Prophecy Has Layers

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Saints…

The Bible is huge on prophecy. An estimated 300 prophecies for the first coming of Jesus show up throughout the Old Testament and another estimated 600 throughout the entire Bible for the second coming of Jesus.

Pastor Grant’s math means that there could be upwards of 2,700 prophecies in the Bible.

What???? I must defend myself!!!!

Those who study prophecy realize “prophetic layering”. Let’s take a prophecy about Jesus in the Bible – not an actual prophecy, but as an illustration. This prophecy often has implications for the current time in which it was uttered (Old Testament time frame) (1); it also has meaning for the first coming of Jesus and the church age between the first and second coming of Jesus (2); and finally for the second coming of Jesus (3).

One prophecy has three prophetic applications or implications.

(1) Implication + (2) Implication + (3)  Implication = 3 Prophecies

I learned this math in third grade at Possum Elementary (the gold standard of education) – 3 times 900 = a potential 2,700 prophecies. Of course not all prophecies are layered three times – some once, some twice, some three times! And some prophecies come alive with meaning when they are fulfilled, so we won’t fully know if a prophecy is a (1) or (2) or (3) until Jesus returns.

Stop laughing at Pastor Grant’s Possum School math! (It is true that no one allows me to count attendance at Fellowship anymore or estimate views at Fellowship’s online service at 10 a.m. Sunday.)

Example: Read and re-read Joel 2. There are many layered prophecies in this chapter.

An example of one of them:

Joel 2:23: So rejoice, O sons of Zion, and be glad in the Lord your God; for He has given you the early rain for your vindication. And He has poured down for you the rain, the early and latter rain as before.

#1 Implication:  As you read Joel there is a current implication of this prophecy that if the Jewish people at that time would return to God that He would restore their land!

James 5:7: Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.

#2 Implication: James is writing to the dispersed Jews and quoting Joel 2. Telling them to be patient until the coming of the Lord. That God will provide for them. They are in the interim between the first rain … the Spirit Pentecost in Acts 2 … and a later rain or future revival. So be patient!

Recent headline from the Jerusalem Press …

Record-Breaking Rainfall Creates Blessing, Havoc Across Israel

#3 Implication: There will be an end time revival. Often prophecy is fulfilled both physically and spiritually. There is record breaking rain in 2020 in Israel – the year of the Coronavirus. When I was in Israel two years ago, at our hotel which fronts the Sea of Galilee, the water’s edge was about 40 feet from the hotel’s sea wall. This year, just three weeks ago when I was at the same hotel in Israel, the water was close to overwhelming the sea wall.

Prophecy has layers. Often those layers aren’t recognized until you see current events.  What is the Lord saying to the church? With all that is happening now? With unusual and abundant rainfall  in Israel?

Get ready, church, as the end time revival could happen soon.

Amen.

This photo was taken north of Tel Aviv. Yes, flowers because of the abundant rain.  When Barbara and I were recently in Israel we even noticed flowers around the Dead Sea area.

Yes, there is another layered prophecy about Israel blooming in the end times!!

Let’s pray for revival.  All else that is happening now will be worth it.

Amen and Amen!