“All Scripture (including prophecy) is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:” (II Timothy 3:16) Because Bible prophecy originated from God and
testifies to Jesus, Satan, a deceiver of mankind (I Peter 5:8), wants nothing
more than to silence the voice of Bible prophecy since it is the revelation of
God. It affirms both the sovereignty of God and the divine inspiration of His
Written Word! It allows believers to peer into the future without fear, and
provides a petrifying glimpse of what awaits the unbelieving: the Tribulation
Period, White Throne Judgment and the Lake of Fire! (Revelation 20:11-15) Satan
labors to cloak these truths with distortions and various perversions of God’s
Word!
Many prophecies were given in the
‘former times’ (Old Testament) and fulfilled in the ‘latter times’ (New
Testament). The ‘latter times’ being the extended period between Jesus’s birth
and His Second Coming. We live, not only in the ‘latter times’, but in the last
days of the ‘latter times’, a fact supported by fulfilled and yet to be
fulfilled prophecies.
Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord
himself shall give you a sign; “Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son,
and shall call his name Immanuel.” Not only was Jesus’s birth fulfilled with
pinpoint precision (Matthew 1:18, 23, Luke 2:6-11), but His ministry, His
suffering and death were also prophesied and perfectly fulfilled, as was His
glorious resurrection (Psalm 16:10/Matthew 28:5-7)! Jesus given vinegar to drink
(Psalm 69:21/ Matthew 27:34) and having no bones broken (Psalm 34:20/John
19:33-36) are but two of the 33 Bible prophecies fulfilled on the very day Jesus
died on the cross! Yet Satan would have us believe that Bible prophecies are
foolish manmade fables and myths. Scripture declares otherwise. “For the
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men (prophets) of God
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (II Peter 1:21) But Bible prophecy
doesn’t just belong to the past. It speaks to today and to the future and Satan
wants to mute its voice, knowing that as past Bible prophecies were fulfilled
without error, so, too, will be all the end-time prophecies, including his own
defeat! (Revelations 20:10)
A key in Bible prophecy, Israel
provides proof that Jesus’s Second Coming is advancing with rapidity. With the
Jews return to Israel (1948) as predicted in Isaiah (70-681 BC), with her
deserts blossoming like Eden (Isaiah 51:3), and Jerusalem becoming a ‘burden to
all people’ (Zechariah 12:2-3), the Lord’s Coming draws nigh!
Jesus’s prophetic words detailing the
conditions of the latter days further add proof to this fact. “…many shall come
in my name saying, I am Christ: and shall deceive many…ye shall hear of wars and
rumors of wars. …nation shall rise against nation…: and there shall be famines,
and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diver places.” (Matthew 24:5-12) By
themselves these happenings are not proof of the last days, but when paired with
numerous other foretold last day events and conditions, conditions such as
growing intolerance toward Christians, increasing apostasy, gross moral
depravity, political strife, and increasing government control, we are
witnessing the merging and intensifying of end-time signs! (II Timothy 3:1-5) As
conditions worsen, the Rapture (catching away of believers) will occur, at which
time the world will be thrust into a horrifying period (Tribulation) during
which many will succumb to death, die in sin, awake in Hell! (Revelation 4-19;
Matthew 24:22).
But Bible prophecy need not frighten!
II Peter 1:19-21 informs us that prophecy sheds a light into our dark world; a
light of hope, the light of God’s Word, which clearly lights the way to Jesus!
Satan desperately wants prophecy’s light extinguished, therefore, Christians, as
never before, we need to be the light bearer to others, proclaiming the Good
News of Jesus Christ!
“……I am God, there is none else;…
Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are
not yet done, saying, My counsel (will) shall stand, and I will do all my
pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:9-11)
Satan’s time is running out. No wonder
he detests Bible prophecy!
