Some wonder why Bible prophecy is so cryptic? The answer is that understanding of both parables and Bible prophecy are only for the astute elect. Jesus taught in parables at His first coming so that those wise in their own understanding would not understand the things of God. The Scribes and the Pharisees did know the scriptures but they lacked understanding and could not properly discern the scriptures they knew. They would not see that Jesus was clearly taught in the scriptures because in their own self righteous religious understanding, the Messiah would enable them and not correct them.
It was also obvious from what we have been told in scripture that even the disciples of Jesus did not understand many of the parables. Jesus had to explain them privately to his disciples. After Jesus rose from the dead one of the first things that Jesus did was to open the understanding of His disciples by showing them the scriptures that taught about Himself (Lk24 25-27). Take note that Jesus taught them from the scriptures rather than just revealing Himself to them in special revelation. It is important that people know the scriptures rather than look for the things of God in some special Revelation. Only in the breaking of the Bread did they finally recognize that the risen Savior had been among them teaching them all this time.
The parables at first were given for the astute elect of Israel that were hungry to know the truths of God. The parables were explained to them by Jesus. When the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost the door was opened for all believers to understand the things of God. But nevertheless, not all seek, and not all ask for understanding, and not all hear what the Spirit is saying. Many do not meditate on the words of God because they do not know the word of God.
Furthermore, nobody is really going to understand scripture without the Holy Spirit. So being Baptized into Christ comes before any real understanding. Many remain blinded to the meaning of parables and also Bible prophecy because they either do not know the scriptures or for various reasons they never got understanding from the Holy Spirit.
Those in Christianity blinded by things of the world and dull of hearing about the Lord’s second coming will not see or understand the scriptures where Jesus fulfills future Bible prophecy. Those dull of hearing as it relates to Bible prophecy are those that in practice have given up on any literal future fulfillment of Bible prophecy on earth. Instead of seeking understanding in the scriptures they substitute theories of theology that make prophetic passages conform to their religion.
Satan and all the world blinded by him do not know the future. The best they can do is guess or try to manipulate world events to try to make it come about. Nevertheless, God is in control of all future events not Satan. Those without understanding of Bible prophecy cannot know the future so they often dabble in occult practices to try to figure the future out. We see that happening today. Those today that mix paganism and Bible prophecy are doing it because they are still blind and they think they found answers about the timing of the second coming of Jesus through pagan methods and theories. They try to make Bible prophecy conform to the latest pagan theory but one originates from God and the other originates from Satan. You cannot get understanding of what God said about the future by mixing truth and lies.
The sons of Satan continually attempt to make the world system conform to the teaching of their own false prophets who get their message from devils. In recent times we have seen examples of attempts to bring about a world under the oppression of Satan. There are religions like Islam founded on false prophets. There are the philosophies and worldviews of Fascism, Marxism, Secular humanism and New Age/New Spirituality, they are all founded on false prophets. With most worldviews outside of Christianity the driving force behind them is the antichrist spirit found in paganism and pantheism. All of the founders of these world philosophies or worldviews dabbled in the occult. We have seen many attempts of Satanically inspired people trying to bring in a world system that will conform to the teaching of their own false prophets but they all fail in the end. They will continue to fail until God removes the restrainer in His people.
So I think that those that tell me about some Satanic plan to establish a Satanic New world order really miss the whole point. What else is new under the sun? God is still in control of the earth and Satan can do nothing that God does not allow. Satan has been trying to discourage and defeat the Sons of light and bring in his own kingdom for six millenniums but only in God’s timing will Satan be given the power to bring his counterfeit kingdom on earth. Even then, it is only granted for a very short period in order to deceive those on earth that rejected the love of the truth (2Th 2 7-12).
Jesus taught in Parables to help illustrate spiritual truths to those that have the eyes to see and ears to hear and understand these things. Why Jesus taught in parables is explained in several passages but I have one that I want you to ponder on. That is the Parable of the Sower (Mt 13:18). The sower is Jesus. The seed is the word of the Kingdom. The ground are the people that the word falls on. The people that can hear the word and that allow the word to take deep root in themselves will produce for the Kingdom. Those that produce much will be given more authority and responsibility as a reward. Those that produce little will have the authority and responsibility they had taken away and the rewards they should have received will be given to those that produced. Further light on rewards and the taking away of rewards can be found in the Parable of the Pounds in Luke Chapter 19.
Another reason why Jesus taught in parables was so those that sought out the mysteries of the parables would understand (the wise – the astute elect). Bible prophecy is much the same. The world and even some Christians are not looking for the second Coming of Jesus by searching the scriptures. Instead, they are looking for the end of the world through the teachings of false prophets. They will never understand Bible prophecy or know the time of His coming by believing the false prophets of the world. Nevertheless, the wise will understand in the end time (Dan 12:10, Mat 25: 4)
Those Christians with preconceived presumptuous theologies like replacement and supersession theology will not understand Bible prophecy. The religious leaders of Jesus time thought they would recognize the Messiah when the Messiah came and fulfilled there preconceived theology but He came as scripture said He would and the religious leaders did not even know Him. The builders of Judaism rejected the chief cornerstone of their own religion. Had they really understood the scriptures it should have been quite clear to them that Jesus was the Messiah but they were more worried about keeping up religious appearances and lording over men.
Many of the religious leaders today are cut from the same cloth. They do not know or teach anything about Bible prophecy and the second coming of Jesus Christ. They have become blinded by worldly worldviews. Since they have little or no understanding of Bible prophecy they just make it allegory. As allegory they can redefine Bible prophecy to say whatever they want. Many today also just make sin and hell and judgment on this evil world allegory as well. They redefine scripture so that God becomes a politically correct being that must obey human reason.
Nobody can understand the true meanings of parables, Bible prophecy, or the deep things of God by human reasoning or through human preconceived theologies. Deep spiritual truths are given to those who can chew the meat of God’s word and build upon it by taking Bible passages and correlating them with all other scriptures to try to find true understanding. All is done by serious study of scriptures with the help of the Holy Spirit. Those that still suck milk are not going to get parables or Bible prophecy correct and those who think they will get enlightenment on Bible prophecy from pagan sources are totally deceived.
As Issiah said:
Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
When reading God’s Word-What did Jesus say about the end times.(in red)???
just a question for the thinkers that come on this forum….
The original words of God are not color coded. All of the bible is inspired by Jesus so lets not get red faced about end time Bible prophecy
Hello 1Rosebud,
Try reading Matthew chapters 24 and 25, Mark 13; Luke 21. Whether they are printed in red or not, they are Jesus’ words about the end times.
Also please note from the context, that what Jesus reveals applies to Israel rather than the Church, as Jesus will have already returned for us at the rapture {revealed to Paul by God around twenty years later}. What Jesus is speaking-of here is what has come to be known as “The Tribulation” (or what is called the “Time of Jacob’s Trouble” in the Old Testament).
Heavenly Father, please clear away all the crud that too many of us have in our hearts and minds, things that we have put there, the world has put there, even things the enemy has put there – things that we no longer have the power to remove ourselves yet they keep us from hearing Your voice and understanding Your Word: things such as pride, confusion, anger, painful experiences, internalized-shame, self-destructive thoughts, choices and lifestyles, our many ego-defense mechanisms, and other things. We are a people with seared consciences for whatever reason, and the reason is no longer important because of the fact that we have so messed ourselves up that we cannot hear You clearly even if we want to. So many of us are desperate in this state! Maybe more are asleep here? (Awake us!!!) Oh Father!!! Clear this stuff away, “burn” it way if You must so that we can see with our eyes and hear with our ears and turn and seek reconciliation with You through Jesus and be healed. Please, You are willing that none would parish, please remake seared hearts all over the world enough so that they can hear Your voice again and choose You or not!
Rosebud, not quite sure if your question is rhetorical or not, nevertheless it is a question that any professed christian needs to ask themselves from time to time. Indeed, what did Jesus himself say?
As usual Don’s article hits the mark, scripture is where we find the answers and you are correct to focus your questions there. I wish more christians would understand that we are living in the “church age”, the “gospel age” if you will and that Jesus himself commands us to preach the good news to the poor. This good news can heal the broken-hearted, can deliver the captives and give sight to the blind. To set at liberty them that are bruised.
Luke 4:18
When Jesus taught in the synagogue at Nazareth and the Isaiah scroll was handed to him and he ended with “to preach the acceptable year of the Lord”, why stop there? Why not finish the Isaiah scripture? “and the day of vengeance of our God: to comfort all that mourn;”
I beleive most people, let alone christians, haven’t the slightest idea what lay in store when Jesus returns to earth. He has already come as the lamb led to slaughter. Next time he will not come so meekly. Vengeance will indeed be his.
But, notice before the vengeance is deliverence. Deliverence for them that believe. For Christ intercedes for us with the Father and we are not appointed unto wrath.
I would ardently agree with Don. I myself, in times past, have been caught up in the times that lay before us, and have sometimes lost sight of who is really in control. The one who is the alpha and the omega. The one who knows the end from the beginning. Then I realize that because of grace it’s as if I’m already seated in heavenly places.
Just remember that Christ Jesus is the only answer for the human condition.
Always Christ.
Thanks Don. “GOOD FOOD” for MY Hungry SOUL!
Just wanted to make people think.
I am going to sit back and think about your good answers.
Don,
There is a key Biblical truth why Jesus spoke in parables to the Jews (for the most part) and why he had to personally teach them the Hebrew Scriptures about Himself and the time of israel’s visitation?
The truth begins as given to all Israel by Moses in Deuteronomy 29:1-4, the last sentence being the key to what follows:
“These are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He made with them in Horeb. Now Moses called all Israel and said to them: “You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land— the great trials which your eyes have seen, the signs, and those great wonders. Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day.”
The lack of a heart to perceive, eyes to see and ears to hear is the subject of Isaiah 29:9-16
“Pause and wonder!
Blind yourselves and be blind!
They are drunk, but not with wine;
They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink.
For the LORD has poured out on you
The spirit of deep sleep,
And has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets;
And He has covered your heads, namely, the seers.
The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, “Read this, please.”
And he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed.”
Then the book is delivered to one who is illiterate, saying, “Read this, please.”
And he says, “I am not literate.”
Therefore the Lord said:
“ Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths
And honor Me with their lips,
But have removed their hearts far from Me,
And their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men,
Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work
Among this people,
A marvelous work and a wonder;
For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.”
Woe to those who seek deep to hide their counsel far from the LORD,
And their works are in the dark;
They say, “Who sees us?” and, “Who knows us?”
Surely you have things turned around!
Shall the potter be esteemed as the clay;
For shall the thing made say of him who made it,
“ He did not make me”?
Or shall the thing formed say of him who formed it,
“ He has no understanding”?”
The concluding verses of Isaiah 29:17-24 and the entire chapter of Romans 11 provide the answer as to when Israel (in the near future) will receive its heart to perceive, eyes to see and ears to hear.
Yep, the heart of flesh has to be changed to a new heart. Israel was blinded for a season so all nations could be saved and now the times of grace to the gentiles is about up and Israel is about to have her eyes opened.
Don, I would like to talk to you and share what my heart is “saying.” I an a 46 year old man, retired Army in 2007, and truly gave myself up to follow Jesus. My life is not the same and I want to share with anyone who will listen. Thanks Don…….Denis
Denis C,
First read my commenting policy. You can find that on the top bar and if you can stay within the other commenting requirements I do allow off topic information to be discussed on my latest monthly perspectives posts. This month it is the following.
https://www.thepropheticyears.com/wordpress/koenigs-perspectives-on-bible-prophecy-and-world-issues-jan-2012.html
Don,
I recently learned something about Wheat’s and Tares that I did not know…that relates to Jesus’ parable of “The Sower”.
According to the Pastor I was listening to….
Wheat’s and Tares look identical from a sprout to full growth and the roots of both commonly get intermingled with each other during their growth.
I have never eaten wheat from the husk, but apparently it has a gummy flavored rich wheaty taste to it….while a tare is toxic and very nasty to eat.
So, in Mathew 13, The Parable of the Sower, it explains why Jesus said not to pull the tares because it would also pull the good wheat because of the intermingled rooting. It also, of course, shows that people who pretend (the toxic) to be lovers of The Almighty God can be nearly indiscernible from the true believers, as we know is the case today.
I don’t know if this applies now with modern farming technology from a growing perspective on telling if it is a wheat or a tare but it surely was the case in Jesus’ day.
To some, this might be common sense but for me, it really defined the parable in detail.