DANIEL and REVELATION STUDY: ITRODUCTION Part 2
Prophecy Prevents Deception
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many (Matthew 24:4, 5). Jesus warning tells us
that another purpose for prophecy is to protect us from deception.
In Matthew 24, Christ speaks about the signs of His coming and the and of the world in an effort to keep us from following those who contradict His Word and His law in the last days. Just a few verses later, He adds, Many false prophets will rise and deceive.
This prophecy has certainly come true: Many have come claiming to be Christ or say they come in His name while using that platform to deceive and exploit. Sadly, this is one reason that so many are suspicious, unbelieving, or jaded about prophecy. Yet Jesus said it would happen like this exactly, so those who decry Bible prophecy dont really have an excuse if theyre ultimately deceived by the devil.
Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son
of man be. Jesus predicts that we will all face great deceptions in the end, such as attempts to impersonate His coming. He doesnt want us to be deceived, following smooth-talking preachers or lying spirits.
It is important to note that Jesus is not implying there will be no need for prophecy or prophets in the last days. On the contrary! He is!
What Are Dual Prophecies?
The Word of God is simple to understand, but it is also extremely broad and comprehensive. God can be in more than one dimension, yet we always try to stuff Him into a little box. When God delivers a prophecy through a prophet or an angel, we naturally try to make it
address just one narrow point. But Gods Word is so dynamic and alive that one prophecy can have more than one application, as long as they dont conflict.
Thats why some prophecies have what is called a dual application. For instance, in 1 Chronicles 17, Nathan gives a prophecy to King David. And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to be with your fathers [when you die] that I will set up your seed
after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne for ever (NJKV). This comes about because David wants to build a temple, a physical house of worship, to honor God.
We know that Davids son Solomon did in fact build a temple after his father died, so this prophecy was fulfilled. But is there more to it? Absolutely! Jesus is called the son of David, and He also said, Destroy this temple made with hands and in three days I will make
one without hands. A temple is also a church, and Christ built up His church after His resurrection. So the seed whose throne will be established forever is more completely fulfilled in Jesus.
This is one utterance of prophecy that is fulfilled in more than one way, yet they dont conflict. In most cases, these can be broken down into a physical or historical and a spiritual fulfillment. We find another example in Matthew 24. Referring to the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus says, There will not be left one stone upon another that will not be thrown down. The disciples, confused and troubled, had a threefold question for Jesus: When will these things [the destruction of Jerusalem] be? What will be the sign of your coming
and of the end of the world?
Jesus doesnt answer these as separate questions; rather, He gives them a combined answer. He mingles the whole answer into one discourse. Why? Because a lot of the same things that happened in advance of the destruction of Jerusalem are also going to happen just
prior to the end of the world.
The spiritual state among Gods people during Christs first coming, His organized church, could be very similar to the spiritual condition of His organized church before His second coming. There are many parallels. Some prophecies, though not all, have more than one fulfillment. Some saying that we need to watch out for false prophets because there will also be genuine prophets. Otherwise, Jesus would have simply warned us to beware of any prophet.
Prophecy Warns the Lost
When Moses went before Pharaoh, God sent a series of
frightening plagues to encourage the devilish ruler to act. However, these plagues were not meant to destroy; rather, they were sent to first save the Jews from captivity, but also to help the Egyptians avoid utter destruction.
And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and
say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs (Exodus 8:1, 2).
Why was it necessary for Moses to warn Pharaoh in advance that a plague of frogs was coming? If Moses had not said anything and a plague of frogs suddenly came swarming out of the great river, Pharaohs counselors could have said, This is just a natural
occurrence. If Moses had gone after the plagues and said, See all these frogs? Thats because you wont let my people go! Well, anybody can do that.
A lot of people have weighed in on 9/11, Katrina, and the Indonesian tsunami after the fact. How much more compelling would their testimony be to others had they spoken prior to the events? People would have really sat up to take notice. Moses gave these prophetic warnings to save the lost and to warn the rebellious, showing that God is really in control.
Prophecy Strengthens Faith
The metal image in Daniel 2 is an incredible prophecy. It
outlines the kingdoms of the world in perfect orderBabylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, the divided Roman Empire, and ultimately the Lords coming. To date, it has happened exactly as God said it would.
It is simply not possible for a person, in their own power,
to predict which nations of the world are going to rule over others, especially hundreds of years from now. We might suggest that Daniel wasnt pressed too hard when he mentioned Medo-Persia as the next global empire. Everyone could see it was a rising power in those
times. But Greece was just a country of warring tribes, and the Romans were nothing more than a virtual village. It must have been a ridiculous notion to even Daniel, who was faithful enough to report it nonetheless. And yet it came true, even down to the important details, such as each one lasting successively longer than the one before and the divisions of the Roman Empire.
How does that make you feel about God and His Word? It strengthens your faith. It certainly gives me courage! It suggests that other Bible prophecies can be trusted,
and that Gods Word does not fail. Jesus said, Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he (John 13:19).
In short, Jesus gives prophecies so that you will
believe in Him. We have something to cling to so that our faith will remain strong even as tribulation comes.
Prophecys Ultimate Purpose
Revelation can be such a perplexing book. Ive known a few dear souls who dont even like to glance over it because it intimidates them. But while most people know Revelation as a powerful yet cryptic book penned by John on the island of Patmos, they skip right over the most telling part of the bookthe first verse.
It reads, The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Thats enough, really, to get to the ultimate purpose of prophecy. Whether youre reading prophecies found in Revelation, Daniel, Ezekiel, or Genesis, never forget that Jesus is the focus. Hes the ultimate point. Just read
Isaiah 53 to see what I mean, and if you still dont believe me, trust what Jesus did: And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:27).
In John 5:39, He says, Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. Jesus is in the warp and woof of every fiber of Scripture; all true prophecy ultimately
points to Christ. He is the fulfillment of the Word. More than 300 Old Testament prophecies deal with Christs first coming alone.
Given time, a Bible, and a person who is honest and logical, Ive always believed that I can convince a searching soul that the Bible is true based on the fulfillment of its prophecy. In fact, I used to
be that personan atheist who thought the Bible was nothing but a sad joke on deluded people. But we know that the prophecies in the Old Testament were written long before Christ appeared on the scene, and they came true. The timing of His birth, the place, the mother, and all the details of His ministryHis betrayal, His death, and His burialwere spelled out in amazing detail long before Jesus was born.
And if the Bible is right about the when, the where, the how, and the why, then we can also trust that it is right about the who. Jesus is the Savior, the only way to the Father.
The Principal Principle
The ultimate message of prophecy is redemptive. The reason that God tells you the future is not so you will know when to take your money out of the bank or so you can know when youre supposed to run for the hills and stock up on food.
He tells you all this more than just to let you know when Christ will come the first time or the second timeor what happens during the millennium. He tells you so you will know He is God and to help you allow Him to come into your heart. And thats true whether you are familiar with the many secrets of Revelation or whether you are
just beginning to read the Bible. The joy and peace you feel when you know that God has a plan for you is one of the most faith-building experiences you can have.
Yes, He has numbered every star in the universe and knows whats going to happen in the ceaseless ages to come. Yet despite this infinite knowledge of God, He has a hope and a plan just for you.
God is in charge, and Hes proven it with prophecy. He can be trusted, because His Word has never and will never fail. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away (Luke 21:33). You can bank your life on Him and His Word, especially as you go out to tell others of His wondrous power.
Without Limits
Not only does God know the future, He can take you back to the past. Not all Bible prophets see just the future. For instance, in the book of Revelation, not only is John taken into the future and shown visions, he also witnesses the battle between Michael and the dragon at the beginning of their great cosmic conflict. God can see all eternitypast, present, and futurewith perfect clarity.
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I pray that this will be of help as we study these extreamly important books of prophecy.
Don't forget to read Daniel chapter 2.
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Your brother in Christ,
Doc