Part 1 - Introduction to Bible Prophecy

This Article is part of a multi-part Study Series called Biblical Prophecy.

Is Bible prophecy now being fulfilled during today’s grace age of the Gentile “church… the body of Christ”?

What is the point of the Prophetic word according to Scripture? Are there prophets of God today who are able to foretell what is to come?

First, we need to understand what Biblical Prophecy really is. In the Bible, the Greek word for “prophecy” means the “inspired speech” spoken by men (Louw & Nida Greek Lexicon), whether that speech is inspired of God’s Holy Spirit or inspired of Satan’s sin-spirit. The word ‘inspiration’ itself is clearly rooted in the word spirit. The Holy Spirit inspiredforetelling” and also forthtelling’ (utterance).

So, Biblical prophecy did not always involve foretelling. While the Old Testament and the four Gospels contain a lot of foretelling, Paul’s ministry of prophecy involved both foretelling and forthtelling but mainly forthtelling or speaking forth the Holy Spirit inspired words that he preached, and which he later wrote in his thirteen epistle that form the core of truth for the Gentile “body of Christ” today.

for prophecy was not ever uttered by [the] will of man, but holy men of God spake under the power of [the] Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21 Darby Bible)

Prophecy in The Old Testament

Old Testament Bible prophecy (foretelling) mainly concerned Israel and/or its enemies, the coming of Jesus as Messiah, coming in Judgment and wrath and His 2nd coming, to set up and reign in His eternal “Kingdom” on earth.

The Prophets of the Old Testament were speaking forth or forthtelling,’ as they spoke the Holy Spirit inspired words of God concerning ‘what was to come’ in accord with the Gods eternal plan and purposes for mankind and for the nation Israel, who He “set above all people” (Exo. 19:5). These inspired words for Israel sometimes included words of foretelling of judgements to come upon Israel, and/or its enemies, as reproof (rebuke or admonition) for their disobedience. Often these inspired words for Israel held out the promise of the coming Kingdom of Heaven on earth.

Prophecy in The New Testament

Holy Spirit ‘inspired speech’ does exists in the New Testament, sometimes as foretelling by the inspired words Jesus of Nazareth, as “a minister to the circumcision (Israel)” (Rom. 15:8). So again, foretelling mainly involves Israel.

Some of Jesus’ words were directly eschatological, meaning they were words concerning ‘things to come’ for Israel. Some the inspired prophetic words Jesus of Nazareth were seen by Jesus’ “parables,” which being interpreted were largely prophetic of Israel and the 2nd coming in judgment and the restoration of the Kingdom on earth. Many of Jesus’ parables and words concerned His plan to return in wrath (Matt. 25), and as King to judge and divide ‘the wheat from the tares’ (Matt. 13:40) and then set up His Millennial Kingdom of Heaven on earth, in which the believers of Israel would co-reign with Him forever (cf. Matt. 19:28, Rev. 5:10, 20:6).

Prophecy During ‘The Acts Period

During the Acts Period of 30-years or so, there was only inspired forthtelling (not foretelling) that came from The Twelve Apostles of Israel as they ministered to “the circumcision” (Gal 2:7-9). Paul spoke inspired words, both foretelling and forthtelling as he preached the meaning of “the cross” to the “Jew firstthroughout the Acts period.  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. (Rom. 1:16).

Paul’s foretelling verbally occurred only until he completed the written word of God,” adding heretofore new information found nowhere else in the Bible. Paul’s “revelation of the mystery (secret)” had been “kept secret” (Rom. 16:25) until Jesus from heaven revealed it to Paul for the Gentile “body of Christ” (Eph. 3:1-5).

“of which I (Paul) became minister, according to the dispensation of God which [is] given me (Paul) towards you (the body of Christ) to complete the word of God,” (Colossians 1:25 Darby).

Some say, other Bible writers wrote after Paul. Yes, but Paul added heretofore new information that had been “hid from ages and generations.” concerning the formerly secreted gospel (“the mystery”) for the Gentiles. All other writer either wrote of prophecy (foretelling) or the fulfillment of that same prophecy regarding Israel.

Paul’s completion of “the word of God” was the end of foretelling and forthtelling, as well all the other forms of “inspired speech” (tongues, interpretation, word of knowledge, etc.), which were active during and up to the end of the Acts period. Paul wrote that they would be “cease” and be “done away.”

“Love never fails; but whether prophecies, they shall be done away;’ or tongues, they shall cease; or knowledge, it shall be done away.” (1 Corinthians 13:8 Darby)

Today, since we have Paul’s epistles, we do not need prophecy as foretelling, for God has revealed the mysteries of the truths that we need to know and, we each have the indwelling Holy Spirit to teach us all truth.

“But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.” (1 John 2:20-27)

The Old Testament and the Gospels contain both prophetic forthtelling and prophetic foretelling concerning Israel’s destiny at the end of the ages. Yet, Israel repeatedly rejected God in the Old Testament, and then crucified Jesus in the Gospels, and then in Acts 7 Israel rejected the witness of the Holy Spirit’s speaking of ‘inspired words’ through Stephen. With that, Israel’s Prophetic program was set aside for a time (Rom. 11:10-11, 25, below).

“Let their (Israel’s) eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. 11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their (Israel’s) fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.” (Romans 11:10-11)

“I do not wish you to be ignorant, brethren, of this mystery, that ye may not be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the nations (Gentiles) be come in;” (Rom. 11:25 Darby)

What about prophecy today, during this dispensational age of the “nations (the Gentiles)”? No longer is “the Jew first.” Note that after the Acts period Paul went to the Gentiles with His “gospel the grace of God.”

“For the heart of this people (Israel) is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 28Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. (Acts 28:28)

Today we forthtell of the gospel of the grace of God as Christ’s ambassadors. With that the Gentiles now consist of “all men,” racially (Gal. 3:28). For, the “fallen” Jews are no longer God’s favored Nation during today’s Gentile age. (Of course, a believing Israel will be restored in “the ages to come.” (Rom. 11:26). Biblically, racial Jews were then and are today considered as Gentiles in God’s eyes ... with the ground level at the foot of the cross. This is what Paul refers to in writing the two verses below.

 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” (Rom. 3:10)

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;(Rom. 3:23)

 

 

 

Part 2 – God’s Chief Nation:

Israel’s Prophecy program was prophesied (actual foretold) throughout the O.T. and in the Gospels but these prophecies will be fulfilled only after the Rapture of the Gentile “Church, which is His body.” Bible prophecy concerning Israel is not yet being fulfilled today. While the Lord may be setting the stage among the nations of the world for what is next to come in the Biblical timeline, the fulfillment of actual prophecy that concerns Israel has not yet occurred. Yes, a secular Apostate Israel is partially in the land and holding a piece of Jerusalem, but the events prophesied of believing Israel are far more than that.

If we think about what events Bible Prophecy involves, then we will see why it’s not being fulfilled today.

  1. Today Prophecy’s Chief Nation Is Fallen: Prophecy mainly involves the formation of a believing nation of Israel, which is not yet occurring. In fact, today there is no “Israel of God.” Paul tells us Israel is currently “fallen,” cut off from God, “cast away,” “spiritually blinded,” and “enemies (of God)” (read Rom. 11:11-12, 15, 25, 28). Today, God is forming “the Church… the Body of Christ (Eph. 1:22bv-23a) of (individual) believing Jews and believing Gentiles (see Eph. 3:1-11) totally without racial distinction. This “body of Christ” is totally separate and distinct from the nation Israel. Today, salvation is going to the Gentiles through “the fall of them (Israel)” (Rom. 11:12). Since the assembled nation at the heart of the prophetic program (Israel) does not exist before God today… then the prophetic program itself cannot and does not operate right now.

Today, all Biblical prophecy concerning Israel is set aside… for a time, until after the Rapture of the Gentile “body of Christ,” being removed from plant earth.

“For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part (for a time) is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” (Rom. 11:25)

  1. Prophecy’s Goal Is Not Being Accomplished Today: Prophecy involves God reclaiming the Earth’s governments under One King, The Lord Jesus Christ, but this not occurring today. Look at the world’s Gentile governments today. Are they of the God of the Bible or of Satan, “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4)?

Currently, rather than reclaiming the Earth, God is intent upon altering the government of “the heavenly places” (Eph. 3:9-11). One day, when all believing Christians leave in the Rapture, God will purge the offices of “the heavenly places (the principalities and powers)” and then place us, the members of “the Church… the Body of Christ,” into the governing roles that currently are held by Satan and the fallen angels (read Eph. 1:20-23).

In His own time, Jesus Christ will return to Earth and restore God’s authority in the Earth through redeemed Israel (see Rev. 11:15; 1:6; 5:10, 20:4; etc.). Though the stage of earth is being set for the end of the ages, God is not fighting Israel’s battles today; hence, Israel’s Palestinian and Arab enemies are still intimidating them in the Middle East. Hence, today, Paul calls it this “present evil world” (Gal. 1:4). This planet will abound with evil until kingdom prophecy is fulfilled. Since the goal of the prophetic program is the earth’s restoration under God is not being accomplished today, then the prophetic program itself cannot and is not yet in place.

  1.  Prophecy’s Next Phase, Which Is Still Delayed, is God’s “Wrath”: Prophecy involves God’s wrath being poured out on rebellious mankind (see Matt. 3:7-12; Acts 2: 32-36; 3:22-26; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Rev. 6:16-17; etc.). That is not occurring today. The Bible says that God is not imputing (counting) the world’s trespasses unto it (cf. 2 Cor. 5:19). Today, as Paul declares in his epistles, God’s attitude toward the world is grace and peace (see Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:3; 1 Tim. 1:12-16; etc.). Through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ, all nations can approach the God of the Bible (Eph. 2:11-22). If the next stage of the prophetic program, God’s wrath, is not being exhibited today, then the prophetic program itself cannot and does not operate right now.

Only by “rightly dividing of the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15) do we understand that the prophecy program concerning Israel and mystery program for “the body of Christ” operate totally apart from each other. They do not overlap. Today, Israel is set aside, while God acquires “the body of Christ” … until the Rapture.

“I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26And so all Israel shall (later) be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them (Israel), when I shall (later) take away their sins.” (Rom. 11:25-27)

The Biblical Prophecy and Mystery programs cannot operate simultaneously. The delay of the Rapture ensures that Prophecy remains unfulfilled until the Mystery program is completed (See Rom. 11:25-29 above, note especially v25, where the Gentile Mystery program is to be “fulfilled,” and transitions into v26, where then “as it is written” all believing Israel will ultimately be saved. Prophecy resumes only after the Mystery age complete. The “fulness of the Gentiles” will be removed from Earth before God turns to Israel again. The Mystery program must end on Earth in order for God to resume the Prophetic program on Earth.

 

Part 3 – Is Prophecy Occurring Today?

There are some members of “the body of Christ” who think God is still working through prophets today as He once did in the O.T. They point to the ‘gifted prophets’ of the Acts period. But they ignore Paul saying all the utterance ‘giftings’ would cease, as they have since he later did “complete the word of God” (Col. 1:25, Darby) with “the revelation of the Mystery.” Paul wrote this (below) of the time after “the word of God” would be completed by Paul adding the information concerning “the Mystery” program concerning “the body of Christ.”

“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail (Gk. kartargeo, become useless); whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be (the word of) knowledge, it shall vanish away.” (1 Cor. 13:8)

Unlike the prophets of the O.T. and during the Acts period, Paul’s primary ministry involved forthtelling by ‘preaching’ and teaching the “gospel of the grace of God.” This involved his “revelation of the mystery (God’s heretofore secret plan) of Christ in you as the grace-age Gentile believer’s unqualified “all” (Col. 1:27, 3:11)!

In His ministry Paul preached, confirmed and explained the Scriptures (Old and New), and declared the wonderful element God’s “the Mystery” program of pure grace for the Gentiles. He was not foretelling.

Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures (written words) of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations (Gk. ethnos, Gentiles) for the obedience of faith:” (Rom. 16:25-26)

If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I (Paul) write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. (1 Cor. 14:37)

We need to realize that Old Testament Bible Prophecy’s always concerned with the Nation Israel and God’s promise to Israel concerning the coming restored Davidic Kingdom on earth, in which believing Israel will co-reign with Christ over the whole earth (Rev. 2:25-26, 5:10, 20:6).

Both the O.T. Prophets and the Acts period mentioned above were before the Apostle Paul received the full revelation of God for this age of grace. Jesus from heaven directly gave Paul (Gal. 1:12) for us as Gentile members of the “the body of Christ.” This was by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and called “the revelation of the mystery (Gk. musterion, a God-kept secret)” that “had been kept secret since the world began” (Rom. 16:25). With that the age changed; prophecy of Israel and the Kingdom on earth was set aside.

Yes, today the world stage is being set for the end of the ages, but real Bible Prophecy of the O.T. is not yet being fulfilled. We live in the time of “the dispensation of the grace of God” (Eph. 3:2) which is not centered on the Nation Israel, but on “the gospel of the grace of God” for “all men,” regardless of race.

What the Majority of Christendom Teaches on The Subject of Modern-Day Bible Prophecy

Many religious people talk about Bible prophecy being fulfilled today. Most commonly, they point to Israel’s founding as a modern state in 1948 and declare it a fulfillment of Deut., Eze., Dan., and Zech. What they do not seem to realize is that Israel is still lost and Christ-rejecting. The Israel of today is of man’s creation. It’s not the work of God and not “the Israel of God.” When God brings Israel back into power as a nation; Israel will be “converted in a day” (Rom. 11:26). Israel will be saved and brought into “the land,” not one unbelieving Israelite will be saved and brought into the land!

Some use O.T. passages that speak about Israel and talk about how God is judging America today for its sins. Israel is not the USA! They totally misapply verse such as this below. E.g., “If my people (the Nation Israel), which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (of Israel).(2 Chron. 7:14). This concerns Israel and their land, NOT the USA. Yet, it is commonly sighted as the solution for the USA.

Some point to passages in the book of the Book of Revelation for prophecy that they say affects us. They think John and the two witnesses being called up “come up hither” (Rev. 4:1, 11:12) is reference to the Rapture, but it’s not. They set dates as to when Jesus Christ will return in wrath. They talk about current political, religious, and economic events as though they are the signs of the Antichrist’s coming and the other signs of the times. They erroneously go to Matthew 24 and put all these events into today’s “dispensation of the grace of God.” We are urged to look at the wars, famines, diseases, pestilences, earthquakes, etc. today and recognize them as fulfillment of Jesus’ Second Sermon on the Mount. And some (the Preterist) say part or sometimes all of these prophecies were fulfilled in A.D. 70 when Rome overran Jerusalem and destroyed her Temple.

All the above people mean well. Many of them may be saved individuals, Holy-Spirit-sealed people, genuine members of “the Body of Christ,” who have simply been misled by church tradition. I think they use prophecy in an effort to prove the Bible to the skeptics. Yes, it’s exciting to place ourselves on the prophetic timeline and declare, “Wow, what Jesus predicted is happening today! Look at this, look at that… the budding of the fig tree (referring to Israel in 1948), the Jews returning to the land of Palestine in airplanes chartered by Christians, the wars and rumors of wars, famines, diseases, and earthquakes, the moon turning to blood, the sun being darkened, et cetera… look at these signs that Jesus’ return is right upon us!”

Why It Matters – Paul says teachings about Israel’s Prophecy program being fulfilled during our age of the Gentile’s ‘Mystery program’ are “profane and vain babblings (fruitless discussion),” a waste of time.

 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (Divide prophecy applying to Israel from the mystery applying to the “body of Christ.”) 16 But (and) shun profane and vain babblings (fruitless discussion): for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” (2Tim. 2:15-16)

Why should we reject the notion that Bible prophecy is occurring during the Mystery program? Does it even matter? After all, so many people believe prophecy is being fulfilled today. Why not just “go with the flow?” The prophecy preachers and so-called “scholars” overwhelmingly agree that prophecy is being fulfilled today. They may say, “It really doesn’t matter if we say Bible prophecy is being fulfilled today. What’s the harm? Aren’t we proving the Bible?” Great question!

Let’s look at how two men in 2 Timothy 2:18, Hymanaeus and Philetus, erred and its affects. They blundered by mixing Prophecy and Mystery! They did not “rightly divide the word of truth” as verse 15 instructs us.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; 18Who concerning the Truth have Erred, saying that the Resurrection Is Past Already; and Overthrow The Faith of some.” (2 Tim. 2:15-18)

Here above we see that Hymanaeus and Philetus claimed that the resurrection (the Rapture) of Christians had already happened. Note that they did not deny the resurrection, they just misplaced it on the Biblical timeline. By their error they had already overthrown the faith of some. They made Christians believe they were then living in the seven-year Tribulation period, making those Christians doubt they had even been saved from God’s wrath. A similar false teaching had begun to trouble and corrupt the Thessalonians (see 2 Thess. 2:1-12). If we say prophecy is being fulfilled today, then it would automatically place us in Israel’s prophetic program under the Law. That has dangerous doctrinal implications, removing us grace.

 

Part 4 – The Implications of Misunderstanding Prophecy

If Prophecy were occurring today, that would also mean that the Rapture already happened, and, since we are still on Earth and not in heaven, that would mean that we were never saved. The next thing on God’s timeline for Israel after they rejected the Lord for the 3rd time is the Tribulation “wrath of God.”

You see, Israel rejected God in the OT and rejected Jesus in the Gospels, then they rejected the Holy Spirit by their stoning of Stephen in Acts 7. This was “the fall of them (Israel)” and the “casting away” of Israel for a time; while God establishes and fulfills “the body of Christ” (Rom. 11:10-11, 25-26). (We know there’s no way of salvation for one who rejects the Holy Spirit who convicts us and draws us to God (Matt. 12:31).

So, if we say Prophecy is being fulfilled today, the natural Biblical timeline conclusion is the belief that we are now living in the seven-year Tribulation. Do you see how a major doctrinal problem has now arisen just by making this seeming innocent-looking statement such as, “The Bible is true because we can see it being fulfilled all around us?” By trying to “prove the Bible to be true” we can caused much fear and doubt in the minds of Christians. We hear this mistaken view spouted on so-called Christian TV all the time.

We should permit2 Thess. 2:6-7 correct our thinking: “now ye know what withholdeth that he (Antichrist) might be revealed in his time. 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he (the Holy Spirit) who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.” The Antichrist is being ‘withheld today’; he has not been revealed yet. As the chief person of Prophecy, he has not yet made his appearance in the world. Why? It’s because something holding back the Prophetic program from operating! So long as “the dispensation of the grace of God” and “the Church, the Body of Christ” continues, the Holy Spirit will prevent the Prophecy program from resuming!

Thus, “we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: 14Whereunto he called you by our gospel (of “the grace of God”), to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

From the beginning of our dispensation of grace, we of “the Church… the Body of Christ” have been saved from experiencing the time Daniel’s 70th week, God’s wrath of the Tribulation, which will come with the resumption of Prophecy! If we say the Prophecy is being fulfilled today, we’ve missed the importance of keeping Prophecy and Mystery separate. We then would begin to doubt our salvation, we would move away from Paul’s epistles, we would drift from our true identity in Christ; we would cast doubt on many critical Bible passages, and so on. In other words, it would cause mass confusion in the minds of so many Christians.

Conclusion: In their zeal to prove the Bible with so-called “modern-day Scriptural prophecies,” confused and sensationalistic Christians challenge and destroy its dispensational timeline layout of the Bible and thereby destroy the Bible’s clarity. They are not handling the Bible dispensationally. Such hype sells books and television programming but it is not sound Bible teaching. It is not handling God’s Word properly.

Rather, they make the Scriptures confusing to an already-confused public. Preachers may do it, but never does Paul tell us to be ‘looking for signs of the Antichrist.’ In fact, never does the Holy Spirit through Paul tell us to ‘look for signs of the end times’ as the Lord Jesus told Israel in Matthew 24. Recall that the Bible says “the Jews require a sign” (1 Cor. 1:22a). What are we Gentiles doing looking for signs?

We now have the ‘completed’ Bible (Col. 1:26) available for us to confirm God’s Word for us today… we know the timeline! We are the first people in the history of God’s dealings with man, to have a complete Bible in our English language, a written and finalized canon of 66 divinely-inspired books, so why do we need yet another new revelation from God? Those who say, “Look for God’s revelation in the heavens!” probably have not even read and believed all of the revelations of God He has given in the written Holy Bible!

Remember, we turn to Paul’s epistles to learn what God is doing today, in this age. Paul discusses coming events for Israel, such as seen in Rom. 9-11 and 2 Thess. 2, but he never tells us to look for prophetic events. He gave us these passages in order to show us we are not a part of them, and they all deal with Israel’s Prophecy program. We’re not to be looking for or trying to identify the Antichrist. We are not to be concerned about accepting his ‘mark,’ or God’s wrath, or Christ’s 2nd Coming, or for redeemed Israel.

Why? Israel’s prophetic program is still on hold… until we are Raptured to heaven (Rom. 11:25).

Israel’s program is not suspended forever, it is only during today’s “dispensation of the grace of God.” Next on the Prophetic timeline was to be the wrath of God,” but… God has intervened and that judgment was delayed when Jesus from heaven saved Saul of Tarsus, making him Paul, “the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13), giving him “the gospel of the grace of God” for the Gentiles. This included “the revelation of the Mystery” that included “Christ in you” as your indwelling guide to the Scriptures, negating any need for Prophecy.

We are to be looking for Christ’s coming for His “Church, the body of Christ,” at the Rapture. After the Rapture occurs, then Israel’s Prophetic program will resume. God will bring it to all fruition. We today are Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” (Titus 2:13), coming to take us home to dwell “eternal in the heavens” (2 Cor. 5:1b), to “co-reign with Him” (2Tim. 2:12).