P RO PH E C Y (continued) [our] hearts.” While we may not know all of the future movements of God, we may know all that He has been pleased to reveal to His holy prophets. “ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). And let us not pass by the next point in this passage from Peter: “ Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private in terpretation” (v. 20). When Peter says, “ knowing this first,” he would impress us with the fact that one of the primary and most pertinent truths for the Christian to learn is that of the Divine inspiration of the Holy Scrip tures. The prophecy of the prophet was not his own idea; it was not his own interpretation. The prophet may not have understood fully the mean ing of the prophecy for an age beyond his own generation; hence a prophecy might have seemed to have only a partial fulfillment, or even no fulfill ment, to the prophet’s own generation. No prophecy is of a nature capable of being confined to the interpretation of the writer himself. The Old Testa ment prophecies are not the product of the prophet’s own mind. They were not of human origin or interpretation; rather they were the expressions of the mind of God. The true prophet says, “Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind” (Numbers 16:28). Of the false prophets it must be said that “they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:16). There are “false prophets” among us today, and of these we are to beware (2 Peter 2 : 1 ). Concerning the message of the Old Testament prophets, Peter adds, “ For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:21). I believe this to be the only reference to the Holy Spirit in this Epistle, and its use is confined here to giving us the source of Bible prophecy. Now the same Holy Spirit who gave the proph ecy dwells in us to teach us, among other truths, the meaning of proph ecy. Our Lord said, “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth . . . and He will shew you things to come” (John 16:13). One reading of the New Testament Epistles will show us the many things our Lord left unsaid. He had said, “ I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now” (John 16:12). He did not teach some of the Divine secrets concerning the Church,
the sleeping saints, the resurrection, the rapture, the antichrist, and others. Many significant prophecies he left for the Holy Spirit to point out. Jesus did teach some truths relative to the future, but the unfolding of much that is yet to come was the special ministry of the same Spirit who gave the Old Testament prophecies to holy men of God. In like manner He in spired Paul, Peter, James, John, and Jude to prophesy. Beware of self- styled prophets who make predictions other than those recorded in the com pleted Word of God. When all the world is wondering what the future will bring forth, we have the marvel ous privilege of sitting before an open Bible, and as we prayerfully seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, He will make clear those great prophetic ut terances which He was the first to speak. III. FOR COMFORT AND HOPE Dr. W. M. Smith suggests that there are three different attitudes one may take toward the future. The first is indifference, the second is fear, and the third is hope. No intelligent per son would take the first, no person needs to be ensnared in the second, and all can possess the third. There are comfort and hope for all believers who love and study the Bible. Paul wrote, “ For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through pa tience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4). What is said here to be true of the Bible in general is, of course, true of the prophetic Scriptures. One of the strongest fears that is driving many to despair is the fear of the future. Most persons simply can not have peace of mind unless they have a measure of certainty of what the next day will bring forth. Of this no man can be absolutely sure; and the awful dread of uncertainty, which robs the average person of peace of mind, in turn creates a spirit of des pair and hopelessness. But an under standing of Bible prophecy affords confidence and comfort to the Chris tian while the hearts of men are fail ing them for fear. Turn again to the discourse on prophecy given by our Lord to the disciples enroute to Emmaus. When He confronted them, Luke says they were “sad” (Luke 24:17). The chapter closes with the words: “ They . . . re turned to Jerusalem with great joy” (Luke 24:52). What brought about the change from sadness to great joy? The very thing that has changed, and still is changing, the despair and hopeless ness of this present hour to the com fort and hope that all Bible-loving be lievers possess, for, “ Beginning at
Moses and all the prophets, He ex pounded unto them in all the Scrip tures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:25-27). If the Thessalonian Christians were disturbed about the future of their brethren and loved ones in Christ who had died, all doubt was dispelled when Paul, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, uttered that comforting hope of the return of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the rapture of the living with the dead, the re union of both the living and those who were dead, and their eternal residence with the Lord (1 Thessa- lonians 4:13-18). This is prophecy, and Paul concludes his remarks on this prophetic lesson with the words, “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” When I read in the daily news paper of “wars and rumors of war” (Matthew 24:6), of nation rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom (v. 7), of a mere man’s “ shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:4), of men departing from the faith (1 Timothy 4:1), and of “ perilous times” and juvenile de linquency (2 Timothy 3:1,2), I am saved from despair, for all of these things are but the fulfillment of the prophetic Word of God. However dark and critical the times may be, no Christian who studies the Scriptures, is without comfort and hope. END. Subscriptions to King's Business make excellent gifts. TRUi or FALSE? The world, and even many professing Christians, have for centuries given heedless acceptance to three major false teachings about Jews. They are: © The Jew is under God’s curse. No more than any other. “God hath concluded them all (Jew and Gentile) in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon all.'' Rom. 11:32 © The Jews have their own religion. They don’t have Christ, and “there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.’’ Acts 4:12 © You can’t preach Christ to the Jews, The gospel is “the power of God unto salvation’’ to both Jew and Gentile. (Rom. 1:16) And Jews are ' responding to the gospel. Make us your missionaries to God’s ancient people through your prayers and fellowship. Write for free copy of our magazine, THE EVERLASTING NATION, with absorbing articles and news regarding our ministry here and in other lands. FACTS VS FABLES ABOUT THE JEWS
Dr. Jacob Gartenhaus, President Dr. Robert G. Lee, Chairman Advisory Board. World-renowned minister and author. INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF JEWISH MISSIONS. INC. ..Box 1256 Atlanta l^ tn .
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