purpose of prophecy

[Guest]

Hello all, pretty new here but i have a question that may seem kind of crazy but keeps popping up in my mind.I've been wondering what the purpose of prophecy is in the Christian era.

It seems to me that the prophets of the old testament were a bit more straight forward, in that they were calling on the peoples of Israel to stop worshipping false idols or making aliances with certain nations etc.

It seems that prophecy in the Christian era has done nothing but sow dissention. I've read some of the threads here concerning preterist, futurist, pre-milenialsts ad-nauseum and as one that is just trying to figure out what it is [/i]I[/b] actually belive, this round house gets frustrating at times and scary at others. Scary in that there is fear mongering out there stating that " If your a disponsationalist then your not going to be ready for the tribulation" or " If your a preterist then you won't recognize the end times.

So some where out there in this grand debate is the truth, which seems unatainable until the events or non-events have already happened. So what's the point? Were the prophecies of revelation meant to be a warning for us to understand? Why tell us to look for the abomination of desolation when I don't even know what to look for. Was it the sacking of the temple or some still to come blaphemmous event?

It makes me want to avoid the subject but at the same time it's one of the most exciting topics in the bible.

I don't expect hard answers to my little rant here but rather was wondering if anyone else was in the same shoes I am.

Thanks

[Guest]

Hi Freelancer,

I have no answers! I just wanted to tell you that I am in the same boat. Or wearing the same shoes. Whatever. I have the same problems you wrote about!

[Guest]

Hi guys,

Some thoughts:

First, I don't think there is anything urgent about understanding eschatology. If prophecies have already been fulfilled, and the futurists don't recognise it, then they simply miss-out on some of the impressive proofs that God knew the future before it came to pass. The worst-case scenario would NOT be that they mistakenly look for a future fulfillment of something that has already happened, but that they would get zealously distracted with the whole impractical category of unfulfilled prophecy, and neglect the weightier matters of the teachings of Christ. In that case, the problem was not with their misunderstanding of eschatology, but with the shallowness and the immaturity of their Christian lives. Correct eschatology wouldn't have remedied that problem.

Second, if we are preterists, but the futurists turn out to be right, what have we lost by our mistake? If things described in Revelation actually begin to take place in our time (none of them have begun to do so as of the time of this writing), then we, who thought otherwise, will stand corrected, and be none-the-worse-off for our error, since we will then know everything about it that will be known by those who were futurists all along! Where is the danger (or the value) in any of this?

Third, anyone who says that we must be futurists in order to be prepared for what is coming needs to clarify some points:

a. If the rapture is the next predicted thing to come, what preparation can we make for that, which we would not already be doing simply by following Christ anyway?

b. If the rapture is not next, but the tribulation and the Antichrist are, how are we supposed to react to this awareness? Vote against candidates that might prove to be the Antichrist? Store up seven-years' worth of food, contact lens solution and batteries in the woods? Buy anti-tank rockets and join a militia, to form an "Antichrist Resistance Front"? Avoid getting married or having children? Buy hardened-steel, guillotine-resistant neckware? Get a prescription for Valium? Actually, I can't think of one point in which my life would have to change, were I to believe in the futurist scenario (or any way in which it qualitatively changed by my giving-up my former belief in the futurist scenario). If these things are determined by God to happen at history's culmination, what can I do to alter anything? If nothing, then why do I even need to know about it in advance?

I disagree with the suggestion that Bible prophecy is the most exciting part of the Bible—though it is inspiring to see how God fulfilled His predictions historically. I find the Sermon on the Mount much more exhilarating, personally.

As for getting to the point of knowing which eschatological view is correct, I would simply recommend continued, consistent, diligent study of the whole Bible, with a prayerful and teachable attitude. This may not yield immediate understanding of every passage, but it will guarantee that you will know as much of God's Word as He wants you to know at any given point in time. Knowing this provides a remarkably calming assurance.

[Guest]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I've been trying to sort out other peoples views more than I probably should. As I don't go to church, I'm still getting the feel for how/what to study. Much has come through audio, yours Steve and some other sites. One site is very political and they have left the US for Canada and claims that God has called all belives to not take part in the fornications of the beast which they believe is the US.

I'm spinning in circles here. I don't even know how to study the bible realy. I read and take out of it what I can but you guys here blow me away as far as your knowledge.

Sorry I'm getting off track here but I don't have any Christian friends and most of the churches around here seem too.... modern I guess.

Thanks for listening

[Guest]

I am grieved to hear that you have no Christian friends. You are welcome to fellowship here.

Your personal biblical studies do not have to follow any elaborate plan. Just read through the Bible repeatedly and reverently with an open mind, and you can't help improve your familiarity and grasp of its contents. I have read many books, but my understanding of scripture was formed, not by reading these books (from which I have not learned so much of what the Bible means as what other people think the Bible means), but by reading and meditating on the scriptures themselves.

I hope you find some local Christian friends in your area. If not, putting Jesus at the center of your life and interests will help fill the void that friends normally fill. I know this for sure.

[Guest]

Hi freelancer--

i too can sympatize with your frustration over all of the varying views about end times prophecy. everyone is able to support their different views very well so it is easy to waver back and forth without having any clear idea of what the truth actually is.

i like steve's response-- ultimately it doesnt really matter which view is correct. one thing is for sure.. jesus warned us to "watch" and to not get caught napping. so that is the approach i am taking- rather than focusing so much on exactly how the end times will occur (they may still be very far off) i am trying to focus on being a disciple. if i am a true disciple, then i will be ready, whatever happens.

TK

[Guest]

Thank you both. These may seem like simple minded questions but... When you say meditate what exactly does that mean. For instance I read a chapter or verse, am I then just thinking about that chapter of verse. Is this something that is done in a prayer like manner where I am praying to God? Forgive me but I have a lot to learn.

Thanks again for your time and understanding.

[Guest]

Freelancer-

in my mind(no pun intended), "meditating" simply means thinking about-- pondering about. instead of just reading a chapter of the bible and then putting it down, take the time to try to figure out what it is actually saying-- does the text tell me to do something (i.e. does it contain a command?). does the text contain a promise of some sort? in other words, try to consider how the text can be applied to you personally. before you read, invite God to reveal something to you.

one thing my pastor encourages us to do is instead of simply reading large chunks of text in order to meet a "reading goal," read until you "get something" and then stop-- and think about what you just read.

i would also encourage you to read a daily devotional like "My Utmost for His Highest" by oswald chambers-- this is available free online. By reading devotionals like this, you will see how others can take rather small passages of scripture (sometimes only a couple of words) and glean great truths from them. by observing how others do this, you will learn to do it yourself.

but of course the biggest thing is to simply do it. the more you do it , the more you will want to do it and the more you will miss not doing it.

TK

[Guest]

Hello!

TK wrote: before you read, invite God to reveal something to you.

If you will pardon my commenting, please allow me to affirm this point, and to encourage remaining in a prayerful state throughout reading the text, listening continually for God's leading. The holy spirit is the lightning; the text is only a rod.

Shalom,
Emmet

[Guest]

I fully agree with Steve's Aug 23 post, including the part about the Sermon on the Mount being more exciting that eschatology.

The fact that Steve is a preterist, and I a futurist, in no way divides us as brethren. Our fellowship as disciples of Christ rests not on our philosophical or theological beliefs, but upon our mutual intention to continue submitting to Christ and serving Him wholeheartedly.

An issue of much more import than one's escatological position is the character of one's beliefs about salvation from sin. Do we believe that through Christ's death we actually begin to be delivered from sin? Or do we believe that through Christ we acquire merely "positional righteousness"?

I agree also with Steve, that our eschatology has little or no relation to the manner in which we presently live our lives.

However, I do see a possible relation to our future lives. If the great tribulation period should begin to take place during our life time, both the preterists and the pre-trib rapturists will be mentally unprepared. The preterists will think, "This wasn't supposed to happen. I thought it all happened in 70 A.D." The pre-tribbers may be even more disturbed. Their immediate reaction may be"What's this? Did I miss the rapture or what?" Later they may observe, " I haven't heard any reports about millions missing. Was I wrong about the rapture after all?"

I also suspect that pre-tribbers may be less fit to face suffering even at the present time. Their mind set may be that God will deliver them out of suffering as He supposedly will deliver them out of the tribuation to come.