Did the Bible Predict The Invention of Television?
By Pastor Art Kohl
Introduction:
The Bible is amazing in its prophecies. One must stand in awe of its simple statements made far before their time of fulfillment. For instance in Isaiah 40:22 the prophet, 700 years before Christ says that the earth is round. That's about 2200 years before man agreed with it. Amazing! There are a few instances that prophecies given cannot be fulfilled without the invention of the television. Let's consider them.
1. John "saw" TV in 95 AD?
One of the Lord's 12 disciples was John. He outlived the other 11. He was exiled on the Island of Patmos as a criminal. His crime- preaching the Word of God and the message of Christ. It was during this time that John received a vision from God. We call it the Revelation. It is the last book in the Bible. When you get to the 11th chapter of Revelation, you read the story of two of God's preachers in the future. They preach in Jerusalem for 42 months. Their message is despised. The leaders of the day have them killed. Their bodies lie in the street. Then this amazing statement in verse 9, "And they of the people and kindreds and tongues AND NATIONS shall SEE THEIR DEAD BODIES three days and a half ..." Nowadays, we see world wide events live in seconds after they happen. It's nothing to us. But 1900 years ago when John wrote this how did he know that we'd have satellites, TVs', movie cameras, etc? He didn't, he just wrote what God told him to, and God knows all things, even the future. All nations can see the same event at once these days and this prophecy could be fulfilled soon.
2. Did Luke See News Broadcasts?
Luke wrote the Gospel of Luke. In the 21st chapter, in verses 5-28, he gives an account of Christ's discourse on the last days. In verse 26, Jesus tells us that in the last days, "men's hearts failing them for fear, and FOR LOOKING after those things which are coming on the earth ...". Maybe it's a strech but to me that sounds like a predicition of news broadcasts which sow so much fear in people today. Even the weather reports make people nervous. "Wbat's this world coming to?" is an expression heard daily. Addicted news watchers are becoming nervous wrecks. Their whole world is failing them for fear. Their hearts are failing them for fear.
Conclusion: It shouldn't surprise us that these prophecies are coming to pass. The Bible is the Word of an omniscient God. Its truths can be trusted. Read it. Start in the New Testament. Let it change your life. Ignorance is no excuse when it comes to the Judgement. Why was the Bible written? Consider 1John 5:13, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...."
