Having written a daily Page from time to time, beginning just after my wife’s death in 2001, I had completed the series for each day for one year by 2009. That included editing each Page about six times so to gain what I wanted for the Page. Then, with some wits left to an old man, I decided I wanted to do it again, so began Volume 2 in 2010. Further, I wanted to continue, usually but not always, on the same date, the basic theme of that date from Volume One. No real reason, except that it seemed like a fresh approach that might gain interest, and that it would offer a way for me to continue thoughts that I could not include in the previous volume – on one Page. There is only so much that may be captured on one page, and only so much that a reader would deign to read. The concept of predicting personal future has always intrigued me so this is especially an interesting project for me. I follow, with care and trepidation, the thoughts of prophecy, natural or spiritual. There is large speculation in mankind’s prophetic efforts and designs.
I am something of a skeptic about the prophecies of mankind. Mother Shipton (there is serious doubt that she ever lived, but was the invention of a writer who lived after she is alleged to have introduced her ideas), and Nostradamus (who was a serious prognosticator, but no more than that), missed their marks. Others in recent and ancient times have projected the future for generations to come. The whole story is sufficiently interesting that TV’s History Channel has run several programs on the prophets of history. The prognosticators are, in themselves, a matter of historical interest. In some instances events have followed their predictions for no other reason than that some guessing is always going to hit on. And, if our leader is forceful enough we will help make his prophecies come true. Even naive and misguided persons have tried that objective with Scriptural prophecies. I have known several, and heard their views.
At this writing, two or more unrelated historical prognostications have settled upon 2012 as the end of things as we know them. (This has been addressed on another page in Volume One. I have lived, in recent years through at least three end-of-age calendar dates without concern, and with no loss of time in daily work.) As 2012 is less than two years from the writing of this page, and less than a month after this editing, I have an interesting current topic – as prophecies go. Our purpose here is to introduce only one factor in the growing discussions creating, for some, personal fear. Prognostications are often dire in their conclusions.
Negative factors indicate the tendency of these prophecies – but not for all. They often review a declining period, a collapse of society, perhaps periods of suffering, disease, warfare, natural calamities that include flood and fire – but ending in either annihilation or in circumstances so tragic than one might well prefer annihilation of the creation. The projection of the end of things by so many persons must tell us something. Concepts of Armageddon are universal, and include the Bible narrative. The difference between Scripture and all other prophecies is that the end of the story in Scripture is the restoration of the creation to better circumstances than those which preceded destruction. God’s prophecies look toward better things even if there is a temporary collapse. One wonders why the prognosticators did not latch on to the positive. Biblical prophecy tells of calamity and destruction if world conduct continues in a negative direction. If counsel is followed, the prediction is for good and not for evil. Jeremiah bought a parcel of land for a pittance because of the collapse of everything in the community. He bought because he was privy to information, under God, that matters would improve and the property become valuable. The over-arching biblical concept is victory, not defeat. Some battles may be lost, but the warfare will be won. This is a major factor in the message of Scripture. In compassion God withholds some information in the full context so to permit natural life to be lived without undue tension. God’s prophecies do not create more than enough information to assist in taking refuge from the negatives and inherit the positives. So carefully is this done that no new prophecies are needed. Prophecy for the Christian is fulfilled in the Second Advent of Jesus Christ. All related matters fit natural interest to motivation. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020