A friend of mine, when hearing the word “prophecy,” instinctively thinks of the book of Revelation. I think that’s probably the response of a lot of people. But because my friend finds Revelation’s symbols and some concepts to be so strange, she gives the book very little thought, if any, in her everyday Christian walk. This is satisfactory to her because she considers loving Jesus and living by the strength of His righteousness to be the most important thing. Who wants to argue against that? Not me. I simply explain to her that prophecy can deepen and enhance her Christian experience.
To begin with, prophecy isn’t about just the book of Revelation. Prophecies were given in the Old Testament too. The most prominent ones, of course, had to do with the coming Messiah. That’s why Peter – an eyewitness of Jesus’ power and God’s confirmation of Him – said the prophetic word is sure, having come from not man, but the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1: 19-21). In other words, prophecy throughout both Testaments shows how reliable the scriptures are. That builds faith.
Furthermore, God doesn’t want us to ignore prophecies, even knowing there will be false ones. Rather, He encourages us to test them and hold on to that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5: 20, 21; 1 John 4: 1). What is good is prophecy that aligns with the Bible. By paying attention to prophecy, the church is edified and can be built into a unified, full image of Christ (Ephesians 4: 11-13). What is bad is prophecy that belittles and scorns the keeping of any of God’s Ten Commandments (Matthew 7: 22, 23). Prophecy that speaks contrarily to the Bible is not from God (Isaiah 8: 20).
Moreover, especially concerning these last days, some prophecy is intended to warn about the devil’s miraculous signs and wonders; his false christs and prophets. Knowing what’s to come can help protect God’s people from being deceived into walking along a path leading to false righteousness created by false churches. Prophecy, if we do stray, is designed to return us to the Lord (2 Chronicles 24: 19).
Finally, God’s written, end-time prophecies are of special concern, for Jesus’ return is near. Embrace them, study them, and adhere to them. Doing that will bring on a special blessing (Revelation 1: 3). And know too that in these latter days, prophecy will become more prominent. That means God will bless abundantly more by having more to say in order to guide and encourage His people through what will be perilous times. During those times, whatever God wants known will be introduced through prophecy.
I know this because it has been prophesied. Amos 3: 7 says, “Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets.” And Joel 2: 28 says, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions.”
Prophecy is for our benefit; a gift to the church. It is a way for God to communicate with us so as to deepen our roots in Jesus and strengthen our faith.