With all that is taking place in the world, it is hard to imagine why so many in the church choose to distance themselves from Biblical prophecy. Numerous pulpits consider over one-third of God’s Holy Word (the amount containing prophecy) as a matter of secondary importance or even have categorized these portions as trivial points of contention for the body of Christ.
There are several things that we are instructed not to allow to become a point of division (Colossians 2:16-23, 1 Corinthians 1, etc.), but rightly dividing Bible Prophecy is not on this list. There is a purpose God had in providing us with an understanding of the future in His Word, and a great deal is lost for Christians when they disregard or misconstrue these areas of the Bible.
The first thing sacrificed with indifference to Bible prophecy is a full grasp of God’s redemptive plan. Knowing the full pictureโthe beginning and the endโprovides us with a complete understanding of God’s promises for the nation of Israel, the role and rewards of the church in eternity, and the gravity of our own salvation.
The book of Genesis provides an in-depth knowledge of the fall of man and how sin and death entered the picture. Bible prophecy details the events that will befall the world in the future and how Jesus, at His coming, will spiritually restore Israel, establish His kingdom on the earth, and bring an end to deception, lawlessness, and war. After His 1,000-year reign, we see the creation of a new heaven and earth, where suffering, sin, and death are forever exterminated. Without this understanding of the beginning and the end, all we see is an unbelieving Israel, a church in the crosshairs, a world increasingly trapped in the clutches of wickedness, and no end in sight.
The second aspect sacrificed with indifference to Bible prophecy is blessings and rewards. The Book of Revelation is the only book in the canon of Scripture that promises a blessing to those “that read, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (Revelation 1:3).
The Apostle Paul further reveals that a “crown of righteousness” is explicitly given to “all them that love His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). All who long for the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ, will be given this marvelous reward. Those who reject Biblical prophecy will sadly forfeit this crown.
The third loss for those indifferent to Bible prophecy is the assurance of our “Blessed Hope” and the understanding of Jesus’ resurrection. One day, the trumpet will sound. Believers, both living and dead, will be caught up (raptured) to heaven, sparing us the wrath of God to come on the earth and bringing us to be with the Lord for eternity. It is because Jesus rose from the grave that the church is raised imperishable on this glorious day, and “we shall be like Him,” given a glorified body (1 John 3:2, Philippians 3:21, 1 Corinthians 15:52). When we belittle the rapture of the church, are we not also doing the same to the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
The fourth consequence of indifference to Bible prophecy is failing to follow the commands of Jesus. At His first coming, Christ rebuked the Pharisees for neglecting to understand the times in which they lived (Matthew 16:3). They should have recognized that they were living in the time of His coming, just as Christians today should discern the season of His return.
When Jesus was asked about the signs of His coming, He gave a list of things that would be witnessed during these times. Jesus concluded by saying, “Watch, therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Matthew 24). While we do not know the precise timing, we are called to recognize the season of His return (1 Thessalonians 5).
The fifth error in being indifferent to Bible prophecy is missing out on the incredible witnessing tool it provides. After the death and resurrection of Christ, the apostles went out into the world with a message: the saving Gospel. How did they share this “good news?” By showcasing how Bible Prophecy had been fulfilled by Jesus Christ. For many Jews, this proved that Christ was their promised Messiah. For the Gentile world, it served as evidence that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob was the one true God, and Jesus was His beloved son.
In John 14:29, Jesus tells us the purpose of prophecy: “I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.” As we see prophecy from the Bible coming to life before our eyes, Christians today possess this same powerful witnessing tool if they would only take hold and use it.
If the above is not enough to compel Christians to treat Bible prophecy of the utmost importance, consider this last point: Scripture tells us that “Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). How, then, can members of the body of Christ reject part of their Savior?
