Only God can accurately predict the future. This is because He plans it, He enacts it, and He sustains it. He is the author of it.
Man can guess what the future holds, He might be half right sometimes. He may be wrong many times. "I have made peace for our time" said UK Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in 1938. He was wrong on that one. WWII broke out soon after.
God promised that there will be wars and rumors of wars. He was right. (Matthew 24:6).
US President Lyndon Johnson declared a war on poverty, and he said he wanted change from that and he aimed to get it. He was wrong.
Jesus said that the poor you will always have among you, and He was right. (John 12:8).
Man gets it wrong because despite being the foremost creature in the Garden, having dominion over all the other animals and creatures, man is depraved and has only evil intentions all the time. Sin clouds our thinking. Plus, we are a creature, formed and made. God is not. God is I AM. He always was and always will be. He is outside of time and thus, He makes the future.
Predictive prophecy proves that God is God and He is sovereign over all events of the earth and universe. He says as much in this passage from Isaiah, when he challenges the false 'gods' to do as he does.
Present your case, says the Lord.
Set forth your arguments, says Jacob’s King.Tell us, you idols,
what is going to happen.
Tell us what the former things were,
so that we may consider them
and know their final outcome.
Or declare to us the things to come,
tell us what the future holds,
so we may know that you are gods.
Do something, whether good or bad,
so that we will be dismayed and filled with fear.
(Isaiah 41:22-23)
As a people, we are grateful for the LORD'S having given us insight into His ways, His character, and His plans. Prophecy is wonderful. Study it with all diligence and love, it is a gift from the Maker of History to the people living it.
