That
being true, what lessons can we gain from meditating on the way Old Testament
prophecies were understood in advance of their enactment? Since we are living
ahead of the fulfillment of so many prophecies about the second coming of
Christ, surely there are Old Testament pictures of the way people used prophecy
to ready themselves for the first coming of the Messiah.
One
of the most glaring characteristics of Old Testament prophecy concerning the
first coming of Messiah is that there are no examples of people using prophecy
to figure out when it was time for him to come. This is rather remarkable since
the nation was clearly waiting for the Promised One to arrive.
I
have heard many declarations that we must understand the prophecies of Daniel
in order to understand the prophecies of Revelation. There is no doubt that the
book of Revelation is like a beautiful compendium of teachings from both the
Old and New Testaments.
However,
while prophecy experts direct our attention to the details of Daniel’s
prophecies, and call us to try determining the meaning of Revelation based on
their interpretation of Daniel, there is still this one glaring characteristic
to deal with: why did Daniel’s prophecies not flood the Bible with further
Scriptural accounts showing people using such prophecies to determine the times
and seasons of the Messiah’s first coming? And, why are there no examples of
anyone being in the right place at the right time for such a momentous event
based on nothing more than their interpretation of prophecy?
Instead,
what we see is that Zechariah would not have known anything unusual was
happening except that Gabriel visited him and told him that Elizabeth would
have a son who would fulfill the prophecy of the forerunner of the Messiah.[1] We
see Mary knowing nothing of the Messiah’s soon appearing except that Gabriel told her that she would be his
earthly mother.[2]
When Joseph discovered his wife was pregnant, he did not suddenly wonder if
this was the fulfillment of prophecy, but that she had been unfaithful to him. It
took another angelic visit for him to understand that the fulfillment of
prophecy was in the works.[3]
As
history unfolds, we do not see Joseph going to Bethlehem because prophecy told
him to, but ending up in Bethlehem by government decree in order that, after
the fact, everyone would realize that prophecy was fulfilled.[4] We
do not see shepherds waiting in Bethlehem for the Messiah’s birth because
Scripture led them to know the time and season was at hand, but they rushed to
Bethlehem after angels had visited them with the Messiah’s birth announcement.[5] When
we meet Simeon in the temple at Jesus’ eighth day since his birth, we hear that
the only reason he knew that he would see the Christ was because God personally
announced it to him by the Holy Spirit.[6]
We
also see that the Magi did not head to Israel because the Scriptures told them
it was time, but because they saw the Messiah’s star appear.[7] Jesus
did not fulfill the prophecy about coming out of Egypt because Joseph read
prophecy, but because Herod was trying to kill the Christ.[8]
While
much more needs to be said, my attempt to make this a Ping requires my
conclusion.[9]
What if the focus of prophecy is not to tell the times or seasons, something Jesus
explicitly declared to be none of our business,[10]
but to give us huge assurances that God will send the Messiah the second time
as surely as he did the first, so carry on with the business of the church
until he comes?
Very
personally speaking, I am finding the book of Revelation to be the most
comforting assurance of the sovereignty of God over everything in the universe.
His brilliant pictures tell me what will happen without any distraction to
dabble in his side of the responsibilities. If we daily live as those who are more
than conquerors through him who loves us,[11] we
will be conquerors on the day he comes.
So,
as the Psalmist exhorted us three millennia ago, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your
heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”[12]
From
my heart,
Monte
© 2014 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
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