About Jesus - Steve Sweetman The
First Principle Of Prophecy Before
one can understand anything, he must first know the facts about what is to
be understood. This is
especially true when it comes to Biblical prophecy.
Unless you know the prophetic facts, you will not even begin to
understand what is prophesied, and, if you are around when they are
fulfilled, you may not even recognize their fulfilment. Jesus
confirmed this first principle of prophecy in John 16.
There, He predicted difficult times of persecution that were in His
followers' future. John 16:4
says this: "I have told
you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you
about them. I did not tell you
this from the beginning because I was with you, but now I am going to him
who sent me. None of you asks me, 'Where are you going?'" Along
with the above prediction, Jesus predicted many other future events.
He did so to give his followers, and us too, the heads-up on the
future. He wanted His followers,
and that would include us today, to know the prophetic facts so they, and
we, could be on guard and watch for their fulfilment.
They needed to be alert for all that would befall them.
Mark 13:33 says this: "Be on guard! Be
alert! You do not know when that
time will come." These
two passages present us with the first principle of prophecy.
You first know the prophetic facts even though you do not understand
them. Knowing always precedes
understanding, and knowing takes time, effort, and study.
May we be those who know the prophetic facts so we can keep watch for
their fulfilment.
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