In the past men of God explained certain Scriptures in a way which we now know was a bit blind, and we wonder how they could not see it.
An example is the Scriptures about speaking with tongues. Some great men of God, used mightily in other ways, just couldn't see it.
A lesson we can learn from this is: stick to the contribution God has called you to make, stick to the words He gives you to speak, stick to the works He gives you to do - and leave commenting on other areas alone. Otherwise a future generation might find your comments to be a bit blind, and in the mind of some it could discredit the genuine ways in which God used you. By all means we can emphasise what God is inspiring us to emphasise. But don't presume to be the final word on everything else too.
Right now I feel like I'm seeing something in the Word. I feel like I'm seeing that certain components of Bible Prophecy often thought to be about the future, have already been fulfilled. I speak specifically of the Old Testament prophecies about Israel being delivered of its enemies, and supported by its enemies to return to their land, to rebuild the Temple, and walls, and resume Mosaic worship, and burnt offerings, with Levites and priests, and incense - and about people going up to the altar at Jerusalem regularly from many nations to keep the feasts - and about Christ coming into that context. I'm seeing that those aspects of the prophecies have been fulfilled.
Many today imagine those aspects of the prophecies are being fulfilled now, or will be in the future. It gives rise to the idea that Jews or Christians might be required to keep aspects of Moses' Law again in future. It even implies to some people's minds that God might have a special basis for saving Jews apart from through the Gospel, in the end-times.
But realising that those aspects of the prophecies are already past, eliminates all that and puts our focus back on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
But here's the thing: God might be able to use my understanding about that to help some people - but it does not mean that God is giving me understanding about every other aspect to the same prophecies.
Therefore what I do understand about part of the prophecies does not preclude any meanings that other parts of the prophecies may have.
Neither does it preclude that the same parts of the same prophecies may also have some broader applications.
It just means that what I'm seeing may be an element of truth, which may be helpful to some in our generation to see.
So I'm careful not to make sweeping statements about Bible Prophecy generally, just because I'm seeing something about one aspect of it.
In summary, I feel that parts of many Old Testament prophecies which predicted a restoration of Old Covenant worship, have already found their literal fulfilment. Not that principles in it can't still be applied more broadly. And not that other parts of the same prophecies must also have already been fulfilled.
Simply this: any prophecy about Mosaic worship must have found its literal fulfilment during a time when the Old Covenant still stood, because those things were shadows, and God isn't interested in anyone anywhere returning to shadows ever - now that the real thing, Jesus Christ God's Son, has come.
I feel it was prophesied that Christ was to come into that historical context. Many of the Christological verses therefore found fulfilment at the first coming of Christ, not at the second coming. Not that some meanings inherent within those verses about Christ don't have a wider application beyond the time of Christ. And not that second coming themes might not be inherent in those or other Bible prophecies either.
This has two effects:
One, it shows Jesus to be the Christ - because some of the prophecies about Christ were to be fulfilled in the context of Mosaic worship happening in Israel - not before nor after.
Second, it eliminates ideas that Israel or the nations must resume Mosaic worship in future.
This brings the Gospel right back into central place.
But just because those parts of the prophecies may be fulfilled already, does not mean the same parts can't still have some wider meaning that's relevant to the present or future, nor does it mean every other part of the same prophecies has also already been fulfilled. Those are another topic entirely.
An example is the Scriptures about speaking with tongues. Some great men of God, used mightily in other ways, just couldn't see it.
A lesson we can learn from this is: stick to the contribution God has called you to make, stick to the words He gives you to speak, stick to the works He gives you to do - and leave commenting on other areas alone. Otherwise a future generation might find your comments to be a bit blind, and in the mind of some it could discredit the genuine ways in which God used you. By all means we can emphasise what God is inspiring us to emphasise. But don't presume to be the final word on everything else too.
Right now I feel like I'm seeing something in the Word. I feel like I'm seeing that certain components of Bible Prophecy often thought to be about the future, have already been fulfilled. I speak specifically of the Old Testament prophecies about Israel being delivered of its enemies, and supported by its enemies to return to their land, to rebuild the Temple, and walls, and resume Mosaic worship, and burnt offerings, with Levites and priests, and incense - and about people going up to the altar at Jerusalem regularly from many nations to keep the feasts - and about Christ coming into that context. I'm seeing that those aspects of the prophecies have been fulfilled.
Many today imagine those aspects of the prophecies are being fulfilled now, or will be in the future. It gives rise to the idea that Jews or Christians might be required to keep aspects of Moses' Law again in future. It even implies to some people's minds that God might have a special basis for saving Jews apart from through the Gospel, in the end-times.
But realising that those aspects of the prophecies are already past, eliminates all that and puts our focus back on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
But here's the thing: God might be able to use my understanding about that to help some people - but it does not mean that God is giving me understanding about every other aspect to the same prophecies.
Therefore what I do understand about part of the prophecies does not preclude any meanings that other parts of the prophecies may have.
Neither does it preclude that the same parts of the same prophecies may also have some broader applications.
It just means that what I'm seeing may be an element of truth, which may be helpful to some in our generation to see.
So I'm careful not to make sweeping statements about Bible Prophecy generally, just because I'm seeing something about one aspect of it.
In summary, I feel that parts of many Old Testament prophecies which predicted a restoration of Old Covenant worship, have already found their literal fulfilment. Not that principles in it can't still be applied more broadly. And not that other parts of the same prophecies must also have already been fulfilled.
Simply this: any prophecy about Mosaic worship must have found its literal fulfilment during a time when the Old Covenant still stood, because those things were shadows, and God isn't interested in anyone anywhere returning to shadows ever - now that the real thing, Jesus Christ God's Son, has come.
I feel it was prophesied that Christ was to come into that historical context. Many of the Christological verses therefore found fulfilment at the first coming of Christ, not at the second coming. Not that some meanings inherent within those verses about Christ don't have a wider application beyond the time of Christ. And not that second coming themes might not be inherent in those or other Bible prophecies either.
This has two effects:
One, it shows Jesus to be the Christ - because some of the prophecies about Christ were to be fulfilled in the context of Mosaic worship happening in Israel - not before nor after.
Second, it eliminates ideas that Israel or the nations must resume Mosaic worship in future.
This brings the Gospel right back into central place.
But just because those parts of the prophecies may be fulfilled already, does not mean the same parts can't still have some wider meaning that's relevant to the present or future, nor does it mean every other part of the same prophecies has also already been fulfilled. Those are another topic entirely.
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