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October 9, 2016 |
| Why Study Bible Prophecy? | ||
Most churches spend very little time studying Bible prophecy, some none at all. Various reasons are given for this:
Despite these, the fact remains, the Bible contains an immense amount of prophecy and in many forms. God gave that to us to be a benefit to us, not for us to avoid.
So, why should we study Bible prophecy? What benefit can it be to us if it is difficult, unclear, and some of its teachers are false teachers, perhaps even certifiable? In this lesson we will see answers to those questions.
This lesson is an article I found while looking for answers to include in a lesson. The article was good enough that I decided to use the article as the lesson. I've changed it a little, mostly to reduce the size.
Is Bible prophecy really important? And if so, how important? And aren't people who expend more than a passing moment examining Bible prophecy simply uneducated crackpots and lunatics yearning for the destruction of the world? These are just a few of the questions bombarding today's Christians when it comes to the study of Bible prophecy.
That Bible prophecy is irrelevant to the gospel or a mere playground for the mentally unstable is a message we constantly receive from the media, pop culture, and many so-called church leaders. It's unfortunate, because this false image of Bible prophecy has succeeded in turning many Christians away from the gospel. Although recent history is marked by an untold number of date-setters and false prophets claiming to speak for God, this is no reason to ignore Bible prophecy. Such people were never true Christians, but rather enemies of God in disguise.
So instead of relying on the words of ministers, priests, journalists, and other humans, let's examine the primary source. Here's what the Bible says about prophecy, as well as every verse of God's Holy Word:
"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do" (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NLT).
The word "all" includes Bible prophecy, and that's good, considering that more than 25 percent of the Bible is [prophecy, either fulfilled or yet to be fulfilled]. Why is so much of the Bible dedicated to prophecy? There are many reasons, but in the end, there is only one purpose: to direct the attention of the human race to Jesus Christ.
"For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus" (Revelation 19:10, NLT).
Previously fulfilled prophecies lend unprecedented credibility to the Bible's claim to be the Word of God, and the Messianic prophecies fulfilled by the birth, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus of Nazareth authenticate His claim to be the one true Christ. In essence, Bible prophecy is the most powerful witness to the divinity of Christ. So don't listen to those who claim that Bible prophecy distracts us from the true Christian mission. Quite the contrary, all Bible prophecy points to Jesus Christ Himself.
Despite its many detractors, the study of Bible prophecy is essential. In fact, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for not recognizing the signs of the times, for the religious leaders of His day had full knowledge of the prophecies of the Messiah, yet they still chose not to believe in Him.
"One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus' claims by asking him to show them a miraculous sign from heaven. He replied, 'You know the saying, "Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow, red sky in the morning means foul weather all day." You are good at reading the weather signs in the sky, but you can't read the obvious signs of the times!'" (Matthew 16:1-3, NLT).
Jesus expected the people of His day to fully recognize and eagerly await the time of His first coming. As we patiently await His Second Coming, he holds our generation to the same standard of accountability.
There are many reasons for the Lord's repeated command to study Bible prophecy, but [some] of the most significant are found below:
Bible prophecy offers the clearest indication that the Bible is the verifiable Word of God. Yet despite the millions of people who attend church and synagogue every week and the existence of countless books on the subject, most people are simply unaware of these prophecies. They feverishly search through the writings of Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, the Koran, and countless other "sacred texts" in hope of finding a profound truth or revelation concerning the future, only to be disappointed time and again.
Somehow, the most credible source of information on future events, the Bible, escapes notice. Yet the fulfilled prophecies of the Bible are backed by mountains of historical data, archaeological evidence, and the staggering mathematical probability of their occurrence merely being the result of chance. No other source of historical knowledge can make the same claims, and for good reason. No other source is the inspired Word of God.
"And do not forget the things I have done throughout history. For I am God, I alone! I am God, and there is no one else like me. Only I can tell you what is going to happen even before it happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish" (Isaiah 46:9-11, NLT).
The very definition of God includes His unique ability to see from the distant past to the distant future, from the beginning to the end. He alone can foresee world events with 100-percent accuracy centuries in advance.
Unlike other sacred texts that claim divine origin, the Bible can point to its unprecedented track record in foreseeing future events. This is because the Bible is not the product of imaginative men, but rather the testimony of prophets who were moved by the Holy Spirit to speak from God. Fulfilled prophecy authenticates the Bible, proving it to be the Word of God. For this reason alone, Bible prophecy is worth every iota of our attention.
One of the easiest and most natural methods for spreading the gospel is the sharing of Bible prophecy. In fact, in the early days of the church, sharing fulfilled Bible prophecy was the primary method for spreading the gospel. On the day of Pentecost, Peter gave a rousing speech in Jerusalem in which he cited fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies as clear proof that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah (Acts 2:14-42). This speech led to three thousand people devoting their lives to Jesus Christ. Later in the same book, we learn the story of Philip and the eunuch, in which Philip uses a fulfilled prophecy from the book of Isaiah to explain the gospel to an Ethiopian traveler (Acts 8:26-39). These are just two of many instances in which the early church emphasized Bible prophecy as a tool for evangelism.
In one of the New Testament books that bear his name, Peter underscores the important role of Bible prophecy:
"For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the power of our Lord Jesus Christ and his coming again. We have seen his majestic splendor with our own eyes. And he received honor and glory from God the Father when God's glorious, majestic voice called down from heaven, 'This is my beloved Son; I am fully pleased with him.' We ourselves heard the voice when we were there with him on the holy mountain. Because of that, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. Pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a light shining in a dark place, until the day Christ appears and his brilliant light shines in your hearts" (2 Peter 1:16-19, NLT).
In Peter's words, Bible prophecy is "like a light shining in a dark place." Bible prophecy provides us with confidence in the coming glory of Christ and the necessary hope to see us through the daily rigors of life until that day appears. Peter further proclaims his confidence in the words of the prophets, both fulfilled and unfulfilled, because he has witnessed firsthand the authenticity of the Scriptures.
In the end, dedicated study of Bible prophecy leads to holy living. Fulfilled prophecy is a constant reminder of God's awesome power, the glory of Jesus Christ, and the absolute certainty that promises yet unfulfilled will come to be. This breeds a number of Christ-like characteristics in the life of a Christian, a fact attested to by Paul:
"For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with self-control, right conduct, and devotion to God, while we look forward to that wonderful event when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed" (Titus 2:11-13, NLT).
If we acknowledge the prophecies of the Second Coming as well as the command of Jesus to stay awake and alert, we will be driven to live godly lives. Paul also emphasized this in his letter to the Romans:
"Another reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed" (Romans 13:11, NLT).
James underlined the important role of Bible prophecy in fostering patience in the life of Christ's followers:
"Dear brothers and sisters, you must be patient as you wait for the Lord's return. Consider the farmers who eagerly look for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They patiently wait for the precious harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. And take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near" (James 5:7-8, NLT).
In addition, Paul points out the importance of studying Bible prophecy in order to identify false prophets and recognize evil:
"Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Keep away from every kind of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22, NLT).
If a Christian ignores Bible prophecy, he or she is ignoring a large portion of God's Word. As a result, that person will be unable to adequately counter arguments and false doctrines put forth by false prophets and enemies of God. Like the people of Berea (Acts 17:11), we are encouraged to personally examine the Word of God and use it as the yardstick by which we measure truth. A Christian who lacks knowledge of Bible prophecy will be severely lacking in this area, and as a result, will be more susceptible to errant teachings.
Many of the central teachings of the Bible are only available as prophecy because they are unfulfilled. The concepts of the Resurrection, Rapture, Millennial Kingdom, and Eternal Life are all promises made to us through prophecy.
Prophecy also serves to warn us just as it has warned God's people for thousands of years. By prophecy Israel was warned of the consequences of turning away from God. We are also made aware of the consequences of turning away from God, eternal separation from God.
There are other warnings as well. We know that there will be times of great difficulty and death as the end comes closer. We know the main characters in the pageant that will unfold at that time, the anti-Christ and False Prophet. In fact one of the most serious warnings for Christians is to refuse to take the mark of the Beast. Revelation goes out of its way to inform us about it and to emphasize how seriously God will view the taking of the mark.
Paul knew the importance of Bible prophecy and the significant role it played in the daily life of a Christian. In fact, he earnestly looked forward to the day when he would be rewarded for his hope in an unfulfilled Bible prophecy - the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ:
"And now the prize awaits me, the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return" (2 Timothy 4:8, NLT).
Almost every one of the promises Christians hold near and dear are based on prophecy: The promise of [everlasting life]. The hope of salvation. The joy of eternity with Christ. Each of these is a promise from God guaranteeing our future. And what is a prophecy, if not a guaranteed future event?
Remember, Jesus Christ Himself was mocked and ridiculed by this world. If you want to follow Him, He says you must be willing to be mocked and ridiculed yourself. Bible prophecy is the message of Jesus, and as Christians, we must be willing to endure persecution for it:
"Then he said to the crowd, 'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life. And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose or forfeit your own soul in the process? If a person is ashamed of me and my message, I, the Son of Man, will be ashamed of that person when I return in my glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels'" (Luke 9:23-26, NLT).
1 https://www.raptureready.com/featured/gillette/study.html