Many, too many, pastors and churches in America have decided to stay far away from biblical prophecy. This decision is both short-sighted as well as being in opposition to the emphasis found in the Scriptures. Pastors purposely do not include messages related to future things and this retards the pursuit of holiness among their people. Churches have gutted their doctrinal statements, removing a key to a proper, biblical world view, which is vital to living well in this world. This is done because prophecy is said to be divisive, controversial and irrelevant to living in the real world. All of these are wrong.
THE APOSTOLIC VIEW OF THIS DANGEROUS DECISION. The Evil One knows the importance of keeping prophetic truth from believers. The neglect of prophecy does have consequences. The Apostle Peter’s blunt evaluation of leaders who diminish and defame prophecy is found in 2 Peter 3. He cuts them no slack in 3:3-4.
“KNOW THIS FIRST OF ALL THAT IN THE LAST DAYS MOCKERS WILL COME WITH THEIR MOCKING, FOLLOWING AFTER THEIR OWN LUSTS, AND SAYING, ‘WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING…’
There are three important points to consider from Peter’s statement. First, the statement “first of all” is a declaration that biblical prophecy is of great importance to the church. This is not some peripheral matter because it impacts the spiritual health of the church. Second, this negative attitude concerning prophecy “will come.” The phrase is emphatic by its position which shows that this attitude towards prophecy was anticipated and would materialize. Satan’s method has always been to distort God’s truth or keep it from people. And this most certainly includes biblical prophecy. Third, these who diminish the prophetic word are motivated by their own lusts. The Greek word for lust (epithumia) is used often by writers in the New Testament for desires that are both strong and wrong. These mockers’ lusts are such as a desire to be popular, to have a large following, to be seen as open-minded, and to be seen as intellectually superior.
THE PRACTICE OF THE APOSTLES. The apostles’ view of biblical prophecy is opposite to the mockers. In their teaching of new believers, the Apostles included detailed instruction about future things. A clear example of this is seen in the church at Thessalonica. When Paul and the other missionaries arrived there on the second missionary journey, they began proclaiming the gospel in the synagogue. However, after an initial positive reception, the leaders of the synagogue led in a persecution of Paul and drove him and the others out of the city. The missionaries were there for only three weeks or a month, and yet, biblical prophecies were very much part of their basic instruction in Christian theology. Later when he wrote to this church at Thessalonica, he reminded them of the prophetic truths that they had been taught in that brief month he had been with them. They were taught about the rapture, the day of the Lord, the antichrist and other prophetic matters. Clearly, in the Apostle’s eyes, these matters were important for creating a biblical worldview in these new believers. These prophecies were not irrelevant, unimportant matters.
THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE APOSTOLIC PRACTICE. There are many reasons why the Apostles wove prophetic truths throughout their preaching and letters. They understood that prophetic truth was designed to shape the way believers think, prioritize life and make decisions in this life, right now. We need all the help we can get as we live in this world today. Here are some (not all) of the ways that those prophetic truths that are intended to shape us.
PROPHETIC TRUTH REMINDS US THAT GOD IS SOVEREIGN. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless as we view the powerful people, governments, and movements around us. But Isaiah 40 is an important reminder that when compared to our sovereign, almighty God they are as nothings (especially note 40:12-26). Psalm 2 reinforces this truth by declaring the Father has already established the Son as king in Zion. It is a done deal, and the wrathful kings of the earth cannot thwart God’s purposes. Biblical prophecies enable a believer to see things as they really are. God, not men and nations, control the future.
PROPHETIC TRUTH CAN KEEP US FROM SIN. The Apostle John observed that when the coming of the Lord Jesus is present in the thinking of the follower of Christ that this retards sin in that life. He commanded us to “abide” (remain in fellowship) with Christ. When we are abiding in Christ this will help us keep sin from taking root in our lives. He stated that when we are anticipating Jesus’ coming that we will purify ourselves, so that we will not be ashamed when He does appear (1 John 2:28-3:3). When we recognize sin in our lives, we will quickly confess it and are cleansed (1 John 1:9). And that is logical. If we believed that Jesus really could appear this afternoon, we are going to stay away from sinful behaviors and confess them when we recognize their presence. This knowledge aids us in our purity.
PROPHETIC TRUTH ASSISTS US TO LIVE IN HOLINESS. The Apostle Peter notes that in light of the reality of what God is going to bring to pass, we are to be holy and godly in our living (2 Peter 3:10-12). Holy living relates to having a reverential awe of the Lord (2 Cor. 7:1). When we see God correctly and are aware of what He is going to do, it becomes much easier to be clean morally and spiritually in our future living. Our coming accountability to Him is important in present living.
PROPHETIC TRUTH CAN BRING GREATER BLESSING IN THE COMING KINGDOM. In Hebrews 11, those whom God approved of were people of faith. These did not receive God’s full promises in this life, but rather they looked ahead to another day when the blessings and rewards of God would be theirs. They wanted to obtain a “better resurrection” (Heb. 11:35), which refers to the time of rewarding which will occur at resurrection (at both the Judgment Seat of Christ, 2 Cor. 5:10, and at the Second Coming, Matt. 16:27). Believers who faithfully followed and served Christ in this life will be given greater opportunities and blessings in the coming kingdom of God. Jesus Himself emphasized this, as seen in His story of the nobleman (Luke 19:11-27). It is important for believers to have this prophetic truth as they live out their lives in this present world. It is inexcusable for pastors and churches to withhold these prophetic truths.
PROPHETIC TRUTH REVEALS THE FATE OF THOSE WHO WILL NOT BELIEVE. There is a bad news side to the good news. The good news is that eternal life and the forgiveness of sins, based on Christ’s work on the cross, is available to all. However, if a person refuses to accept this good news and trust Jesus Christ as their savior, then the bad news will be faced. The Apostle Paul declared that God will deal out “retribution to those who do not know God and 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. 1:8-9). Several points to note. First, the consequences for rejecting the gospel will go on forever and ever (note Jesus’ statement in Matthew 25:1, 46). This condition is eternal. These will not be annihilated, as is wrongly taught by some. Second, they will experience “destruction”, which means ruination. Their lives will be ruined. The point is that everything that makes life worth living is gone. When life has no meaning, a person becomes depressed. These rejectors are going to experience life without anything that brings satisfaction or meaning or enjoyment to their lives. They are not going to “party in hell with their friends”, as is sometimes said. They are going to be eternally, deeply, irreversibly depressed. Third, they are “away from the presence of the Lord.” They will have no relationship with their Creator God. Even today, atheists and agnostics are blessed by the “common grace” of God. Jesus spoke of this unmerited favor of God when He said that the rain falls on the just and unjust alike (Matt. 5:45). There will be no connection at all with the good and glorious Lord. And, of course, The Bible prophesies that these unbelievers will be separated forever in the Lake of Fire, which is the “second death” (Rev. 20:14-15). This truth is vital information to the one who has not accepted God’s gracious gift of salvation.
SO THEN…
It is difficult to understand how these prophetic truths just mentioned could be viewed as that which is irrelevant and unimportant. These truths focus on the eternal living of a person, something far beyond the relatively few years of our lives on this planet. Many today need to change the way they view biblical prophecy and become more like Jesus and the Apostles who wove prophetic truths throughout their teaching and writing. These truths are designed to help us think differently and live differently in this world which is dominated by the thinking and philosophies of the Evil One.
