Why
Study Prophecy?
by Kenneth
V. Ryland
Recently I had the
opportunity to participate in a prophecy roundtable via the miracle
of modern telecommunications. We were in rapt conversation about the
"fourth beast" and where all the events of Daniel 11 fit in the
prophetic timetable of human history. Some of the information was
truly inspiring because it made plain the exactness with which God
detailed the future to His prophet Daniel.
While preparing
for this discussion, the thought occurred to me that we were not just
participating in an academic exercise. Even though with studied gaze
we viewed how prophecy was transformed into history, to the people
who witnessed the unfolding of these divinely foretold events, the
prophecies were anything but academic. And, to those who knew the
Bible and its God, the march of these predicted events was truly an
astoundingly beautiful, and often terrifying, testimony to the very
real, personal activity of their Almighty Creator in shaping their
lives and the politics of the nations that surrounded
them.
This brings us to
the point of why we study prophecy. We want to know about ourselves.
Did God speak of me and my family -- my nation -- through His
prophets? How will the unfolding of prophecies yet unfulfilled impact
me and the ones I love? Just as those in past ages saw the day that
prophecies turned real, will we see the same in our day?
The fascination
with prophecy stems not just from what we think we will learn about
ourselves and those most dear to us, but from the fact that
throughout the Bible we have an entire catalog of prophecies that
have already been fulfilled, and that gives us a sense of certainty
that since God was true to His word in ages past, He will be true to
it in our time.
Biblical prophecy
is true because God is both reliable and predictable. And, much of
what the Bible predicts about the future is the natural response of
God's immutable and holy character to overflowing corruption,
degradation, and defiance of any godly restraint. In biblical terms
any such morally debased society deserves to die -- even the one in
which we live. So, what we want to know most from Bible prophecy is
"Will my nation be destroyed because of all its sins?" If it appears
that God's judgment is against us, is there a way that I can avoid
being punished with the rest of society? Will it be possible for me
to save my family?
These are the
types of questions that make Bible prophecy meaningful to us. What
gives these questions relevance is that we can look at history and
see that God has indeed carried out judgments against certain
societies not just "to fulfill His purpose" (whatever that means),
but to eliminate the perpetrators of evil. Very often prophets
shouted warnings to the people that unless the evildoers quickly
reversed course and stopped their moral debauchery and idolatry, God
would act to destroy them. We see this theme played over time and
again by Israel's and Judah's prophets.
What we are all
wondering is "Has our nation gone too far?" Will we be able to
reverse course before God's judgment hammers us and our children? Is
there a way to turn all this around enough to avoid the judgments
that God said would come upon a people who, after declaring to the
world that their nation was created by an act of God for the purpose
of the advancement of the Gospel, have slapped their Creator in the
face with their wanton immorality, destruction of human life, and
rampant corruption.
I am reminded of
Solomon, who during the latter part of his life turned himself and
the nation from God to idols. Here is God's response to Solomon in 1
Kings 11: "So the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart
had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him
twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should
not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD had
commanded. Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, 'Because you have done
this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have
commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give
it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for
the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your
son. However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one
tribe to your son for the sake of my servant David, and for the sake
of Jerusalem which I have chosen.' Now the LORD raised up an
adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was a descendant of
the king in Edom. (vv. 9-14)
Is the Lord
beginning to raise up enemies against our nation also?
Yes, many
Christians are concerned about what prophecy holds for our country
because the Judge of the Universe is predictable, and we can see His
dealings with Israel -- how He made them pay for their idolatry and
treachery. This is what makes prophecy relevant to us today. This is
why it is important to study prophecy. Not only do we gain a glimpse
of the future, but we awaken to the real need to straighten out our
lives and our relationship with God before the time for that runs
out.
The thing that we
all fear, and rightfully so, is that we will not heed the prophetic
warnings as Nineveh did, but will live to witness the words of
Ezekiel 22 fulfilled in our nation in our time:
"'The
people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and
mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the
stranger. So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall,
and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I
should not destroy it; but I found no one. Therefore I have poured
out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of
My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,'
says the Lord GOD." (vv. 29-31)
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