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Well this we're considering donkeys here one will consider that word of prophecy as a small matter right or let's go to Matthew the 17th chapter Matthew in the new Testament very first book Matthew chapter 17 verse 27. More of a small matter here we're dealing with finding a coin in a fish and then using that coin or lastly let's look at Luke the 22nd chapter Matthew Mark and then Luke Luke chapter 22 and we'll pick up in verse 8 Luke 22 verse 8. So Jesus sent Peter and John saying go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it they asked him where do you want us to make preparations for it listen he said to them when you have entered the city a man carrying a jar of water will meet you follow him into the house he enters here's very specific instruction about this man so prophecy can really deal with small matters it can also deal with great events for example the prophecy with regard to flood the prophecy with regard to the destruction of Jerusalem both times Jesus's death and resurrection the end of the world so prophecy can deal with small and also great here's something else to keep in mind prophecy can cover either a short or long period for example some prophecies are fulfilled the very same day in Holy Scripture and other prophecies other prophecies take thousands of years the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in his first coming or his second coming is an example of that or we hear it put this way in second Peter the third chapter a good way to find second Peter is to go to the book of Revelation and start to work your way back toward Matthew you're going to cross over the Johns and then you bump into the Peters very quick second Peter chapter 3 we'll pick up in verse 3 first of all you must understand this that in the last days scoffers will come scoffing and indulging their own lusts and saying where is the promise of his coming for ever since our ancestors died all things continue as they were from the very beginning of creation they deliberately ignore this fact that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water through which the world of that time was deluged with water and perished but by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the Godless but do not ignore this one fact be loving that which the Lord one day that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like one day the Lord's not slow about his promise is some think of slowness but is patient with you not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance so what we see is it can be either covering a short period of time or a long period of time here's another descriptor with regard to prophecy it can be conditional or unconditional unconditional prophecy is God promises something and it's simply going to be Christ birth death resurrection his return perfect examples of unconditional prophecy but then you have conditional prophecies in other words they are fulfilled only if the people who received them met certain conditions so for example when when Jonah foretold the destruction of Nineveh that immediate fulfillment that immediate fulfillment was laid aside when the people repented or another example is in Jeremiah chapter 18 let's turn there please in the Old Testament Jeremiah chapter 18 and we'll pick up in verse 7 Jeremiah 18 verse 7 at one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it but if that nation concerning which I have spoken turns from its evil I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it and that another moment I made to declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and planted but if it does evil in my sight not listening to my voice then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it so you can have prophecies then that are unconditional you can have prophecies that are conditional here's the next some prophecies were delivered by dreams or night visions so for example you've got Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the image that was interpreted by Daniel or Jacob's dream of the latter or Joseph's dreams about his family you can also have visions examples of of that is Paul and Acts 22 or John in the book of Revelation here's another descriptor of prophecies some prophecy is received by direct encounter with God Genesis 18 is an example of that Abraham received a promise of a son that was a direct encounter with God or sometimes the angels will come and deliver the prophecy we read in scripture about the angel coming and delivering the prophecy with regard to the birth of John the Baptist or the angel coming and delivering the prophecy with regard to the birth of our Lord so here's some then principles or descriptors of prophecy just to review they can deal with matters smaller great they can cover a short or long period they can be conditional or unconditional some were delivered as dreams or night visions some were received by a direct encounter with God okay let's go on let's gain that greater understanding around this whole issue of prophecy some can be given in plain literal language and other prophecies can be given in symbolic language what we can deal with are what are called types and types is an old testament event that looks forward to the new testament and the ultimate fulfillment so a type a type can be for example a person we see in scripture Melchizedek was a type a type of Christ the true priest or a type can be an event the freeing of Israel from Egypt is a type that points forward to the redemption that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ or it can be a thing the Passover lamb in the old testament is a type that points forward to the lamb of God Jesus Christ prophecies can be acted out symbolically for example let's go to Jeremiah chapter 27 verse 1 Jeremiah 27 verse 1 and here we have a prophecy that's with symbolic actions as it's communicated so verse 1 chapter 27 in the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah son of Josiah of Judah this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord thus the Lord said to me make yourself a yoke of straps and bars and put them on your neck send word of the king of Edom the king of Moab the king of the Ammonites the king of Tyra and the king of Sidon by the hand of the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to kings at a kaya of Judah give them this charge for their masters thus says the Lord of hosts the God of Israel this is what you shall say to your masters it is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth with the people and animals that are on the earth and I give it to whomever I please now I have given all these lands into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon my servant and I have given him even the wild animals of the field to serve him all the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson until the time of his own land comes then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave but if any nation or kingdom will not serve this king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and put his neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon then I will punish that nation with the sword with famine and with pestilence says the Lord until I've completed its destruction by his hand you therefore must not listen to your prophets your diviners your dreamers your soothsayers or your sorcerers who are saying to you you shall not serve the king of Babylon for they are prophesying a lie to you with the result that you will be removed far from your land I will drive you out and you will perish but any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him I will leave on its own land says the Lord to till it and live there see there we see the prophecy symbolically lived out by Jeremiah there can be symbolic language you see that in Ezekiel Daniel Zechariah also with John for example the candlesticks in Revelation they stand for congregation the beasts in Daniel stand for the kingdom so prophecy can be communicated symbolically here's a very important point I'd like you to remember truths which are taught in symbolic language in scripture are also taught elsewhere in plain literal language let me say that again truths which are taught in symbolic language in scripture are also taught elsewhere in plain literal language so one looks then for the plain literal language and then uses that in the interpretation of the symbolic so always when one sees symbolism look for the plain literal interpretation if one doesn't that's where that launch into imagination can simply come into being where sometimes people will interpret prophecy and you say where are you getting that because you see it doesn't bear the correct biblical principles of interpretation so why is it important to study prophecy we've laid principles with regard to prophecy why is it important to study prophecy first prophecy shows the glory of the true God that he's in control that we can count on him that we can count on his word let's go to Isaiah chapter 46 right before Jeremiah Isaiah 46 we'll pick up in verse 8 Isaiah 46 verse 8 remember this and consider recall it to mind you transgressors remember the former things of old for I am God and there is no other I am God and there is no one like me declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done saying my purpose shall stand and I will fulfill my intentions prophecy shows as we see the fulfillment of prophecy prophecy shows that we can rely on God that his word is trustworthy here's a second reason why it's important to study prophecy prophecy directs us to Christ let's go to Luke chapter 24 Matthew Mark and then Luke Luke chapter 24 verse 44 then he said to them these are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you that everything written about me in the law of Moses the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled Jesus of course is the one speaking here then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures see Jesus showed how the very scripture points to himself here's a third reason prophecy prepares us for the events that are still coming let's go to Matthew chapter 24 verse 32 Matthew chapter 24 verse 32 Jesus said from the fig tree learn its lesson as soon as its branches become tender and puts forth its leaves you know that summer is near so also when you see all these things you know that he is near at the very gates here's another reason prophecy influences are conduct in the present let's go to second Peter chapter 3 and we're a good way to find second Peter's just go to revelation and then slowly work your way backwards second Peter chapter 3 verse 14 therefor beloved while you are waiting for these things strive to be found by him at peace without spot or blemish another reason why we study prophecy is it makes up a great part of the word of God there are some 8,300 verses in holy scripture that have elements of prophecy in them so you consider 8,300 verses in scripture that contain elements of prophecy within the 31,000 verses in holy scripture so a major portion of scripture is dealing with prophecy we study prophecy also so that we may be a people that can recognize where there's a bad interpretation of prophecy and then we can address that bad prophecy those false views so in the weeks ahead let's study about the prophecies fulfilled at Christ's first coming the prophecies fulfilled being fulfilled today the prophecies to be filled be fulfilled at Christ's return and next week we'll take a look at prophecies fulfilled during the old testament God bless Hello and welcome to our second session on Biblical Prophecy. So let's go back, New Testament to Acts the 13th chapter, Acts chapter 13, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and then Acts, Acts chapter 13, we'll pick up in verse 32. There are over 100 prophecies with regard to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ that cover a period from at least 4,000 years to 400 years before the birth of Christ. We also took a look at wonderful news, good news of prophecies being fulfilled today, prophecies like the normal rhythm of life, seed time and harvest time and seasons, how the gospel is spreading, Jesus ruling, Christ's church enduring because of God's touch upon it.

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