Why Study Bible Prophecy?

There are six very good reasons why you should study Bible prophecy.

1. Nearly a Third of the Bible is Prophecy

Some 31% of the Bible is God letting mankind know what the future holds. And I'm not just talking about the writings of the Major and Minor Prophets and the book of Revelation. If you don't want to read prophecy, then you also have to skip the Psalms, Jesus' own teachings in the Gospels, and pretty much all the books by Peter, Paul, Jude and John. 

The Apostle Paul warned Christians, "Do not despise prophecies." He even confirmed that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" and so that must also include the prophetic writings. And, even Jesus throughout the Gospels and Revelation, recited prophecies from the Old Testament and taught new ones. To top it all off, Jesus promised a blessing for those who read and obey the prophecies in the book of Revelation.

So, if prophecy is so important to Jesus, then shouldn't it be important to Christians as well?

2. The Focus of Prophecy is Jesus Christ

Bible prophecy is in the end all about Jesus. Jesus declared He must fulfill prophecy so that "...all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." The angel of Revelation 19 even equated the testimony of Jesus with prophecy, declaring "...Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 

If Jesus did not fulfill even one of the 109 distinct First Coming prophecies about the Messiah, then He couldn't be who He claimed to be -- the Savior.

Fulfilled prophecy validates Jesus' claim to divinity and being our Savior.

3. Fulfilled Prophecies Prove the Bible is Truly God's Word

The Bible is unique in being prophetic. There is no religious book, not by Buddha or Krishna or Mohammed or anyone else, ever written which contains so much prophecy. And, I'm not talking about general prophecies about the future, but super specific prophecies such as the Messiah would descend from the line of David, be born in Bethlehem, be killed by crucifixion, and be raised from the dead three days later.

The actual fulfillment of all these prophecies and over a hundred more proves the Bible truly is the Word of God, and so we can put our faith in what it teaches.

4. Bible Prophecy Motivates One to Holy Living

The Prophets and Apostles didn't just relay God's messages about the future, but they also gave powerful messages concerning living morally. For example, Romans 13 encourages, "...the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light."

When the people obeyed prophetic teachings, they grew spiritually. 1 John 3 declares, "...when He [Jesus] is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure."

They became better people, being less self-centered and more God-centered. 1 Peter 4 admonishes, "But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers... have fervent love for one another... minister to one another, be good stewards..."

When a person is more heavenly minded they'll be more generous because they're investing in eternity. 2 Peter 3 advises, "But the day of the Lord will come... Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God..."

And, the people became much better at discerning truth from falsehoods. Luke 21 warns, "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly..."

5. Bible Prophecy Energizes Christians to Evangelize

Knowing that we're quickly running out of time before Jesus returns, Christians when they study Bible prophecy become motivated to get out there and tell people about the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

Fulfilled Bible prophecies actually are an excellent apologetics tool for defending the faith. And, the Gospel is very attractive to people wanting to know what the future holds.

6. Bible Prophecy Provides Hope for the Future

When the world seems to be careening into chaos and you wonder if God's still around, Bible prophecy tells us God certainly is still in control. In the light of Bible prophecy, these crazy current events finally make sense. They're all leading up to one big thing -- Jesus Christ's return. 

And when Jesus returns, He wins! And when Jesus wins, believers in Christ, well, we win as well! So, when you live a life of anticipating victory, you too can have hope for the future.

Summary

So in summary, to reject Bible prophecy means skipping almost a third of the Bible. The focus of prophecy is Jesus Christ. Fulfilled prophecies prove the Bible is truly God's Word. Prophecy motivates Christians to holy living, to evangelism, and to have hope about the future.

The Apostle Peter warned, "that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming?'" Will that be you? No! Or, will you embrace the wonder that Is Jesus Christ, the focus and fulfillment of Bible prophecy?

Originally published at Lamb & Lion Ministries - reposted with permission