Measured by volume prophetic scripture takes up about 26% of the Bible. And beyond direct prophecy there are types that portend what God is going to do. One of them is Abraham, who is a type of God the Father, who offers his son Isaac as a sacrifice. This type pictures the Cross. That means that prophecy is a substantial part of God’s message to us. Why would God devote so much of His Word to that subject? There are three reasons.
First, God validates His Word by telling the future before it happens (Isaiah 46:10). Then when prophecy is fulfilled it can only be explained as a message from God Who is outside of time and sees the future as if it were the past, or present. Prophecy also validates the prophets of God who deliver these prophecies. When I visited the Bahai temple in Wilmette, IL I saw a plaque that said, “All God’s prophets are true.” Duh! Ya think!? But that brings home the point that anyone who predicts something, and it fails, is a false prophet. God’s prophets are 100% accurate (Deuteronomy 18:20-21).
Second, prophecy fulfilled is a comfort to believers that God is in control, that He will fulfill all His promises, that His Word is trustworthy. The old saying, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future,” is not completely true. God has told us in the Bible what the future holds and that assures us the He also holds the future.
Third, prophecy is a warning to both believers and unbelievers to be ready for Christ at His coming. Christians are to be ready for His coming, which will “come as a thief in the night.” Unbelievers will be held responsible for their unbelief just as Jesus said of the Jewish people when He was about to enter Jerusalem. Jesus held the Jews responsible for not knowing that He was their Messiah because He came to Jerusalem as their King ON THE VERY DAY DANIEL PROPHESIED (Daniel 9:24-27). Jesus described it as “this thy day” (Luke 19:41-44).
Why is prophecy not studied in our churches if it is this important? That is a VERY good question and every pastor will have to answer for it himself. But don’t wait for someone else to teach you, study for yourself. If you are not now a student of Bible prophecy, become one. It will bring excitement and boldness to your faith.
By David Henke
