Prophecy is a monumentally important spiritual reality in the lives of spiritual people. We can only prepare for the future if we have truthful knowledge about it. And the preparation we engage is incredibly useful to our lives and the lives of those who come after us. The Bible is a spiritual book for God’s spiritual people. It’s THE truth because it’s HIS truth. God tells us in 2Peter 1:3 that through His divine Word, He’s given us everything we need to live a Godly life, and through His Word, we can get to know Him. By reading and studying it, we can know God’s thoughts, and we can know His plan and His prophecy regarding the fulfillment of it.
Political instability, divisiveness, global turmoil, violence and civil unrest top the headlines daily. Technological advances are presenting convenience at a level we could never have imagined, yet we have less time and more stress. The degree of dysfunction and uncertainty in our world has some of us scrambling in our minds to understand it all, but God’s Word makes everything crystal clear.
God told us in His Word that living in these times would be rough. As our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was preparing the disciples for his departure from this earth, he told them in John 16:33(NKJV), “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” This is a truism of the Christian life. Jesus Christ makes it clear that the believer can have peace in this world, but this peace can only be found in him. It doesn’t matter what we pursue, no other person, place, or thing can fill our cups and give us peace but the Lord Jesus Christ.
In John 16:33, Jesus Christ also lets us know about the future. He saw that believers would not have an easy time of it here on earth. He was fully transparent in letting us know that the world is a place of trouble and tribulation. Many believers haven’t taken Christ at his Word. They continue to pursue the things of this world; the popularity, trends, culture, counterfeits and lies that the world promotes. Then, when they are stung with its trouble and tribulation, they blame God, when He has already told us how fruitless and harmful playing in the world’s playground can be. As sons and daughters of the Most High, we are in the world, but not of it. If we remain in Christ during our sojourn her, we are overcomers, because he has overcome the world, and in him there is victory and peace.
John 1:1-3(ESV) tells us, “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” None of us has any knowledge of how far back the beginning existed, but we know that before it did there was God’s Word, and that God’s Word was with Him when the beginning began. God’s Word is true, and God only speaks the truth. When God tells us something, it will come to pass, but if God says it, it must be so.
2Peter 1:19-21 The Message(MSG) tells us, “We couldn’t be more sure of what we saw and heard—God’s glory, God’s voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to us. You’ll do well to keep focusing on it. It’s the one light you have in a dark time as you wait for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts. The main thing to keep in mind here is that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of private opinion. And why? Because it’s not something concocted in the human heart. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God’s Word.”
In this passage, when Peter mentioned “what we saw and heard” in 2Peter 1:19, he was referring to a miraculous and supernatural encounter he, along with James and John, had with Jesus Christ. Our blessed Lord led them high on a mountain that is referred to as the Mountain of Transfiguration. Mark 9:2-4(ESV) tells us, “2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son; listen to him.” 8 And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.”
These three, Peter, James, and John had experiential knowledge of God’s glory, and there is nothing in all the universe that compares to that. They heard His voice and experienced His glory as it transfigured our Master Jesus before their very eyes. The faith and confidence of God’s truth was evident in their words of instruction to us in 2Peter 1:19-21, and this level of trust in God’s truth is required of us.
God has a plan for the entire universe and everything in it. The prophecy in His Word about the fulfillment of time and what will happen in these last days is literally being fulfilled before our very eyes. His Word is true, and when He gives us His prophecy for the future, we had better pay attention. 1Thessalonians 4:15-18(NLT) tells us, “15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.” Things may seem out of control, but God has promised that His Will and plan will come to pass, and we must be encouraged that if we abide in Christ, we will experience an incomprehensible glory and be with our Lord and Savior for eternity. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“If God Says It, Then It Must Be So”, written for 4theChristianMan.com© 2024. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.