It is said that in 1773 King George II stated that American colonies had little stomach for revolution. Niel Bohr the physicist said, "prediction is very difficult art, especially when it involves the future". One of the great evidences of the Bible as a divine product is it's many prophecies. Consider one of those prophecies by Isaiah.

Isaiah spoke about seven hundred years before the birth of Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of Christ. In Isaiah 2:1-4 we find a prophecy concerning the Kingdom. Isaiah tells us: (1) It's establishment would be in the "last days". A phrase used by the apostle Peter and applied to the events that took place in A.D. 33 on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2:16-17). (2) Isaiah calls the Kingdom the "house of the Lord". The apostle Paul calls the church the household of God (I Timothy 3:15). The church and thus the house of the Lord was established in A.D. 33 (Acts 2:47). (3) Isaiah said concerning this coming Kingdom that "all the nations will stream to it". When Jesus gave the great commission (Matthew 28:18-19) He said, "Teach all nations". In Acts the gospel is preached to Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles. All nations were taught the same gospel and upon their obedience to it were added to the same Kingdom. (4) Isaiah said regarding these events that the "word of the Lord would go forth from Jerusalem". After the Lord's resurrection and before His ascension to heaven He told the apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit. Through the inspiration of the Spirit the word of the Lord went forth from Jerusalem just as Isaiah had prophesied. (5) Isaiah also spoke of the peaceful nature of this Kingdom when he said, "they will hammer their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks". The borders of the physical Kingdom of Israel were expanded through carnal warfare but the new Kingdom's borders are expanded not with a physical sword but the "sword of the Spirit" and the "Gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6:13-17).

Anyone today can become a member of the same New Testament church (the spiritual Kingdom) by obeying the same Gospel (Acts 2:36-38). "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come.' (Revelation 22:17).

For a free Bible correspondence course call 830-833-2179 or e-mail bcc@ moment.net

Church of Christ news: The adult Sunday morning Bible class at 10am: The Prison Epistles (A study of the books of Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and Philemon). Wednesday Evening Bible Study at 7pm: A study of the book of I Corinthians.

On July 19, after the morning worship service, there will be a Potluck in the fellowship hall and on July 29 there will be congregational singing at 7:00pm. Cradle Row class is every Sunday morning at 10.