Exploring the Importance of Prophecy in Understanding Biblical Truths
Delve into the significance of prophecy in the Bible, bridging the seamless narrative from Genesis to Revelation. Learn why prophecy matters, how Jesus emphasized its relevance, and embrace the adventure of studying this intriguing aspect of God's Word with an open mind and diverse perspectives.
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Presentation Transcript
Building a Prophetic Framework Or Prophecy 101
Why should we care about prophecy? The bible is a lot more seamless than we give it credit for prophecy is one of the, if not THE, major common threads through the entire thing Genesis is one of the most important prophetical books we have. Foundation of all other prophecy. Holy days as a framework to God s plan The bible starts and ends with a marriage & establishment of a family think that s a coincidence? When we lose sight of the big picture, we miss important things
Why should we care about prophecy? Jesus cared about it & talked about it often Matt. 22 parable of wedding feast Matt 24-25 Olivet prophecy, parable of ten virgins, parable of talents John 14 He s preparing a place to receive us to We are commanded to and it will affect us whether or not we want it to We wouldn't be warned so often to be watching if it were going to be obvious or simple Luke 21:36, Matt. 25:13, Luke 12:39, parable of 10 virgins The Jews in Jesus's time were actually looking for the Messiah, they had the scriptures, and yet the majority missed Him
But I don t know where to start. We ll get to that good thing is, there s no right place what s the use guessing when we don t have all the details? Well, same could be said of pretty much every topic in the bible. Doesn t mean we re not supposed to try. it s boring. Have you read Revelation?! It s crazy & full of action & weird details & amazing imagery. Start there.
Ground Rules Don't get locked into just one idea, & be willing to see different points of view or consider other ideas Things will look different over time, you'll be looking through different personal or study filters, etc. Consider the effects of different bible translations/versions If you favor a newer translation, try looking at a KJV or NKJV alongside it Use e-Sword and BibleHub to look at Greek/Hebrew word meanings and where those words are used elsewhere
Ground Rules (cont.) Don't let past teaching or organizational bias get in the way revisit old assumptions & see if they still hold up Don't fixate on every single detail look for signposts, the big framework If God wanted us to have all the details, He would have given them to us Speculation isn t a dirty word!
Where to Start? Find the major frameworks & build off that Look for continuity of themes, symbols, language Remember: all roads lead to Jerusalem Keep dual or short-/long-term fulfillment in mind Find the signposts
Find & build off major frameworks Daniel 2 statue made of gold, silver, brass, iron, & clay Daniel 7 four beasts Revelation 13 pulls together both Daniel 2 & 7, adds more detail, then brings us right up to the end Most of Revelation Daniel 11 king of south & north Matthew 24 Olivet Prophecy
Look for continuity of themes, symbols, language Mountain Dragon Lamb Woman Harlot/prostitute Stars Beasts Numbers 42, 3 , 7, 4 Colors white, purple, scarlet Day of the Lord, in that day , etc.
All roads lead to Jerusalem Don't let U.S.-centric thinking get in the way Also have to avoid "of your time" bias Zech. 12:2-3 I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling [drunkenness] to the nations unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah & against Jerusalem
Keep dual fulfillment in mind Types & antetypes short-term & long-term fulfillment The type is usually a relatively minor event in history, while the long-term fulfillment is generally a major world event (e.g. abomination of desolation) In some cases the former is a physical fulfillment while the latter is a more spiritual fulfillment (e.g. Matt. 24:2 temple & church)
Find the signposts Things that had to happen 1948 establishment of Israel Ability to efficiently destroy ourselves atomic bomb What are we told to still watch for? Daily sacrifices World religious/economic/military powers starting to align in certain ways
Putting it together Since the beginning, Satan has had the playbook & has set up counterfeit religions to almost mirror You & I can t tell just look at money and tell whether it s counterfeit; only people who study it 24/7 & know all the nuances will see it The best counterfeits are almost identical to the original Example Christ s return / rapture / resurrection Acts 1:9-11 Rev. 19:11 Zech. 14:4 I Thes. 4:15-17
