Is Felix Manalo the “Bird of Prey” in Isaiah 46:11? A Biblical and Historical Analysis

📖 What Does Isaiah 46:11 Actually Say?

“Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.”
— Isaiah 46:11 (ESV)

The Iglesia ni Cristo claims that:

• The "bird of prey from the east" refers to Felix Manalo, who was born in the Philippines (east of Jerusalem).

• The "man from a far country" is also allegedly a prophecy about him as God's last messenger.

Let’s take a closer look.

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🧠 Context Is Key: Who Is the Bird of Prey in Isaiah 46:11?

To understand Isaiah 46:11 properly, we must read it within its full biblical context—especially Isaiah chapters 44 to 48.

✅ The actual historical figure referred to here is Cyrus the Great, king of Persia.

💡 Isaiah 45:1 even names him directly:
“Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped…”

God used Cyrus to:

• Defeat Babylon,

• Set the Jewish exiles free,

• Allow the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple (Ezra 1:1-4).

In that context, the “bird of prey from the east” is a symbolic reference to Cyrus, who came swiftly like an eagle to execute God’s will.

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🛑 Why It Cannot Refer to Felix Manalo

Here are the major reasons why this interpretation fails the biblical and historical test:

1. ❌ Cyrus is explicitly mentioned as the subject in the surrounding chapters (Isaiah 44:28; 45:1).

2. ❌ Isaiah’s prophecies were fulfilled centuries before the birth of Christ, not in the 20th century.

3. ❌ The verse speaks of a military ruler and deliverer, not a religious leader.

4. ❌ There's no biblical support or apostolic tradition that indicates a future prophecy about a Filipino leader as the “last messenger.”

 

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🧾 The Catholic Church's Position

The Catholic Church does not recognize Felix Manalo as a fulfillment of any biblical prophecy. In fact:

• The Church teaches that divine revelation ended with the death of the last apostle (Catechism of the Catholic Church, CCC 66–67).

• Jesus Christ is the final and full revelation of God, and no new "last messenger" is needed.

“In many and various ways God spoke of old… but in these last days He has spoken to us by a Son.”
— Hebrews 1:1–2

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🔍 How the Iglesia ni Cristo Misinterprets the Verse

The INC engages in eisegesis, meaning they insert their belief into the text, rather than letting Scripture speak for itself.

Biblical interpretation must be based on:

• Context

• Original audience

• Historical fulfillment

• Sacred Tradition and Magisterium (for Catholics)

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✅ Conclusion: Who Is the “Bird of Prey” in Isaiah 46:11?

The answer is clear:

• Cyrus the Great, not Felix Manalo.

• This was fulfilled in the 6th century B.C., not in the Philippines in 1914.

• There is no credible biblical, historical, or theological basis for INC’s claim.

The Church reminds us that the fullness of revelation is found in Jesus Christ and is preserved through the apostolic succession and sacred tradition—not in newly-founded religions or modern self-proclaimed messengers.