Some Christians, including this writer, love Bible prophecy. It is like our favorite dessert. We want it often and we want a lot of it. The more we learn the more we want to learn. It excites and nourishes our souls.
It blesses us so much we wonder why others don’t want the same blessing. But we know that many are not interested in it and it is difficult for us to understand.
When Jesus began His ministry the tempter went to Him and said:
“If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.” And our Lord answered, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:3-4).
The Word of God is more important than food and mankind must live by every word that comes from God’s mouth. So why do the vast majority of Christians choose to ignore God’s words that fall into the category of Bible prophecy?
Paul said his famous teaching on the resurrection and Rapture came by the word of the Lord (1 Thess. 4:13). He told every believer to comfort one another with this teaching (1Thess. 4:18). Instead of avoiding the subject, tell people about it.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ says: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19:10b).
Those who ignore the Revelation of Jesus Christ (the book of Revelation) are ignoring part of the testimony of Jesus. Solomon, perhaps the wisest man who ever lived said:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7).
Ouch!
Peter, the outspoken leader of the 12 original disciples, said:
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed” (2 Pet. 1:19).
Fools despise wisdom and instruction, but a person does well to pay attention to prophecy. The world (and obviously the U.S.) is in a big mess.
The 2016 presidential election is looming and many citizens are wondering which candidate is the best qualified to lead us out of the mess.
God has a word of hope for Christians:
“Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Our hope is the appearance of our God and Saviour not who wins the election. Many people are afraid of the Rapture and Second Coming, but the Rapture is the Christian’s hope—not something to be feared or dismissed.
Paul told Timothy:
“The things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2).
Experienced preachers should share Paul’s teachings with others, and those others should pass them on to others, etc. But experienced preachers can’t pass along Paul’s prophetic messages if those experienced preachers ignore them.
Perhaps, that is why so many new preachers are poorly prepared today. Experienced preachers are not doing their job and it is hurting the church.
Perhaps this is why Jesus instructed His disciples in the Great Commission “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20). He probably knew that that many experienced preachers would leave out some of what He said.
One last thing, why would anyone who believes the Bible is the inspired Word of God deliberately ignore God’s view of the future? Wouldn’t people be better off knowing God’s view of the future than they would be if all they get is the world’s view of the future?
Prophecy Plus Ministries
Daymond & Rachel Duck