Pastor's Blog

Introduction This is the first in a series of posts on Bible prophecy. In particular, prophecies that are widely thought to refer to the last days (or the end times). In this first post, we’ll consider two issues that are closely related to each other. These are timing and historical context. Timing If we want to understand the prophecies of the Bible correctly, we must pay close attention to the “time texts.” The prophecies of the Bible often contain information indicating when the prophecy in question will be fulfilled. They don’t always do this, of course. For instance, the famous prophecy of Micah concerning the birth of Messiah: But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,      who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me     one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old,     from ancient days.    ( Micah 5:2) There is no indication in the verse itself, or in the surrounding context as to w...

If you haven't yet had your fill of prognostications from end times prognosticators you'll be glad to know there are still more to be had. The false prophet/teacher Harold Camping hasn't yet learned his lesson. Since at least 2005 he had been predicting Saturday, May 21, 2011 as the day of judgment, with the full end of all things coming October 21. When nothing happened last Saturday--even though, according to Camping, the Bible guaranteed his prediction--he was forced to make some revisions. His revisions follow the pattern set by another prophetic prognositcator in the 19th century. New York farmer turned preacher William Miller had predicted the Lord's return to "cleanse the sanctuary" (Dan. 8:14) no later than March 21, 1844. When it didn't take place as he expected, he said it would happen later the same year in October. Second verse, same as the first, a little bit louder and little bit worse. Like Miller, Camping has gi...

Do you think the formation of the modern state of Israel in 1948 was a fulfillment of prophecy? Yes and no. I really don’t mean to be evasive or waffling; it’s just that I’m not sure the question is capable of being answered without a number of important qualifications. Let me explain. On the one hand, I don’t believe the formation of the modern state of Israel was a fulfillment of prophecy in the sense that there is a particular passage or group of passages that specifically point to the events of 1948. Some prophecy teachers point to Jeremiah 16:14-15 as a passage that prophesies the formation of the state of Israel. The days are coming, declares the LORD, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their ...