Why Teach Prophecy?

When a person decides to learn to play a musical instrument such as the guitar, it requires a great deal of practice, and most people find it hard to practice consistently.  They get distracted by other things and forget, or they get discouraged, feeling like they are not getting any benefit for their efforts.  Realizing this, one guitar instructor recommends that his students lay their guitar on their bed in the morning so that they will have to move it before they go to bed to remind them to practice.  When they pick it up he recommends they play through some song they know to remind them why they are practicing.  As he says, the goal is not to practice, but to play. 

The same principles apply with serving the Lord.  It is easy to get distracted by everything around us and lose sight of why we are “serving” the Lord.  Peter wrote II peter for the purpose of reminding us why we serve the Lord, as he explains I II Peter 3:1-7.  “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.  For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

When we see what everyone else is doing while we are trying to serve God, it is like a child practicing the guitar while his friends are playing basketball,  he begins to feel like he is missing out.  If they start teasing him or making fun of him for spending so much time practicing he may well quit.  In the same way, if those around us begin to disparage what we believe, implying that we are foolish to believe them, we may well become discouraged, and quit serving the Lord. 

To prevent discouragement, we need to be reminded what God has promised, and that he keeps his promises.  II Peter 3:8-10 reminds us of the prophecies God has given of his judgment and the destruction of the earth.  “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.”

When the guitar student understands why he needs to practice particular things, and how it makes his playing more satisfactory, it is not as discouraging to spend the time required to practice them.  In the same way, when we understand what God has planned. It is far easier to keep living for him.  II Peter 3:11-16 reminds us of what our attitude ought to be.  “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.  Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.  But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”  While we know that the world and its wickedness will be destroyed, we need not be worrying about that.  We are looking beyond the Tribulation period to the time we will spend with God in the new heaven and new earth.   

Unfortunately, a large number of those who took music lessons in school never play their instruments after they leave school.  They spent so many hours practicing so that they would get a better grade they never learned to enjoy playing the instrument.  When we find ourselves getting upset because of the prophecies, we are like the child forced to spend hours practicing, who never gets to enjoy just playing.  The study of prophecy ought to produce a sense of hope and anticipation for those who believe.  Too often prophecy is used to try to frighten people into getting saved, but as I Corinthians 14:22 tells us, “… prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.”  Its primary purpose is to strengthen the Christians.