Chapter 7
The Prophets of Old Spoke of These Days
Some Jews in Rome came to Paul to hear his view about the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. "And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging: to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets" (Acts 28:23). Just as the teaching from the law and the prophets applied to the days of Paul, the law and the prophets teach us today about these last days.
We saw a good example of this when Paul referred to God's wrath and destruction on the children of Israel in the wilderness. Paul said these things happened to them as an example for us today. "Now all these things happened unto them for examples (model of warnings): and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come" (1 Cor. 10:11). The apostles saw clearly that the messages in the prophets were not simply an historical record, but a vital message for our day. Again we are told: "For whatsoever things are written aforetime were written for our learning" (Rom. 15:4). Jesus, after His resurrection, made reference to the law of Moses, the prophets, and Psalms to His disciples: "Then He said to them, 0 fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.., and beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.., and He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets and in the Psalms, concerning Me" (Luke 24:25, 27, 44).
The prophecy about Jesus was being fulfilled in those days when He went to Calvary. It is no different today as the law of Moses, the prophets, and Psalms, are still teaching us today about this day in which we are living, and the coming of our Lord.
Peter said about the prophets: "Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come to you... Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto them- selves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost" (1 Pet. 1:10, 12). Both the major and minor prophets are filled with Scriptures about this time of judgment, which has come upon us today. Tunnel vision has blinded us to this part of the Word of God in the same way that we have been blinded to the fear of God.
The New Testament clearly instructs us to go back to the prophets to have understanding about God's judgment during these days. Peter also made reference to a statement made by Moses about the judgment of these last days: "For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, SHALL BE DESTROYED from among the people (this judgment comes at the hands of the powers of darkness who fulfill the curse). Yea, and ALL THE PROPHETS FROM SAMUEL AND THOSE THAT FOLLOW AFTER, AS MANY AS HAVE SPOKEN, HAVE LIKEWISE FORETOLD OF THESE DAYS" (Acts 3:22-24). Peter confirmed that ALL THE PROPHETS from Samuel onward are warning about these last days. Part of the reason the law has been lost today is because carnal doctrines have taught that the prophets of old are only for historical revelation.
The sleeping church today sighs in relief, saying that it sure is nice to live in this "age of grace" when God does not discipline or expect His people to obey Him anymore. However, the Lord expects His people to be holy and blameless. It becomes increasingly easier to skip Scriptures when you have a false security and a hardened heart. Instead of our ancestors heeding these warnings and walking in obedience to the Word of God, they passed on to us misleading doctrines of "peace and safety" for these last days. The book of Acts records that the apostles and disciples of the early Church faithfully preached the whole message that the prophets had spoken in their day. "Beware therefore, lest that come upon you, THAT WHICH IS SPOKEN OF IN THE PROPHETS (about the judgments of the powers of darkness); Behold, ye despisers, and wonder and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you" (Acts 13:40,41). The fallen away church is offended today when you try to explain about the powers of darkness in their midst.
Let us go to the Scripture Paul was referring to: "Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvelously: For I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you. For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans ( a picture of the powers of darkness), that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs. And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust (flesh) and take it. Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? We shall not die, O Lord, THOU HAST ORDAINED THEM FOR JUDGMENT; AND, O MIGHTY GOD, THOU HAST ESTABLISHED THEM FOR CORRECTION (for chastisement when we break God's laws)" (Hab. 1:5, 6, 10, 12). The Holy Spirit obviously was directing Paul as he spoke this message of warning to the people of his day and to us as well. As you continue in this study of the message from the prophets to us in these last days, you will be amazed at the accuracy with which the churches and church leaders of today are described.
Jeremiah wrote in Lamentations: "What thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I equal to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? For thy breach is great like the sea: who can heal thee? THY PROPHETS HAVE SEEN VAIN AND FOOLISH THINGS FOR THEE; AND THEY HAVE NOT DISCOVERED THINE INIQUITY (of breaking God's laws), TO TURN AWAY THY CAPTIVITY, but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment (false visions and dreams of peace and safety). The Lord hath done that which He had devised; He hath fulfilled His word that He had commanded in the days of old: He hath thrown down, and hath not pitied: and He hath CAUSED THINE ENEMY TO REJOICE OVER THEE, HE HATH SET UP THE HORN OF THINE ADVERSARIES" (Lam. 2:13, 14, 17).
Also in Lamentations we find: "The yoke of my transgressions is bound by His hand: they are wreathed, and come up upon my neck; He hath made my strength fall, the Lord hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up. The Lord hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst of me: He hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: The Lord hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress. For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate because the enemy prevailed. I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests (preachers) and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls" (Lam. 1:14-16, 19). "Her ADVERSARIES are the chief (her master), her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: her children are gone into captivity before the enemy. Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: SHE HAD NO COMFORTER (no Holy Spirit). O Lord, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself" (Lam. 1:5, 9).
"Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not? Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth not evil and good? Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins" (Lam. 3:37-39). "The Lord hath accomplished His fury; He hath poured out His fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion (the church), and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, WOULD NOT HAVE BELIEVED THAT THE ADVERSARY AND THE ENEMY SHOULD HAVE ENTERED INTO THE GATES OF JERUSALEM. For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst thereof' (Lam. 4:11-13).