Last week we briefly addressed a few basic principles needed to understand the biblical prophecies of our times. One principle that we need to address in more depth is the fact that most biblical prophecies are very general in nature. Why didn’t the Lord make them more specific?
Most prophecies in Scripture, including most of the Messianic prophecies, were so ambiguous, couched in the middle of seemingly other unrelated text, that they were not understood by even the most devoted students of prophecy until after they had come to pass. It is because of this that many students of Scripture throughout the ages have tended to disregard these prophecies. They believed in them and their accuracy, but did not believe they could be useful except to help confirm or understand the events after they happened. I know many of today’s most outstanding Bible teachers feel this way.
This could be true about all other prophecy except the end times prophecy. It is obvious that after the end these will hardly be that useful. We do need to understand the prophecies of the end times before they come to pass though, and we are exhorted by the Lord to do this, so we know that we can. We are only told that no man will know the exact time in which the Lord will return. As I Thessalonians 5:4-6 states:
for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness;
so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.
Even so, most prophecies are not going to be as specific as we might like for them to be. However, there is an important reason for this, and if we understand why, we will be better prepared for the times.
The reason the Lord gives prophecies that may be general and ambiguous is that He is trying to teach us to know His voice, discern the Holy Spirit, and have us grow in faith and wisdom, not just the knowledge of what is going to happen. If the Lord spoke very clearly, specifically, and absolutely, then it would not require much faith or wisdom on our part. By studying the prophecies, we gain knowledge of His language.
Another principle concerning prophecy is that the more specific the prophecy, the more difficult the task or situation will be. One example of this in the New Testament is the way Paul and the other apostles seemed to go about their tasks. Because they were mature, they were “sent” by God, and not led around by the hand. They made many important decisions with their own judgment. The Lord did give them specific guidance, such as the dream He gave to Paul communicating that it was time to go to Macedonia. They followed His instructions and when they arrived there, they were beaten and thrown into prison. Even so, the reason they were able to rejoice and worship in prison was because they knew that even with the difficulties, they were in God’s will.
So, if the Lord is speaking about a matter in a more general sense it should be an encouragement to us. However, while considering this principle, the end times are called repeatedly the greatest times of difficulty that the world has ever, or will ever, know. It is for this reason that prophecies concerning the end times become far more detailed and specific than any other prophecies in history.
Even though the prophecies of the end times may be more specific and detailed, they are also couched in much more symbolism, which is often very difficult to understand. Presently there seems to be as many theories about what much of this means as there are those who teach about it. Even so, before the end we know that the Lord will open the understanding of what this means when it is needed.
Daniel was told to seal up his prophecies until the end. One of the signs that we have indeed come to the end will be when these seals are broken, and understanding comes.
As we see in the book of Revelation, whenever such a seal is broken or opened, major events take place on the earth. In due time we will examine these prophecies more thoroughly, but for now we want to pursue the understanding of why these things are going to happen. This is a foundational understanding, which we must have to understand the prophecies.
We also want to know why these things are going to take place so that we know the Lord’s ways, and therefore become more closely united with Him. Basically, the great difficulties at the end of this age are the result of God’s ways colliding with man’s fallen ways. One of the greatest reasons for this study is so we can better distinguish between the two.
When the book of Revelation is fully understood, we will be amazed at the detail that it prophetically foretold. We are also going to be astonished at how much of it has already been fulfilled. When John was told at the beginning of the revelation that the things he was about to be shown would “shortly come to pass,” he was not lied to. The only way that one could project the entire book of Revelation as being exclusively about the end times is to have almost a complete ignorance of history, which many, unfortunately, do have.
Even so, there are still many prophecies in the book of Revelation, Daniel, and other parts of Scripture that have not yet been fulfilled. Just separating the ones that have been fulfilled from those that are yet to be fulfilled can give us great clarity and understanding concerning our time.
Even though we can also expect increasingly specific detail as we get closer to the end, because of the great difficulties that are foretold, we must resist making anything more specific than God has made it. Remember, a major open door for heresy or deception to enter is by our trying to carry to logical conclusions that which God has only revealed in part.
However, we are also promised that if we seek, we will find and if we ask, we will receive. If we knock, the door will be opened to us. In this study, we are going to seek, we are going to ask the Lord for revelation and understanding, and we are going to keep knocking until the door is opened. For this reason, as we study together, I ask you to pray with me that the Lord give us revelation, wisdom, and understanding.
A major point of our studies on this subject until now has simply been to stir an interest and desire so that you would inquire of the Lord for understanding. I am also trying to drive home a few basic principles that I believe to be essential to understand if we are going to stay on course toward a true knowledge of these things, and not just come up with more theories that will further muddy the waters. It is time for us to understand these things.
