Desert Flowers #6

Overview

Reaping the Full Benefits of the Prophets

Peter tells us that the prophets who spoke of the grace coming to us were "serving not themselves, but you" 1 Peter 1:10-12. Their words were aimed across the centuries at New Testament believers. When we read them rightly, we see three great gifts: confirmation that God's plan unfolds exactly as He promised, direction for the church (as when Zechariah foretold that "many nations shall join themselves to the Lord," shaping the early church's embrace of the Gentiles in Zechariah 2:10-11), and a clear display of God's mercy against the backdrop of human sin.

To gather the fruit of the prophets, we have to read them carefully. Some prophecies are simple: the New Testament itself supplies the fulfillment. Matthew states plainly that the virgin birth fulfilled Isaiah's word Matthew 1:18-23, and that Jesus' ministry in Galilee fulfilled Isaiah's promise of light to those in darkness Matthew 4:12-16. Other passages do not announce themselves but contain all the essentials of the prophecy in the person and event—Jesus' cry from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me" Matthew 27:46, is the fulfillment of Psalm 22:1 even though Matthew does not use the word "fulfill."

It also helps to ask whether a prophecy has a single, direct fulfillment or a double fulfillment. The virgin birth is direct—it can apply to no one else. So is David's confidence that God would not let His Holy One see decay; Peter shows that this could only be fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus, since David himself died and was buried (Psalm 16:9-11; Acts 2:25-28). Other prophecies have an immediate fulfillment and a greater one in Christ. The thirty pieces of silver weighed out to Zechariah are mirrored in the betrayal price of Jesus (Zechariah 11:12-13; Matthew 27:9-10). God's promise to David of an everlasting throne was fulfilled in part through Solomon and ultimately in Jesus, of whom Gabriel said, "of his kingdom there will be no end" (2 Samuel 7:11-16; Luke 1:32-33).

The prophets also speak through powerful symbols. The most repeated picture of the coming Savior is the shoot growing from the stump of Jesse—life springing from what looked dead and hopeless Isaiah 11:1. And we should remember that the prophets were viewing a mountain range from a distance: events near and far appear together, often without chronological order. Rather than be frustrated, we can embrace the way God has chosen to reveal His plan—simple where it is simple, complex where it is complex, rich with imagery throughout. As we share these connections with others, we put on display the unity, reliability, and trustworthiness of God's Word, the very instrument the Holy Spirit uses to bring people to faith and to strengthen the saints.

Transcript

Well, we continue on in our study this morning. Last week, we took a look at an examination of the 0s

last days and understanding that the disciples understood that they were in the last days, 6s

but they misunderstood the mission of the Lord Jesus. And at the heart of the problem 13s

was a selective reading with regard to the scriptures. They certainly understood Jesus as the 20s

conquering king, but what they didn't understand was Jesus as the Messiah as the suffering servant. 28s

We also saw how some saw it clearly, rejoicing that they were in the last days and that the Messiah 38s

had come. Well, today I want to switch with you and take a look at some aspects that's so 45s

important for us to understand in terms of reaping the full benefits of the prophets. So let's start 52s

in 1 Peter chapter 1, a good way to find 1 Peter's to go to Revelation and then turn backwards. You'll 61s

cross over the Johns and then you hit 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 12. 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 12. 70s

Let's go into a 10, give us more context. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the 92s

grace that was to be yours made careful search and inquiry inquiring about the person or time that 100s

the Spirit of Christ within them had indicated when it testified in advance to the sufferings destined 109s

for Christ and the subsequent glory. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves, 116s

but you in regard to the things that have now been announced to you through those who brought you 127s

good news by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven things into which angels long to look. 134s

Little phrase I want to highlight there is in verse 12. It was revealed to them that they were serving 144s

not themselves, but you. The prophets were serving believers in the New Testament, in the New Testament, 150s

times. What we see with regard to the prophets is the prophets show that indeed what they prophesied 164s

comes true in the New Testament. So it's a rich blessing. So we see that God's plan from all time 172s

has been fulfilled. We hear the words of the prophets and then we see the fulfillment of those 180s

words. The prophets also provide direction to the early church and the leaders. For example, 186s

the Gentiles. Let's go to Zechariah chapter 2. Now a good way to find Zechariah is go to the last 195s

book of the Old Testament and slowly work your way backwards and you bump right into Zechariah. 203s

Nestled right before Malachi, Zechariah chapter 2 verse 10. So you have the prophets and the words 213s

then of the prophets fulfilled that gives confidence to the to the early church. You also see God 222s

using the prophets to give direction to the early church. So Zechariah chapter 2 verse 10. 230s

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion, for low, I will come and dwell in your midst says the Lord. 240s

Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day and shall be my people and I will dwell 249s

in your midst. And you shall know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. Here we have the 257s

teaching then that the two Jew and Gentile become one in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is 267s

instructive to the early church as they say, well what do we do about these Gentiles? Well, 275s

indeed the Messiah has come for the Gentile also. So we see that what happened in the New Testament 281s

was God's plan. You see that as the prophecy is fulfilled. One also sees that it's providing 289s

direction to the early church leaders and you also see God's mercy in the prophets against the 294s

backdrop of sin in order to reap the blessings of the prophets. It's very, very important to 301s

correctly interpret them and to understand that sometimes complexity of the flowers themselves 314s

many of the Old Testament prophecies you see a direct correlation in the New Testament where the 324s

where the New Testament is applying and referencing the Old Testament prophecy. So this was said 330s

here's the fulfillment and it's really easy to interpret because you just see the the fulfillment 338s

right in in front of you. There's a simplicity with regard to that flower, isn't it? For example, 343s

let's go to Matthew the first chapter. Matthew chapter 1 verse 18. 350s

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. 372s

When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph but before they lived together she was found to 377s

be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph being a righteous man and unwilling to expose 383s

her to public disgrace plan to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this an 389s

angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said Joseph son of David do not be afraid to take 396s

Mary as your wife. For the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 402s

She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus for he will save his people from their sins. 409s

Here it comes. All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet. 415s

Look the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall name him Emanuel. So there you have 422s

the New Testament. There you have the application of the prophecy holding the two together. 430s

It's really easy to see isn't it because the New Testament does it for you or let's go to Matthew the 437s

4th chapter. Verse 12. Matthew chapter 4 verse 12. Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested 445s

he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Kaepernam by the sea in the 465s

territory of Zebulin and Naftele. So that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might 472s

be fulfilled. Land of Zebulin, land of Naftele on the road by the sea across the Jordan, 480s

Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light and for those who 487s

sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned. So here once again you have the Lord 493s

inspiring of the gospel writer. You've got the Old Testament prophecy and you see the correlation. 502s

The application then is done for you. So sometimes you just see the correlation it's just given to 509s

you that the simplicity of the of the flower is very, very simple in that the correlation is given to 518s

you. In cases where you don't see the direct correlation the key question to ask yourself is are all 526s

the essential elements of the prophecy in the event or the person? So you ask yourself are all 535s

these essentials here that we see then in the New Testament with regard to a word of prophecy 544s

is it fulfilled in this person? Is it fulfilled in these events? That's a more complex flower isn't it 552s

because you don't have the have the direct correlation. For example let's go to Psalm 22 verse 1, 561s

Psalm 22 verse 1, 569s

Psalm 22 verse 1, 580s

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me from the words of my 592s

groaning? Okay we hear that again don't we? We hear that in Matthew chapter 27 let's go there. Matthew chapter 27 601s

verse 46. 613s

In verse 46 we read, 633s

and about three o'clock Jesus cried with a loud voice, 635s

Eli, Eli, La Masabakhtani that is, my God, my God why have you forsaken me? Now notice the 640s

gospel writer does not say so that this is in fulfillment of and then the quote of Psalm 22 right? 650s

But do you have the essentials there with regard to Psalm 22 here? Absolutely you do. Are they 661s

fulfilled in the person and the event? Absolutely especially when it is messianic in nature that we are 670s

appropriate to say that when Jesus cries out on the cross, 680s

my God, my God why has thou forsaken me? That is a fulfillment of the prophecy going back to 685s

Psalm 22. There's all the essential elements are there. So you got some prophecies here where the 692s

scriptures will say so that and they they quote it right there for you. You've got others where you 701s

say okay here here this appears again where have I heard that before and does this this fulfill 705s

the essentials here in this person or in this event? Some prophecies only have one fulfillment. 712s

Some prophecies only have one fulfillment and they're and they're what are called direct 722s

prophecies. Let me give you an example of one of those. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 7, a good 729s

way to find Isaiah is to start in the book of Psalms halfway through the scriptures and then turn 736s

toward the New Testament. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon and then Isaiah. Isaiah 742s

therefor the Lord will give you a sign. Look, the young woman or in Greek translated version is 769s

with child and shall bury son and shall name him Emanuel. Okay then we go over to Matthew chapter 1, 776s

Matthew chapter 1, verse 22, 788s

all this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet. Look, 802s

the Virgin shall conceive and bear a son and they shall name him Emanuel. That is a one time 808s

fulfillment. It's a direct prophecy. In Isaiah it's talking about the Messiah to come and now you see 815s

the fulfillment of them or let's go to Psalm 16 verse 9, Psalm 16 verse 9. 821s

So I'm 16 verse 9. 846s

Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices. My body also rests secure for you do not give me 851s

up to shi'ol or it can be translated the grave or let your faithful ones see the pit or it can 861s

be translated decay. You show me the path of life in your presence. There is fullness of joy 869s

in your right hand, our pleasures forevermore. So there you've got this prophetic word. 877s

Then you go over to Acts the second chapter, Acts chapter 2, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and then 884s

Acts, Acts chapter 2 picking up in verse 26, verse 25, rather. 892s

For David says concerning him, the hymn is the Messiah, I saw the Lord always before me, 912s

for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad and my 917s

tongue rejoiced more over my flesh will live in hope. For you will not abandon my soul the Haiti 924s

or let your holy one experience corruption. You have made known to me the way of life, 930s

you will make me full of gladness with your presence. You see that can only have one application, 936s

right? Because David dies in his body to case. Here is the promise and the prophecy that the body 943s

of our Lord would not decay. This is a prophecy of the resurrection. So it's a direct prophecy. 951s

It has only one fulfillment. Now why is this important? Because as you're sharing with people and 958s

unfolding the beauty of the flowers in their simplicity and also their complexity, it is especially 966s

helpful to draw ties and to show them how the Word of God written over centuries is so incredibly 974s

uniform in message. I mean to make the application, to where you just stay in the Word and you're 984s

showing them the fulfillment of this prophecy. That is used by the Lord in great ways. It is used 994s

by the Lord when and where it pleases him to bring people to faith. It is used to strengthen 1003s

people and their understanding of the Word so that when we say this is the infallible and 1008s

errant Word of Almighty God that this Word does something to us because it is God's Word that the 1014s

Holy Spirit uses. You show them the reliability and the trustworthiness of the source book of our faith. 1022s

Now there are some prophecies that are what are called double fulfillment prophecies. So it's 1033s

going to have two fulfillment. So like with the Virgin birth of Christ, well that's a direct prophecy. 1042s

It doesn't apply to any other situation. There are some prophecies that are what are called a 1051s

double fulfillment. So as you're studying through the prophets, as you're studying you're going to 1056s

want to ask yourself is this a direct or is this a double and remember you let the scripture 1062s

interpret the scripture. Let me give you an example of that because this is an example of the 1068s

complexity of the flower that God gives to us. Let's go to Zechariah chapter 11. So again, 1074s

this is a double fulfillment in that the actions that occur here to Zechariah are also later fulfilled in 1107s

Jesus. So picking up Zechariah 11 verses beginning with verse 12, I then said to them, 1116s

if it seems right to you, give me my wages but if not keep them. So they weighed out as my 1130s

wages 30 shekels of silver, then the Lord said to me, throw it into the treasury, this lordly price 1140s

at which I was valued by them. So I took the 30 shekels of silver and threw them into the treasury 1147s

in the house of the Lord. Okay, let's go now to the story involving Jesus. Let's go to Matthew chapter 1154s

27 verse 9. So this word applies to the situation of Zechariah also notice the double fulfillment. 1162s

Matthew chapter 27. This of course has to do with Judas. We'll pick up in verse 9. Then was 1175s

fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah. And they took the 30 pieces of silver, 1198s

the price of the one on whom a price had been set on whom some of the people of Israel had set a price 1204s

and they gave them for the potter's field as the Lord commanded me. See, there's double fulfillment. 1210s

Right? So if you're teaching or if you're preaching on this text, where do you want to go is your 1220s

teaching? You want to go back to the Old Testament, right? You want to show here comes the word of 1228s

prophecy, here's where it was applied in the situation with Zechariah and now notice the 1233s

application with regard to Jesus. There's the complexity of the of the flower or let's go to 1239s

the second Samuel chapter 7. Genesis Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1248s

Samuel, Samuel. Second Samuel chapter 7. 1257s

We'll pick up in verse 11, halfway through. Second Samuel 7, halfway through verse 11. 1274s

Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 1285s

When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring 1290s

after you who shall come forth from your body and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house 1294s

for my name and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be a father to him and he 1301s

shall be a son to me. When he commits an equity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use 1309s

with blows inflicted by human beings. But I will not take my steadfast love from him as I took it 1316s

from Saul whom I put away from before you. Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever 1324s

before me, your throne shall be established forever. The prophecy has its immediate fulfillment in 1332s

Solomon in terms of the temporal kingdom. But notice the reference now to the greater son, 1341s

the Lord Jesus, when we go on to over into Luke, the first chapter, Luke chapter 1, verse 32. 1348s

Luke chapter 1, verse 32. And there we read, he will be great and will be called the son of the 1368s

most high and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor, David. He will reign over 1378s

the house of Jacob forever and of his kingdom. There will be no end. So you look back then into 1387s

2 Samuel and he say, well that's a double fulfillment, isn't it? You've got the immediate fulfillment 1394s

with regard to Solomon and then you've got the fulfillment with regard to Jesus. Once again, 1399s

the complexity of the flower. So as we're understanding then, the complexity of the flowers or the 1405s

simplicity, watch how the scripture applies the prophecy. And if scripture doesn't apply the 1414s

prophecy, then you ask the question, does it apply in the immediate context, especially messionic 1420s

with the events of the situation that is being done? And then you ask yourself the question, 1427s

is this the direct prophecy or is this a double prophecy? And so then you explore all of that. 1432s

What that gives you is the richness of the background of the word and the consistency of the 1439s

of the word itself. It's also to understand the importance of the use of symbols in the prophetic. 1449s

You know, symbols are very, very powerful in our culture, aren't they? If you have the symbol, 1458s

for example, of an engagement ring, that communicates a lot of information. So when someone 1463s

points out and says, I need to show you something and they hold out their hand and there's an 1471s

engagement ring on the figure. On the finger, they don't have to say another word. You've already 1476s

got the message, right? That, okay, here's an engagement. There's going to be a marriage coming. 1484s

It's a time of rejoice. And it's an incredible amount of information that's given. When you leave 1488s

church today and you come to a stop sign, that's an incredible amount of information that it's 1494s

being given to you, isn't there? When you see that stop sign, that stop sign, you better stop, 1500s

because it's safe for you to stop and it's safe for the other drivers if you stop, right? 1507s

That communicates a wealth of information. When you walk into the sanctuary and you see the 1513s

cross here, you can't miss this cross. The first time I walked into the sanctuary, that's what 1519s

struck me. You walk right in and there's the cross. You can't miss it. That communicates something, 1526s

doesn't it? Communicate something of the value that those that designed this sanctuary placed upon 1535s

the cross of Jesus Christ and what they want to communicate to that. What it is that we communicate 1541s

here. Remember what Paul says? I have decided to know nothing among you except Christ crucified and 1547s

risen. That was his ministry. That's all he kept proclaiming. Christ crucified and risen. That's 1554s

all that we are to proclaim. And the cross here, that symbol communicates that so clearly, 1561s

to us. There's one symbol that is about the coming of the Lord Jesus. That's the most repeated 1571s

symbol in the Old Testament. And let's see it. Let's go to Isaiah chapter 11. 1580s

So go to the Psalms and then term right. Pleasiesti's song of Solomon. And then Isaiah. 1589s

Isaiah chapter 11 verse 1. 1596s

Isaiah 11 verse 1. 1603s

This is the most common symbol for the coming of the Savior in the Old Testament. 1614s

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, who was Jesse. Jesse was David's father. 1620s

And a branch shall grow out of his roots. A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse and a 1628s

branch shall grow out from his roots. See this. And for example, in Jeremiah 23, you see it in 1635s

Jeremiah chapter 3. It is the picture of the Savior growing out of this dead stump. 1641s

In the days after David had died, God's people were experiencing the judgment upon them. Their 1651s

future looked hopeless. But here are these flowers that keep emerging, that out of this 1658s

situation of deadness out of this situation comes life. And the flower is portrayed in symbolic 1664s

language. There is a rich, rich history in the church of the use of symbols and is rooted in 1674s

the word. And so as you're studying through the prophets, take in the richness and the complexity 1683s

oftentimes of the symbols of the flowers. Lastly, in reaping here the benefits of the prophets. 1690s

You got correct interpretation. You've got the use of the symbols. It's also important to keep in 1702s

mind how it is that the prophets communicated. The prophets were communicating before the coming 1709s

of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so in essence, to kind of give you a word picture, in essence, 1718s

the prophets are looking at the mountain range in the distance. And sometimes you get some real 1724s

specificity about the mountain range, but it's still a range that's in the distance. And sometimes 1730s

you'll get these sections, I think of Isaiah chapter 40 to 66. You've got the voice 1739s

of the one crying in the wilderness about the coming announcing Jesus's arrival. You've got 1748s

Christ, victory over sin, and you've got God's creation of the new heaven and the new earth. 1754s

Just contained in those chapters. But when you get into the chapters, you don't have oftentimes 1759s

a lot of the filling in of the details there. And sometimes in the prophets, you don't get 1767s

the prophets are communicating here. And how God has inspired them is by seeing the mountain 1778s

range. And if you're expecting chronological order, and if you're of a mind that really likes 1785s

things in an orderly fashion, the prophets can perhaps be frustrating at times to you. Because you're 1794s

not going to get that. But a way to enjoy the complexity and the beauty of the flower is to say, 1799s

this is how God has chosen to reveal it. And so I will embrace that in all of its beauty, 1807s

in its simplicity, and also its complexity. So complexity and simplicity, appreciating the symbols, 1813s

and being content with the arrangement of the flowers that he gives. Next week, I want to explore 1824s

with you some major events in prophecy. Compare that to what has happened in the world. 1832s

And what is the new testament tell us about what to expect in the future. We'll continue next week. 1840s