Prophecies are predictions based on claimed supernatural revelation. These means of prediction have not been substantiated by controlled experiments, and are disputed by most, including scientists and skeptics. This article lists prophecies that wholly or to some extent have became fulfilled. The original prophecies in this list must contain a clear prediction. For these prophecies there is proof or good reason to believe that the prediction existed before it was fulfilled.
Contents |
During the First Jewish-Roman War of 66-73 AD the Jewish commander Josephus was captured by the Roman commander Vespasian. Vespasian intended to soon send him to Nero, but this is how Josephus responded:
This was an odd thing to suggest since Vespasian and his son Titus weren't members of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, which had ruled Rome for almost a century. The history follows: "Vespasian at that time did not believe him, supposing that Josephus came up with this as a cunning trick to save himself."
But on 9 June 68 AD Emperor Nero committed suicide and Vespasian became the new Emperor and founded the Flavian dynasty. In 69 Josephus was released and was granted Roman citizenship.
The Jewish War is the only source in which this prophecy is mentioned. Since this book describes the fall and destruction of Jerusalem in the First Jewish–Roman War, Josephus wrote this book after AD 70. It was probably written ca. 75 AD, which is seven years after Nero committed suicide and Vespasian became emperor. However, a number of historians think that Josephus really made this prediction when he was captured. It gives a good explanation why Vespasian honoured Josephus with freedom and Roman citizenship after he became emperor.[2]
For some years before and around the time of activity of Joan of Arc, a number of vague prophecies concerning a young Maid who would save France were circulating. Some of these spoke of a Maid who was supposed to come from the "borders of Lorraine". Since Joan's village was near the border between France and the Duchy of Lorraine, at the time many in France believed in her.
Durand Laxart, Joan's uncle, who accompanied Joan on both of her journeys to Vaucouleurs, reported at the rehabilitation trial that Joan had told him:
"Was it not said that France would be ruined through a woman and afterwards restored by a virgin?".
It is known that such prophecies were widely known in France at around that time and that many in France among the supporters of the Dauphin identified Joan with the Maiden in the prophecies and this identification contributed to her popularity and following. Joan (who claimed divine guidance) led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the coronation of Charles VII.[3]
Jayabaya was Javanese King of the Kediri in East Java from AD 1135 to 1157. He is most famous for his oracles or prophesies attributed to him. According to a selectively abridged set of stanzas within a Joyoboyo prophesy (all are extremely long epic poems):
"The Javanese would be ruled by whites for 3 centuries and by yellow dwarfs for the life span of a maize plant prior to the return of the Ratu Adil: whose name must contain at least one syllable of the Javanese Noto Negoro."[4]
In the 17th century the Dutch people (whites) conquered Indonesia and it remained under dutch rule for three centuries. When Japan (yellow dwarfs) occupied the Netherlands East Indies, in the first weeks of 1942, Indonesians danced in the streets, welcoming the Japanese army as the fulfillment of the prophecy ascribed to Joyoboyo, who foretold the day when white men would one day establish their rule on Java and tyrannize the people for many years – but they would be driven out by the arrival of yellow men from the north. These yellow dwarves, Joyoboyo had predicted, would remain for one crop cycle, and after that Java would be freed from foreign domination.[5]
In 1944 it was clear that Japan could not win the war. The Japanese officially granted Indonesia its independence on 9 August 1945, and the commander of Japan's Southeast Asian forces appointed future President Sukarno as chairman of the preparatory committee for Indonesian independence. As one account of Indonesian history puts it, "With the minor exception that three crops had been harvested, Jayabaya's prophecy had been realized."
Many believe that the time for the arrival of a new Ratu Adil is near (as the prophecies put it, "when iron wagons could drive without horses and ships could sail through the sky"), and that he will come to rescue and reunite Indonesia after an acute crisis, ushering in the dawn of a new golden age.