Danny's Progress - Thoughts on Prophecy

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Thoughts on Prophecy

What has transpired in the field of prophecy during the last 150 years or so? Have we come anywhere close to having the experience described by Ellen White of a totally new experience with Christ because of studying Daniel and Revelation and digging for what the prophecies mean? Sad to say, we've been very comfortable with the traditions handed down by our fathers/mothers. That doesn't mean that the old interpretations are wrong, what i'm trying to say is that the scriptures were ESPECIALLY written for the people in the last days, so it stands to reason that they APPLY to people in the last days. If we're satisfied with the way things are, and if we don't believe what's already been revealed to us, God isn't going to shed any more new light on our pathway.

Example: The great Lisbon earthquake - This was a sign helping the pioneers in the 1844 movement see prophecy being fulfilled, and grounding them in their faith. This was as God would have it. Were they mistaken, no! God COULD'VE come in 1844, but didn't because in His mercy, He saw that most of the people weren't ready yet. What about the stars falling in 1833? This was a galvanizing event that made even the irreligious think about God and their relationship to him. Was this a mistaken interpretation of some 'natural' event? NO! God intended this to happen to break stony hearts to get ready to recieve the message of his soon coming in the 1840's.

So what am i driving at? That while these interpretations of events were of God, and accomplished the intended purpose in their day, they were not the ultimate fulfillment of the prophecies. The prophecies will have a more world-wide, climactic fulfillment in the last few years right before Jesus comes back. What's the purpose of prophecies anyway?, isn't it to show that God is in control of everything and that we can trust Him? How can God logically talk about 'just before my coming' and be talking about stuff that happened 150, 200 years before? Everybody who was alive then has died! No, there's going to be events to show even the cave dwellers in the Philippines, bushmen in Africa, Nintendo players in Japan, and 'church'goers in America, that God's coming is near, even if they are remote physically/spiritually.

I'll focus on the prophecies in Daniel and Revelation as they are the ones more obviously connected, obviously related to last-day events, and Daniel is the book that Jesus said to 'understand'. Spirit of Prophecy quotes, (Ellen White's books), are also to be used in determining truth. I intend to heed Paul's counsel of "no Scripture is of private interpretation" meaning that the Spirit is one, and doesn't contradict itself. So it's most important before looking at this to pray for the Spirit's leading.

Any comments about this would be highly appreciated.

More prophecy thoughts in the future.