The Harp of God | Page 4

directed them what
to write. Thus did Moses write the first five books of the Bible. The
invisible power or influence of God, which is the holy spirit, operating
upon Moses' mind enabled him to make a record of the chief events
that had occurred and to write the law of God, as given to his people
through Moses. In no other way could the true history of creation have
been written. These facts and truths were, therefore, written by
inspiration of God. (2 Timothy 3:16; Job 32:8) There are twenty-four
prophetic writers of the Old Testament, who foretold the great events
that were to transpire in the earth. Their accounts were written at
different times and under widely different conditions, yet their
testimonies agree. Their testimony foreshadowed future events.
[15]History, when written, is a recorded statement of facts and events,
arranged in a chronological order.
[16]Prophecy, which is true, is a statement of facts and events foretold
to take place at some future time. Otherwise stated, prophecy is history
written before it transpires.
[17]No human mind could actually foretell facts or events to happen in
the future. Only the divine mind could do that. If, then, we find that the
Bible foretold certain facts and events to happen and the record of the
same was made centuries before these facts and events did happen, and
these events and facts are now definitely established as having taken
place, such would be the strongest proof that the persons recording

such facts and events were directed in so doing by the divine mind;
hence that such writing was under divine inspiration.
[18]As an illustration of this point: Wireless telegraphy and airships are
modern discoveries; yet since they have been discovered we find that
God, through his holy prophets, foretold centuries ago the use of such
inventions. (Job 38:35; Isaiah 60:8) The railway train has been in use
less than a hundred years; and yet the prophet of God many centuries
ago gave a clear and particular description of the railway train and the
manner of its operation, and prophesied that the same would be in
vogue at the time of the end, at the time the Lord is making preparation
for the establishment of his kingdom. (Nahum 2:3-6) And he also
foretold that at that time there would be a great running to and fro by
other means of transportation, such as automobiles, electric cars, etc.
(Daniel 12:4) There is no one living in modern times who is wiser than
Solomon; yet during the past 125 years there has been a great
development in invention and a marvelous increase of knowledge;
because it is due time, and because the prophets of God centuries ago
foretold that such would come to pass.
[19]Through his holy prophets God foretold that at a time future there
would come into the world a mighty man; that he would be born a Jew
(Deuteronomy 18:15), specifying the place where he would be born
(Micah 5:2); that he would come to his own people and they would not
receive him; that he would be despised and rejected of men, a man of
sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:1-3); that he would ride
into Jerusalem upon an ass, the foal of a like animal, and offer himself
as king to the Jews (Zechariah 9:9); that he would be rejected by the
Jews (Isaiah 53:3); that he would be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver
(Zechariah 11:12); that he would die, but not for himself (Daniel 9:26);
that there would be no just cause for his death (Isaiah 53:8,9,11); that
nevertheless he would be numbered among the transgressors (Isaiah
53:12); that he would die a violent death, yet not a bone of his body
should be broken (Psalm 34:20); that his flesh would not corrupt, and
that he would arise from the dead (Psalm 16:10)--all of which and
many more similar prophecies were completely fulfilled by Jesus of
Nazareth, the great Teacher who lived about and died at Jerusalem.

Later we will examine the Scriptures proving a further fulfillment of all
these prophecies.
[20]All of the foregoing facts show that the Bible was written, as it is
claimed, by holy men of old, who were directed in writing it by the
power of Jehovah, and that it is a record which God caused to be kept
and has given to man for his guidance in righteousness, and which
foretells the course and final destiny of man.
[21]The prophets who made record of the divine arrangement did not
understand what they wrote. They knew they were writing something
that would take place in the future, but just how and when they did not
know. They inquired and searched diligently all sources of information
open to them as to what these prophecies meant