Chapter 39
BIBLE PROPHECY - UNFULFILLED
History and prophecy go hand in hand. From history we see God's lordship over His creation. His absolute control over this world is made even more mysterious by the revelation of His plans for mankind's future. The mystery of how God has given free choice to all beings and yet maintains His sovereignty over all events is great. He is able to reveal prophecy to mankind not because we are on some detailed fatalistic destiny, but because He has determined our ultimate purpose and knows exactly the choices we will make.
1. What does God declare about Himself? (Isa. 46:10; Rev.21:6; 22:13)
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As we saw in our last lesson the centre of all prophecy is Jesus Christ. Everything that is yet to be fulfilled is linked with Him. From the beginning, God dealt with a man (Adam) and, revealed future events to him.
2. What was the prophetic revelation that Adam received from God? (Gen. 3:15)
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God continued dealing with man on an individual basis from the time of Adam onwards, until the Tower of Babel where nations were formed. From then God began to deal with nations. He decided to set the nations of the world an example to follow so that they would know how to please God. This nation was Israel. The revelation of this purpose was given by prophecy.
3. Who was this prophecy given to and what was the basic content of it? (Gen.12:1-3)
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From that point on much of the Bible story has to do with the nation of Israel and how the prophetic word was fulfilled. God revealed to Abram that this nation that He was building would be held as slaves in a foreign land for four hundred years but would come out with great wealth (Gen. 15:12-14; Ex. 12:36). The LORD also revealed the same destiny to Abraham's son and grandson. When Moses arrived on the scene the LORD spoke many things about future events through him.
4. Possibly the greatest thing that Moses predicted was said in Dt. 18:18-19. What is it referring to?
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THE COMING MESSIAH
Peter the apostle tells us that the prophets were swept along by the Holy Spirit as they prophesied about the coming Messiah. Yet they were puzzled about the apparent contradictions in what they were saying.
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THEY EXPECTED
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WHAT
THEY GOT
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A powerful political leader.
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A gentle carpenter's son, with no political ambitions.
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Someone to overthrow the Roman government.
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Someone who taught submission to the Roman government
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Someone who would set up the Kingdom of God/Heaven here on earth.
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Someone who taught that the Kingdom of God was within a person.
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Someone who would reign gloriously and subdue all opposition.
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Someone who suffered greatly at the hands of those who opposed Him.
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The prophets foretold of a coming Messiah that would reign forever triumphantly. They also made reference to Him suffering and being rejected. They and the rest of the Jews were only looking for one coming of the Messiah. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see now that it was necessary for the Messiah to have come, suffered and died and to come again.
During His time here on earth, Christ made two things very clear- (i) He was going to suffer and die, (ii) He was going to come back.
5. Because of this what was the outstanding question that the disciples had on their minds? (Matt. 24:3)
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Those aspects regarding Christ's foretold glories are largely yet to be fulfilled.
6. What impression of the coming Messiah would you have had if you were a Jew prior to Christ's coming, if you had read Psalms 2 and 72?
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DIFFERENT THEORIES
The most climatic event of unfulfilled prophecy is the return of Christ. Therefore all the different theories regarding the end times revolve around the second coming. Listed below is a brief summary of the most popular theories:
*Pentecost- some see the fulfilment of the promise made by Christ to send the Holy Spirit as His second coming (since the Holy Spirit would represent Christ in the world).
*At Death- this theory has a measure of truth to it. It says that every time a believer dies He is met by the Lord Jesus and thus personally experiences a second coming of the Christ.
*Amillenial- this presumes that most of the prophecies about the end times are stated in an allegorical way. Therefore we can not take obscure messages literally. The name of the theory suggests that much of its emphasis has to do with the millenium. Exactly the opposite is actually the case. It says there will be no literal millenium, that things will gradually get better and better and the Church will so overtake the world with its influence that it will thus prepare the world for the rule of the Christ. One of the most basic arguments for this is the lack of Biblical references to a "thousand" year kingdom. The reference, to a thousand years, made in the Book of Revelation needs to be handled very carefully because the same Book describes Jesus as a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes (Rev. 5:6), argue the amillenialists.
* Post-millenial- this theory also is tied in with the assumption that there will be a state of God's kingdom on earth known as the millenium. Where this would differ with others is that it doesn't necessarily believe that it will literally be a thousand years. This theory has long been the most popular of end time theories throughout the history of the Church. It supposes that the Church will usher in a world-wide state of Christ's rule. After this is done, Christ will return. Hence its name- post millenial theory.
*Pre-millenial- this theory suggests that there will be a literal one thousand year period (known as the millenium) where Christ will rule with His Church on earth. It places the physical return of Christ before this event. Within this theory are three popular streams- pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation and post-tribulation.
a) Pre-tribulation- holds to a literal seven year period of time on the earth where Anti-christ will dictate. Prior to this tribulation they suggest that Christ will rapture the Church. It places a heavy emphasis on God's last days dealings with Israel.
b) Mid-tribulation- believes that the tribulation period is divided into two segments, tribulation and great tribulation. It says that the Church will be present during the first three and half years of tribulation but raptured before the "Great Tribulation". This theory is based on Daniel 9 being interpretted dispensationally. Rather than viewing the text referring to the Messiah, it is viewed as referring to the Anti-christ, who forms a treaty with Israel to mark the beginning of the seven year Tribulation, but breaks that covenant after three and half years ushering in Great Tribulation upon the world but more particularly Israel (the saints of God).
c) Post-tribulation- this theory teaches that the Church will go through a tribulation period (not all teachers of this view state that it will be exactly seven years) . It sees Christ's second coming as one event not two. During this time the Church will be providently cared for by God, as the world undergoes the rule of Anti-christ and ultimately the rule of Satan. Out of this period will rise a prophetic church that will be watered by the blood of many martyrs. The Tribulation is thus not seen as God's ultimate judgment. This has been the traditional opinion of the evangelical Church down through the centuries.
INTERPRETING PROPHECY
Biblical prophecy usually interprets itself, either immediately within its context or by other books of the Bible complimenting it. This must be our first rule: always compare Scripture with Scripture. The second thing needed is consistency. If part of a Scripture has been fulfilled yet there remains more of it to be fulfilled, we need to see how the fulfilled part was interpreted. We can assume that rest of the prophecy will either be literally our symbolically fulfilled the same way.
6. Examine the portion of Isaiah's prophecy in Isa. 7 regarding the birth of Christ. Note the rest of the prophecy about Him. How do you think the unfulfilled part of Isaiah will be fulfilled?
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Nearly all Old Testament Biblical prophecy had to do with either Israel or with those nations that had dealings with her. Therefore, we will never find prophecies that will have their direct fulfilment in countries not in the vicinity of Israel. Some people have suggested that the Babylon of Revelation is actually the nation of America or even modern Iraq. To interpret this passage this way would not be Biblically consistent. Therefore we must look no further than to whom the Bible is actually talking if we are to accurately find the interpretation. Because prophecy is God's eternal word for a moment in time, it carries with it the mystery of eternity- that is, its apparent relevance for any point in time. Therefore, prophecy can be directed to a specific nation/community/or person for an exact time, but still have the ability to speak very relevantly to different situations. Because this phenomenon is so uncanny, many have assumed interpretations that have later proved to be very narrow. Similar to this is the principle of "occasional and possible double reference" generally promoted by Dispensationalists. For example-
| O.T. Prophecy | Immediate fulfilment | Further Fulfilment |
| Mal.4:5- the coming of Elijah before the Messiah | Mtt.17:12- John the Baptist | Mtt.17:11- Elijah yet to come. |
| Isa.7:14- virgin birth of a promised child. | Three years later, when young Mrs Isaiah gave birth to son. | Mtt.1:23- the birth of Christ. |
OUR RESPONSE
Many Christians give up on trying to understand unfulfilled Biblical prophecy. They conclude that it's not very important so why worry about it? "Pre", "Mid", "Post" -what's the difference as long as we love Jesus? Yet, the greatest event of unfulfilled prophecy, the return of Christ, can affect how the believer conducts their life right now. So every believer should come to at least an understanding of the broad arguments for each of the main positions. This will enable a believer to view with confidence world events in the light of prophetic revelation. Interestingly one of the main ingredients to a cult, is a dogmatic doctrine about when the end of the world will be. If Christians can have a quiet confidence about the future, and where the Bible says its going, they will stand out like lighthouses in the midst heretical end time doctrines.
7. What is the message contained the parable given by Christ about ten virgins on their wedding night? (Mtt.25:1-13) ___________________________________________________________________
8. What should knowledge of Christ's return prompt us to do? (1Jn.3:2-3) ___________________________________________________________________
9. Will anything have an affect on the time of the Lord's return? (Mtt.6:10; 24:20; Acts 3:19-20; 2Pt.3:11-12; Rev.22:20) ___________________________________________________________________
No matter what our opinion of the Second Coming of Christ is, we need to live as if we could meet Him at any moment for none of us are guarantied tomorrow. Yet we also need to make long term decisions and plans that will give our lives direction and consequently greater credibility to the world when we witness because they will see that we are people of purpose.
THE ROLE OF ISRAEL
One of the central pieces of Dispensational eschatology (end-times teaching) is the vital role that Israel will play in the last days. Reference is made to the parable of the fig tree in Matthew 24 being a prophecy of Christ about Israel becoming a nation. Much is made of God's method of making covenants with other parties, that He never breaks them. So strong are the feelings toward Israel that one dispensational teacher has written-
"How vitally important it is for the Church of Jesus to rid itself of every trace of anti-semitism, cleansing our hearts and minds, and to 'Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for they shall prosper who love thee' (Ps. 122:6). This is a fundamental issue which each believer must face. Spiritual prosperity ultimately hinges on a right attitude to and love for, Israel."
We have to take strong issue with a statement like the above because the fundamental issue for every believer is not their attitude toward Israel, but toward Jesus! Spiritual prosperity does not hinge on a right attitude toward Israel, but toward Jesus. The point of Paul's argument in Romans 9-11 is that there is only way of salvation- both for Jews and Gentiles. Because certain Jews rejected Jesus, they disqualified themselves from being God's people. Paul says they were "cut off" and believing Gentiles were grafted in, and thus became God's covenant people (the Church). Paul later refers to God's people (the Church) as Israel. For example- "...But they are not all Israel who are of Israel." Romans 9:6b "...(the church is)...the Israel of God" Galatians 6:16 (Also refer to Rom. 4:12; 8:14; 10:12; Eph. 2:19) One commentator on the Book of Revelation wrote in a magazine article on the issue-
"The restored Israel, temple, David, etc., promises in the Old Testament are all fulfilled by and in Christ. He is the new Israel, the true people of God, the new temple, the true messianic prince, and so on. His resurrection is preached by the apostles as the climatic point of all prophetic fulfilment (for example, Acts 2:32-33; 13:32-33)."
Therefore we need to 1) understand the place and importance of the Church as God's people today; 2) recognise that there is and has always been only one way of salvation (Jn. 14:6); 3) look to Jesus as the centre of all prophecy, not Israel. Expansion on end-time prophecy is made in the study on Revelation within the New Testament Survey by this author and in my eBook commentary on the Book of Revelation [more].
Amen.