And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26–27, ESV)
Many people throughout history have made predictions. I do not know of any modern-day prophets that have been 100% correct. Take Jean Dixon for example. Many consider her to have been a great predictor of the future. However, she was only about 10% accurate. A man named Harold Camping predicted the end of the world on several occasions. When the predicted date did not occur, he made a prediction for another date. Many people tout the prophesies of Nostradamus. Yet, his prophecies are all written in a very ambiguous style that would allow people to interpret them a variety of ways.
With all these false prophets, we might lose hope. However, there is one book of prophecy that is 100% reliable. It is the Bible. Unlike Nostradamus’ prophecies, biblical prophecies are specific. Moreover, unlike all other prophets, the biblical prophecy is 100% accurate. Consider the prophesies of Jesus from the Old Testament. They were given hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus. There are over 350 specific prophecies regarding Jesus, all of which have come true. Moreover, the Bible is full of many other specific prophecies, all of which prove true.
Professor Peter Stoner, the former chairman of the mathematics and astronomy departments at the Pasadena City College and later chairman of the science division at Westmont College, analyzed the probability of just eight specific prophecies concerning Jesus coming true. His verified calculations showed the possibility of just eight of these prophecies coming true was one in one-quadrillion. Yet, there are over 350 specific prophecies concerning Jesus. The probability of all these prophecies being fulfilled exactly the way they were written is beyond astronomical.
In this passage, Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah. Paul had been contending that a day would come when all Israel would be saved. Now, he affirms this with the words of the prophet Isaiah who wrote the prophetic words over 700 years before the birth of Christ. Isaiah spoke of a time when the Messiah would come and take away the ungodliness and sins from the Nation of Israel and fulfill His covenant promise. We understand that this will happen when the Lord returns following the Tribulation.
We can have great confidence in our God. While we are often not faithful, He is always perfectly faithful. What He has said, He will do. As the Bible’s prophets have recorded, it will come to pass.
Renewing the Heart 