2 God Declared Long Ago

God Declared Long Ago

I declared them to you from of old, before they came to pass I announced them to you, . . . From this time forth I announce to you new things, hidden things that you have not known.—Isaiah 48:5–6

By de.nition, a prophecy is a declaration about something that will one day happen. Prophetic statements abound in the Old Testament, even in books like Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Psalms, as well as the books of prophecy, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Micah, and Zephaniah. In fact, biblical scholars have identi.ed more than 1,200 prophecies in the Old Testament alone. -at’s 1,200 times in the Old Testament that God revealed more details about His plan, His timing, and the coming of His Son. -at’s also 1,200 times that God’s plan was woven into the very .ber of the Old Testament. -e huge number of prophecies also point us to God’s consistency. God is eternal, consistent, and unchanging. His plan has never wavered. And He has used opportunity a0er opportunity to make sure the world knew of His plan.

Read Isaiah 48:3–6. -e people of Israel had heard God’s promises for centuries, and yet they were unfaithful to Him. -rough Isaiah, God proclaimed that they had earned His

wrath and would feel His judgment. God’s people had already seen His mighty works. -ey watched Him free them from Egypt. -ey stood on the banks of the Red Sea and watched Him part it so they could escape the coming Egyptian army. -ey followed His very presence across the wilderness, and they experienced victory a0er victory in the Promised Land. In spite of all they had witnessed, they wouldn’t trust Him fully or obey Him completely. In Isaiah 48, God announced that His message for them contained new things, and He was ready to reveal more of what was to come. In fact, the book of Isaiah contains at least 15 prophecies that were just about the Messiah.

Most of the people of Israel were never able to comprehend what God was going to do. Instead, they chose to remain in disobedience and faced the consequences. Even in judgment, however, God promised hope––hope that would come to be in the birth of His Son.

Imagine the Old Testament visually as a .nally woven piece of linen. What does that illustration suggest about God and His Word?

What does the consistency of the message of the Old Testament mean in your understanding of the New Testament?

As you pray, praise God for who He is––eternal, loving, forgiving, merciful, and unchangeable.