Let me give you an example of just how important the correct interpretation of prophecy is:
I want you to think of a Christian with a tremendous ministry, someone who has a healing ministry in which he sees blind, deaf, dumb, lame, paralysed, even the leprous and cancerous healed. Someone who has seen the power of God through them alter the forces of nature, who has seen miraculous provision of finance and food, experienced supernatural transport from one place to another. Someone with a ministry where they have seen the dead raised to life again. Someone who has seen Jesus face to face, not once but many many times. Someone who has even had the Lord Himself give them studies in the Sriptures. Imagine someone who sees demons cast out in his/her ministry. Someone who has seen thousands upon thousands of people come to Christ.
Now let me ask you this question: How many of you believe that such a person would be prepared for any trouble or tribulation that came along? I suppose that very many people would be of the opinion that they definitrly would be. However, the people who think that are VERY wrong!
The people I had in mind when outlining the above great ministry is the Apostles. Matt 10v1,8:
“And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease…Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
They saw miraculous provision of finances, food, clothes (Matt 10v9,10), the fish with the coin (Matt 17v27), the miraculous catch of fish (Luke 5v4-7), Peter walked upon the water with the Lord (Matt 14v28-31), the disciples in a boat with the Lord were all transported with the boat to land (John 6v21), they saw the power of the Holy Spirit in preaching (Matt 10v20), the momentus ministry of Jesus, His miracles, raising the dead, casting out demons, stilling the storm, feeding the multitudes with a few loaves and fishes, thousands upon thousands turning to Christ, His tremendous preaching and wisdom, He gave them studies in the Scriptures (Luke 18v31, Mark 8v31 and so forth), they were in His presence not for a few days, BUT for over 3 years. Peter, James and John were taken up the mountain where where they saw Him transfigured (and so saw His pre-incarnate Glory) and heard the voice of the Father.
Yet in spite of all this, when Jesus was taken prisioner, WHEN THE HOUR OF DARKNESS CAME, even though they ALL said they were ready to follow Him into prison and to death (Luke 22v33, Matt 26v33-35..) when the time came they ALL forsook Him, and fled and were in unbelief, defeat and despair. (Matt 26v56) Luke 24v21 states: “But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel…” Now they even doubted that He was the Redeemer! After His Resurrection the Lord reminded them through the women of what He has previously had told them about His suffering and death but they would not believe! Luke 24v11: “And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not."
What was the cause of their defeat, unbelief, despair and forsaking the Lord? Why did they fail in the hour of darkness? They had great ministry, power, experience, why did they collapse?
THEY FAILED BECAUSE THEY IGNORED BIBLICAL PROPHECY, THEY DELIBERATELY SHUT THEIR EARS TO THE PROPHECIES CONCERNING THE LORD’S SUFFERING AND DEATH!
Luke 24v25: “Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe ALL that the prophets have spoken:”
The disciples only listened to the prophecies they liked, ie John 1v45: “…We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” They recognised Him as the Messiah of whom the prophets wrote, BUT they ignored other things the prophets wrote regarding His suffering and death (Isaiah 53, Psalm 22 and so forth), even though the Lord Jesus pointed out these things many, many times to them! Matt 16v21-23, 17v9, 20v17-19, 26v1,2, Luke 9v43-45, 17v25 and so on…
Part 4