P R O P H E C Y SECT ION EDITED BY CHARLES L. FEINBERG, Th.D., Ph.D. DIRECTOR, TALBOT THEOLOGICAL SEM IN A RY
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By LEHMAN STRAUSS, Litt.D. subject, “ Is Mussolini the Antichrist?” The message was given with the aid of a stereopticon lantern. Pictures were flashed upon the screen, offering conclusive proof that the Italian Duce was the antichrist who would rule the earth, and that many, then alive, would live to see this day. Only a few years after this wild prediction was made, the body of Mussolini lay dead in a public square and passing crowds were spitting on the corpse. On an other occasion a group of us went to hear a certain “ expert on prophecy.” To our astonishment he declared that Christ would return to earth before the year 1940. Having had a little experience with date-setters and fanatics who have made startling and sensational pre dictions in order to get crowds to come to hear them, I can understand my friend’s kind words of caution, “ Go easy.” I believe him to be in earnest in his endeavor to save the Christian message from being dragged into dis repute. But in spite of all of the fakers, fanatics, and foolish and false teach ers, no legitimate reason can be of fered for anyone’s refusing to study the prophetic Scriptures. Nor should Bible prophecy be shunned merely because the teachings of some sincere Christians have been discredited. A textbook on science used in the college classroom five years ago, and for which this writer paid five dollars for his copy, can now be purchased in a used book store for ten cents. Even though that book is now obsolete and some of its contents are rejected, we would not disregard nor dispute all of the findings of modem science. In my own library I have more than one hundred books on prophetic subjects written by as many different writers, and while in some details there may be divergence and difference of opin ion, there is a remarkable degree of unanimity regarding the major points in eschatology. Another reason for shunning proph ecy is the great ignorance of many concerning it. With the exception of some who have had contact with evan gelical Bible conferences, Bible In
T hat there has been opposition, both aggressive and passive, to the study and teaching of prophecy is well known to anyone who is acquainted with current religious thought. This attitude is not without justification in the minds of some. There are those, whose sincerity I have no right to question, who fear the unfavorable repercussions that could accrue from the preaching and teaching of pro phetic themes. Only recently, upon the announcement that I intended to preach such a series, a dear brother in Christ cautioned me to “ go easy.” Now he was not opposed to my deliv ering these discourses, but he was a bit apprehensive, and his reasons for being so were valid. When I became a Christian in 1927, some well known Bible students con ducted conferences on prophecy, and it was not uncommon to hear of such men as W. B. Riley, A. B. Winchester, L. S. Chafer, W. L. Pettingill, H. A. Ironside, A. C. G a e b e l e i n , W. R. Newell, and others, announcing pro phetic Biblical themes. These men did not pose as prophets, nor did they make any attempt to prophesy. They confined their ministry to a sane set ting forth of the prophetic Scriptures. It was their teaching, I believe, that gave rise to many of the Bible Insti tutes which have been mightily used of God to train young men and women who have become some of the finest pastors, evangelists, and mis-' sionaries the world has ever known. My own feeling in the matter has been that many of those young people might have been influenced by Mod ernism, Higher Criticism, and New Thought, so called, had it not been for these men of the Word whom God raised up for just such a time. However, I recall with equal vivid ness the rapid rise of self-styled prophets and teachers of prophecy who made wild and, sometimes, weird predictions that had no Biblical basis whatever. Two such predictions have remained with me. On one occasion a group of Christian young people in our assembly went to hear “ a voice of authority on prophecy” speak on the
stitutes, and theological seminaries, the preaching of Bible prophecy is met with disfavor and opposition. I be lieve it can be said, without fear of contradiction, that those who reject it know little or nothing about it. What a sad commentary on our church leaders, our seminary leaders, our pastors! Then, too, it is difficult for many to give ear to the prophetic Scriptures because the prophecies of the Bible shatter the illusion that religion, sci ence, psychology, or philosophy can bring to pass universal peace and the subjugation of evil, but teach, rather that the very things in which man is placing his hope must be utterly de stroyed and stripped of all the dignity and merit man has attached to them. The human heart is by nature proud and will not readily admit that its confidence is misplaced. How many professing Christians, yes, the real be lievers also, have made idols of church organization, of domination, of per sonal achievements, only to be faced with the declarations of God’s own word that all of these things must perish. Having examined a few of the many objections to the study of Bibli cal prophecy, let us discuss some rea sons why we should pursue such a study. I. TO KNOW THE M IN D OF GOD “ Surely the Lord God will do noth ing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). This verse tells us that the prophets themselves were inspired of God, a truth that is supported by the New Testament, for we read, “ God . .. spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets” (Hebrews 1:1). Before the messages of the prophets we must bow humbly if we desire to know God’s secret concerning things to come. The eternal and omniscient God assures His people that every thing He intends to do He has told His prophets. If the prophet warns of coming judgment, wars, p e r i l o u s times, famine, and the like, it is not because he is a calamity howler, but rather the announcer of that which
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