SBS Sermon Notes
SBS     Sermon Notes     Note 01/07

Bible Prophecy

Bible prophecy is the news in advance. It is 100% accurate and is the divine stamp on the Bible that it is the Word of God. Every Bible prophecy will come to pass: for the scriptures cannot be broken.
Isaiah 42:9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.
John 10:35 ... the scripture cannot be broken.

1. One Third of Scripture

It is said that 'a third of the Bible is prophecy;' and if you pause to consider that statement it is easy to see how true it is. The Bible is divided into clearly recognisable categories, but prophecy doesn't appear as a separate section; it is found throughout the Scriptures in virtually every one of the 66 books that go to make up the Holy Bible.

2. Why was Prophecy Given?

Yahweh wants us to know the future

The Almighty will not do anything that involves the salvation or destruction of mankind, but He will first tell us His plans. He does this through His servants the prophets.
Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
Genesis 18:17 And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do.

Yahweh wants us to Prosper

2 Chronicles 20:20 ... Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem;
Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

3. Is there Counterfeit Prophecy?

Sad to say even the priceless gift of prophecy has been counterfeited by Satan (Lucifer) the Devil. Consequently we have 'false prophets' whose messages are often accompanied by miracles to give them credibility. A steep rise in false prophecy and miracles is one of the signs of the Saviour's return.
Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Matthew 7: 15: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
(see point 4)
A clear picture of false prophets and their devastating effect upon a land is given in Jeremiah 23. Read the whole chapter and note the following:
Jeremiah 23:10 The land is full of adulterers ... (false prophets who adulterate Truth with Error.)
11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.
13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14 I have seen an horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem, they commit adultery ...
21 I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
25 They prophesy lies in my name.
30 Therefore I am against them.
34 And as for the prophet and the priest, and the people, that shall say, 'The burden of the LORD', I will even punish that man and his house.
36 And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more.
The only sure way of knowing that the preacher you listen to is not a false prophet is to compare what he says with the Word of God! If he is teaching man-made traditions, human ideas or plausible suppositions, beware! The question we must continually ask ourselves is found in verses 37:
What hath the LORD spoken?

4. How can we recognise Truth from Error?

There are certain tests we may apply to safeguard falling into error. They are based on the fact that 'Yahweh doesn't change' and therefore what He has considered right in the past is right today, and what He denounced as sin in the past is still sin today. When evaluating a prophet, especially one claiming the power to do miracles! the following guidelines should also be used:

Take note of his/her personal life

Matthew 7:15-23 ... Ye shall know them by their fruits ...
21 Not every one who saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Consider his/her popularity

Luke 6:26 Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Examine the Prophet's Message

Is it consistent with the rest of Scripture?