It is foolish to dismiss studying different parts and subjects in the Bible, especially prophetic scriptures, as not being necessary for one's spiritual maturity. The last few verses of Scripture warn ALL humans that how God's words are treated has serious consequences. "For I jointly testify to everyone who hears the words of the PROPHECY of this book, that if anyone adds to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this PROPHECY, God shall take away his part from the book of life, and from the holy city, and from the things that are written in this book." (Revelation 22:18-19)
God exists and can do as He wills The second and third reason regarding the important of prophecy is that it is a proof of God's existence and that he has the power to do as he wills. The accurate fulfillment of predictions in the Bible, in every detail within a specified time frame, testify that a divine Creator does exist and that he has the power to influence people's lives and foreordain events on planet earth. God accurately predicted in advance, and made come to pass, the rise of world empires like Persia and Rome (Daniel 2:32-33, 40-41, 7:7, 8:3-4, 20). God also prophesied the rise of the Greek empire through Alexander the Great. Additionally, he foretold that NOT ONE of Alexander's family would rule the empire after his death and that it would split into FOUR pieces. "And a mighty king shall stand up, one who shall rule with great dominion and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken and shall be divided toward the four winds of the heavens. But it shall not be given to his descendants, nor according to his dominion with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others besides these." (Daniel 11:3-4) "And the shaggy goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, then four stood up in its place; four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not with its power." (Daniel 8:21-22)
Please see our article on all the prophesied kingdoms foretold to exist from Babylon forward entitled "World Empires from Babylon to the Beast." Affirms Jesus is the divine Messiah The accurate prediction of his own death and the exact length of time he would be dead was the ONLY sign Jesus gave religious leaders that he was the Messiah. "Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, 'Master, we desire to see a sign from You.' And He answered and said to them, 'A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, in like manner the Son of man shall be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.'" (Matthew 21:38-40)
Jesus testified of his own divinity when he foretold what the hateful religious leaders, who wanted him dead, would soon see. "Then the high priest stood up in the center and questioned Jesus, saying, 'Have You nothing to say in answer to what these are testifying against You?' But He remained silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest questioned Him, and said to Him, 'Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?' And Jesus said, 'I AM. And you shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.'" (Mark 14:60-62)
God has a plan Biblical prophecy can testify to the plans God has for all mankind. For example, the Bible predicts at least two resurrections from the dead. The first one shows God has planned a reward to those who believe in him. "Because the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first;" (1Thessalonians 4:16) "Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power. But they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." (Revelation 20:6)
The second resurrection tells us God will soon offer ALL humans a full chance at understanding and receiving salvation. "The hand of the LORD was on me, and brought me by the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of a valley, and it was full of bones . . ." "Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones, "Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live. And you shall know that I am the LORD." "And He (God) said to me (Ezekiel), "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel."" (Ezekiel 37:1, 5-6, 11) "Do not wonder at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves shall hear His voice. And shall come forth: those who have practiced good unto a resurrection of life, and those who have practiced evil unto a resurrection of judgment." (John 5:28-29) "(But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were completed.) . . . And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and the grave gave up the dead that were in them; and they were judged individually, according to their works." (Revelation 20:5, 13)
Warnings to the converted In what is referred to as the Olivet prophecies, Jesus warns those who believe in him about the deceptions, false Christs and prophets, and other things that will come in the End Time. "And as He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, His disciples came to Him alone, saying, 'Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of Your coming, and of the completion of the age?' Then Jesus answered and said to them, 'Be on guard, so that no one deceives you. For many shall come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ'; and they shall deceive many . . . Then shall they deliver you up to affliction, and shall kill you; and you shall be hated by all nations for My name's sake.' "Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or, 'He is there,' do not believe it. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and they shall present great signs and wonders, in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have foretold it to you. "Watch, therefore, because you do not know in what hour your Lord is coming." (Matthew 24:3-5, 9, 23-25, 42)
Warnings to all humans Bible Prophecy is, many times, God's advance warning that there are very REAL consequences to the choices we make and actions we take in this life. Nobody ultimately "gets away with" sinning. What we do will, eventually, catches up with us. "Some men’s sins are open to public view, going before to judgment; and some men’s sins follow after." (1Timothy 5:24)
God used Jonah the prophet to warn ancient Nineveh that its sins would soon bring his judgment upon them. "And the Word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.'" (Jonah 1:1-2) "And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried and said, 'Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown!'" (Jonah 3:4)
In a rare occurrence that warranted its mention by Jesus (Matthew 12:41), the people of Nineveh heeded the prophetic warning of their destruction and repented. Their actions CHANGED the prophetic declaration of their demise. "And the people of Nineveh believed God. And they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. . . And he (the king) caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his great ones, saying, 'Do not let man or beast, herd or flock taste anything; do not let them feed, nor drink water. . . And let them each one turn from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? God may repent, and He may have pity and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we do not perish.'" "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way. And God repented of the evil that He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it." (Jonah 3:5, 7-10).
God has prophetically warned all human beings that if they REFUSE to repent of their sins His final judgment will come upon them. "'For behold, the day is coming, burning like a consuming oven; and all the proud, and every doer of wickedness, shall be stubble. And the day that comes shall burn them up,' says the LORD of hosts, 'and will leave them neither root nor branch.'" (Malachi 4:1) "Then shall He (Jesus, who will judge all humanity) also say to those on the left, 'Depart from Me, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire, which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.'" (Matthew 25:41) "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but do not have power to destroy the life; rather, fear Him Who has the power to destroy both life and body in Gehenna." (Matthew 10:28)
God has placed prophecies in his word for many important reasons. It therefore behooves us to take Bible prophecy seriously and learn what it can teach us. Such knowledge can only help us in our daily walk with God. |