The Prophets, and biblical-prophecy have been a point of interest to me since the inception of my salvation in Christ Jesus. I met Jesus in a small Floridian beachside house Church; charismatic-arminianism at its finest. Later on, through an intense bible study of the book of John, almost our entire little missional-community in the South Pacific dumped the arminianism aspect. For what it is worth, much of those early days were spent delving amidst the prophetic/eschatological scriptures. As I have become more reformed in theology, I have remained unmoved in my belief in Holy Spirit gifts, namely, they have NOT ceased; and, my conviction to maintain a Post-Tribulation (Matt. 24:29-31; 1 Corinthians 15:50-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4) Premillenialism Eschatology, identifying closer to a Historic-rather than Dispensationalist Eschatology. In this discussion I will narrow my understanding in two-primary categories: The role of the Prophet, and the role of prophecy (Recognizing the two usually stand side by side-while recognizing they do not have to); then conclude with my thoughts on eschatological relevance for the modern Church.
What is the role of the prophet? The role of the Prophet in the Old Testament was to call wayward Israel back to covenantal-fidelity, or else. Baylis says, “Israel must repent and return to the true faith…or the land will again come under God’s judgment” (Baylis. 220). God’s promise, I believe, in “God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets” (ESV. Amos 3:7), is surely his merciful period of grace to repent. The role of the prophet, therefore, is to trumpet this period of grace for all to hear and repent. The prophet Joel simplifies the necessity of response in saying, “Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him” (ESV. Joel 2:14). No one remains unwarned.
The role of prophecy is to ensure future hope. Jesus, becoming the greater Elijah, is our “blessed hope” (ESV. Titus 2:13). God gave Old Testament Prophets future prophecies, if anything, to ensure hope. Imagine how encouraged Daniel felt when God revealed to him through the Prophet Jeremiah that Babylonian exile only last seventy-years. While Daniel was already faithful, this truth fueled his discipline to fast, pray, proclaim, and persevere. Prophecy is given to edify and strengthen those who will hear and obey. Eschatology, at its simplest, is for encouraging the believer to persevere until Jesus returns; regardless whether Jesus comes sooner, or later. Old Testament prophets were given future prophecies to ensure amidst catastrophic-judgments, such as exile, God will ultimately have mercy, bring Israelites back into the Promised, and in the fullness of time-establish Messiah’s eternal throne.
In conclusion, while Sandy made valid appropriations how Church response should be toward biblical prophecy, I disagree with his protagonism against an immediate return of the Lord. Sandy leans on logic to validate his conviction, even mocking the Apostles and early Church for believing in an immanent return of Christ (Sandy. 155-156). Further more, he falls into the trap of setting up an unfounded, and uncited general mistake many have made, saying, “The landscape is littered with burned-out Christian predictions…about the unfolding future” (Sandy. 155). While Sandy is correct concerning the last 150-years, I have searched the works of the most popular theologians, and then some, for more then a decade; only to find many of the most popular theologians throughout history have neglected the subject altogether. For example, John Calvin wrote a commentary on every book of the bible but the book of Revelation. Futhermore, Amillennialism and Postmillenialism have served as the predominate foundations for eschatological interpretation-to which also served many in not taking Christ actual return with any urgency. And yet still, Supercessionism has robbed even many of our great forefathers of the faith in seeing Israel’s part to play in the mystery of biblical eschatology. Because Sandy only refers to especially post WWI/WWII context, I would say he, like many others who were burnt in the seventies, eighties, and nineties with unbiblical predictions of Christ return, have chosen to preach against it in light of many who have left the faith after placing hope in deceptive predictions.
The prophet Daniel reveals to us a specific season in which seven-last-years will remain; and then Christ will return (Dan. 12). And Matthew 24 advises seven-times that the Christian must know the time and season in which they live (Matt. 24:32-51). Well one might say, “No one knows that day or hour,” speaking of Matthew 24:36. Do you not realize the context of that verse is wedged between the idea that you can know the season of that “day,” and it seems very clearly encouraged by Jesus in the same context that one would do well to be aware whether that season and “day” be upon them? I see two-main factors for the return of the Lord: Firstly, Israel must be in the Land, and they must establish a third temple so that the Anti-Christ may perform the “abomination of desolation” (Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11; Matt. 24:15; Rev. 13). Though Israel is back in the Land, they have yet to rebuild another temple. Secondly, the completion of the great commission (Matt 28:16-20; Rev. 5:9; 7:9). Matthew 24:14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (ESV). The Church has yet to complete the great commission. 1 Peter 3:11-12 encourages us to practice holiness, and to wait for/hasten the day of the Lord. This is how the Church must appropriate biblical prophets and prophecy. Old Testament prophets called Israel back to covenant-fidelity and warned of things to come; New Testament Church must do likewise, calling sinners to repentance and covenant relationship with our Lord and Savior. Every Christian must hasten the day of the Lord by praying for God’s purposes to be fulfilled in Israel, and by physically involving oneself in completing the Great Commission/the evangelism of the world.
Works Cited
Baylis, Albert H. From Creation to the Cross: Understanding the First Half of the Bible.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996. Print.
ESV Journaling Bible. The Journaling Edition ed.
Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2001. Print.
Sandy, D Brent. “Plowshares and Pruning Hooks: Rethinking the Language of Biblical Prophecy
and Apocalyptic.” Irvine, CA: IVP Academic, 2002. Print.