Saturday 11 January 2014

Making the Main Thing the Main Thing


God uses Bible-prophecy to encourage us in many ways, even if it's already been fulfilled.

Like the prophecy spoken to Abraham that his wife Sarah would give birth to a son according to the time of life. It was literally fulfilled at the set time of which God had spoken to him. It goes without saying that the prophecy won't be fulfilled in future, seeing Abraham and Sarah died some years afterwards. But reading it still blesses hopeful couples of every generation. Its fulfilment = once. But the blessing of reading it = multifaceted.

Many other prophecies in the Bible were equally specific regarding when they were to be fulfilled. And they indeed were fulfilled within the specified timeframe. For equally obvious reasons, they won't be fulfilled in future. Nevertheless the blessing of reading about them is multifaceted.

The prophecy of the virgin birth. It's been fulfilled. It won't be fulfilled in future. Nevertheless the fact that it has been fulfilled continues to be a blessing to each generation.

When you re-read Bible-prophecies, taking careful note of their intended timeframes, noting the way each prophecy is explained elsewhere in the Bible, and noting if it's now been fulfilled - not mistaking fulfilled for unfulfilled prophecy - it's amazing how this results in restoring some CLARITY to the Gospel message. How it reveals the person of Jesus. Brings things back into right focus. Makes the main thing the main thing again.

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