The Purpose of
Biblical Prophecy
The Way
Biblical Prophecy Works
John 16:13
2 Jan 2011 AM
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
I.
Introduction - A Little Warning
(Rev 1:3)
A.
Never has
there been a time in history when we have had more of the Word of God
available to us.
1.
There are
more and more books written about the Bible than ever. More commentaries to
dissect, critique, and explain it.
2.
There are
some brilliant Bible programs for computers, for iPhones, Blackberries,
iPads
3.
Anyone can
listen to the Bible and watch preaching and teaching from anywhere in the
world.
B.
It's
frightening to think that we have so much knowledge, and so little Bible
living.
C.
As believers
of this Book, our lives should reflect the words of this Book!
1.
More often
than not, our lives reflect the words of our TV, of the latest philosophy
and psychology fad
2.
Most
Christians are only copies of their friends, and of their families
3.
When the
design is for us to be copies of the Lord Jesus Christ!
D.
That’s why
this year, we have dedicated our studies to making us into doers of the
word, and not hearers only
1.
Yes, faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God
2.
But hearing
alone will not save anyone. Obeying what we hear, will save not only a
sinner’s soul, but a family, and even an entire nation!
E.
Now, this
month, we are looking at Prophecy
1.
There is a
great blessing in learning the prophecies of this Bible (Rev 1:3)
2.
There is an
even greater purpose in learning what’s ahead
3.
If there is
anything we need as a church, and as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, it
is that we would live like Jesus is coming back today!
F.
I want this
morning to look at Biblical Prophecy, and learn a little how it works, and
why we should study it
G.
I want to
open all of our understanding of the future, not to only scare you, but to
thrill you, and excite you, and encourage you!
II.
Background (John 16:13)
A.
We love to hear “predictions”
1.
People peer
into crystal balls, study tea leaves, flip through tarot cards, judge
wrinkles in their palms, talk to channelors and mediums – all with the hope
of knowing the future
2.
People need
to know things are going to be okay in the future
3.
We need to
know of upcoming disasters
a.
That’s why
people lean over radars, satellite pictures, review weather station reports,
monitor earthquake sensors…
b.
Because we
want to know what is ahead of us
4.
In practical
ways, people want to know, “Will someone say YES to a marriage proposal?”,
or will someone die if they take a new experimental drug?, etc
5.
That’s why
people spend a fortune on stock market analysts, and financial advisors, and
political advisors, and palm readers, and astrologers – they are all trying
to do the same – predict the future!
B.
Man Only Fails at Predicting
the Future
1.
Just look at
the track record of Weathermen!
2.
Psychics
a.
Pure
manipulation of vulnerable people
b.
Some are
demonic, most are only hustlers who know how to read their audience
c.
Yet, they
are very popular on TV, and with their books, and columns in the newspaper
3.
Nostradamus
a.
Vague
b.
Easy to read
anything you want into the phrases called Quatrains
c.
Yet, 500
years after his death, he continues to be read by millions as if he holds
the key to understanding the future
4.
Some
religions
a.
1914 End of
the world according to Charles Taze Russell of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. In
1889 he said, "In the coming 26 years, all present governments will be
overthrown and dissolved."
b.
The
Watchtower Society changed the date to 1918
c.
1925 End of
the World according to Jehovah's Witnesses. J. Rutherford said, "...there
will be a resurrection of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and other faithful ones of
old ... we may expect 1925 to witness the return of these faithful men of
d.
1975 End of
the World according to Jehovah's Witnesses. “Our chronology, … at the best
only points to the autumn of 1975 as the end of 6,000 years of man’s
existence on earth."
5.
Science
a.
“Everything
that can be invented has been invented.” Charles H. Duell, an official at
the
b.
“Stocks have
reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.” Irving Fisher,
economics professor at
c.
“In all
likelihood world inflation is over.” International Monetary Fund Ceo, 1959.
d.
“They
couldn't hit an elephant at this dist-” Last words of Gen. John Sedgwick,
spoken as he looked out over the parapet at enemy lines during the Battle of
Spotsylvania in 1864.
e.
“This is the
second time in our history that there has come back from
f.
“There is no
reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”
g.
Ken Olson,
president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp. (DEC), maker of
big business mainframe computers, arguing against the PC in 1977.
h.
“I have
traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best
people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last
out the year.” The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall,
1957.
i.
“But what...
is it good for?” IBM executive Robert Lloyd, speaking in 1968
microprocessor, the heart of today's computers.
j.
“To place a
man in a multi-stage rocket and project him into the controlling
gravitational field of the moon where the passengers can make scientific
observations, perhaps land alive, and then return to earth - all that
constitutes a wild dream worthy of Jules Verne. I am bold enough to say that
such a man-made voyage will never occur regardless of all future advances.”
Lee DeForest, American radio pioneer and inventor of the vacuum tube, in
1926
k.
“The world
potential market for copying machines is 5000 at most.” IBM, to the eventual
founders of Xerox, saying the photocopier had no market large enough to
justify production, 1959.
l.
1919
Conjunction of 6 planets would make the sun explode, according to
meteorologist Albert Porta
m.
1982 Jupiter
effect, astronomical alignment of planets on the one side of the sun would
cause lethal solar flares - according to
n.
2000 End of
the world according to Jeanne de Roger, as well as Eradication of
computerised society due to the Millennium Bug
6.
Christians
a.
In 1952
evangelist Billy Graham said, "In this year, it's all going to be over" – in
response to the new hydrogen bomb
7.
Betting
Companies LOVE predictions
C.
God is the Only Source for
Knowing the Future (Acts 15:18)
1.
He is
outside of time (Psalm 90:1,2)
2.
He tells the
future all the way from the beginning (Isa 46:9,10)
a.
If you don't
want to feel helpless, then know that God knows your future.
b.
That also
means He has a plan for you, even if we don't completely know what that is.
c.
It's a very
secure feeling to be in the hands of someone who loved you so much that He
sent His Son to die for you, isn't it?
3.
He wrote
about the future in the Bible, and the Holy Spirit explains it (John 16:13)
4.
Therefore we have the Sure Word
of prophecy in the Bible (2Peter 1:19-21)
a.
Not based
upon signs only
b.
Especially
not based upon feelings and our own senses and fears
c.
The future
is written in the Bible, and it will work out the way GOD designed it to
work out, not the way WE think it will!
5.
We should start to believe this
Book like never before (Luke 24:25-27)
III.
Message – The Purpose of
Biblical Prophecy
A.
To Wake Us Up
(Luke 3:1-3,7; Luke 21:25,26)
1.
God is
trying to get our attention.
a.
With all the
increasing violence, violent weather, natural disasters, and other
calamities befalling mankind, some might ask, "What does it all mean?" Many
of the signs of His soon return we are witnessing today are designed to wake
us from our slumber.
b.
God does not
pour out His wrath without first warning us.
c.
God wants us
to know He will return.
d.
God is
giving us every chance to repent of our sin and return to Him. He is being
patient with us because He wants everyone to come to repentance (2Peter 3:9)
2.
Christians
cannot just live any way they want (2Peter 3:11,12)
3.
Prophecy is
much more than a mere telling of the future.
a.
That would
be too easy!
b.
Prophets are
vastly different from fortune tellers. The prophet’s role was to incite his
listeners to godly living. The reader was urged to remember that God is
sovereign over history and that His promises are sure.
c.
Through
biblical prophecy, the godly will be encouraged to live pure and righteous
lives and to be willing to suffer and sacrifice in the present in order to
participate in the certain blessings of God’s future promises. In this way,
prophecy is profitable to every reader who will hear and obey God’s Word,
regardless of whether or not these prophecies are fulfilled in his lifetime.
B.
To Reveal God
(Rev 1:1) – to open up our understanding of Who He is and How He thinks
1.
Ignoring
biblical prophecy means ignoring a large part of the Bible.
2.
You cannot
study Scripture without studying prophecy.
3.
Every fourth
verse in the Scripture deals with prophecy.
4.
The coming
of the Lord is a truth of such importance that it is mentioned 318 times in
the 260 chapters of the NT (on an average of once every 25 verses).
5.
The only
subject mentioned more frequently than the second coming is the subject of
salvation.
6.
Paul
mentioned the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper only twice in his 14 epistles
and baptism only 13 times, but he mentions the return of our Lord 50 times!
7.
God is the
God of all time
8.
He is there
at the beginning, and He has always been at the end of time, already!
9.
He is
eternal!
10.
You couldn’t
know Him, unless you begin to see that He is at work not only in the past,
but also in the future
11.
Prophecy
teaches us that God cannot fail
12.
That what he
promises, He will do!
C.
To Authenticate (Prove) God and
His Words
1.
Fulfilled
prophecy authenticates the Word of God.
a.
The Old
Testament prophet would sometimes give a distant prophecy (like the coming
of the Messiah), accompanied by a near prophecy (like of a coming
earthquake). The purpose for the near prophecy was to validate both the
prophet and his distant prophecy.
b.
God didn’t
just have people go around and rebuke people for their sins
c.
God had
those men preach, and then prove that they were speaking God’s word by
giving a prophecy
d.
Prophecy is
God’s signature that He was speaking
e.
ONLY God
could tell the future, 100% of the time correctly
2.
Our Lord
staked His entire ministry and message on His ability to fulfill the
prophecy that He would rise from the grave (cf. Matthew 12:38-40; cf.
27:63).
3.
The whole
message of the gospel was powerfully proclaimed simply because Christ’s
death, burial, and resurrection was the fulfilment of prophecy (cf. Acts
2:14-36; 3:18-26).
4.
Prophecy is
a powerful authentication of the Word of God. Prophecy gives credibility to
the proclamation of the gospel. If someone wants to disprove the Word of
God, he or she must first disprove the Bible’s claim of fulfilled prophecy.
5.
Mediums,
clairvoyants, and astrologers produce some remarkable predictions, but
rarely with more than about 60 percent accuracy, never with total accuracy.
And none of them match the detail of Bible prophecies!
6.
Biblical
prophecies prove that God is there
7.
And that He
wrote us clear instructions in a Book (not in a dream, or in a vision)
8.
God wrote us
clear instructions – not just stories, but directions on how to live, and
love, and forgive, and succeed (Joshua 1:8)
9.
No one would
take it seriously if it weren’t for the fulfilled prophecies
10.
Not just 1,
or 10 prophecies, but over 700 prophecies in the Bible about people, places,
events, disasters, nations!
11.
There are 35
prophecies about Jesus Christ’s first coming
12.
There are
over 100 prophecies about His SECOND Coming!
13.
There are
almost 30 prophecies about this current dispensation and the Church
14.
There are
over 100 prophecies about the Antichrist and his dark kingdom
15.
The odds
that these prophecies would occur by accident, or naturally are 1 in 10
2000
16.
That’s a 10
with 2000 zeros after it!
D.
To Empower God’s People
(2Tim 3:16,17)
1.
All
Scripture is beneficial, profitable for the believer – especially prophecy
(Rev 1:3)
2.
Prophecy
gives us a sure hope
3.
Prophecy
gives us a rest in God’s plan (John 16:1,33)
4.
It
Strengthens Our Faith
a.
God wrote
these words, especially the prophecies to strengthen our faith
b.
The more you
and I read and learn how GOD sees the world, and sees the future, the more
it strengthens my confidence in Jesus!
c.
Some people
think the Bible is hard to understand
d.
I say, it is
just hard to believe!
e.
Jesus did
not reveal truth to the wise and intelligent, but to babies, little children
who would just believe it (Mt 11:25)
5.
Prophecy
gives us authority when speaking to this world
a.
That there
is a hell
b.
That there
is also a heaven
c.
That GOD
will judge sin and sinners (Heb 9:27)
d.
That God
will take care of His children
E.
To Keep us Safe
(Mt 24:4,5)
1.
By keeping
us from getting deceived by this world’s lies (John 8:36)
2.
By getting
us close and dependent upon God and His word – Christianity is living far
too independent of God these days, and a better awareness of the future will
draw us closer to Jesus!
3.
By getting
us to just do right. Knowing that God’s way is the only way to live will
cause us to live godly and right
4.
By causing
people to fear enough to get saved from the wrath to come
F.
To Move Us into Action
1.
Prophecy
should create in us a sense of urgency. One of the most common problems of
the Christian life is apathy.
2.
Unbelieving
scoffers reject the warnings of future judgment, secure in their
self-delusion that everything is continuing on as it has from the beginning
(2 Peter 3:4).
3.
Prophecy is
given to stir us up, to be ready for the Lord’s return, and even to yearn
for its coming (Mt 24:32,33; 25:13; 1Thes 5:1-6)
IV.
Conclusion
A.
This month I am going to teach
you how to test and prove God’s word
B.
As well as how to test FALSE
prophets and prove them wrong
C.
This BOOK is our telescope both
into our hearts, but also into the future
D.
What Does the Future Hold?
1.
The Soon
Coming Rapture of all Bible Believers
2.
The Judgment
Seat of Christ
3.
The Rise of
the Antichrist
4.
The Great
Tribulation
5.
The Coming
Together of All World Religions, under Satan
6.
The
7.
The Second
Coming of Jesus Christ to this Earth for a 1,000 year reign as King of kings
8.
The
9.
The Great
White Throne Judgment
10.
The New
Heaven and New Earth
E.
Are you ready for the future?
1.
I am going
to show you what lies ahead for this world
a.
Prophecies
of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ
b.
Prophecies
About the Future – not 1,000 years from now only, but only 5-10 years
c.
Prophecies
about Christianity
d.
About
e.
About
Economies
2.
I hope to
give you a time-line of upcoming events so that you can enjoy your Bible
study more than ever, knowing that God is working all things out for good!
3.
But, if you
died and stood before God, would you stand forgiven, or still in your sins?
4.
Jesus said,
Ye must be born again!!!
5.
TODAY is the
day of salvation, not tomorrow!