POSTED 01 JULY, 2004

A New Way to Look at Prophecy

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The end of the age, the end of the world, the Tribulation period, the Last Days, eschatology. These are all terms that students of the Bible, both Bible teachers and your average lay person alike, all hear when they examine the pages of God’s Word and read the Scriptures that speak of the return of the Messiah and the final judgment of the Lord upon Planet Earth. There are many ways that people have examined the end-time prophecies of the Bible over the centuries. Many movements have been formed with the belief that the judgment of God is imminent, and that they must do something to either stall, or accelerate the inevitable. Many theologians have debated the meaning of prophecies in Scripture, wondering and questioning what a proper interpretation of them actually is. Have these prophecies already been fulfilled? Are they literal or are they symbolic? And perhaps most importantly, what should be our approach as Believers to end-time prophecy?

It is an understatement to say that the study of prophecy is not controversial. The study of prophecy is very controversial. It is controversial because you are taking the position that there are things in the Bible that have yet to occur, are interpreting those statements, and then perhaps taking your own interpretation and applying it to what you see in today’s world. While it is absolutely true that having an interpretation of the end-times is not directly related to a person’s salvation, and we will not suggest that particular interpretations of end-time prophecy are “salvation issues,” as Believers who desire to grow and mature in their walk of faith, we cannot ignore what the Scriptures say about the end-times. We cannot sweep end-time Bible prophecy under the rug as if it does not exist.

You are probably already familiar with some of the many and varied interpretations of Bible prophecy that exist today in evangelical Christianity. For many Christians, prophecy is too controversial, too gray, too confusing, and perhaps too peripheral for them to even devote their time to studying it. Just like Christianity, so is there a wide variance of prophecy interpretations in the Messianic movement. And, just like in Christianity, there are those who want to avoid prophecy for some of the same reasons. Perhaps the most common claim among people who want to avoid studying prophecy is, “We are too preoccupied with the here and now and with our study of the Torah to concern ourselves with the end-times. We’re already controversial enough.” I believe that this is an inappropriate attitude to have.

It is a fact that today’s Messianic movement, and more specifically the Two-House movement which believes that our Heavenly Father is reuniting the scattered House of Israel/Ephraim with the House of Judah, by-and-large does focus more on the here and now than what is to come or the hereafter. There is more of a focus given to an individual’s lifestyle, and the need for us to become Torah obedient and know the Scriptures. This is by no means to be discouraged. The prophecies plainly state that this is going to happen. When all Israel is reunited, it will have the Torah written upon their hearts as part of the promised b’rit chadashah (hvdx tyrB) or New Covenant, and they will be keeping the commandments:

“‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,’ declares the Lord. ‘But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ declares the Lord, ‘I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people’” (Jeremiah 31:31-33; cf. Hebrews 8:8-12).

“My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them. They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons' sons, forever; and David My servant will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever” (Ezekiel 37:24-26).

The fulfillment of these prophecies is already beginning in our day. Many Jewish people are coming to saving faith in Messiah Yeshua, and non-Jewish Believers are coming to a realization of the importance of the Torah and their Hebraic Roots. But how many of us consider these things to be end-time prophecies? How many of us realize that in order to truly believe in the Two Houses of Israel being reunited, that we must have a position on end-time prophecy?

It is unfortunate that in our day too many people in the Two-House community think that they can let prophecy go ignored. Few realize the fact that the Two-House teaching of Judah and scattered Israel/Ephraim is questioned by many people outside the Two-House movement because neither they, nor do Two-House advocates, by-and-large have well-reasoned positions on end-time prophecy. It is time for a change, and it is time for us to start examining and re-evaluating end-time prophecy from the perspective of the Two Houses of Israel.

True Prophets and False Prophets

Why is it that many people are turned off to prophecy? Why do people not want to examine what the Scriptures say about the end-times and the future? The answers to these questions vary, and are found both in what the Bible tells us and in the different reactions to prophecy that we see in the Christian and Messianic world.

Beginning in the Torah, the Lord told Ancient Israel that He would cause prophets to be raised up so that they would deliver His messages to the people. He admonished Ancient Israel, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, shall make Myself known to him in a vision. I shall speak with him in a dream” (Numbers 12:6). However, in telling Israel that prophets will be raised up in the midst of the assembly, He also warns them against false prophets: “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes true, concerning which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods (whom you have not known) and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). We are warned about those who are performing signs or wonders in the name of the God of Israel, who in actuality are leading people astray from the One True God, and leading people away from His commandments.

There are many examples in the Tanach (Old Testament) of true Prophets of God. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Amos, Malachi, and many others spoke the true words of the Lord to His people. All of the true Prophets of God came and admonished the Israelites to repent of their sin and turn toward the Lord. They spoke of His impending judgment, the required repentance of the people, the rewards that awaited those who repented, and the final judgment of good over evil. They spoke of their current time, as well as Israel in the future. They spoke of the restoration of Israel, and the coming of Israel’s King, the Messiah Yeshua. Many of the Prophets were killed for their prophecies, and they were anything but “popular” when they proclaimed the messages that the Lord had them deliver to the people. As the Messiah Yeshua said to a group of Pharisees, “from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the house of God; yes, I tell you, it shall be charged against this generation” (Luke 11:51).

We know as students of the Word that there have been false prophets, those who have claimed to be prophets and claimed to have been serving the One True God, who in fact did not serve Him, and proved—at the very least—out to serve themselves. We are also warned against those claiming to be prophets in Deuteronomy 18:18-20: “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. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.” This admonition from the Torah tells us that anyone claiming to be a “prophet,” who speaks presumptuously in the name or the authority of the Lord, He will require that this person be executed for this sin. If someone claims that something is going to happen, and it does not happen, then this person is a false prophet.

In Deuteronomy 18:14, the Lord warns the Ancient Israelites, “For those nations, which you shall dispossess, listen to those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do so.” The Ancient Israelites were entering into an area where people consulted fortunetellers to predict the future. A true prophet, while perhaps speaking about the future, is going to do so in the context of getting the people to repent and return to the Lord. If all we do is consult “prophets” for telling us what is going to happen in our future, and hearing about that future does not get us to change and get ourselves right with the Lord, then we have a problem.

The warning against false prophets is evident in the Apostolic Scriptures (New Testament) as well. Yeshua the Messiah warns us in His Olivet Discourse, “For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24, NRSV). He tells us that in the Last Days, there are not going to only be false prophets who speak presumptuously in the name of the Lord, but they are also going to perform mighty deeds and miracles, as though those miracles were truly of the Lord. The Apostle Peter also warns us, saying, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned” (2 Peter 2:1-2). Peter warns us that not only will there be false prophets and teachers who enter into the assembly during the Last Days, but that “many will follow their licentiousness” (RSV). In other words, these false prophets will be liked by the people, and they will bring a message contrary to that of a true prophet: one who proclaims repentance from sin and the impending judgment of God.

But what does this have to do with us today and our examination of end-time prophecy? First of all, the prophets that we should be listening to are the Prophets whose words are recorded for us in the Bible. These Prophets have a track record of always being on target and never leading us astray. Many of these Prophets were killed by the masses because of the messages that they proclaimed. Secondly, many people are turned off to the study of the prophecies of Scripture, because there are many, perhaps claiming to be “prophets” or “men of insight,” who have taken the words of the Bible, or have claimed to be empowered by God, that have made false predictions based on Scriptural prophecies which have been proven to be fallacious. There are many examples throughout history of various movements where people have taken prophecies of Scripture and used them to promote themselves and a particular agenda. We cannot blame people for being hesitant to studying prophecy because of things like these, but ultimately that is not a mature attitude because at least one-fifth of the Bible is prophetic. We cannot ignore it.

Inappropriate Ways of Looking at End-Time Prophecy

What are some of the ways that people have looked at prophecy in the past? How is it that many in today’s Messianic movement are turned off to the study of prophecy and examining what the Scriptures tell us about the end-times?

Perhaps more than any other reason, the most inappropriate way that people have looked at end-time prophecy has been through a lens of total fear. There are many ministries which promote the study of prophecy, but do it by getting people to be afraid of the Last Days, and use the fear of people to manipulate them into thinking that only their ministry or organization has the answers. Those who are fearful of the end-times, and who—whether consciously aware of it or not—are not putting their trust in the Lord, are easily swayed by the teachings and [mis]information of such people. The Apostle Paul writes that we as Believers “have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15). While we are to fear God, meaning that we are to respect His might and power, we are not to be fearful in the sense that He cannot protect or preserve us through trial or adversity.

The fear of man is a strong motivating factor regarding our world today. Mao-Tsedeung, the former brutal leader of communist China, used to say, “Kill one, frighten a thousand.” With the rise of global terrorism, the more appropriate statement to make is “Kill a thousand, frighten three million” (or possibly even more). The problem with the masses is that they are easily led. In the wake of September 11, 2001, many Americans were fearful for their lives, not realizing that they were, in fact, being terrorized and falling into the trap of the terrorists which is to make people afraid so that the terrorists can get what they want. Sadly, there are prophecy teachers who prey on this kind of fear, and are able to easily influence the naïve. Somehow, Scriptures such as Deuteronomy 32:30 now no longer have any meaning for us as Believers: “How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had given them up?”

The type of fear that is preyed upon in relation to end-time prophecy is evident all across the prophecy spectrum, both among pre- and post-tribulationists. In his book Rapture Under Attack, popular author Tim LaHaye defends the pre-tribulational view. Writing in defense of his position, he says,

“Prisoners have looked expectantly through dungeon windows. Slaves have looked up from the fields. Children have wondered at a slant of sunlight through a sudden break in the clouds. Jesus is coming soon. Soon! Maybe today. Maybe tonight. Maybe before I draw my next breath.

“And yet that comforting belief is under greater attack today more than at any time in recent history. Christian mothers now worry that their precious sons and daughters will be forced to undergo the horrors of the Great Tribulation. Christian fathers fret about the impossible task of keeping their families alive through the most gruesome period the world has ever known.”[1]

The primary defense LaHaye, and many others like him, use in support of pre-tribulationism, is fear. Notice how he comments that the pre-tribulational view gives people “comfort” and how Christian mothers and fathers are worried about their children ever having to go through the Great Tribulation. Why does LaHaye have to say this to defend his view? Why does he have to go to such lengths so as to get people to think subconsciously that God cannot preserve them through whatever trials the Great Tribulation presents? A commonly quoted Scripture, Psalm 23:4, clearly tells us “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

Yeshua the Messiah admonishes us in Luke 21:36, “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” Before saying this, He remarks, “Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth” (Luke 21:35). He is talking about us having the faith that we might be able to flee from all of the things that are going to happen. For if our faith is truly in the Almighty God of the Universe, regardless of what happens in the end-times, we should know that He will preserve and protect us.

But the usage of fear is not limited to pre-tribulationists by any means. While many post-tribulationists are of the strong opinion that pre-tribulationism cannot be ideologically supported from the Bible,[2] many post-tribulationists have fallen into the same trap of using fear to promote their beliefs. Many post-tribulationists, since they are of the position that we will have to endure the end-times and will remain on Earth for the Tribulation period, are also of the position that it will be their job to “fight the beast,” and “endure,” i.e. in the context of being militia-type survivalists. In her 1999 book The United Nations Global Straightjacket, author Joan Veon opens up her analysis with the statement, “I believe Y2K is a ‘spiritual Armageddon,’ for it not only brings to fruition the stated goals and objectives of the United Nations, but it signals the end of the way of life as we have known it in the United States. Unless you have a complete understanding of the events and objectives of the internationalists, i.e., the ‘one worlders,’ which are explained in this book, you will not have a vision of what is required.”[3]

We are now sitting on the other side of Y2K, and we know that it was not “the end of the world” as people would have had it. There were a few expected computer glitches, but nothing major in the least. Y2K was not used to promote globalism or to advance the cause of the “beast system.” If anything, what happened was that prophetic ministries that gave a high significance to Y2K were discredited and as a consequence of Y2K many were turned off to the study of end-time Bible prophecy. Claiming to have the exclusive answers, many prophetic ministries actually reveal that they have no answers, wisdom, or discernment on critical matters that require objectivism and realistic political analysis.

Some of the same have capitalized, unfortunately, on the post-September 11 world conflict against Al Qaida and global terrorism. They continue to promote errant beliefs about what is going on in the world, and seem to be trying to fit current events in with their interpretation of prophecy, rather than letting the prophetic scenario of the Bible naturally play out with us as Believers following what is going on in the world. Very few have been able to have a fair balance of a theologically sound analysis of the end-times, coupled with an objectively sound analysis of global politics. Instead fear—rather than objectivity—is the motivating factor, and because of this many people are rightfully turned off to the study of prophecy. But it is time that we set the higher standard and start addressing what so many are trying to avoid.

The Appropriate Way of Looking at Prophecy

It is a fact that there are things in the Bible that are confusing for us all, including end-time prophecy. King David prayed to the Lord, “Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments” (Psalm 119:66). These are critical words for the Messianic Believer studying prophecy today. We need to have discernment and spiritual knowledge when we handle the prophecies of Scripture. There is no avoiding the reality that what is prophesied in Scripture is going to come to pass, and that Yeshua is going to return. There is no avoiding the reality that bad things are going to befall Planet Earth. There is going to be a one-world government, mark of the beast, an antimessiah/antichrist figure, and billions are going to die. But fear cannot the prime motivation. Rather, we need to step back and look at the big picture, and determine what our job as Believers is in relation to the end-times.

Yeshua the Messiah plainly tells us that He returns for the saints “after the tribulation of those days” (Matthew 24:29-31). The Apostle Paul says that the resurrection, and then transformation of living Believers, occurs “at the last trumpet” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). The Apostle John writes in Revelation that at the seventh trumpet, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah; and He will reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). It is clear from these and other verses that Believers will have to endure through the Tribulation period. Some will die or be martyred along the way, but there is the promise of a bodily resurrection. But what we have to get out of our minds is that the primary purpose of the Tribulation period is that a world government would be established and that the antimessiah/antichrist would come to power. While this is going to happen, and while we are not doubting the prophecies that speak about him, the antimessiah’s reign is only temporary compared to the reign of the true Messiah. When the Tribulation period is over, Yeshua the Messiah will return to Earth and be ruling and reigning. His Kingdom will have no end:

“There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:7).

The appropriate way for us to look at prophecy is for us to examine the Scriptures with this goal in mind. Many of us have to consciously realize that where we are going is better than where we are today. We have to realize that in the end, we win! Some people who study the end-times get so focused on conspiracy theories, New World Order information, secret societies, and what is supposedly “going on behind the scenes,” that they can get so negative and in many cases spiritually damage themselves. Many of the same do not realize that God already knows that there is a conspiracy against Him. There has been a conspiracy against Him since the Garden of Eden. But do you think God cares more about the conspiracy against Him than He does His own children, those who follow Him and know His Son Yeshua as their Personal Savior? Consider what the Psalmist writes:

“The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His Anointed [or Messiah], saying, ‘Let us tear their fetters apart and cast away their cords from us!’ He who sits in the heavens laughs, the Lord scoffs at them” (Psalm 2:2-4).

In this passage, God says that He “has them in derision” (RSV). Do you think that human men can actually have a legitimate chance of overthrowing the Creator of the Universe? I am deeply concerned that some people lack faith and think that God is not all-powerful and that the Almighty can be beaten.

It is high time that we start examining prophecy through the positive and uplifting lens of us winning. We need to know that the end result of all of this “bad stuff” is the restoration of the Kingdom, the return of Yeshua the Messiah, and the initiation of an era of great peace and prosperity. If Yeshua and His return are not the focus of our prophecy studies, then our examination of the Scriptures will be negative, fleshly, and above all, misguided. Is this a “new way” of looking at prophecy? For many it is. We have to put away any of the errors that we have made in the past, and ask our Heavenly Father for discernment as we seek to have a “working knowledge” of what is to come.

J.K. McKee (B.A., University of Oklahoma; M.A. Student, Asbury Theological Seminary) is the editor of TNN Online (www.tnnonline.net) and is a Messianic apologist. He is author of several books, including: The New Testament Validates Torah, Torah In the Balance, Volume I, and When Will the Messiah Return?. He has also written many articles on the Two Houses of Israel and Biblical theology, and is presently focusing on Messianic commentaries on various books of the Bible.

NOTES

[1] Tim LaHaye, Rapture Under Attack (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 1998), pp 19-20.

[2] Consult the editor’s book The Dangers of Pre-Tribulationism for an examination of the faulty ideological claims of pre-tribulationism.

[3] Joan Veon, The United Nations Global Straightjacket (Oklahoma City: Hearthstone Publishing, 1999), 17.

edited for spelling/grammar; minor theological fine tuning
22 October, 2006

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