Biblical Prophecy Resource Center - Why Study Biblical Prophecy?

Why Study Biblical Prophecy?

This area of the BPRC web site contains (or will contain) numerous articles related to the topic of biblical prophecy. There are many who do not consider prophecy very important. After all, the Bible contains much about human history, a great deal of moral teaching even some very engaging tales. So, why put an emphasis on prophecy?

Part of the reason lies in the interest that prophecy does evoke in people these days. Many of those who do not have a relationship with God look to prophets and prophecies of all sorts to find a sense of security in the world; to have a feeling that at least someone knows what’s going to happen. This search shows the need they have for God. By teaching what the Bible has to say about prophets and prophecy, it is possible that we may provide a bridge for someone to begin or deepen his or her relationship with God. Establishing and encouraging each person’s relationship with God is the ultimate goal of this ministry.

That is why BPRC has a prophetic tendency. Of course, that is not an answer to the question, “Why study prophecy?” With due attention paid, the Bible makes it quite clear that prophecy is very important to God. If it is important to Him, it should be important to us.

So, let’s take a look at some answers the Bible provides us to the question at hand.

The Same Reasons as Any Bible Study
Reasons Relating to Prophecy
So Where Does All This Leave Us?

The Same Reasons as Any Bible Study

First and foremost, prophecy should be studied because it is part of the Bible itself. If God went to the trouble of getting it down on paper (and keeping it there over the many years), then we have an obligation to study it and to understand it (with the help of the Holy Spirit; study 1 Corinthians 2:10-14 if you don’t believe this). It is interesting to note that, looking at the time each book of the Bible was penned, well over two thirds of the Bible is prophetic in nature. In other words, at the time the author of a book in the Bible sat down to write, what he wrote described something that hadn’t happenned yet. So, if one chooses to ignore the prophetic passages of Scripture, over two thirds of the Bible would have to be thrown out. It is hard to imagine God agreeing with this.

Another reason for Bible study in general (and propheic study specifically) is that it helps us avoid being deceived. Even though it is not currently fashionable, there really is an absolute reality, an absolute right and wrong.

Things are what they are and we have two choices about that; either reality was created or it was not. If it was not created, there is no absolute authority and any concept of morality boils down to nothing more than a cruel joke. If it was created (and there is more scientific evidence for this than for any other world view), then it must have been God and we again have two choices. Either He cares about us or He doesn’t. If He does not care, again we have moral anarchy as a result. If He does care (and there are literally millions of people who can testify to a direct and personal impact God has had on their lives individually), then He’d want us to know what He expects of us. So, that leaves us with the necessity of the Bible (the history of which is itself a testimony to God’s intervention). Again by necessity, the Bible must provide absolute truth or God abrogates any claim to us and we are responsible for nothing (which would mean that justice would, like morality above, be a figment of our collective imagination).

At some point, each person runs through this thought process (or at least part of it) and comes to a place where he or she decides where, ultimately, authority in his or her life comes from. Most people do not make this decision consciously, but they still make it. If the decision is such that ultimate authority does not lie with God, we end up with moral anarchy yet again where no one has the right to say anything that anyone does is right or wrong.

If ultimate authority does lie with God, then He must provide us a way of understanding the nature of our universe and the concepts of right and wrong (among other things). (This is usually referred to as a “world view”.) If God does not provide this, then we are left with a cruel God. Most people cannot (and rightly so) accept the idea of a cruel God. Therefore, there must be something He has done to convey the necessary information to us.

God has chosen the Bible as His way of letting us know how things work and what He expects of us. (The reasons for trusting the authority of the Bible as the Word of God will be presented in another article.) Since the Bible gives us God’s message and instructions to us, it provides the unchanging standard against which all things purported as truth may be measured. The best preachers in the world are the ones who say, “Don’t take my word for it. Compare what I say against the Bible. If you find a disagreement, ignore me and believe the Bible.”

So, if the Bible is such a standard, it is obvious why we would want to study it to learn as much as we can about God and how He wants to relate to us and us to Him.

Reasons Relating to Prophecy

The reasons discussed above are general to studying any subject in the Bible. Now, let’s look into more reasons relating to the studying of prophecy specifically.

One of the key aspects that makes prophecy what it is is its revealing of something that has not happened yet. Part of the evidence God uses to show us Himself is His telling us in the Bible of events before they occur. As mentioned before, over two thirds of the Bible is occupied with this. So far, God has been acurate 100% of the time (a success rate He demands of all who claim to speak for him; more on this in another article). This gives us great cause to study the prophecies that have not yet happened just for the encouragement we can get from seeing God’s sovereignty and omniscience exemplified in the prophecies that have come true. You may want to review this article for some of the prophecies that have been fulfilled just relating to Jesus.

B. It can motivate us to action.
C. God promises blessings for those who study prophecy (Rev 1:3, 22:7)
D. It builds other people up in their faith (1 Cor 14:3).
E. As part of a well-rounded study, there are rewards at stake (Rev 3:11)
F. The time has come to do so (Rev 22:10)

So Where Does All This Leave Us?

As noted above, God’s most clear statement on the reason for studying prophecy is what the angel told John in Revelation 19:10, “...Worship God, for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy.” God told us about future events so that we would have no doubt that He is who He says He is. Prophecy is one of the ways that God gives us the good news that is Jesus, that is, Himself.

Since Jesus is God, then He is our creator and we are accountable to Him. All He wants is to be your Savior and the Lord of your life, to love you in tangible ways, to have a personal, one on one relationship with you. If you do not already have this relationship, you can read more here about how to get it started. Jesus is knocking. Will you open the door and let Him help you?

Please send any comments, questions and/or suggestions to us. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.

Last updated on December 31, 2001 at 7:51 PM