Are you ready for the unexpected?

March 8, 2022

History Interprets Prophecy

When it comes to interpreting last days prophecy you could describe it one word. Confusion. Or maybe two words. Massive confusion. Everyone has their opinion, their theory, most all of it built upon presumption and conjecture. But God did not give to us the prophecies of Revelation to merely predict and foretell, and certainly not to confuse. He tells mankind what He is going to do so that when it happens, we can know, without a doubt, that His providence has brought it to pass. Amos, the shepherd-prophet from Tekoa, wrote this, “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.” 

Most prophecy, down through the ages, is not able to be understood until the event happens. History is the best interpreter of prophecy. When current events match up with what God has prophesied, then the wise and the faithful can know that God is definitely fulfilling His purpose and plan. 

Joseph had a dream of his brother’s sheaves bowing down to him. It wasn’t clear what it meant until the time it was fulfilled. His brothers and his father denied that the dream could have any truth to it, and Joseph himself must have doubted it as he spent time in an Egyptian prison. 

Daniel’s dream of four beasts (Dan. 7), each representing a different nation, could only be partially interpreted. Yes, they represented nations, but exactly what nations was not made clear until history unfolded. And there is a fifth beast, “another beast”, represented by one horn rising up in the midst of ten horns and overthrowing three of them. That nation will be interpreted by the fulfillment, just like the previous four. And that interpretation has recently been fulfilled in history. Do we see it? 

The prophecies of the birth and ministry of Jesus were the same. They were not able to be interpreted predictively, but when history interpreted those prophecies then the wise should have been able to recognize their long-awaited Messiah. As it was, only some shepherds, some Magi from the east, Anna, and Simeon recognized the fulfillment of prophecy. Later on, the Pharisees insisted that Jesus was an imposter, not the Christ, saying, “Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family, and from Bethlehem?” (Jn 7:42). They could have gone to the county courthouse to confirm the birthplace and genealogy of Jesus, like Matthew and Luke did, but they preferred to stick with their presumptions about the Messianic prophecies. Jesus later wept over Jerusalem, as he approached the city, saying, “They will not leave one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.” (Lk 19:44). Another time Jesus said to the crowd, “How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time?” (Lk 12:56). 

Now, what about those prophecies of Revelation, the ones about the end of the age and the second coming of Jesus. The accurate interpretation of those prophecies, once again, will come from history. It is not the privilege of interpreters to become a “prophet” and predict the meaning of God’s prophecies. Prophecy is God speaking, and when it is fulfilled, it will be interpreted by history, proving His purpose, plan and providence. But will the wise and faithful see the fulfillment of Revelation in current events, or will they miss it, or deny it, holding on to their cherished conjectures and presumptions? That question is very, very relevant. Why? Because Revelation is happening, now. Five of the seven trumpet warnings have already occurred, in just the last 100 years. When trumpet #6 is unleashed, then the tumultuous events of the end of the age will unfold. We must be prepared, alert, and ready to stand strong. History is interpreting God’ prophecies and it is not what most Christians, especially in America, are expecting. And the resulting dismay and disillusionment may cause many to fall away. 

“However, when the Son of Man comes, 

will He find faith on the earth?” (Lk 18:8)

 

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