What is Prophecy?
Simply put, bible prophecy is pre-written history. Or, to put it another way, prophecy is history written in ADVANCE. In other words, when today we read for example, the history of America’s Civil war, we are actually reading after the fact, an event that occurred in the past. Bible prophecy is essentially the same thing, except we are reading about the events that God has described BEFORE the event actually occurs. Or, as in the case of the first Coming of Christ including His virgin birth, earthly ministry, death, burial, and resurrection, which has already occurred in the past, but was yet meticulously described and foretold hundreds and even thousands of years prior to when the events actually took place.
Approximately 2500 prophecies appear in the pages of the Bible, about 2000 of which already have been fulfilled to the letter with no errors. The remaining 500 or so, reach into the future and may be seen unfolding as days go by.Amazingly in fact, at the time that the Bible was written, 27% of the Bible was Prophetic. There are some 1,817 prophecies of some nature in the Bible at the time that the NT was written. Prophecy constitutes one-fourth to one-third of the Bible, and it is one of the most distinctive features of the Bible. In fact, the Bible is the only book in the world that contains detailed prophecies that have been precisely fulfilled in history.
Out of the 216 chapters found in the entire New Testament, there are 318 references to the Second Coming of Christ? That means if you were to omit passages about prophecy, you would have to remove one out of every thirty verses in the New Testament. You would also have to skip 23 of the 27 New Testament books, which mention prophecy. Out of the 216 chapters found in the entire New Testament, there are 318 references to the Second Coming of Christ? That means if you were to omit passages about prophecy, you would have to remove one out of every thirty verses in the New Testament. You would also have to skip 23 of the 27 New Testament books, which mention prophecy. For every O.T. prophecy about the birth of Christ, there are eight about His Second Coming. Considering prophecy’s prominence, can we really say, “Well, prophecy is just not relevant?”
The God of the Bible has predicted the future thousands of years in advance. This is one way He has of proving to us that He is God and that he is sovereign and providential over human history. He has foretold thousands of years in advance the detailed circumstances of families, cities, and nations. And when prophecy upon prophecy is fulfilled to the letter, how can we fail to acknowledge the verity of the God behind the prophecy? And when we read prophecies that were spoken or written centuries in advance and then read about their positive and clear fulfillment through the eyes and pen of the theologians, historians, and archeologist, we begin to realize there is a Mind and a knowledge here above the human level; One who knows the future as we know the past. If His past predictions happened just as He predicted, we had better pay attention to what He is saying about the future!
Consider the following examples of the importance that Christ Himself placed on prophecy:
TWO OF THE GREATEST BIBLE STUDY EVER GIVEN WAS ON PROPHECY:
Christ LAST LESSON taught to His Disciples BEFORE the crucifixion and FIRST lesson taught AFTER the Resurrection was on Prophecy:
Luke 24:44-48 King James Version (KJV)
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. 45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
The Olivet Discourse (Mathew 24-25).
Matthew 24:1-6 King James Version (KJV)
24 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Six Powerful Reasons to Study Bible Prophecy
Biblical prophecy is not only “relevant” to our lives today, but it provides a biblical mindset found in those who pleased God (Hebrews 11:9-16). In part one of this study, I outlined nine reasons why every believer should study bible prophecy. In Part two, I would like to suggest the following six additional reasons for your consideration:
#1 Biblical prophecy understood and embraced gives needed help in our struggle against sin.
Serious believers are very aware of the “sin that so easily entangles us” (Heb. 12:1). and wish for victory over sin. When we keep future events fresh in our thinking, that we are going to see Christ and appear before His judgment seat, we are apt to not allow sin to take up residence in our lives. We can say “no” to sin much easier. This was the point the Apostle John made. “And now little children abide in Him (keep in fellowship), so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. ” And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 2:28; 3:3). It is when we cease thinking that Jesus could appear at any moment and bring to pass the end times as described in the Bible, that we get careless in the way we live. Remember Jesus’ powerful statement that it is the evil slave who says “my Lord delays his coming” (Matt. 24:48). The believer’s struggle against sin will never stop in this life, but that believer is fortified in the inner person by the truths of what may soon take place.
#2 Biblical prophecy provides a framework for the believer to prioritize life better and to make better decision.
If we knew that the ABC company was going to go out of business in six months we likely wouldn’t take a job with them. Bob and Mary would probably not have bought an old house and spent the last year remodeling it, if they had known it was going to burn to the ground the day after they finished their project. Bible prophecy can play such a life changing role today. When believers become convinced of the truthfulness of these prophetic portions dealing with our accountability and reward and end time events, they will prioritize life differently. They most likely will make better decisions and order their lives in a much more biblical way.
The reality of future things sheds significant light on the important issues of life and gives us a framework for evaluating what is most important. Those who live with an awareness of what lies ahead in the plan of God think differently regarding the use of their time, money and resources. The goals and purposes of life are altered by a conviction about future realities. Again, note the Apostle Peter’s exhortation when he says “what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness” in view of future events (2 Peter 3:11). Understanding and believing what biblical prophecy declares makes an impact on the way we do life now. The Apostle Paul made it clear (as in 1 Cor. 9) that he said “no” to himself and ordered his life differently than many others because he had an eye on the glory that was ahead for believers.
#3 Biblical prophecy provides a valuable mindset in times of trial and temptation.
The fact that believers are faced with some burdensome and painful trials in this life is not a new revelation. We know that God has not exempted believers from the sudden death of a loved one or the arrival of a debilitating disease or the appearance of great financial loss. And even if such “major tragedies” do not enter the believer’s life, the child of God still experiences scores of “minor” pressures, griefs, disappointments and setbacks. James, and others, observed that believers can respond well or they can respond poorly to these painful times in life. In order for trials to be successfully endured, James says that the believer must possess God’s wisdom, which is seeing life from God’s perspective. An integral part of God’s perspective is the future that lies ahead. This is how Jesus faced the trial of His crucifixion.
The writer of Hebrews says that Jesus “for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (12:2). Jesus looked beyond those six hours on the cross to that time in His glorious kingdom when He would be with those that He would redeem and restore. The believer who is focused on this world will likely not do well in trials when things go terribly wrong in this world. Without a working knowledge of things to come, he will have to fall back on the “stiff upper lip” approach or to wishful thinking. The truth is that our best life is not now. But the believer who anticipates the glorious age to come will be better positioned to deal well with the pain and disappointments that accompany trials in this world. After speaking about the universality of trials and the need for God’s wisdom, James references the future (James 1:12). The “crown of life”, also mentioned in Revelation 2:10, does seem to focus on the future reward given to the believer who loves the Lord so much that he does not resent what the Lord has allowed into his life. An incentive for enduring in trials is the understanding that there is future reward for the enduring believer.
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12).
As James’ letter comes to a close, it returns to the matter of the trials of life and the need to patiently endure like Job and the prophets of old. And here James again appeals to the future to give strength to his friends. “Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord…You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not complain, brethren, against one another, that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door” (James 5:7-9). What believers need in times of trial and difficulty is not positive thinking, but prophetic thinking!
#4 Biblical prophecy provides hope which is a key element in establishing a biblical worldview.
If there is anyone who ought to live in this world with confidence, it is the child of God (Titus 2:13). If there is anyone who ought not live under the load of defeat, fear and depression, it is the child of God. While none of us are exempt from painful situations in life, we should not live hopeless, negative, defeated lives because we understand where all of life is headed and that we have an amazing future that is ours as believers. “Let us rejoice and be glad” (Rev. 19:7) will be the prevailing sentiment for the redeemed. This attitude of hope is not wishful thinking, because it is grounded in the commitment of God to restore what was lost in the Garden of Eden. Man’s willful disobedience brought about the loss of paradise, of fellowship with God and of the privileged position of ruling the earth. When Adam and Eve sinned, God could have wiped everything out and started over again. (After all, what would He have lost but two people and six days of work!). But instead He promised that there would be restoration and reconciliation through the “seed of the woman.” And at that time, He embarked on the path that would bring about the restoration of all things that had been lost.
When we turn to Revelation 20 – 22 we discover that those three things that were lost will be fully regained because of the Cross and the powerful working of our Creator God. Unhindered fellowship with God, a wonderful paradise and the opportunity of ruling with Messiah will again be the experience of people. Biblical prophecy lets us in on this marvelous ending and gives us the confident expectation which assists us in living well for Christ right now. Biblical prophecy provides us with a clear, comprehensive worldview which in turn generates biblical hope because we are dealing with a God who is faithful to His promises.
#5 Biblical prophecy reveals the end of evil and of the unbeliever.
The problem of the presence and apparent success of evil has been a thorny theological and philosophical problem for all of man’s history. Biblical prophecy does not deal with the origin of evil but it does deal with the end of evil. Wickedness will not prevail and evil people will be punished and will not “get away with murder.” It is clear that evil and evildoers will be removed from life that will be lived forever in God’s forever kingdom.
“But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13). “and nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those who names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev. 21:27). “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev. 20:11). As the Scriptures describe the fate of the unbeliever, it is a terrible fate that they face. As we contemplate the eternal end of the unbeliever, it is not good that we become satisfied with our own wonderful futures but that we are motivated by biblical prophecy to share the good news with those who futures are horrible. “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels’ and these will go away into eternal punishment” (Matt. 25:41, 48).
The Apostle Paul graphically adds to the following statement by Jesus: "when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:7-9). Paul’s prophetic word on the fate of unbelievers is terrifying. They not only will be sent into eternal fire, but their lives will be ruined eternally (“eternal destruction”). It is the opposite of that quality of life known commonly as “eternal life.” This one passage removes the ridiculous suggestion that anyone will have a good time partying in hell, or any other such nonsense. That which God designed life to be and have by way of meaning and purpose will be gone and gone forever.
The banishment from the presence of the glorified Lord Jesus is the very heart of eternal punishment. The result will be to deprive them of the Lord’s favor and all which gives purpose and joy to life. "When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:7-9). “when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:7-9).
Paul’s prophetic word on the fate of unbelievers is terrifying. They not only will be sent into eternal fire, but their lives will be ruined eternally (“eternal destruction”). It is the opposite of that quality of life known commonly as “eternal life.” This one passage removes the ridiculous suggestion that anyone will have a good time partying in hell, or any other such nonsense. That which God designed life to be and have by way of meaning and purpose will be gone and gone forever. The banishment from the presence of the glorified Lord Jesus is the very heart of eternal punishment. The result will be to deprive them of the Lord’s favor and all which gives purpose and joy to life.
It will be like being eternally depressed, where forever life has no meaning to it. And furthermore, they will be “away from the presence of the Lord.” Today even the wicked are recipients of God’s common grace and are therefore blessed. But in the lake of fire, there appears to be a complete separation from any of God’s grace and mercy. Can anything be more terrible than what Paul describes in these verses? These forceful statements about the fate of the unbeliever ought to resonate in the hearts of believers causing us to be more compassionate and more active in giving out the good news. Believers who are armed with this prophetic knowledge will be encouraged by the demise of evil, even it appears on the daily news that evil is winning the day. In the world to come it is righteousness that reigns.
#6 Prophecy contributes an important reminder of God’s absolute sovereignty.
The prophet Isaiah powerfully declared that God is sovereign over all men and nations (Isaiah 40). No person, no nation or combination of nations can for one second thwart the plans and purposes of God. And while we might be impressed or even intimidated by the authority of those in Washington DC, Moscow, Berlin or Tehran, God is not. Bible prophecy reveals that our sovereign God will bring to pass everything that He said He would do. He is sovereign. And biblical prophecy reinforces that significant reality. So, again, has biblical prophecy an important place in the life and thinking of the believer? Perhaps the average believer, whether in the pew or the halls of the academy, need to give serious reflection to the Word of God on the strategic role of prophecy in our theology and our living.
7. Biblical Prophecy Helps us to Discern the Signs of the Times.
Finally, unless we have a grasp of the prophetic scriptures, it will be difficult for the believer to be able to fully discern the times that we are living in. With all of the political, social, and economic turmoil that we are facing in America and in the world, far to many Christians, including Christian leaders, are being more influenced and impacted by what they hear in the media, or from their favorite political candidate or media pundit than they are being discerning of the signs of the times. Jesus made a similar criticism when on one of the occasions in which He was being challenged by the religious leaders when He responded by saying, “and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening. Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times” (Mathew 16:3 NKJV).
The Pharisees and Sadducees were testing Jesus, asking Him to show them a sign or miracle from heaven. In reply, Jesus contrasted their knowledge of the weather with their understanding of prophecy. Sadly, in modern times, far to many believers are overly preoccupied with championing for their favorite political candidate or the set political party, while demonizing the opposition candidates, leaders or opposition party. Sadly however, what they have failed to discern first of all is the fact that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” And secondly, because they don’t study prophecy, far to many have failed to discern that the prophetic stars are aligning, and the signs of the times are all around us.
GOD HAS A PLAN
Before ever the Bible was given to man, God had a plan, and we must remember that it is to that foreordained plan that He is working:
The Prophet Isaiah wrote by divine inspiration:
“Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executes my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory” (Isaiah 46:9-13).
Here is a tremendous statement. Nowhere in the writings of mortal man can anything like it be found. The claims are supernatural, and therefore, they can apply to none other than God Himself. Here He declares Himself to be the self-existent, eternal, sovereign, uncreated One, “declaring the end from the beginning.” Where has God declared the end from the beginning? He has told it clearly on the pages of the Holy Scriptures. Holy men of God, guided by the Holy Spirit, wrote of great world events centuries before they were to come to pass. Since it is inherent in the heart of man to know the future, why should he not examine the prophetic Scriptures with an unbiased mind?
The magicians, sorcerers, astrologers, diviners, enchanters and necromancers have all failed to predict accurately things of the future. Even today there are multiplied thousands who pay money to listen to palm readers, teacup readers and fortune telling by varied methods, all because of a deep desire to know the future. I believe that such a desire is present in man because he has a future. The nations of the earth have a future, and God has a plan for the future. No course of study on the principles of Biblical interpretation could be complete if prophecy were omitted. Prophecy constitutes a large part of the sacred Scriptures, therefore to neglect it or, as some have done, to utter a boasted contempt for the subject of prophecy, is to cast dishonor upon divine revelation. Moreover, if the prophecies were not in the Bible, the remainder of the Book would be meaningless.
The first ray of light and hope to come to the world immediately after the fall of man was the promise of a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15). This first prediction is the pivotal prophecy of the entire Word of God. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, preached prophecy concerning the Lord’s coming to execute judgment upon the ungodly (Jude 14, 15). The Passover in Exodus was, in a sense, a prophecy in type of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, for, said Paul: “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” (Exodus 12, I Corinthians 5:7, 8). Moses received a great prophecy from God concerning the Messiah, the greatest of prophets (Deuteronomy 18:15-18), to which Peter gave assent after Pentecost (Acts 3:22, 23). Other pivotal chapters in Deuteronomy, taking prophecy as a whole, are 28, 29, 30. Many of the Psalms are prophetic in nature. In Psalms 16, 22 and 40 Messiah’s sufferings are depicted. In Psalms 2, 45, 72 and 110 His glory is described. Add to these the prophetic books, and you will see clearly that the prophetic Scriptures make up a substantial portion of the sixty-six books that constitute the Bible.
The Key of Prophecy
Begin with Moses and go on through all the prophetic writings, and you will discover that Christ is the grand theme of the Bible. He said: “Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me” (John 5:46). If we deny Him of whom Moses wrote then Moses, by inspiration, becomes our accuser. To Adam and Eve Christ was promised as the Seed who would crush the serpent’s head (Genesis 3:15). To Abraham God had said that in Christ all nations of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 22:18 cf. Galatians 3:14-16). To Israel the Paschal Lamb foreshadowed the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (Exodus 12 cf. John 1:29; I Corinthians 5:7). To Israel in the wilderness the serpent of brass lifted upon a pole (Numbers 21:8, 9) typified the lifting up of Christ upon the cross (John 3:14). Balaam’s prophecy of the Star that would come forth out of Jacob (Numbers 24:17) was none other than our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 2:2; Revelation 22:16). Christ was also the smitten Rock (Numbers 20:11, I Corinthians 10:4) and the greater Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15).
When Philip first met Jesus Christ he ran to Nathanael, and said: “We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth” (John 1 :45). It is also interesting to point out that, the closing words of the Bible declare that“the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). Simply put, this saying that the testimony of Jesus is the “spirit of prophecy,” provides to the actual “key” to prophecy. In other words, “His name is called The Word of God” (19:13), hence the spirit of the Word from Genesis to Revelation, is not that of confusion, but rather of harmony and unity, all pointing to the Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever else the prophets predicted, they did not omit the details of Messiah’s two advents.
The Fullness of Time
Arguably, one of the single most revealing passages in the New Testament that describes the importance of bible prophecy in the program of God, is found in Galatians 4:4-5 where Paul records the following powerful statement: “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5 kjv). In the most simplest terms, what Paul was saying to the believers in Galatia was that from the time that God made the promise after the fall, that He was going to eventually send a redeemer that would restore or “redeem” that broken relationship between God and man, He began the process of providentially orchestrating human history in order to set the stage for the eventual coming of His Son. And once all of the prophetic I’s were dotted and all of the prophetic T’s were crossed, the world’s stage was now set for His Son to come into the world and fulfill that promise that He made over six thousand years earlier.
The Two Stages of Prophetic fulfillment:
Now in order to put this idea into perspective, it is important to point out that there has never been a fulfillment of prophecy that has just happened overnight without anything that lead up to it. In other words, in the big picture of the study of bible prophecy, it is important that we understand that there are always to phases to prophecy fulfillment:
1. Prophetic milestones and
2. Prophetic Steppingstones.
Simply put, Prophetic milestones are major historical events that were direct fulfillment (remembering that prophecy is “history written in advance”) of a major fulfillment of prophecy. The most notable example of a major prophetic milestone that was fulfilled is of course, the birth of Christ in Bethlehem. In other words, the birth of Christ was obviously the single most significant fulfillment of prophecy that has ever occurred to this point.
Nevertheless, the birth of Christ did not occur in a vacuum. But rather, there were a series of several “prophetic steppingstones” or historical events that occurred over the centuries that paved to way for a Census to be ordered and for Joseph and his pregnant wife to have to make that journey to the town of their birth in order for the Christ Child to be born in that manger in Bethlehem in fulfillment of Micah 5:2.
Prophetic Steppingstones
Probably the best example of God orchestrating these historical steppingstones over several centuries in order to set the state for the major milestone fulfillment of Christ’s first coming, would be the series of prophecies recorded in the Book of Daniel. In short, in Daniel chapters 2, 7, 8 and 9, God gives a series of prophecies that would describe the rise and fall of a series of world empires that would have a direct impact on the Nation of Israel. And each of these empires would add an additional layer of prophetic stones that would, when all of them were laid, would lead directly to the birth of Christ. These four Kingdoms were: Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome, who by the way, were in power when Christ was born.
Now, while the history of these four kingdoms and how they related to and impacted Israel and the Fullness of Time that Paul spoke of in Galatians, is a separate study in itself, one quick example of this impact of the Grecian Empire of Alexander the Great. Without going into a detailed history, Alexander (who was the little horn in Daniel’s prophecy) took control of the Greek army after his father Phillip of Macedon was killed by one of his servants. Alexander went on to conquer the Persian Empire and went on to create the largest Empire that had ever been up until that time.
During his conquest, Alexander spread what was known as Hellenism, which was in essence, the spread of Greek culture, art, religion, philosophy and most importantly, the Greek language. It was because of Alexander that Greek was the “common language” of most of the New Testament world. What was most remarkable about Alexander, was the fact that he was able to accomplish all of this before his thirty-third birthday, when died precisely has the Angle Gabriel told Daniel that he would.
Alexander the Great
After Alexander’s death, his empire was divided up by his four leading Generals, again precisely has prophesied in the Book of Daniel. The Greek empire was eventually conquered by the Romans and in 63 BC, Israel was conquered by the Roman General Pompeii. Later, the Roman Emperor Augustus ordered that everyone had to go to their place of birth in order to register for the Census. In short, from the time that Babylon came to power and later conquered Jerusalem and Nebucudnezzer took the captives to Babylon (2 Kings 24 & 25), until the census was ordered by Rome, God was providentially orchestrated history, by setting up these series of prophetic milestones over the centuries in order to prepare the world for the fulfillment of the major prophetic milestone which was the coming of His Son.
Now it is important to point out, that the next major prophetic milestone that is scheduled on God’s prophetic calendar, is the rapture of the Church. Just as Christ was being taken up into Heaven, two Angles appeared to His Disciples and made the following prophetic declaration: “And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; saying, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11 kjv).
These two Angles let them know that Christ ascension into Heaven was just part one of His return. They declared that one day, Christ would return again. And it is this “second coming” that is the blessed hope for the believer today. And in the same way that God providentially established prophetic steppingstones that eventually led to the “fullness of time” of the major prophetic milestone of the fist coming of Christ, God has been using that very same template of orchestrating history in order to lay out prophetic or historic steppingstones, all for the purpose of setting the world’s stage for the second coming of Christ.
And as Paul described to the believers in Thessalonica, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).
In short, the study of prophecy is critical for the believer because it relates primarily to the coming of the world’s Redeemer. If you fail to grasp this great truth you have lost the key to a clear understanding of the prophetic Scriptures. Christ is its great theme. All prophecy is to find its final application and fulfillment in the past sufferings, present sufficiency and future sovereignty of the Lord Jesus. Christ is above all in prophecy. Bible prophecies, Bible analogies and Bible types, are so closely related to Jesus Christ that He alone explains them. In spite of all the fanatics, and foolish and false teachers, no legitimate reason can be offered for anyone refusing to study the prophetic Scriptures. Nor should Bible prophecy be shunned merely because the teachings of some sincere Christians have been discredited.
The primary reason that so many believers including leaders shun the study of prophecy is because of the ignorance of many concerning it. With the exception of some who have had contact with evangelical Bible conferences, Bible institutes, and some theological seminaries, the preaching of Bible prophecy is generally met with disfavor and opposition. I believe it can be said, without fear of contradiction, that those who reject it know little or nothing about it. What a sad commentary on our church leaders, seminary leaders and pastors!
FOR COMFORT AND HOPE
Finally, Dr. Wilbur M. Smith suggests that there are three different attitudes one may take toward the future. The first is indifference, the second is fear and the third is hope. No intelligent person would take the first, no one needs to be ensnared in the second, but all can possess the third. There is comfort and hope for all believers who love and study the Bible. Paul wrote, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
What is said here to be true of the Bible in general is, of course, true of all of the prophetic Scriptures. One of the strongest fears which drive many to despair is the fear of the future. Most persons simply cannot have peace of mind unless they have a measure of certainty of what the next day will bring forth. Of this no man can be absolutely sure; and the awful dread of uncertainty robs the average person of peace of mind which may in turn create a spirit of despair and hopelessness. While the heart of the hopeless and fearful man is failing him, the Christian with an understanding of Bible prophecy can face the future with confidence, comfort and discernment.
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