List of eight important ones: a single example, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians considered in detail; some general remarks.
(C.) Conclusion.
The cumulative nature of the evidence.
We pass on now to the Jewish Prophecies. It should be explained at starting that the word prophecy is used here in the sense of prediction; and not as it often is, in the Bible, to include various kinds of teaching. And the prophecies may be divided into two classes, general and special.
(A.) General Prophecies.
We will consider the General Prophecies first, the most important of which concern the Jews themselves, and their great neighbours Assyria and Babylonia, on the one hand, and Egypt on the other. All these nations had existed for centuries, and there was nothing to indicate what was to be their future; yet the prophets foretold it, and with remarkable accuracy.
(1.) The desolation of Assyria and Babylonia.
And first as to Assyria and Babylonia. The future of these countries was to be utter desolation. The kingdoms were to be destroyed, the land was to become a wilderness, and the cities to be entirely forsaken. We read repeatedly that they were to be desolate for ever; and though this cannot be pressed as meaning literally for all eternity, it certainly implies a long duration.[131] A single passage referring to each may be quoted at length.
[131] Isa. 13. 19-22; 14. 22, 23; Jer. 50. 13, 39, 40; 51. 26, 37, 43; Nahum 3. 7; Zeph. 2. 13-14.
Thus Zephaniah says of Assyria, 'And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness. And herds shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations; both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the chapiters thereof [the capitals of the fallen columns]: their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he hath laid bare the cedar work.'