Monday 31 July 2017

Right Dividing the Word

When we identify Old Covenant (Levitical) themes in Old Testament Prophecy as already-fulfilled, that doesn't reduce Bible Prophecy to a mere history-book. Because there are themes in Bible-Prophecy which are still-future - like the Second Coming.

But reading fulfilled-prophecy has value, because the fact that it's been fulfilled makes it the charter of the church. The fact that it's fulfilled, is the Articles of Association of the church. The church is built on the historical fact of fulfilled prophecy.

The prophecy - and the fact that it's been fulfilled - locates us. It tells us what's been set up for us, by virtue of the fulfilment of the prophecy in history.

Identifying a prophecy as fulfilled - rather than turning it into lifeless pages, is the very reason why the pages breath life for us today. We're on this side of the benefit, not still waiting for it!

The timeline on which Bible Prophecy was fulfilled, gives us a historical basis for our claim about Jesus. According to Prophecy, certain things had to be fulfilled in Israel first, and then Messiah would come in that setting. By identifying that those things indeed happened in Israel first, and that those things were realities in Israel at the time of Jesus, we can demonstrate that Jesus was on-time to be Israel's Messiah. But if we instead relegate those details in Prophecy to the future, it implies Jesus was too early in history to be Messiah. It would also wrongly imply the necessity of Judaism in future.

All of the Bible still speaks - but it needs to be rightly divided. Anything God promised - and did - for Israel in the past, is a pretty good indication of the goodwill He still has towards them - and also towards all nations, since He is now grafting Gentiles in to Israel's promises, through the Gospel. But some details are meant to stay in the past, especially Levitical, Old Covenant details - they're history.

That takes nothing away from us - rather, it tells the story of how, and proves, that we are now on a higher and better platform!

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