Prophecy, it’s not what most think.
People assume prophecy is to foretell the future. A means to present history in advance. But this is not what Jesus says. Prophecy is so we can look back in history and see God’s hand in bringing an obscure event to pass.
Jesus said; “I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe” (John 14:29). And again, “From henceforth I tell you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he” (John 13:19)
Most of the prophecies about the coming of Christ were so vague, we could never base a detailed forecast on them until after fulfilled. John the Baptist stands out having said to be Elijah. Jesus stands out when said to be the Temple of God. Indeed, most today missed the Kingdom of God in the times of the Roman Empire thinking it would be physical instead of spiritual. And agree with the Pharisees that it is yet future and physical.
Robert Whitelaw says: When we analyze all these cases [of fulfilled prophecies], we find that the fulfillments may be classified into five categories as follows:
(a) Natural events, fulfilled as described by the writer; thirteen cases.
(b) Natural events, but not fulfilled exactly as described or foreseen; eleven cases.
(c) Fulfilled by events both natural and spiritual, but never exactly as described or likely foreseen: sixteen cases.
(d) Fulfilled by events in the spiritual realm only, but not as described or likely foreseen: forty-three cases.
(e) Fulfillments cited in the N. T. as the general tenor of ‘, what the prophets have said”, and always fulfilled by events in the spiritual realm: eleven cases.
Robert Whitelaw. THE GOSPEL MILLENNIUM and Obedience to Scripture.
So based on this it is hard to trust what we think a prophetic passage says until after God makes it clear by fulfilling it.
E.J. Young says; Now, it is contrary to the nature and genius of prophecy to reveal the future as detailed history. In all prophecy there is an element of obscurity and perhaps even of ambiguity. The Lord had distinctly said that He would speak to the prophets in a manner less clear and direct than that in which He would speak to Moses His Servant (Num. 12:1–8). With the prophets He would speak in dreams and visions and—so it would seem—in dark and enigmatic sayings. In revelations which were given as visions, therefore, we should expect an abundance of imagery and symbolism. There are many instances of such revelation in the prophetical books (e. g., Isa. 24–27; Joel 3:9–17; Zech. 14; Ps. 2; Amos 7–9).
Young, E. J. (1980). The Prophecy of Daniel: A Commentary (p. 21). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Irenaeus of Lyons: “It is … more certain, and less hazardous to await the fulfillment of the prophecy, than to be making surmises, and casting about for names that may present themselves.”
People assume prophecy is to foretell the future. A means to present history in advance. But this is not what Jesus says. Prophecy is so we can look back in history and see God’s hand in bringing an obscure event to pass.
Jesus said; “I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe” (John 14:29). And again, “From henceforth I tell you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he” (John 13:19)
Most of the prophecies about the coming of Christ were so vague, we could never base a detailed forecast on them until after fulfilled. John the Baptist stands out having said to be Elijah. Jesus stands out when said to be the Temple of God. Indeed, most today missed the Kingdom of God in the times of the Roman Empire thinking it would be physical instead of spiritual. And agree with the Pharisees that it is yet future and physical.
Robert Whitelaw says: When we analyze all these cases [of fulfilled prophecies], we find that the fulfillments may be classified into five categories as follows:
(a) Natural events, fulfilled as described by the writer; thirteen cases.
(b) Natural events, but not fulfilled exactly as described or foreseen; eleven cases.
(c) Fulfilled by events both natural and spiritual, but never exactly as described or likely foreseen: sixteen cases.
(d) Fulfilled by events in the spiritual realm only, but not as described or likely foreseen: forty-three cases.
(e) Fulfillments cited in the N. T. as the general tenor of ‘, what the prophets have said”, and always fulfilled by events in the spiritual realm: eleven cases.
Robert Whitelaw. THE GOSPEL MILLENNIUM and Obedience to Scripture.
So based on this it is hard to trust what we think a prophetic passage says until after God makes it clear by fulfilling it.
E.J. Young says; Now, it is contrary to the nature and genius of prophecy to reveal the future as detailed history. In all prophecy there is an element of obscurity and perhaps even of ambiguity. The Lord had distinctly said that He would speak to the prophets in a manner less clear and direct than that in which He would speak to Moses His Servant (Num. 12:1–8). With the prophets He would speak in dreams and visions and—so it would seem—in dark and enigmatic sayings. In revelations which were given as visions, therefore, we should expect an abundance of imagery and symbolism. There are many instances of such revelation in the prophetical books (e. g., Isa. 24–27; Joel 3:9–17; Zech. 14; Ps. 2; Amos 7–9).
Young, E. J. (1980). The Prophecy of Daniel: A Commentary (p. 21). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Irenaeus of Lyons: “It is … more certain, and less hazardous to await the fulfillment of the prophecy, than to be making surmises, and casting about for names that may present themselves.”
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