Depending on which source you consult, 25 to 33% of our Bible is prophetic in nature: meaning it was prophecy at the time it was written, and has either had its fulfillment or is awaiting its fulfillment in the "end times."

Yet there is a relative paucity of teaching on prophetic Scripture, to the point of actual silence in some fellowships. When blessed with the opportunity to gather with others who are watching and working at conferences across the country, a common refrain is "we never talk about any of this in our church services."

The most commonly proffered reason for not teaching on end times prophecy is that it is "too divisive." I always look to give grace, but in my spirit I know that's a cop out. Have churches divided over end times positions. Undoubtedly. But I bet if you dug deep enough you would discover they were on a poor foundation in the far more important matters. The essentials: prayer, Biblical authority on doctrine, sacrificial service and fellowship, accountability, and any number of the very things Jesus dictated in His epistles, recorded by John in Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation (one of the books that's usually avoided). Churches that are strong in leadership, discipling from a position of love, and evangelizing with their eye on discipling - the Matthew 28 'Great Commission' model - can not only handle difficult discussions and differences of opinion, but grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ! (2 Peter 3:18) Indeed, iron does sharpen iron (Proverbs 27:17), and being sharp, knowledgeable, and able to share the reason for our hope in Jesus (I Peter 3:15) is our living service to Him.

The other trend that I see that hinders pastors from more frequently engaging the prophetic books and end time topics is a marked decline in the level of scholarship coming out of the seminaries - especially as it pertains to the Old Testament. Revelation's 404 verses contain 800 quotes or allusions to the Old Testament; there is no way to exegete it competently without a mastery of the first 39 books of our canon. Of course, we have mainstream, well-known pastors who say that the Old Testament is irrelevant - and somehow they are greatly admired for their ability to help people connect to the Word. I find that dumbfounding, and more than a little insulting to the Jesus that I love and worship, Who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is the Word made flesh (John 1:14), and I want to know Him completely - I want to understand the WHOLE story. I will never tire of it, even in glory. I see eschatology being placed further and further back in the Bible doctrines storeroom at exactly the time we need to bring it out front and fill all the willing vessels with knowledge. Because we know that without knowledge, the people perish (Hosea 4:6), and we are heading into perilous times indeed (2 Timothy 3:1).

Prophecy

Exploring end times through diligent biblical study.

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