The Bible Foretells the Future – Trusting the Scripture’s Prophecies: Pacific edition

"Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe”-Jesus

Can anyone really know the future? Fortune-tellers and fake prophets make headlines, but they often fail. The Bible, however, stands unique:

“Unique among all books ever written, the Bible accurately foretells specific events – in detail – many years, sometimes centuries, before they occur.”

In fact, by one count, it contains approximately 2,500 prophecies, about 2,000 of which have already been fulfilled to the letter reasons.org. This track record is astounding and offers strong evidence that the Bible is the inspired Word of God (Doctrine of Scripture).

In the Pacific, where storytelling and knowledge of history are valued, prophecy is like history told in advance – God’s story proving His sovereignty.

This sermon will explore remarkable Bible prophecies and show how trusting them can give us hope and direction. We’ll also reflect on how the Bible’s ability to foretell the future means we should heed its counsel for our lives today.

Prophecy as God’s Signature

God's Hand

 In Isaiah 46:9-10, God declares, “I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done.” Prophecy is one way God shows He is the true God.

One classic prophecy is found in Daniel 2 – the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel, through God’s revelation, foretold a sequence of empires (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome) represented by parts of a statue, and then the division of Rome into weaker kingdoms (feet of iron and clay).

History confirms this exact sequence. The final part of the prophecy said that in the days of those divided kingdoms, God’s kingdom (the stone cut without hands) will come and crush all these and stand forever (Daniel 2:44). We are living in the time of those divided kingdoms (modern nations), which gives us confidence that God’s next big event – Christ’s second coming to establish His kingdom – is certain.

The Bible also prophesied specific details about Jesus: His birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), His manner of death (Psalm 22 describes crucifixion-like agony, written centuries before crucifixion was practiced), and His resurrection (Psalm 16:10). Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies in His first coming! No other religious figure has such credentials.

The Reliability of Scripture

Seeing prophecy fulfilled builds our faith that the Bible is reliable and authoritative. 2 Peter 1:19 says, “We have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place.” Just as prophecy lightens the darkness of uncertainty about the future, it also implies that all of Scripture can be trusted.

If the Bible accurately predicted the rise and fall of kingdoms and the coming of the Messiah, then its teachings on spiritual truths, morality, and salvation are equally trustworthy. Jesus used prophecy to bolster faith: “Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe” (John 13:19, NKJV).

In the Pacific, where people have seen upheavals – coups, natural disasters, pandemics – prophecy reminds us that history is not random. God has a plan, and He revealed in Scripture things like end-time signs (Matthew 24) to prepare us, not scare us. One could say the fulfilled prophecies (the ~2,000 already fulfilled reasons.org) are like God’s resume of credibility, giving us reason to trust the remaining prophecies yet to be fulfilled (such as the Second Coming, the resurrection, the new heaven and new earth).

Foretold and Being Fulfilled

The Bible also addresses the present and near future of our world. Matthew 24 and 2 Timothy 3:1-5 describe conditions of the last days – wars, natural disasters, moral decay, love growing cold, people being lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. We see these trends globally and regionally: more frequent extreme weather (the Pacific has seen stronger cyclones, and climate change threatens low-lying islands), as well as societal changes (for instance, youth are facing a crisis of mental health and morality as predicted).

But prophecy is not merely to inform us of bad news; it always carries hope or a call to action. For example, Jesus said when we see these signs, “know that it is near—at the doors!” (Matthew 24:33, referring to His return). Rather than fear, prophecy should inspire readiness and mission. The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) might be seen as a prophetic mandate too – the gospel will be preached to all nations and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).

In our Pacific context, that prophecy is being fulfilled as remote islands and people groups continue to receive the Word (the Bible has been translated into many Pacific languages). Each of us can help fulfill that by sharing the Bible’s message.

Application to Our Lives

Family studying prophecy

 

Since the Bible has proven trustworthy in prophecy, we should respond by studying it diligently and anchoring our hope in its promises. One application is to become familiar with key prophecies – not just for head knowledge, but to strengthen our faith and witness. For example, do you know the main outline of prophecy from Daniel and Revelation?

Many youths shy away thinking it’s too complicated, but these books were given to be understood. Daniel 12:4 indicated Daniel’s prophecies would be sealed until “the time of the end” – and many believe we are in that time, evidenced by increased knowledge of these prophecies. A practical step could be attending or organizing a prophecy seminar or youth Bible study series. It can be exciting, like uncovering a divine treasure map.

Prophecy can also protect us from deception, because Jesus warned false prophets will arise (Matthew 24:24). If we know what the Bible says about the course of history and end-time events, we’re less likely to be swayed by every rumor or sensational claim.

Another application is personal guidance. While not all of us will receive prophetic dreams like Daniel, the same God who guides history guides the humble seeker. Proverbs 3:6 promises He will direct our paths. We can take unfulfilled personal questions (“What career should I pursue? Whom will I marry? Where should I live?”) and trust that, as with prophecy, God may not show us every detail right now, but He knows the end from the beginning for our life too. Just as fulfilled prophecy shows God had a timing for Jesus’ first coming (Galatians 4:4 says it was at the “fullness of time”); He has a providential timeline for your life. This gives peace amid uncertainty. You can say, “Lord, I don’t know my future, but You do. You’ve shown yourself faithful in prophecy; I believe you’ll be faithful in leading me.”

Moreover, the prophetic word should motivate holy living and evangelism. 2 Peter 3:11, after discussing the future destruction and new creation, asks, “What manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God?” If we truly believe Jesus is coming soon as prophecy indicates, it should affect our choices: we’ll hold the things of this world loosely, resist peer pressure to engage in sinful pleasures, and focus on things of eternal value. It also pushes us outward – we want our friends and family to know what’s coming and meet Jesus. In the Pacific, many have respect for the Bible; showing fulfilled prophecies can be a powerful tool in witnessing to skeptics or those of other faiths (like Hindus or Muslims among us). You might share, for instance, how Daniel predicted history so accurately that even secular scholars are amazed. This can open a door to share the gospel of the Christ who was prophesied.

Conclusion

The Bible is not an outdated book; it’s a living oracle that “foretells the future.” The remarkable statistic that around 2,000 biblical prophecies have been fulfilled with 100% accuracy so far reasons.org should give us unshakeable confidence in Scripture. When God says something, He does it. Joshua 21:45 attests, “Not a word failed of any good thing which the Lord had spoken... All came to pass.”

Looking ahead, what does the Bible say about our future? It speaks of the gospel reaching the world, a time of trouble, Jesus’ glorious return, the resurrection of the righteous, the millennium, final judgment, and God making all things new. Some of these might sound mysterious or even intimidating, but remember, every fulfilled prophecy in the past assures us that the ending of the story – which God wrote – will also come true. And for the believer, it’s a happy ending: “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them... and God will wipe away every tear” (Revelation 21:3-4).

We need not fear the future; we need to prepare for it

So, we need not fear the future; we need to prepare for it. We do so by embracing Jesus (the central figure of all prophecy – Revelation 19:10 says the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy) and by aligning our lives with God’s Word. The Bible’s prophetic track record also invites the seeker: if you have doubts whether God is real or the Bible is true, study prophecy. See how God predicted the rise of Cyrus by name 150 years in advance (Isaiah 44:28–45:1) or how Jesus prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem (Luke 21:20-24) which happened in AD 70. These are faith-builders. Ultimately, prophecy is a light in darkness – in a world where many worry about climate change, pandemics, or geopolitical conflict, we have the lamp of prophecy that says, yes, tough times will come, but God is in control and Jesus is coming soon to set things right. Let’s heed the prophetic word and share its hope with our region. The Bible foretells the future so that we can face the future with faith.