With world events moving so fast around us, what should we be watching for?
We all know the answer– the return of Christ. All world events in one way or another are leading up to the return of Christ. No matter how we look at it, every day we are one day closer to the return of Christ.
What should we be focusing our attention on? Eternal life — this is our goal. We must focus our energy on being found ready for the judgment seat. Prophecy and its proper interpretation cannot be the center of our attention. We can actually become our own stumbling block if we are blinded to the great signs of Christ’s coming by our own view of how the details will work out. Prophecy will be fulfilled, but not always in the way that we expect.
Prophecy is given to help sustain our faith. It will serve that purpose if we take a proper attitude toward it.
Purpose of prophecy
Bible prophecy is not designed for the unbelievers. It is intended to enlighten and strengthen those who are receptive to the word of God.
As Jesus responded to a question asked by his disciples, “It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given…for this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed” (Matt 13:11,15).
This statement was made in relation to parables about the kingdom of God.
We see that Jesus prophesied to the faithful, not to the unfaithful. His parables were to strengthen the righteous, not to convince the unrighteous that he was the Christ.
Sometimes even believers do not understand Bible prophecy until it actually is fulfilled. For example, the apostle Paul wrote about the mysteries of God’s plan regarding the Gentiles. “By revelation he made known unto me the mystery…which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men…that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel” (Eph. 3:3-6).
We clearly see how Old Testament prophecy is understood by us, yet was not understood by those worthies who lived before it was fulfilled.
How we can use prophecy
I would submit to you that prophecy’s main purpose is one of giving us strength and hope in the word of God. What a joy prophecy gives us when we see it fulfilled! And the fulfillment of prophecy is the best way for us to prove that the Bible is inspired by God. Furthermore, prophecy that has not been fulfilled yet gives us hope for the future.
Let’s look at Colossians 1:26-27, “the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles…” The righteous throughout the ages have always been given prophecy that has been fulfilled during their era. Prophecies in both the Old and the New Testaments have been and are still being fulfilled. I don’t believe there has been one generation of believers that could not find comfort from the fulfillment of prophecy in their own era. Prophecy has given those who believe a bolster to strengthen their faith and something to look forward to.
A warning to us
Because we have been allowed to have a better understanding of God’s plan by witnessing fulfilled prophecy, we have great responsibilities. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (II Peter 1:19). We have seen so much fulfilled, we have no excuse at all for doubting the return of our Lord and the establishment of the kingdom. Let us take heed and make our hope for that time dominate our lives every day.
Rev. 1:3 provides a timely warning for ourselves: “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” Bro. John Knowles summarizes the point when he writes, “The Apocalypse is the history of the followers of Christ in their relation to the political and religious authorities of the age in which they live, and signs by which they might understand their significance in regard to God’s fulfilling purpose in the earth” (Hear What The Spirit Saith To The Ecclesias).
The book of Revelation also warns us about changing God’s prophecy, “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life…” (Rev. 22:18-19).
A lesson for us
Adherence to an incorrect understanding of Bible prophecy can be serious. In fact, it can destroy our salvation.
The Old Testament is filled with prophecies concerning the coming of Jesus Christ. These prophecies were read by the Israelites in the days of Jesus but they were not understood by a majority of the people. Paul writes, “none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Cor. 2:8).
Jesus himself rebuked the people for their blindness: “0 ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” (Matt. 16:3).
A right perspective
This will not happen to us if we keep a right perspective on Bible prophecy. We must always remember our goal of eternal life. We cannot allow ourselves to be so wrapped up in the details of prophecy that we cannot see the forest for the trees. We all must continually watch and be prepared for Christ’s return, the one sure event.
Let us remember the words of the apostle Paul to the Thessalonians: “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night…ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief…for God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” (I Thess. 5:2,4,9-10).
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One