Most persons appear to feel some skepticism about prognostications about the future, or they believe that the ultimate end is so far away that it makes no difference to them. This last is something of the extension that we shall eat, drink and be merry for the end is a million years from the present. That helps current generations from giving immediate attention to any belief of catastrophe in near future centuries. If all continues in the present order of nature there may be only a few thousand persons on earth remaining alive, but not particularly meaningful for a society – from among the present day’s population of about seven to eight billion persons. In some future period the world, as we know it, is touted to end for habitation.
Scientific prognostications about the world must be separated from biblical prophecies. Secular prophesies are different than the Judeo-Christian prophesies. Secular scenarios deal with human experience in the common grace from God, which provides a rather helpful design for human prophecy – if followed with care. This means the prophecies are not made up out of the figment of imaginations, or wishful thinking, but grow out of natural evidence. We acknowledge that natural evidence has its origin in the creative gesture of God, so should be taken seriously. Even so, there are considerable differences in the prophecies of naturalists, guided by evidence of nature, and biblical prophecies guided by the revelation of God. With the introduction of mass media, the pundits have replaced the prophets but the change in names and methods does not change the emergence of secular prophets in every generation.
Biblical prophesies relate to God’s authority, and are directed toward future rescue for related humanity. Old Testament prophecies tended toward review of problems, or impending problems and solutions that would occur or fail. The prophet (Jeremiah) buys a piece of land that is worthless, because of the decay of the community. He is directed to buy because the Lord will give recovery to the area, and the land will gain significant value. It is a small event, but known by all, that is analogous to God offering and achieving recovery of human life when total loss and death seem both an imminent and an ultimate certainty. The various small prophecies fulfilled provide confidence that the prophecies of the prophets of God in large contexts will also be fulfilled. The greatest prophecy of the Old Testament is that God will send a Messiah who will be the Savior of the World, and the near future of events in the birth of Isaiah’s son gave a feeling of certainty about a far off Messiah. The New Testament prophecies relate to the return of that Messiah to be the Savior of the world. Matters leading to the conclusion are extensive, mixing with awe-inspiring events, some brutal, but conclusions are rather straightforward in the narrative. Endings give way to beginnings. That appearing is better than that preceding. There will be losses in the process, but the gains, if so, are so infinitely greater that God and mankind are willing to bear intense processes.
Serious human prophecies, believed to be supportable in some way, relate to the advancement/retrenchment of mankind in science and education, in patterns of nature including factors of weather, pollution, resource depletion, human conduct, historical cycles, and influences like time and change. These are taken seriously. They sometimes are conflicting in time projections, in extent, in human response, in promise of success or failure in meeting variables. Almost all imply that ultimately there will be no recovery under human models. The closing of the old will occur in some future conclusion, giving rise to something new and different. Human prophecy, being human and like the human experience, finds birth, growth, flourish, and decline to death. Human relief is found only in belief that the end is far off. The Christian perception is that with God in control whatever happens is transitional to solutions and a healed creation, and can occur in some time capsule. But there are signs which we may call evidences that something is happening that may be extensive, even catastrophic. Time is managed by God, so we leave it there for conclusion. Whatever the case, Scripture has a revealing scenario. God gives us what we need for information and safety, but we may shelve the information for a better day, and for concern that we may not articulate well the meaning of Scripture on endings. Prophecy does hold meaning for us – now. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020