There are times when people suggest that a study of prophecy is a waste of time. “We should just focus on the Gospels to win souls,” is their explanation. Ironically, the Gospels have a significant amount of prophecy imbedded within the story of Jesus and His disciples. Even as He was being presented at the Temple, we find prophecy being pronounced or repeated. Luke 2:25
And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— 35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
36 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. 38 At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
These two elderly saints made some astounding prophecies. Simeon, first recognized that Jesus was indeed the Promised One, the Messiah. That was backward looking. Then he talked about a light to the Gentiles. Nowhere in Jesus’ earthly ministry did He preach to the Gentiles. But His followers did, from Pentecost (Acts 2) on. But, even more, Simeon mentioned the “glory of Your people, Israel.” That has not happened yet. Simeon was looking to the Millennium.
But that is not all. His final declaration is a summation of the hopes of Israel and the world. (34, 35)
“Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— 35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”
“The fall and rise of many...” must have been referring to the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. Notice the order of the statement. And the rise would be the installation of Israel as His people in the 1000 year reign of Christ. Nothing else in the story fits those two items. But the final coup de grace for Simeon as in v. 35. The “sword” piercing Mary’s own soul/heart clearly refers to a specific detail of the crucifixion. He was not a bad prophet. But wait. Anna, an elderly widow has something to say. Verse 38
At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
The “redemption of Jerusalem” is a ways into the future. In fact, we have not yet witnessed that. It will be the seat of Government under the Messiah. We may see an early preview of that right now, but then, it will be the place of the Throne from which the entire world will be governed. I love prophecy.
Now, turn to the one who Jesus described as the greatest prophet. Matthew 11:11 and Luke 7:28 identify him.
I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
We will not exegete this verse. It is just to lead into his prophecy. Luke 3:16
John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
That is clearly referring to Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit was poured out (baptized) the church. Just before this, John made some other astounding prophecies. V. 5, 6
“Every ravine will be filled, And every mountain and hill will be brought low; The crooked will become straight, And the rough roads smooth; 6 And all flesh will see the salvation of God.”
He was quoting Isaiah 57:14; 49:11; 45:2; 42:16; 52:10; and Psalm 98:2, 3. That has not happened yet, but I cannot wait until it is. Glory.
And back to v. 17 in Luke 3.
“His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Now we are really getting ready for a glorious day. I will not speculate as to whether this is the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4), the Glorious coming (Revelation 19), or the final judgment in Revelation 20. Maybe it is all of them.
But John’s piece de resistance in prophecy is found in John 1. Before we look at that, look at verse 21.
They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
This verse has always puzzled me. It seems like they asked the same thing twice. When they asked about John being Elijah then repeated it as the Prophet, I thought they meant the reference in Malachi 4:5.
“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.”
I thought that this verse was what they were asking, only they did it twice. But I was wrong. The Prophet was the One the Israelites had been expecting since Moses promised. We have to turn back to Deuteronomy 18:18. This is the Lord informing Moses of His plans.
I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.
Now that mention of John being the “one going before”makes sense. Luke 3:4
...as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight.
Does that give you goose bumps? This is telling the audience, and us, that Jesus is not only the God of the Old Testament, He is also the Messiah. Sadly, it seems that no one, or at least very few understood that. My admiration for John has just gone up several notches.
But his father, Zecharias not bad is not too bad of a prophet, himself. Luke 1:67-79
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, 69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant—70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—Salvation from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us; 72 To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant, 73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, 74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. 76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; 77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins, 78 Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, 79 To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Amen. The Messiah is coming, and, you will be not “the Prophet” of Deuteronomy, but the prophet of Malachi. Sadly, the Jews did not accept his testimony as the arguments in the book of John illustrates. But for those who did, and those who still do, John’s prophesy is right on. Glory.
What were we talking about? Oh yes. Prophecy, and John the Baptist. Maybe we should call this John the B and his family. The point is that prophecy is the glue that ties the Old and New Testament together. From Genesis 3:15 to the picture of the New Jerusalem and heaven in Revelation, we follow a scarlet prophetic cord. The role of prophecy is to point us to the Savior. And even when it is about a more mundane object, we are still able to use that miscellaneous prediction and its fulfillment as verification and an assurance. Assurance that, just as this one was exactly and completely fulfilled, so shall the ones in the future about Jesus, His return, and His eternal reign on the earth be realized.
And back to our original question about “sticking to the Gospels,” we will not venture into Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. But we have to go clear to Revelation to find a greater volume of prophetic Scripture than we saw earlier and in these three chapters. Jesus is coming again. The entire Bible is dedicated to that scenario. And to that, we respond...
Glory. Hallelujah. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus.
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