end from the beginning!
Isaiah 45:21 God has declared things from ancient time.
Isaiah 44:6-8 God says He is the only God and all that He declares will come to pass!
I read about some interesting probabilities of prophecies occurring from a book entitled "More Than a Carpenter" by Joch McDowell. The author quotes figures from a book written by Professor Peter W. Stone, entitled "Science Speaks." Josh McDowell says the following: "H. Harold Hartzler, of the Americana Scientific Affiliation, in the foreword of a book by Peter W. Stoner Writes: 'The manuscript for Science Speaks has been carefully reviewed by a committee of the American Scientific Affiliation members and by the Executive Council of the same group and has been found, in general, to be dependable and accurate in regard to the scientific material presented. The mathematical analysis included is based upon principles of probability which are thoroughly sound, and Professor Stoner has applied these principles in a proper and convincing way.'"
The material that I will refer to is found on pages 107-108. I have adapted the information into loonies and used Canadian examples to illustrate the point being made.
Though there are things we simply cannot know due to our limitations, these mathematicians decided to estimate the difficulty of prophesying and ensuring that the prophecy comes true. There are variations as to time-that is some prophecies were made hundreds of years before others and by different humans in various cultures. It is more difficult that prophecies made by such a diverse group of people would come to pass. However, to keep things simple, the mathematicians chose a random figure to work with. Their question was "what is the probability of eight prophecies coming to pass?" Time was not considered, but only that someone would make eight prophecies and then these would all come to pass.
It has been mathematically calculated that the probability of this happening is 1 out of 10 to the power of 17. To help us understand a little, 10 is 1 to the power of 1, and 100 is 1 to the power of 2, 1,000 is 1 to the power of 3. Thus 10 to the power of 17 is 1 followed by 17 zeros- 100,000,000,000,000,000. Now this number is far too big for our minds to grasp, so mathematicians who want to make things simpler calculated that this number of loonies (or silver dollars) when laid side by side would cover 250,000 square miles to a depth of two feet. You would have to find one specially marked loonie in all of that (let's say one painted red). A person would have billions of times a better chance to win a major lottery!
There are ways to help us understand even that a little better. The area of all of Alberta is about 250,000 square miles. The area of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the state of Texas are each close to 250,000 square miles. You would have to find the single red loonie in any one of these areas if they were completely covered two feet thick by loonies! Forget it!
The distance from earth to the moon is about 240,000 miles. You could build a highway that is one mile wide and two feet thick from the earth to the moon with the loonies, and have enough left to put a belt of loonies around the world that would be one mile wide and one foot thick. Being able to find one single loonie that was painted red in all of those loonies would be impossible. That is how impossible it is to make only eight prophecies and have them all come to pass. That is how impossible it is not to believe in God because only He can do that.
In the Bible there are not only eight, but hundreds of prophecies. You could make a study of a few of them with your children. Here are several examples:
Eight Prophecies of the Death of Jesus: nail holes in both hands, nail holes in both feet, thirsty, to be beaten, men were to gamble for garments, mocked and laughed at, betrayed by a friend, forsaken by disciples.
Eight Prophecies from Daniel: madness of Nebuchadnezzar, destruction of Babylon, destruction of the Medo-Persian empire, rise of Alexander the Great, Greek empire to be broken into four parts, arrival of Antiochius Epiphanes, rise of the power of Rome, interruption of temple sacrifice.
Prophecies About Judas: was the only disciple Christ "lost", would betray Christ his friend, would be paid in silver, would receive 30 pieces (not 31 or 45), would regret his action, would try to give the money back, would throw the money into the temple, money would be used to buy a potter's field.
There are many different prophecies that God made through His chosen prophets that have already come to pass. We have calculated the probability of only eight. Mathematicians have no excuse for not stating boldly and with total conviction that God is supreme and that He really does exist.
Yes, God does exist.
No, He is not dead.
Anyone who will not accept this fact from all the evidence God has provided through fulfilled prophecy would really think they could find the red looney buried in the two-foot thick pile that covered Alberta. A person who thinks he or she can do that might be called a "loonatic"!
