Understanding Bible Prophecy - Study 2

The Mechanics of Prophecy in Scripture

To many readers, prophecy can seem mysterious and difficult to understand. Yet Scripture presents prophecy as a divinely ordained means by which God reveals His purposes to humanity. Biblical prophecy is not the product of human imagination, nor is it merely prediction for prediction's sake. Rather, prophecy serves as God's method of communicating His truth, warning His people, calling them to repentance, and unveiling His redemptive plan.

This study examines how prophetic messages were delivered, how prophecy is fulfilled, and how individual prophecies fit into God's unfolding plan of redemption.

Eschatology

Eschatology is the study of last things in the Bible.  The last things are the final events in human history.  What will happen in the end times.  It includes where we will spend eternity – our final state of being.

The origins of the word eschatology come from the Greek words ‘eschatos’ meaning – last, furthest, or ultimate and ‘logia’ meaning – study of.  It literally means ‘the study of the last things.’  It entered the English theological vocabulary in the 19^th century.  Eschatology is rooted in Jewish apocalyptic literature.  There are four views on prophetic eschatology:

• Futurist – Future prophecies to be revealed.

• Historicist – Prophecies have been unfolding over time.

• Idealist – Prophecies are allegorical (such as symbols and metaphors).

• Preterist – Most prophecies have already been fulfilled in the past.

I am for the Futurist view because the Bible is literal and not allegorical.  When you take prophecy and break it down, the other views do not hold water.  They may be able to say certain scriptures, such as the destruction of the temple, have been fulfilled.  However, some prophecies can have dual fulfillment.

When you only take parts and pieces you can make them fit in these other views.  However, when you take the Bible in its entirety, especially prophetic verses no other view lines up. 

Prophetic Messages

The prophets did not originate their messages. They were chosen instruments through whom God communicated His Word.

“For prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of god spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

-2 Peter 2:9

Throughout Scripture, God communicates prophetic revelation in a variety of different ways.  Often, He spoke directly to His prophets.  In the Old Testament it was not uncommon to hear a prophet say, “Thus says the Lord”. This expression appears hundreds of times and emphasizes that the prophet’s authority rested not in himself but in God’s revealed message.

God also spoke to His prophets through dreams and visions.  Joseph had a dream concerning Israel’s future (Genesis 37) and Ezekiel had a vision of the future restoration of Israel (Ezekiel 40-48).  In these visions and dreams God often used symbolism such as beasts (Daniel 7), Horns (Daniel 8), lamps and lampstands (Zechariah 4, Revelation 1:20), numbers and colors.  It takes careful interpretation to understand this symbolism.  They are used to reinforce God’s message and to capture the attention of the audience.

Prophecy Fulfillment

One of the most fascinating aspects of biblical prophecy is the way fulfillment often unfolds.  While some prophecies have a single, straightforward fulfillment, others demonstrate a pattern of both immediate and future realization.

Many of the prophecies addressed the circumstances that were happening at the time of it’s giving. An example is Jeremiah predicting Judah’s exile to Babylon.  Some prophecies extended far beyond the prophet’s time and looked forward to the coming Messiah, the Church age, Israel’s future restoration, and the end-times leading up to the return of Christ.

We also know that many prophecies have a near and distant dual fulfillment.  This does not mean the prophecy has two unrelated meanings.  Rather, the initial fulfillment often serves as a foreshadowing of a greater and ultimate fulfillment. Psalm 22 is a notable example.  This psalm describes experiences in David’s life while simultaneously pointing beyond David to Christ.  This pattern shows how God weaves prophetic themes throughout Scripture, creating layers of meaning that culminate in Christ.  Other Scripture verses to read are:  Isaiah 7:14 and Hosea 11:1. When reading them can you see the dual fulfillment?

God’s Unfolding Plan

Prophecy is not a collection of disconnected predictions.  Together, the prophetic Scriptures reveal a unified story.  From Genesis to Revelation, God progressively unfolds His plan of redemption.  The first prophetic message in the Bible comes from:

“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

- Genesis 3:15

This verse is about the coming of Jesus, the Messiah. It is the beginning of the unfolding of history and the Bible story of redemption.  Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thus bringing sin into the world.  Now the world needs to be redeemed to break the curse.

Understanding how prophecy works helps us avoid two common errors. First, we avoid treating prophecy as a collection of mystical predictions detached from their historical context. Second, we avoid limiting prophecy to the prophet's immediate circumstances and missing God's larger redemptive purposes.

As believers study prophecy, they discover that God not only knows the future, but actively directs history toward His appointed end.

The mechanics of biblical prophecy reveal both the reliability of God's Word and the sovereignty of God's plan. Through dreams, visions, direct revelation, and symbolic actions, God communicated His truth through chosen messengers. Through immediate and future fulfillments, He demonstrated that His purposes unfold exactly as He intends. Every prophecy, whether already fulfilled or awaiting completion, points to the faithfulness of the God who declares the end from the beginning.

“Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?”

- Amos 3:7-8