DUALITY OF PROPHECY

 

 

 

Do you believe in Bible prophecy? As a believer in Yeshua the answer is yes. How do we understand Bible prophecy?

The key point to understand is that Bible prophecy is often dual. It contains two warnings:

1. It is a historical warning for the people who lived at the time it was given.

2. It is a warning to a future generation to which all aspects of the prophecy apply. It is for those who live in the “end times” as many scriptures phrase it.

When scripture says, “in the latter days”, “that generation”, or “in that day” it is referring to the end times. Many Bible prophecies have both an ancient and a modern day fulfillment. The ancient fulfillment is usually a partial fulfillment.

Matthew 24 is a good example of this. When the disciples asked Jesus about the end times and restoration of the kingdom, Jesus said His return would be preceded by the destruction of the city,  dramatic heavenly signs, and a great conflict. He also mentioned in verse 15 about the “abomination of desolation” as spoken by the prophet Daniel.

The “abomination of desolation” was set up during the revolt of the Maccabees in 165 B.C. when the Jews rebelled and overthrew Antiochus Epiphanes. Jesus used that already fulfilled prophecy to indicate an event that was going to take place at a future date. Jesus was showing us how to interpret dual prophecies with this example.

He was explaining events that were soon to happen with the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and pointing to an end time event. This is a prime example of how prophecy is often dual. The ancient fulfillment was a forerunner of an event which is yet to come.

Many prophecies in Ezekiel, Isaiah, Daniel, and other books apply to us today. Their fulfillments are in the “latter days” or the “end times” as stated in the Bible. The warnings to the nation of Israel were not just for them in their ancient kingdom but apply to the Christian nations today.

The prophets warned the nation of their sin and apostasy exhorting them to repent and turn back to God. If they refused, the prophets warned, then a hasty and wicked nation would come upon them and take them into captivity. That is exactly what happened in ancient Israel and is what is going to happen to our nation if we continue in our apostasy.

Watching today’s headlines we can see this happening. Radical Islam is a warning to the western Christian nations to repent and turn back to God. If we refuse, terrorism will increase until the United States and European nations will experience tragic terror attacks. Continued disobedience could lead to war and defeat in war that could have terrible consequences or occupation forces in our nation.

Many will say that is impossible as we are the world’s mightiest nation. History proves that the mightiest nations come tumbling down when they fall into grievous sin and depravity such as the United States is. The 60 million children who have been aborted are an abomination to God. There is innocent blood on our hands. I can mention many other things that are an abomination to Elohim, but I think you get the point.

Read the Old Testament prophets and read them as a warning to our nations. There is a duality to these ancient scriptures that is undeniable. Now is the time to seek the Lord and get right with Him! Now is the time to pray for God’s mercy as He chastises our nation for falling away from His law and commandments.

Perhaps He will find a hiding place for you in His bosom. “For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.” Psalm 27.5