Why prophecy matters

Prophecy is vital to the way we live our lives. Depending on what we believe, guides our decisions. Meaning, if we believe that we will not have to face the time of tribulation, we will not choose to learn about the end time’s events that we believe happen after the point of the “rapture”. However, if we believe that we will live through the tribulation period, we will choose to take the time to learn and understand what to expect before the second coming of Yeshua.

Matthew 24: 42-44

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

This verse is seemingly telling us that we should keep a lookout for the signs that are to come. If we do this, we will be ready upon the return of our Savoir.

1 Thessalonians 5: 1-6

Now, brothers and sisters, about times and seasons we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.

It is obvious that when using both of these verses together we can see that it is possible for us to know the “season” or times in which He will return. However, in order to know this we need to do something. We cannot just continue to do what everyone else does, but rather look into the matter, set ourselves apart from the none believers. The only people that will be shocked by the return of the Messiah are those that are walking in darkness. In other words, if you are not studying the Bible and prophecy, you have no chance to know when He will return.

I do say this though, that the biggest reason to study the book of revelation and its prophecy is written in the beginning of the book itself.

Revelation 1:3

Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

There are several other verses in the bible the lead us to believe that not only is prophecy important but even more so, something that we must study and remember. Doing so could help us know what to look for and where to look.

1 Corinthians 14: 24

But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all.

Prophecy helps to convict the sinner and help to convert over to give their lives to Christ. This is what it is all about. Prophecy is the best tool we have to show that YHWH is the One True God. To ignore it is to set aside our best weapon in the battle for souls.

Amos 3: 7

“For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

Amos tells us plain and simple that YHWH’s will ALWAYS tell His prophets what He is about to do, before He does it. How then can we ever say that prophecy is unimportant? All prophecy can and should be read, studied, and used. If we know what is to come, we can prepare. How do we prepare for something that we have no idea about? How do we prepare for something if we don’t know what to expect? Wouldn't this also seem to indicate that as long as we are believers in Christ, that we would not be caught by the "thief in the night"? Doesnt it seem more likely that our God would give us a way to know when, and how to be prepared for His return?

Jude 1:17

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.

We are told to remember what was prophesied. Shouldn’t this verse alone keep us studying 

prophecy? According to “The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy” by J. Barton Payne, there are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament for a total of 1,817. These prophecies are contained in 8,352 of the Bible’s verses. Since there are 31,124 verses in the Bible, the 8,352 verses that contain prophecy constitute 26.8 percent of the Bible’s volume. This means that a quarter of the Bible is prophecy. That being said, how come so many people ignore these prophecies?

We should all take the time to really review study and try to understand what all these prophecies are trying to let us know. If we do this, we should be able to prepare for the second coming of Yeshua Hamachiac.