Over the many years of my life, I have watched self-proclaimed “prophets” declare many things when it comes to bible prophecy. Everything from the date of the end of the world to the return of Jesus Christ—and everything in between. Those dates came to naught and predicted events never happened. The end result caused people to become skeptics at best; critics at worst using their false prophecies to point to their “proof” of the irrelevance of the Bible.
This brings me to a point that I often emphasize from time to time regarding the understanding and interpreting of bible prophecy.
First, there is an innate desire in most people to know the future. Who hasn’t wondered what tomorrow may bring? However, Christians have God’s Word to tell them what is coming in the future—the things that really matter. So why do people keep falling for foolish predictions under the guise of bible prophecy?
Case in point: the recent Covid-19 events (better known as the coronavirus) has people ranging from preachers to even those in the secular media referencing the Book of Revelation questioning if this is one of the seals that’s been opened.
This instance is an example of what has happened over and over again in the past. Something takes place (usually a crisis of some type) and people immediately try to find a verse or two in the Bible to support what’s happening in the world.
Years ago, I learned the Four Rules for Interpreting Bible Prophecy. Now I don’t intend of doing a series here on these four rules, but I do want to summarize a couple of them to help bring clarity to understand future events foretold in Scripture.
First, the Golden Rule of Interpretation is this: When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense. In other words, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning, unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passage and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.
The next rule is probably the most important one when interpreting bible prophecies and current events: it’s called the Rule of Context. It simply states that any text without a context is a pretext for a prooftext. Which simply means that any text without a context (framework, background) is a pretext (alleged reason) for a prooftext (position of error or deception).
This law means that a verse can only mean what it means in its context and must not be taken out of its context. When it is taken out of its context, it is often presented as meaning something that it cannot mean within the context.
I remember years ago, listening to a major Christian network and its founder teaching on the Book of Revelation. He would read a passage of scripture and then say, “But that’s not what it means; here’s what it means”. He did this almost after every passage he would read. I remember saying out loud, “I think God means what He says.” I never listened to that man again for it says in Revelation 22:18-19, “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God shall add to him the plagues that are written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life and out of the Holy City and out of the things which are written in this book.”
Many people will use this as a reason to avoid the subject of bible prophecy altogether. However, that same chapter says in verse 7: “Look, I am coming soon. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”
You can’t keep the words of the book if you don’t read it. Follow the rules and revealing revelations will reveal the truth that Jesus is coming again!
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