Category Archives: Keys To Prophecy

Keys to Prophecy: The Most Powerful Institution on Earth

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Now you and I are entering a section of inferred evaluations of our situation here on earth.

Regardless of the opinions of many, God clearly prophesied in Daniel 2 that in the days of the Roman Empire that,

“In the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty of it be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”
Dan 2:44 WEB

That was a clear prophecy, which is also repeated in Daniel chapter 9, giving more details of the timing of these thing, all of which is dealt with in more detail in Prophecy Principles.

Then at the very right time both John the Baptist and Jesus came saying “the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” Mtt 3:2 WEB and many other verses. Lastly Jesus told his disciples that the kingdom would come with power before some of them died, Mk 9:1, etc.

Incredibly, some very conservative Bible believers
teach that the Father and the Son blew it, just
didn’t foresee what would happen, and
that these prophecies FAILED!

That is foolish, and ignores the clear testimony of the kingdom being in existence (Col 1:13, etc), and that Jesus is now the ruler of the kings on earth (Rev 1:13), and that He has now ALL authority in heaven and on earth, Mtt 28:18.

What authority supports the Christian?
ALL authority.

It is true that we are counted as only sheep to be slaughtered (Psa 44:22, Rom 8:36), but in all of these thing we are MORE than conquerers (Rom 8:37), and in this same section it names many of the many things which cannot overcome us in Christ (Rom 8:35-39).

The church is the most powerful institution
in the entire world.

Paul preaching in Athens. These simple things have had staggering effects on history.

It seems small and fragile and about to pass away, but it will never pass away, and will in the end overcome ALL of its adversaries. The prayers of the saints ascend to God in heaven, and at the end of the day, judgment is poured out on God’s enemies, and the saints are still around (compare for instance Rev 5:8, 16:1, etc.)

Many may gather against God’s people

“15 Behold, they may gather together, but not by me: whoever shall gather together against you shall fall because of you. 16 Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals, and brings forth a weapon for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. 17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their righteousness which is of me, says Yahweh.”
Isa 54:15-17 WEB

The most powerful institution on earth is the church/kingdom of the saints. It has the full power of God behind it. This is no exaggeration, and the Satanic enemies of the church fully realize these things, and try to seduce it from trusting in Jesus the Christ. Also clearly, this power is often unrealized, even among Christians.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: God’s Choices Overrule

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An old saying is, Man proposes, God disposes. Or again, Duty is ours, outcomes are God’s. There is a great deal of truth in both of these sayings. Paul puts it well.

“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
1Cor 1:25 WEB

David was very aware of God’s overruling
power.

He says of God’s oversight of our world,

“2 You know my sitting down and my rising up.
You perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You search out my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But, behold, Yahweh, you know it altogether.”
Psa 139:2-4 WEB

And he speaks of God overruling what we might want/wish/will to do.

“5 You hem me in behind and before.
You laid your hand on me.
6 This knowledge is beyond me.
It’s lofty.
I can’t attain it. ”
Psa 139:5-6 WEB

“Your eyes saw my body.
In your book they were all written,
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there were none of them. ”
Psa 139:16 WEB

These things do NOT indicate we have no choices.

Rather that God can and does often overrule us. We might choose one thing, and God can make our desire to be fulflled or futile, and might cause other things.

“I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, … ”
Jer 19:7 WEB

Yes, we can cause things, and so can God. God’s choices are more all encompassing. They have greater depth and effect. Anyway you take it, God can make choices beyond what you and I can choose. There is no possibility of outthinking Him.

“There is no wisdom nor understanding
Nor counsel against Yahweh.”
Prov 21:30 WEB

“or Yahweh of Hosts has purposed, and who shall annul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?”
Isa 14:27 WEB

So man has much freedom, but not unlimited freedom.

Man has choices, but not unlimited choices, as really we all already know. Man has power and powers, but not unlimited power, and we can be and often are overruled at many points.

So we are warned.

“13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow let’s go into this city, and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.” … 15 For you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.” 16 But now you glory in your boasting. All such boasting is evil.”
Jas 4:13, 15-16 WEB

Instead of being determined to push our will on God, we should rather pray as Jesus Himself prayed.

“saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.””
Lk 22:42 WEB

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: Men Make Choices

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Some say that men cannot really make choices, not real choices, and that man can only chose what God wants him to chose. These views are widespread, and would indicate that man is only a machine that can react, but that cannot really choose anything!

Yes, it is true that God is sovereign.

In fact He is,

… the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;”
1Tim 6:15 WEB

Even so, Scripture indicates man has choices,
real choices, to make.

Solomon says to us all,

“How much better it is to get wisdom than gold!
Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.”
Prov 16:16 WEB

Moses pleads with Israel in his own day.

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed;”WEB
Deut 30:19 WEB

Moses tried to get ancient Israel to choose life, Deut 30:19, and many other passages. However, most would NOT.

Or again, Joshua pled with Israel to make good choices so that they might live.

“If it seem evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose you this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve Yahweh.”
Josh 24:15 WEB

Then when they make a choice, Joshua witnesses that they have made an obligation to Yahweh.

“Joshua said to the people, You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen you Yahweh, to serve him. They said, We are witnesses.”
Josh 24:22 WEB

David said he had chosen good things.

“30 I have chosen the way of truth.
I have set my heart on your law.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me,
For I have chosen your precepts.”
Psa 119:20, 173 WEB

Also when they make bad choices, Scripture treats these
things as having real consequences.

In the book of Judges Israel had decided to turn away from the true and living God. This led to terrible situations, which they needed help to get out of. However, they are taunted with their choices.

“Go and cry to the gods which you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.”
Judg 10:14 WEB

Why do evil things happen to men?

“Because they hated knowledge,
And didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.”
Prov 1:29 WEB

Everywhere man is viewed as able to
make meaningful choices.

“What man is he who fears Yahweh?
He shall instruct him in the way that he shall choose.”
Psa 25:12 WEB

“Don’t envy the man of violence.
Choose none of his ways.”
Prov 3:31 WEB

However, man is not viewed as having unlimited choices. Man is a limited creature with limited choices. Few of us would choose the shortcomings or weaknesses we have. Man has choices, real choices, but he is not omnipotent.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: God Works in Our Lives, Part III of III

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God makes choices concerning our lives.

This is reflected in many ways and in many passages, such as,

“Only, as the Lord has distributed to each man, as God has called each, so let him walk. So I command in all the assemblies.”
1Cor 7:17 WEB

God gives one man, one job, and another man another job. Our tasks and locations are not accidental. We should do the best we can with whatever God has given us to do.

Then of course Jesus specifically says.

“You didn’t choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
Jn 15:16 WEB

He is saying, quite contrary to many of our instincts, especially in modern day America, that HE does the choosing, and further that these things have an impact on our behavior, and our reception.

“If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
Jn 15:19 WEB

And God has a definite perspective on who
pleases or displeases Him.

“27 but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; 28 and God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are: ”
1Cor 1:27-28 WEB

Or again, listen to the apostle James.

“Listen, my beloved brothers. Didn’t God choose those who are poor in this world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he promised to those who love him?”
Jas 2:5 WEB

And pride and arrogance God hates.

“Likewise, you younger ones, be subject to the elder. Yes, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to subject yourselves to one another; for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
1Pe 5:5 WEB

So now we know a little better, how to appeal to God.

One day God will decide, will choose, that the
Great prostitute, Babylon the Great, the
great the religio-economic-political
power of our age … should be
destroyed for her sins.

The apostle John wrote of those powers which would be operative THROUGHOUT the Christian Age. From an engraving by Gustave Dore.

And God will assign one of His great enemies, the beast and ten kings to that task. He can do that at His will.

“For God has put in their hearts to do what he has in mind, and to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished.”
Rev 17:17 WEB

God can put ideas into the heads of even those who hate Him, and arrange it so that they serve His purposes.

It is important to read and study what God says, even in prophecy.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: God Works in Our Lives, Part II of III

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God does “intervene” into our affairs.

That is the basis of our prayers.

“7 “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened.”
Mtt 7:7-8 WEB

The prayers of Daniel delivered him in time of need.

Some call this “miraculous” and want to deny its existence.

First let me point out that miraculous is not really a Bible word. The normal Bible words for these things are the words “signs,” “wonders,” and “powers;” and sometimes men translate such words as “miracles” in our translations. Scripture uses such words to describe God’s actions that appear in ways that are undeniably from God.

Also Scripture clearly recognize that God may favor us and make things “go our way,” or even at times oppose us, all with no clear indication of the source.

The New Oxford American Dictionary defines the adjective “miraculous” this way:

“occurring through divine or supernatural intervention, or manifesting such power …”

This definition makes ALL of God’s actions “miraculous.” In a commonsense way, this is not true, even in Scripture. We may pray for a job, and God may arrange it, all with no visible manifestations of spectacular power.

Many events in history (yes even secular history), or in nature, or in day to day events are the product of God’s interventions, and make plain power and decisions beyond what is humanly possible. The includes everything from the birth of a child to the violence of a tornado, to the exploding of a supernova.

This does NOT mean that you or I can deploy
God’s power as if we were Elijah deciding
when it will rain, or Peter telling a a lame
beggar to arise and walk.

You and I cannot deploy rain clouds over North America, but God can, and may in response to our prayers. The apostles and prophets had special powers from God which we do not have.

But God’s power still exists and works in our world all the time, and we can ask for His help. And His answer is,

“If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you.”
Jn 15:7 WEB

And how powerful might this be?

“20 Now to him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to him be the glory in the assembly and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. ”
Eph 3:20-21 WEB

What then should we do?

We should study God’s word, prophecy and all, so that we might understand God’s intentions in the world, and then make our requests, as being in line with what God wants in both the overall situations on earth, and also in line with what God desires for our individual lives.

“In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”
Phil 4:6 WEB

We should then pray and not faint, Lk 18:1.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: God Works in Our Lives, Part I of III

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God works in many everyday things in our lives, and it is He who does these things and not we ourselves, or an ambiguous “nature” that does these things.

“… For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.”
Mtt 5:45 WEB

These are not just random happenings. God makes, He sends. Also this does not imply that He may not at some point or other makes specific moves to assist us or to correct us. The book of Job also speaks of God using the weather in various ways.

You and I cannot command the clouds of the sky, but God can and does.

“9 Out of its chamber comes the storm,
And cold out of the north.
10 By the breath of God, ice is given,
And the breadth of the waters is frozen.
11 Yes, he loads the thick cloud with moisture.
He spreads abroad the cloud of his lightning.
12 It is turned round about by his guidance,
That they may do whatever he commands them
On the surface of the habitable world,
13 Whether it is for correction, or for his land,
Or for loving kindness, that he causes it to come.”
Job 37:9-13 WEB

But He is the one who encourages things, or blocks them, and sometimes merely allows them for a time.

It is all according to His will.

God overrules the affairs of men. So James argues that we should not be bragging about we are going to do.

“13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow let’s go into this city, and spend a year there, trade, and make a profit.” 14 Whereas you don’t know what your life will be like tomorrow. For what is your life? For you are a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.”
Jas 4:13-14 WEB

So what should we do?

“For you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will both live, and do this or that.” ”
Jas 4:15 WEB

God is the overruling authority over
ALL in heaven or earth.

He is the one who feeds us, and we should receive His bounty with thanks, for they are

“3 … foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with thanksgiving.”
1Tim 4:3-4 WEB

We are NEVER outside of His power.

A disaster may occur which we never would have allowed if it were in our power! Outside of our power, but none are outside of God’s power!

“7 Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, And settle in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there your hand will lead me, And your right hand will hold me.”
Psa 139:7-12 WEB

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: God Works in History, Part III of III

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Remember the objective is that, “that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him,” Acts 17:25 WEB

Jeremiah compares God’s work with the nations
to a potter working with clay.

“3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels. 4 When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”
Jer 18:3-4 WEB

Then the Lord comments,

“House of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter? says Yahweh. Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.”
Jer 18:6 WEB

Even so, God is not just concerned with physical Israel, but with all men. God oversees and deals with all men, to discourage them from wickedness, and to encourage them “to seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him.”

So perhaps “a nation” has turned aside to
selfish and evil conduct.

Then God may decide concerning that nation to destroy it.

“At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;”
Jer 18:7 WEB

However, if that nation will repent, and turn toward better conduct?

“if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.”
Jer 18:8 WEB

God has the power to do whatever He wills with, and can either bless them or destroy them.

At other times God may decided to bless a nation.

“At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;”
Jer 18:9 WEB

Sometimes though, when nations experience just a little of prosperity they immediately begin to indulge in evil things which they had not considered before. What then? So God says,

“if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them.”
Jer 18:10 WEB

These are continual things in history.

Nations are not made safe by military might. It takes more than that.

“The horse is prepared for the day of battle;
But victory is with Yahweh.”
Prov 21:31 WEB

Assyrian War Chariot

Further, in our time, in New Testament times, all of this power and authority over the nations is given to God’s One and Only Son, Jesus the Christ (Mtt 28:18), that He exercises the rule over the nations, and He,

“Yahweh will send forth the rod of your strength out of Zion.
Rule in the midst of your enemies. ”
Psa 110:1-2 WEB

That is of course out of the heavenly Zion that Jesus presently rules.

How we act, the decisions we make, do make a difference. Thus the relevance of what God sees as happening in history.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: God Works in History, Part II of III

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The example of the Assyrians

God’s very own people, the descendants of Abraham, had become very wicked in ancient times. They had themselves turned to the very sins of the Canaanites and the Amorites whom they had dispossessed some 800 or so years earlier. The pictures of the moral condition of both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah were indeed very dark. It included a great deal of lying, cheating, violence, fornication and adultery, worshipping false gods, and even human sacrifice. The capstone was that there was no inclination to repentance.

The Assyrians at that time were a prosperous people,

and at their height dominated much of what we now call the Middle East. Art and architecture were prospering under them, and they had some very good engineers among them. Also they were a very ruthless and bloodthirsty people, and were able to field some very capable armies, with the engineering skills to attack formidable fortified cities.

This is what Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, is thought to have looked like at its height.

So God raised up the Assyrians to bring judgement
on sinful nations, including Israel.

The Assyrians were very proud of their status as successful conquerers. They were on the top of the heap. They could do as they pleased with their conquests, and the people involved, and brutally suppressed any opposition. Part of their strategy in maintaining their conquests was simple to completely uproot captive peoples and move them en masse to far distant locations, thus removing any impulse to rebellion. They were fierce, successful and proud.

The Assyrians bragged about mutilating captives in their artwork. The above picture shows Assyrians soldiers skinning captives alive. From a bas-relief.

But God said the Assyrians should NOT
get carried away with themselves.

“5 Ho Assyrian, the rod of my anger, the staff in whose hand is my indignation! 6 I will send him against a profane nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 7 However he doesn’t mean so, neither does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off not a few nations.”
Isa 10:5-7 WEB

Isaiah tells us that Assyria is merely
a tool that God is using.

“Shall the axe boast itself against him who hews therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him who wields it? as if a rod should wield those who lift it up, or as if a staff should lift up him who is not wood.”
Isa 10:15 WEB

So what about also sinful Assyria?

Why should they get away with the things they are doing? God’s answer is that they won’t. When God is finished using Assyria, He will then bring judgment also on Assyria!

“Therefore it shall happen that, when the Lord has performed his whole work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.”
Isa 10:12 WEB

By and large this is not speaking of the “miraculous,” but of an Almighty God working behind the scenes to both protect the righteous and punish the wicked.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: God Works in History, Part I of III

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There is a master plan.

One place that gives a summary in terms of objectives, is in Acts 17. How He acts is summed up in a single verse. Paul speaks of God making mankind and says,

“And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;”
Acts 17:26 KJV

Paul spoke to the philosophers in Athens and outlined God’s grrand plan for mananging this present world.

Among other things it says that there appointed times for men. Times for them to flourish, times for them to perhaps fail and waste away, or times perhaps for renewal. Time for Babylon to rise, and a time for her to fall. A time for the Medes and the Persians to rise, and a time for them to fall. A time for Greece to rise, and a time for Rome to rise. Or the United States of America, or Britain, or France or Russia, or whoever. Then Paul says something else: God appointed the bounds of their habitations. In other words, he says God determines where nations will live, and their boundaries!

These are very long range plans.

In the long ago, in the nineteenth century BC, God spoke to Abraham about a nation with whom He was not well pleased: the Canaanites. God had brought Abraham out of Ur of the Chaldees to the land of Palestine. God said,

… “I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it.”
Gen 15:7 WEB

So God is going to give the land of Palestine to Abraham, that is to his descendants, his “seed.” In the passage which follows Abraham enters into a covenant with God involving these promises. God assures Abraham that he will inherit these land after his descendants spend 400 year in another land as slaves. There are special reasons why it is to be 400 years. For one that 400 years is so that Abraham’s descendants will have time to grow into a nation themselves. There is something else, though. It is not yet time for Abraham’s descendants to take over this land, but,

“In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”
Gen 15:16 WEB

So we can see: God is very patient, and will put up with much bad conduct, at times even for centuries, but there is limit to what God will endure. When a peoples sins are “full,” sometimes he will do away with a people, and give that land to others. And God foresees, and prepares a people to replace the Amorites.

“He changes the times and the seasons; he removes kings, and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to those who have understanding;”
Dan 2:21 WEB

What then is the purpose of these plans?

“that they should seek the Lord, if perhaps they might reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”
Acts 17:27 WEB

KJV is the King James Version of 1611

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

Keys to Prophecy: There is more than one Jerusalem

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David did say,

“For David said, Yahweh, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he dwells in Jerusalem forever:”
1Chron 23:25 WEB

“Forever,” David says. That is in line with the prophecy in 2Samuel 7 about that special son of David who would build the temple of the Lord. Solomon does tell us by inspiration that he was the fulfillment of this prophecy.

“Yahweh has established his word that he spoke; for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as Yahweh promised, and have built the house for the name of Yahweh, the God of Israel. ”
1Kgs 8:20 WEB

That indeed seems to fit 2Samuel 7, and there it is that it says,

“Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before you: your throne shall be established forever.”
2Sam 7:16 WEB

That would fit 1Chron 23:25 reviewed above. Still there are problems.

For Solomon’s throne only lasted until 586 BC.

For another 50 years few Jews lived in Jerusalem. Further, starting in the second century AD Jews were banned from living in Jerusalem for many centuries. None of which sounds like “forever”, and I am sure it caused many to wonder if these prophecies were false.

Nonetheless, are other factors at work here?

For starters, Heb 1:5 says that 2Samuel 7 refers to Jesus the Christ. That would have Solomon as a “type”/symbolic of Jesus. Of that fulfillment Isaiah seems to speak of a Mount Zion and Jerusalem beyond the moon and sun passing away!

“Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Yahweh of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem …”
Isa 24:23 WEB

Present Jerusalem, pictured above with the Mohammedan “Dome of the Rock” sitting where Solomon’s Temple used to sit, is symbolic of the New Jerusalem in the New Heaven and the New Earth.

Additionally Isaiah writes of a time of no more mourning or crying in Jerusalem. For instance,

“For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; you shall weep no more; he will surely be gracious to you at the voice of your cry; when he shall hear, he will answer you.”
Isa 30:19 WEB

Further, Isaiah clearly speaks in more than one passage of this earth, and this universe being completely destroyed. For instance in Isaiah 13, and Isaiah 34. Isaiah writes well before the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BC. So what are the missing parts of the puzzle.

For Isaiah writes of a new
heavens and earth.

“17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. 18 But be you glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.”
Isa 65:17-18 WEB

And that is the context in the New Testament. When God makes everything new (Rev 21:5), He make a new Jerusalem.

“I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband.”
Rev 21:2 WEB

Some of those Old Testament passages are about the “new,” heavenly, Jerusalem. And that one, of that kingdom, indeed will be forever!

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901