Biblical Prophecy: Lesson 4

Overview

Prophecy Being Fulfilled Today

Scripture has much to say about the era between Christ's first coming and his return—the "last days" in which we now live. Both bad news and good news are unfolding before our eyes, exactly as God's Word foretold.

The Hard Words: Signs of Trouble

In Matthew 24:4-12, Jesus warns of signs that mark this age, and they fall into three realms:

• The realm of nature. Jesus spoke of "famines and earthquakes in various places." Roughly 20,000 earthquakes occur each year, and nearly a billion people lack adequate food. The natural world groans, just as Christ said it would.
• The realm of social and human activity. "Wars and rumors of wars" have marked human history—an estimated 14,000 wars across the centuries. Jesus also warned that "because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold." Paul echoes this in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, describing people as lovers of self, lovers of money, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.
• The realm of the church. False messiahs and false teachers will arise. 2 Timothy 4:3 warns of those who will "not put up with sound doctrine" but accumulate teachers to suit their desires, and 1 John 4:1 urges us to test the spirits. Persecution, too, continues to fulfill Luke 21:16-17; more Christians were martyred in the twentieth century than in all previous centuries combined.

The Antichrist

Scripture also predicts a great enemy of the church—one who is against Christ and sets himself in the place of Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 provides four identifying marks of "the lawless one": he exalts himself, he functions as a religious leader who takes his seat "in the temple of God," he rises gradually as the mystery of lawlessness already at work is unrestrained, and his coming is accompanied by counterfeit signs and wonders.

Confessional Lutheranism, along with the broader Protestant tradition (Wycliffe, Hus, Luther, Calvin, Knox, the Westminster Confession, the 1689 Baptist Confession, Wesley, Spurgeon, and others), has historically identified the office of the papacy—not individual persons—as the antichrist. The reason centers on the gospel itself: the Council of Trent's teaching that justification is by grace, faith, plus works directly opposes the biblical truth that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. To set oneself against that gospel is to set oneself in Christ's place. This is not a blanket condemnation of every Roman Catholic; wherever the Word of God is heard, it remains effectual, and any person who trusts in Christ alone for salvation is saved by that promise.

The Good News

Alongside the warnings, Scripture promises blessings being fulfilled today. Genesis 8:22 assures us that seedtime and harvest, summer and winter, day and night will not cease. Matthew 24:14 promises that the gospel will be proclaimed in all the world—a prophecy unfolding as missionaries and faithful witnesses carry Christ's name to every nation. Ephesians 1:22 reminds us that God has placed all things under Jesus' feet and made him head over everything for the church. And in Matthew 16:18, Jesus pledges, "On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"—the rock being the confession that salvation is by grace through faith in him.

Living Faithfully in the Last Days

We can expect, simultaneously, calamity and comfort. Evil will continue. The antichrist's work will continue. Yet the church will also continue to spread, endure, and enjoy God's protection until Christ comes again in glory. The reliability of God's Word, demonstrated in fulfilled prophecy, is itself a pastoral anchor: the same God who foretold these troubles also promises to keep his people. Do not be alarmed. Hold fast to sound doctrine. Trust Christ alone. And take heart—every prophecy fulfilled today is one more reason to trust the prophecies still to come.

Transcript

Welcome back to our study on biblical prophecy. 2s

Let's pray together, please. 6s

Gracious Heavenly Father, 8s

thank you for this time and your word. 9s

And especially, we want to thank you, O Lord, 11s

for the reliability of your word. 14s

You keep your promises. 17s

Blessed we pray, this study to your glory 20s

and to your honor in Jesus' name, amen. 23s

Just by way of review, where we were last week, 28s

we took a look at the subject of prophecy 32s

fulfilled by Christ. 34s

There are over 100 prophecies with regard 37s

to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ 41s

that cover a period from at least 4,000 years 45s

to 400 years before the birth of Christ. 48s

We examined three Psalms last week 53s

that were written about a thousand years 57s

before the birth of Christ. 60s

And we saw the reliability of God's word once again. 63s

As we saw the Messiah who would be born a thousand years 67s

after these Psalms were penned, 71s

we see the details coming true in his life. 74s

Well, today I'd like to take a look with you 79s

at the subject of prophecy being fulfilled today. 81s

You know, sometimes people will say to you, 90s

well, do you want the good news or the bad news? 94s

And sometimes people always want the good news first. 96s

Other times people say, no, give me the bad news first. 100s

Well, I've got bad news and good news 104s

before you today with regard to these prophecies. 109s

Let's start with the good news. 114s

These are prophecies that are being fulfilled today. 117s

Now, we're going to get to the good news here 123s

about prophecies being fulfilled today. 125s

But let's start with some of the harder words 129s

that we get from Holy Scripture. 132s

And to do that, let's go to Matthew the 24th chapter, please. 135s

Matthew chapter 24, very first book in the New Testament, 139s

Matthew 24, and we'll begin with verse 4, Matthew 24, verse 4. 143s

There we read this, Jesus answered them, 153s

beware that no one leads you astray. 158s

For many will come in my name saying, 161s

I am the Messiah, and they will lead many astray. 164s

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. 169s

See that you are not alarmed for this must take place. 172s

But the end is not yet. 177s

For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom 180s

and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 184s

All this is but the beginning of the birthpangs. 188s

Then they will hand you over to be tortured 193s

and will put you to death and you will be hated by all nations 196s

because of my name. 200s

Then many will fall away and they will betray one another 202s

and hate one another. 206s

And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 209s

And because of the increase of lawlessness, 215s

the love of many will grow cold. 219s

The majority of the signs of the end times 225s

predicted by the Bible and Jesus himself indicate 229s

that we can expect trouble and evil. 232s

Let's break this section down here. 239s

First, we see signs in what could be termed the realm of nature, 243s

the realm of nature. 248s

Look again, please, at the second part of verse 7. 250s

And there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 255s

Do you know that there are about 20,000 earthquakes per year? 261s

And since AD 526, there have been 78 storms, floods, 267s

tidal waves, earthquakes, and volcanoes 274s

that have killed at least 10,000 people. 277s

Sadly, 1 billion people don't have enough food to eat. 283s

Over 6 million children under 5 die each year from hunger 290s

and related causes. 297s

So we see this prophecy. 300s

We see it being fulfilled in our very day. 304s

So there's signs that could be in association with the realm of nature. 310s

There's also signs associated with the realm of what could be termed 315s

social and human activity. 320s

Social and human activity. 322s

Let's look at verse 6, please. 325s

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. 328s

See that you're not alarmed. 334s

For this must take place, but the end is not yet. 336s

Interestingly, one statistician has estimated that some 14,000 wars have been fought over the centuries. 342s

That's an amazing number, isn't it? 353s

Let's stay within these signs associated with the realm of social and human activity. 359s

And let's go to verse 12. 364s

And because of the increase of lawlessness, the love of many will grow cold. 368s

Let's keep our finger here, but let's turn to 2 Timothy, the third chapter. 376s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans, 1st and 2nd to Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and then Colossians. 382s

Then you hit the T-books, 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, and then 1st and 2nd Timothy. 393s

If you've hit Titus, you've gone too far. 400s

So 2nd Timothy, chapter 3, verse 1. 403s

You must understand this that in the last days, distressing times will come. 411s

For people will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, inhuman, implacable, slenderers, prolificates, 417s

brooklingates, broods, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, swollen, with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 433s

holding to the outward form of godliness, but denying its power. 445s

Avoid them. 453s

We see the very pages of the prophecy of Matthew, chapter 24, lived out. 455s

We see it echoed in passages like 2nd Timothy, the third chapter. 465s

Well, let's go back then to Matthew, chapter 24, and a third realm that we see, prophecy being fulfilled in our day. 471s

Just looking at Matthew, chapter 24, a third realm is associated with the realm of the church. 481s

Verse 5, please. 490s

For many will come in my name saying, I am the Messiah, and they will lead many astray. 492s

Prophecy being fulfilled in our day is seen in false teachers. It is seen in apostasy. 504s

Let's go, please, to 2nd Timothy. 513s

Once again, chapter 4, 2nd Timothy, chapter 4, will pick up in verse 3. 516s

2nd Timothy 4, verse 3. 524s

For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but have itching ears, 530s

they will accumulate for themselves, teachers, to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. 539s

Let's also go to 1st John, chapter 4, keep turning toward revelation. 555s

You're going to cross over the Peters. 563s

Then you come to 1st John, chapter 4, verse 1. 566s

Beloved do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. 573s

For many false prophets have gone out into the world. 580s

We see then prophecy being fulfilled in the realm of the church. 587s

We see it being fulfilled in terms of false teaching and apostasy. 591s

We see it also in the persecution and hatred of Christians. 597s

Let's go, please, to the gospel of Luke, chapter 21, Matthew, Mark, and then Luke. 603s

Luke, chapter 21, will pick up in verse 16. 609s

You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 620s

You will be hated by all because of my name. 630s

Do you know that more Christians were put to death for their faith in the 20th century than in all the previous centuries combined? 636s

It's an amazing, amazing stat, isn't it? 652s

In fact, there's an estimate that more than 100 million martyrs, martyrs for the Lord, they died in the past century. 656s

An amazing, amazing figure. 671s

So here, just from an examination of Matthew, chapter 24, and supporting texts, we see signs in the realm of nature being fulfilled today. 675s

Signs in the realm of the social and human activity being fulfilled today. 687s

Signs in the realm of the church being fulfilled today. 694s

Prophecy being fulfilled today. 699s

Let's look at another aspect. 704s

The Bible also predicts that there will be one particularly great enemy of the church in the last days. 707s

And remember, when did the last days begin? 716s

The last days began when Jesus Christ came to the earth, so we are living in the last days. 719s

That enemy, the Scripture calls, is the anti-Christ. 727s

It's very simple of what anti-Christ is against Christ, or another way to put it, it's someone who sets them self up in the place of Christ. 733s

This is a prophecy that is being fulfilled today. 745s

Let's see how that is happening. 751s

Let's go to 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2. 754s

2 Thessalonians, chapter 2. 758s

Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and Romans, 1st and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and then Colossians, and then we're in those T-books again. 759s

1 Thessalonians, and then we've got 2 Thessalonians. 772s

So 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, we'll pick up in verse 1. 777s

Here in this section, Paul calls the anti-Christ the person of lawlessness. 785s

So 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, beginning with verse 1. 793s

As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our being gathered together to Him, we beg You, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. 799s

Let no one deceive you in any way, for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first, and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. 822s

He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called God or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. 838s

Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you, and do you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed when his time comes? 852s

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. 864s

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will destroy with the breath of his mouth annihilating him by the manifestation of his coming. 875s

The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power, signs, lying wonders, and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refuse to love the truth and so be saved. 888s

For this reason, God sends them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false, so that all who have not believed the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned. 906s

There is an awful lot here, isn't there, in that section. 924s

What this section does is it gives us fingerprints, or it gives us marks by which we can identify the antichrist. 929s

And again, this is a prophecy being fulfilled in the days that we live. 940s

So what are the fingerprints here? What are the marks so that we can understand the identity of the antichrist? 947s

The first thing we see in this section is that the antichrist exalts themselves. 956s

Take a look, please, at chapter 2 again of 2 Thessalonians, verse A, verse 4, please. 967s

He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called God or object of worship. 976s

So a first mark, or a first fingerprint, an association with the antichrist is the exaltation of oneself. 987s

Here's the second mark. 995s

The second mark that we see from Scripture is that the antichrist is a religious leader, a religious leader. 997s

Look, please, at the second part of verse 4, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God declaring himself to be God. 1006s

So the first mark exalts himself, second mark, a religious leader. 1020s

Here's the third mark. 1027s

There's a gradual rise of the antichrist. Pick up, please, in verse 5. 1029s

Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you? 1040s

And you know what is now restraining him so that he may be revealed when his time comes. 1044s

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, but only until the one who now restrains it is removed. 1051s

So there's a gradual rise then of the antichrist. 1061s

And then fourth, miracles are associated with the antichrist, verse 9, please. 1068s

The coming of the lawless one is apparent in the working of Satan, who uses all power signs, lying wonders, 1076s

and every kind of wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 1086s

So the antichrist, remember, is antichrist against Christ, against then the teaching that we are saved by grace through faith, 1099s

in the Lord Jesus Christ, who were saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus. 1115s

Orthodox Lutheran understanding rooted in our confessional writings, going all the way back to Luther, 1126s

identifies the antichrist as the office of the papacy. 1136s

Now it's not individual poaps, it is the office of the papacy that is associated identified with the antichrist. 1142s

The Catholic Church does not deny the incarnation of Christ. 1159s

However, they do not teach correctly about the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. 1164s

Let me give you an example. 1173s

Here's a doctrinal statement of the Roman Catholic Church. 1175s

The doctrinal statement from the Council of Trent, which is still in force. 1181s

Quote, 1185s

that is a startling statement that departs obviously from Scripture. 1215s

You see that theology is grace, faith, plus works. 1224s

The theology is, we are saved by grace through faith, plus our works. 1234s

That of course isn't the theology of the Lutheran Church. 1239s

It is the theology of the Catholic Church. 1243s

So historically then, Orthodox Lutheranism has always identified the papacy as the antichrist. 1247s

But this isn't just an idiosyncrasy with regard to Lutheran theology. 1258s

It is seen throughout the Protestant world. 1264s

Let me begin by quoting from our Lutheran doctrinal writings from the small card articles. 1269s

It asserts this about the Pope, about the papacy. 1276s

He is the true end times antichrist who has raised himself over and set himself against Christ. 1281s

Again, that's not an idiosyncrasy with regard to Lutheran thought. 1291s

That is throughout Protestant thought. 1296s

Let me give you some examples. 1299s

You had pre-reformers before the Reformation, like John Wickliffe or John Hus, 1301s

they espoused the same thing of the papacy being the antichrist. 1309s

At the time of the Reformation, of course, you have Luther. 1314s

You also have John Knox in Scotland. 1317s

You've got John Calvin in Switzerland. 1321s

In fact, the great Presbyterian confession, the Westminster confession clearly says, 1324s

quote, the Pope of Rome is that antichrist. 1332s

The Baptist convention, a confession of 1688, similarly states, 1337s

that the Pope of Rome is no other than the antichrist. 1342s

You have influential Protestants throughout the centuries that have just echoed the same thing. 1347s

John Edwards, John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, 1354s

Charles Hodge, Charles Spurgeon. 1361s

So this isn't specific to Lutheran thought at all. 1364s

It has been a Protestant commonplace that a prophecy fulfilled in our day 1369s

because the papacy continues is the association of the papacy with the antichrist. 1379s

Let's dig a little bit deeper here. 1389s

That does not mean that all Roman Catholics are going to hell. 1392s

Doesn't mean that all Roman Catholics are going to hell. 1400s

The Wisconsin evangelical Lutheran synod states this with regard to the antichrist, 1403s

and it's so helpful in their language. 1410s

Quote, this neither means the fact of the identification of the papacy with the antichrist. 1412s

This neither means nor implies a blanket condemnation of all members of the Roman Catholic Church. 1420s

For despite all the errors taught in that church, the word of God is still heard there, 1427s

and that word is an effectual word. 1435s

In other words, one can be brought to faith, trusting Christ and Christ alone, 1440s

because it is an effectual word. 1448s

So for example, you can have one who is part of the Catholic Church who confesses 1453s

that they are saved by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone. 1461s

Is that person saved? 1468s

Absolutely, because it is the promise of Holy Scripture. 1470s

So prophecy fulfilled today, the existence of the antichrist, 1477s

and once again associated with the office of the papacy. 1483s

Well, earlier I said, we're going to go through some bad news here in terms of prophecy, 1492s

where we see these prophecies being lived out in our own day. 1499s

How about some good news? 1503s

There are some wonderful passages of Scripture. 1507s

I think of the prophecy of the normal rhythm of the days. 1511s

Genesis the eighth chapter, it says this, 1518s

never again will I curse the ground because of humankind, 1521s

even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood, 1525s

and never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done. 1531s

As long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest, 1537s

cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. 1543s

Or there's Matthew the 24th chapter verse 14 that talks about the spread of the gospel. 1553s

This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, 1563s

and then the end will come. 1569s

We see that prophecy being lived out in our own day as the gospel continues to go from the world 1573s

to the world. 1583s

There is the ruling of Jesus, Ephesians 1. 1583s

God placed all things under Jesus' feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church. 1590s

The Lord Jesus Christ is still the Lord of His church. 1599s

There is also the fact that Christ's church will endure. 1606s

Second Timothy, the fourth chapter. 1611s

The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom. 1614s

Matthew 16, on this rock I will build my church. 1623s

And what was the rock that Jesus was talking about? 1628s

It was the rock of the confession of the Lord Jesus Christ, salvation by grace through faith. 1632s

On this rock I will build my church and the gate of Haiti will not overcome it. 1641s

Prophecy, being fulfilled today. 1651s

Simultaneously then, there will be trouble and blessing for Christians as we live in the New Testament era. 1658s

We can expect, because God has told us so in His Word. 1668s

We can expect calamities and evil of all sorts. 1673s

We can expect that the work of the Antichrist will continue. 1678s

And at the same time, we can expect the church to spread into all nations and to continue to enjoy God's protection until that day. 1686s

When the Lord comes again in all of His glory. 1703s

Well, we are going to continue next week with the conclusion of this series on prophecy. 1710s

And what I would like to examine with you is the topic, prophecy to be fulfilled at Christ's return. 1716s

God bless. See you next week. 1724s