The Importance of Prophecy

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INTRODUCTION:  Why should we study prophecy.  Isn’t it too difficult, too controversial, too unknowable?  What makes it so important?

I.            Prophecy Makes Up Over One-Fourth of the Bible 

            A.            In the Old Testament 

                        1.            Isaiah through Malachi (minus Lamentations)--16 books

                        2.            Much of Psalms and many other passages (Ps.2;Gen.49) 

            B.            In the New Testament 

                        1.            I & II Thessalonians, Jude, Revelation--4 books

                        2.            Many other passages (see Matt.24&25) 

            C.            Some Statistics 

                        1.            First prophecy--Genesis 2:16-17

                        2.            First Messianic prophecy--Genesis 3:15

                        3.            Last prophecy--Revelation 22:20 

II.            Prophecy is Exalted by God Himself 

            A.            Prophetic Declarations Exalt God

                          Isaiah 41:26; 46:9-11 

            B.            We Are Commanded to Take Heed to Prophecy

                          II Peter 1:19 

            C.            We Are Blessed in the Reading, Hearing and Obeying of Prophecy

                          Revelation 1:3 

III.            Prophecy Proves the Authority of Scripture

              -fulfilled prophecy is one of the greatest proofs of the absolute authority of scripture--II Peter 1:16-21 

            A.            The Destruction of Cities and Nations 

                        1.            Tyre--great detail given in Ezekiel 26

                        2.            Samaria

                        3.            Gaza and Ashkelon

                        4.            Jericho

                        5.            Ninevah

                        6.            Edom

                        7.            Babylon

                                      --to list a few 

            B.            The History of Israel 

                        1.            The making of the nation--Genesis 12:1-3

                        2.            The years of captivity--Genesis 15:13-16

                        3.            The promise of a land--Genesis 15:18-21(cp.Gen.49)

                        4.            The establishment of a monarchy--Deuteronomy 17:14-15

                        5.            Captivity and worldwide scattering--Deuteronomy 28:63-65; 29:28

                        6.            Return from captivity--Jeremiah 25:11-14; 29:10

                        7.            Israel’s blindness to the true Messiah--Psalm 22:21-23 

            C.            The History of the Nations

                          -Daniel 2, 4, 11 

            D.            The Prophecies Concerning Christ

                          -There are over 300 OT references identifying over 60 details about the first coming of Christ.  They were all fulfilled! 

IV.            Prophecy Explains the Meaning of History

              -Without prophecy, history becomes endless and useless; through prophecy, history becomes: 

            A.            God Honoring--Resulting in the Ultimate Triumph of God 

                        1.            The defeat of the wicked--Revelation 19:11-21

                        2.            The subduing of all things--I Corinthians 15:24-28 

            B.            Dispensational--Proving the Grace of God 

                        1.            From law to faith--Galatians 3:21-26

                        2.            From Gentile to Jew and back again--Romans 11:25-29 

            C.            Providential--Providing Good For the Saints 

                        1.            Promise--Romans 8:28

                        2.            Provision--Titus 2:13

                        3.            Fulfillment--Romans 8:18; Revelation 21:3-7 

V.            Prophecy Arms the Believer Against Cultism 

            A.            Against Those Who Date Christ’s Coming

                          Matthew 24:36 

            B.            Against Those Who Claim to Be Christ

                          Matthew 24:5 

            C.            Against Those Who Pervert the Events of Prophecy

                          i.e., Jehovah Witnesses 

                        1.            Their claim to be the 144,000--Revelation 7:5-8

                        2.            Their teaching concerning Armageddon--Revelation 16:16 

VI.            Prophecy Motivates the Church to Evangelism

              -this is true historically 

            A.            The Imminency of Christ’s Return 

                        1.            Redemption draweth nigh--Luke 21:28

                        2.            Comes as a thief in the night--I Thessalonians 5:1-3 

            B.            The Urgency to Reach the Lost 

                        1.            Now is the day of salvation--II Corinthians 6:2

                        2.            It is high time to awake--Romans 13:11-14 

VII.            Prophecy Challenges the Believer to Holy Service 

            A.            To Watchfulness--Matthew 25:13

            B.            To Faithfulness--Luke 12:42-44

            C.            To Comfort--John 14:3

            D.            As an Encouragement in the Lord’s Supper--I Corinthians 11:26

            E.            To Confidence--Philippians 1:6

            F.            To Sincerity--Philippians 1:9-10

            G.            To Faithfulness to the Word--Philippians 2:16

            H.            To Heavenly Conversation--Philippians 3:20-21

            I.             To Moderation--Philippians 4:5  

            J.            To Mortification of Fleshly Lusts--Colossians 3:3-5

            K.            To Waiting--I Thessalonians 1:9-10  

            L.            To Brotherly Love--I Thessalonians 3:12-13

            M.            As a Source of Consolation--I Thessalonians 4:14-18

            N.            To Sanctification--I Thessalonians 5:23

            O.            To Obedience--I Timothy 6:13-14

            P.            To Pastoral Diligence--II Timothy 4:1-2; I Peter 5:2-4

            Q.            To Love the Second Coming--II Timothy 4:7-8

            R.            To Separation--Titus 2:11-13

            S.            To Look For Him--Hebrews 9:27-28

            T.            To Patience--James 5:7-8

            U.            To Endure Temptations--I Peter 1:7

            V.            To Soberness--I Peter 4:7          

            W.           To Bear Persecution--I Peter 4:13

            X.            To Godliness--II Peter 3:11-13

            Y.            To Abide in Christ--I John 2:28

            Z.            To Purity--I John 3:2-3

            AA.          To Repentance--Revelation 3:3