Why Study End Time Prophecies?
Is it appropriate that some churches are ignoring the teaching of end of the age prophecies? We can assume that some believers have been emotionally let down when their teachers seemed to be wrong. They now wish to protect themselves by ignoring nearly one quarter of all Bible teaching. Is this what God wants or what the Devil would like to see? Did the original Apostles preach end-times prophecy?
2 Thessalonians 2:4-5, “Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?” (NKJV)
Paul is telling the church to remember his end-times messages regarding the end of time dictator, the beast, that is to come in the future. Paul said remember the prophetic messages he preached to you brethren in Thessalonica. The Apostle set for us an example of teaching end time prophetic messages.
1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, “Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good.”
Paul had told them in his first letter to them to learn to appreciate all biblical teaching which would also include prophetic messages. Paul wanted them to grow through all the valuable teachings available. He told them to maturely evaluate the messages they received. He did not tell them to overreact and avoid certain messages, such as end-time prophecies.
A mature approach to benefiting from prophetic messages requires true believers to remember several key teachings. First, Paul warned about letting end-time prophetic messages, true or not so true, rattle us. We must consume them and remain joyful and thankful! These are the basic emotions that God wants us to learn to adopt even in times of trials. Note the first thing Paul tells the brethren in his letter about the end-times evil beast.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”
The Apostle is saying we must first remain calm. Do not allow the messages to get us rattled. Some brethren are victims of leaders who used fear of the end-times to manipulate members into an overly autocratic system. They abused their leadership.
Others have just learned of these cultist leaders’ misuse of prophecy and have overreacted by completely avoiding the topic. They are unknowingly falling into a trap of Satan. Ignoring end time prophecy can lead to apathy. All the Apostles were allowed to think that the end was coming soon. Why? God knew that it would help motivate them!
Further, we will all face the end of our lives someday. We have a finite amount of time, no matter when the end comes. We need to stay motivated as much as possible. Paul said to stay positive, even under the pressure which seemed like the end-times to them.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.”
Paul told other congregations the same thing about not being rattled.
Philippians 4:6, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”
Becoming a Sophisticated Student of Prophecy
A mature believer will also remember the words of Jesus, that no one knows the exact timing of His return except the Father. Even if we get the events correct, our timing is at best SPECULATION. This speculation is still valuable for our understanding of the end time, but always keep that in mind.
Matthew 24:35-36, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”
A sophisticated Bible student knows that one must be flexible in matters of end-time prophecy. No one can know the timing, not even our Lord Jesus. Watching events unfold helps keep us spiritually alert and awake. Ignoring prophecy facilitates apathy and leaves us in the dark.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-5, “But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”
Paul’s message to them was to watch events and stay alert to end-time prophecy! The world will be caught totally unawares and off guard, but not true believers.
Remain Open Minded and Flexible to Interpretation
A well informed biblical believer should be flexible in end-time analysis of world events. The believer knows that there will be some surprises coming to everyone. This mature believer knows that the first big event coming as we get closer is deception.
Matthew 24:4, “And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you.’”
2 Thessalonians 2:3, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.”
This great “falling away” from truth will include Bible knowledge in all areas. One of those areas will be end-time prophecies. It will be to the beast and false prophet’s advantage if few are really familiar with end-time prophecies. The Bible is full of prophecies; some about the first coming of the Messiah have already been fulfilled. One about Britain not being part of the European based government that will pave the way for a revived Holy Roman Empire of the end-times has lately been fulfilled.
The end-times further require that America cannot be the super power that maintains order in the world. Order will be maintained by the beast. Is that prophecy now beginning to be fulfilled? Europe now feels that they can no longer trust America and therefore must replace America as their military shield. Maybe America has many more years of world hegemony, but can we see the decline now starting?
We can if our eyes are open and watching. We need to be flexible in our thinking. Maybe God the Father has not decided the exact moment yet. Could He be evaluating the hearts of men to determine the final moment? We do not know if this is true. Be flexible. Surprises will come but we are told to be watchful.
Luke 21:34, “But take heed to yourselves, lest your souls be weighed down with self-indulgence and drunkenness or the anxieties of this life, and that day come upon you, suddenly, like a falling trap;”
Luke says to remain watchful or one could fall into the trap that Satan is planning for the entire planet. Believers must stay alert to current events. This includes the spiritual decline of the nation and the growing hatred of Christians, in America and worldwide.
1 Thessalonians 5:6-7, “So then let us not sleep, like the rest of the world, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who drink freely, drink at night.”
Paul warns to be watchful so we do not fall asleep. We stay awake by valuing prophetic messages. Being watchful of world events can help us be motivated to live a better, more Godly life.
1 Thessalonians 5:8-9, “But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ…”
The knowledge of prophetic events helps sober us and then we can better be motivated to discipline ourselves. Regarding the second coming, we are advised to watch because it will be easy to be caught off guard.
Matthew 25:13, “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”
