Monday, January 9

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Revelation 1:1-3

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

I was going through the check-out line in a local supermarket the other day when I glanced at the rack of tabloid newspapers next to the display of candy and gum. These are the publications that routinely blare headlines like “Man Gives Birth,” or “Woman Marries Alien Living in Her Attic.” However, this particular paper featured a headline that claimed, “Stunning Prophecies that will Change Your Life!” Since I was in the process of preparing for a sermon series on Biblical prophecy, I decided to buy the magazine and see what it had to say about these so-called “stunning prophecies”. So I put the tabloid paper with whatever else I was purchasing – tried not to make eye contact with the cashier – and hurried out of the store before anyone recognized me!

The tabloid writer claimed that a box was discovered in a burial ground in North Dakota that contained Native American prophecies about the future. The prophecies included predictions of world peace, economic prosperity and ecological renewal – and, of course, the birth of a white buffalo that would signal the “end of days.”

So what do we make of this kind of thing? What do we make of those who think the ancient Mayan calendar points to the end of the world on December 21, 2012? What is prophecy and what does the Bible have to say about the future?

Prophecy, properly understood, is simply God communicating his word and his will to his people through his chosen messengers. And often God’s word has to do with that which he wants to do – or will do – in the future.

And when we think of it like that - the Bible is chock-full of prophecy! In fact, scholars estimate that 20 to 25% of the entire content of the Bible is prophetic material. Therefore we can assume that prophecy is enormously important to God.

Biblical prophecy also covers a wide range of topics – many of which are extremely challenging from our human perspective. Prophecy speaks of events and issues that have not yet taken place:

• the end of human history 
• the final judgment 
• the second coming of Christ 
• the promise of heaven

But prophecy also points to things that have already taken place – but were prophesied before they actually happened:

• the creation of the nation of Israel
• the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ 
• the creation of the church 

One could spend most of a lifetime studying Biblical prophecy and never fully exhaust the truth that God has made available to us! So we are tempted to kind of throw up our hands and focus on other parts of the Bible. And yet there are truths that we must know and understand. Read again the opening words of the book of Revelation:

The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

Through these verses God is telling us the three most important things we need to know about prophecy.

• All prophecy ultimately is the revelation of Jesus Christ. In other words, it’s all about Jesus. 
• We are both wise and blessed to take this revelation to heart; that is to believe and act on what Jesus says to be true. 
• The time is near; that is, all things will come to an end, and now is the time to prepare! 

Ask God to use this study of prophecy to anchor your heart and with peace and certainty through his word. 

Pastor Brian Coffey