God chose men to speak His words to the people. He chose trustworthy men who were brave and obedient. These men had to be accurate when relaying God’s message because they risked death if they were wrong. “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die” (Deuteronomy 18:20).
Too often today, we take God’s word lightly and willingly listen to preachers who change God’s words in order to tickle ears and water down sermons so as to be politically correct and not empty the pews. God takes His word seriously, and so should we. Jesus gave a strong warning about false prophets. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” (Matthew 7:15-16).
There are many of these false prophets around today, so beware of anybody who says God told them to say or do something. They may truly be speaking for God, but don’t just accept them because they say they are speaking for God. Test all things by Scripture. If they say anything that is at odds with God’s word, then the speaker is wrong.
We do have hundreds of prophecies in Scripture, and we can count on them being accurate. Many have been fulfilled, but there are many yet to be fulfilled. We tend to think that prophetic words from God are for a distant time in the future and don’t really apply to us. If only Israel had paid more attention to God’s truth rather than ignoring Him, things might have gone smoother in their history. Let’s take a look at a couple of examples.
Jeremiah was a young man whom God chose to be a prophet. When he least expected it, God called him to be a prophet. “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:4-5).
God knows what a special place a baby will have in his or her life long before birth and has a plan for that little person’s life. That baby isn’t just some inanimate lump of tissue but a little person with a purpose. Jeremiah was less than enthusiastic when God called him to be a prophet! “Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child” (Jeremiah 1:6).
The word “child” is from the Hebrew word “na’ar,” which means a young boy or a youth. Jeremiah probably was in his late teens or early 20s when God spoke to him. This was still quite young, but when God calls a person, age doesn’t matter. If you’re called by God, then He will equip you for your calling. If you were a 20-year-old young man and God called you to bring the sins of your nation to the attention of the leaders, how would you react? Few grown men would be able to bear that burden.
Eventually, Jeremiah took his calling seriously and spread the word of God. Jeremiah’s words weren’t received well. There were threats to his life, arrests, and beatings. Why? Because he wasn’t politically correct! He spoke against child sacrifice, which we now call abortion. He spoke against ignoring God’s laws.
Judah was sent into Babylonian captivity for 70 years because they didn’t honor God’s law, which happens daily in our modern times. I wonder if the Bible teachers of the day tickled ears or taught what God “meant” rather than what He said. Whatever the reason, the people had disobeyed Leviticus 25:1-7 and did not allow the land to lie fallow for one year out of every 7 years. They stopped doing this for 490 years, and when they least expected it, God allowed them to go into captivity in Babylon for 70 years, which left the land fallow.
Even though Jeremiah had told them judgment was coming, they ignored the warning and did as they pleased. I’m not a prophetess, but I can read the signs of the times. God’s judgment is coming, and the only way to avoid that judgment is to repent and accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour today.
There are many instances of God warning of what’s to come and people not believing they are the generation when the prophecies will be fulfilled. One that is very well known and talked about this time of year is found in Isaiah. “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
Everybody knows a virgin cannot give birth, so God must have meant something else. Right? No, God meant exactly what He said. Prophecy not only said that a virgin would give birth but told where that birth would happen. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).
When they least expected it, God’s Son was born in a manger. It always amazes me that the religious leaders of the day were taken by surprise when the wise men showed up asking about Jesus, who had actually been born quite a while prior to the magi visiting. “Saying, ‘Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2). The chief priests and scribes were taken by surprise, and they had no answer but finally started looking at prophecy. They might have worshipped the King of kings in the manger had they taken prophecy seriously. When they least expected it, the prophecy was fulfilled, and they had to search for answers.
One day, when Mary least expected it, she had a visit from the angel Gabriel. Mary was young; some say she was in her early teens, and the message Gabriel brought was startling. God sent Gabriel “To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary” (Luke 1:27).
Mary was a virgin. Mary and Joseph were engaged and had not had any sexual relations. There was nothing supernatural about Mary; she was just a normal human. Gabriel told her that she would conceive and give birth to a son. “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:32-33).
Wow! Mothers always have high hopes for their children, but this was beyond amazing! Mary could have said, “Like, wow, man! That’s awesome!” Mary was down to earth and only said, “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?“ (Luke 1:34). Gabriel explained that the Holy Ghost would come upon her, and “the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee,” and the baby would be the Son of God. Mary was humble and agreed to be the mother of God’s only begotten Son.
Joseph was taken aback by Mary being pregnant and decided not to go forward with the marriage to Mary. “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21). This was all in fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14.
Joseph and Mary both had to take it all by faith and believe the prophecies about the Messiah. They must have been a bit shocked to understand that they were a part of God’s ultimate plan of salvation. Did they know what they would face? Probably not all of it, but they were obedient in spite of public opinion and doubters. This was a one-time event and will never happen again. The child that was born fulfilled many, many, many prophecies, and there are still more that He will fulfill.
Why is it important to study and pay attention to prophecy? Because when you least expect it, it will be fulfilled. Even Peter, who walked with Jesus for 3 years, was directly taught by Jesus and saw many miraculous things, saw the importance of prophecy. “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).
Brothers and sisters, we are living in a time when Biblical prophecy is coming to a final conclusion. When we least expect it, God will call all Christians Home. The Rapture is one of those topics that people try to interpret as what God meant rather than what He said.
There are “pictures” in the Old Testament of God removing His people prior to His judgment falling. Enoch was raptured prior to the Flood, and Lot had to be removed from Sodom prior to the fire and brimstone raining down and destroying that city of sin. The prophet Daniel was given a prophecy concerning the final seven years of time on earth, and it’s all about the Jewish people and bringing them to a pure faith in Jesus as the Messiah. “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24).
Daniel’s people are the Jewish people; Daniel’s holy city is Jerusalem. This prophecy goes on to describe the Messiah being “cut off” (crucified) and more about the end times. God doesn’t want us to be caught off guard. The Book of Revelation gives more detail of what the final seven years will look like, and nobody should want to be here.
Christians have a promise, the Blessed Hope, that God will remove us from the soon-coming judgment. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:11-14).
Some would have us believe the Rapture is a wrong teaching and that it causes those who believe God’s truth to get complacent and just sit back and wait to be called Home. Well, complacent Christians have nothing to do with belief in the Rapture. In fact, that truth should spur us on to evangelize and spread the Gospel so nobody will be left here to suffer the consequences of non-belief.
Study prophecy and be aware of where we are in history. Keep your eye on the happenings in the Middle East. Pray for Israel. When you least expect it, we will be called Home.
God bless you all
Nathele Graham
Recommended prophecy sites: All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.
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“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).