by Alexander Keith D.D. (1781-1880)

Bible prophecy is a favorite topic of many Christians. It seems that everyone wants to know what tomorrow holds. Josh McDowell has capitalized on this public fascination by selling millions of copies of his book, Evidence That Demands a Verdict. This bookAlexander Keiths Evidence of the Truth of the Christian Religionis akin to a 19th century version of McDowells book. Although nowhere near as comprehensive as McDowells two-volume tome, Keiths book is far more detailed and focused in its approach. McDowells book is something along the lines of an encyclopedia, while Keiths book is a theological treatise.

Predictive prophecy is a major component of the biblical Scriptures. In His infinite wisdom, God has declared that He knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). In fact, through Moses, God reveals a simple test for those claiming to be prophets: When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him (Deuteronomy 18:22). As the sovereign Creator of all that is, God is not limited by space or time. The future holds less mystery for God than yesterday holds for us. We may not know the future, but we know One who does.

Alexander Keith was well aware of the importance of predictive prophecy. In a handed-down story surrounding the inspiration for his writing on the subject, Keith witnessed firsthand the power of biblical predictions. It is said that a young agnostic was giving Keith no quarter in his relentless denial of the truth of the Scriptures. Having exhausted many arguments on the young man, Keith finally asked him what he made of all the predicted and fulfilled prophecies of the Old Testament. When the young man said he didnt know, Keith proceeded to give him several examples. Soon after this, the young man converted to Christianity and Keith realized that a book on the topic was sorely needed. This book is the fruit of that realization.

Modern readers may find Keiths book challenging and even tedious in some places, but they certainly will not find it irrelevant. It reveals information that will be new to most, and that will give new life to the often cryptic passages of Old Testament prophecy. Much of modern preaching and teaching gives little attention to the Old Testament and therefore most modern Christians are ignorant of the treasures it contains. This reprint of Alexander Keiths classic book will go a long way in reacquainting readers with the eventful and important 2000 years that preceded the birth of Jesus Christ. May a new generation be gripped and inspired by what it finds there.

Hardback; 450 pages