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Yahshua Ha'Mashiach

Why Study Bible Prophecy?

Revelation 22:7

Sword of the Spirit

Matthew 18:20

Ezekiel 37:15-17

Why should we study Bible prophecy? That is a good question that has many biblical answers that we can discover. First off, please read the following:

⁶ "This is what the LORD says--
Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
apart from me there is no God.
⁷ Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.
Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
and what is yet to come--
yes, let him foretell what will come.
⁸ Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me?
No, there is no other Rock; I know not one."
Isaiah 44:6-8 (NIV)

Yahshua the Servant Candle within His Lamps

Yahshua Ha'Mashiach

In this passage, the Lord is proclaiming that there are no other Gods except Him and that there are no others like Him who not only explain the past but can also foretell the future. He is also telling us that this is how He proves to us that He is who He says He is. He feels that this is so important for us to understand that He tells us this fact more than once:

⁸ "I am the LORD; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to another
or my praise to idols.
⁹ See, the former things have taken place,
and new things I declare;
before they spring into being
I announce them to you."
Isaiah 42:8-9 (NIV)

⁹ Remember the former things of old,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like Me,
¹⁰ Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things that are not yet done,
Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand,
And I will do all My pleasure,’
Isaiah 46:9-10 (NKJV)

Biblical prophecy is also the means by which the Lord reveals His plans to us:

²⁵ Now to him who is able to establish you
by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to
the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, ²⁶ but
now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings
by the command of the eternal God,
so that all nations might believe and obey him--
²⁷ to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Romans 16:25-27 (NKJV)

Studying biblical prophecy also bestows special blessing upon us:

³ Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it
Revelation 1:3(NIV)

But, the most important reason to study prophecy is because Jesus told us to! Many times through out the scriptures He told us to "Watch!" for the fulfillment of prophecy:

⁴² "Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. ⁴³ But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into."
Matthew 24:42-43(NKJV)

¹³ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Matthew 25:13 (NKJV)

³⁵ "Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— ³⁶ lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. ³⁷ And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
Mark 13:35-37 (NKJV)

³⁵ "Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. ³⁶ If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. ³⁷ What I say to you, I say to everyone: 'Watch!' "
Mark 33:35-37 (NIV)

Not only has He commanded us to "Watch!" for the fulfillment of His plans, He expects us to do so:

² He replied,"When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' ³ and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. ⁴ A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away.
Matthew 16:2-4 (NIV)

⁴¹ Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, ⁴² saying, "If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
Luke 19:41-42 (NKJV)

In the above passage from the book of Luke, the Lord is weeping over the city of Jerusalem because the Jews were not watching. In Daniel 9:25¹, the Lord had revealed His plan to present Himself as the "Anointed One" on that very specific day. He had told them this date 483 years in advance of His arrival - but since they didn't study that prophecy, they weren't ready and waiting for Him as they should have been!

The Lord wants us to study His plans as He revealed them to us through His prophets and His own words and He expects us to do so. As these last scriptures above warn us, there may even be regrettable consequences for not knowing the prophecies and watching for their fulfillment. In fact, the last "Watch!" command that Jesus gives us in the Bible is even preceded by a warning:

³⁴ “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. ³⁵ For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:34-36 (NIV)

Therefore, studying biblical prophecy is a very important facet of the Christian life because it enables us to do as Jesus commanded us to do. Do you know the "signs of the times" and are you able to "Watch!"? If not, then please do as the Lord commands and as the Apostle Paul recommends:

¹¹ And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. ¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Romans 13:11-14 (NKJV)

¹ Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
² for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night... ⁴ But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. ⁵ You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.⁶ So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.⁸ But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. ⁹ For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Thes 5:1-2, 6-9 (NIV)

I hope that this article has adequately demonstrated the relevancy of studying Bible prophecy and has motivated you to be obedient and "Watch!"

**NOTES**

You may read these verses in Daniel at:
BibleGateway.com