HOW CAN ONE UNDERSTAND PROPHECY TODAY?
Jehovah Reveals How
Two (2) Key Scriptures...Two (2) ways...
One must either be:
(1) a "prophet" himself, or
(2) in the "company of one," yes, "listening", paying heed to a "prophet." One or the other. -- Isaiah 49:1
Now, we will provide the real scriptural proof below, 2 main scriptures:
Scripture #1 -- Amos 3:7 -- "For the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing unless he has revealed his confidential matter [secret matters fnt NWT REf Bi.] to his servants the prophets."
This means, Jehovah will "reveal" these "confidential" or "secret" matters to His "Prophets," BEFORE THEY OCCUR.
That is before they occur...
So, then Jesus could "interpret" the prophecies, AHEAD OF TIME, and WARN THE PEOPLE...make sense? Yes, we must agree with this.
What good, would it do, to only "understand," God's Prophetic Word, AFTER it has been fulfilled, AFTER the denunciation, the calamity has passed. Who wants that to happen to them?
No, but you want to heed the warning, BEFORE calamity comes, and experience "salvation," ... be saved. That's what we want.
So, then, we must heed the words of the Prophet, BEFORE the calamity actually comes, less the words of the prophecy come true up us!
The words of Acts 13:40, 41 ring clear:
"Therefore see to it that what is said in the Prophets does not come upon you, Behold it, you scorners, and wonder at it, and vanish away, because I am working a work in your days, a work that you will by no means believe even if anyone relates it to you in detail."
We must heed the word, the Prophetic Word of God, BEFORE, calamity comes!
Luke 24:27 says of Jesus and his "role" as interpreter of prophecy:
"And commencing at Moses and ALL THE PROPHETS he INTERPRETED to them things pertaining to himself in all the Scriptures."
Christ, INTERPRETED the scriptures, to his disciples...BEFORE THEY WERE FULFILLED, BEFORE THINGS HAPPENED, and they listened.
Which now brings us to the 2nd key Scripture up for discussion.
Scriptures #2 -- Jeremiah 23:18, 22 which says:
"For who has stood in the intimate group of Jehovah that he might see and hear his word? Who has given attention to his word that he might hear it? ... But if they had stood in my intimate group, they they would have made my people hear my own words, and they would have caused them to turn back from their bad way and from the badness of their dealings." -- Jeremiah 23:18, 22
KEY POINT: If one wants to understand "prophecy," then, one would need to place himself, in the company of Jehovah's Intimate Group, His "prophets." This is the only way to benefit from the "interpretations of prophecy," thus gain the needed information, necessary information from God, to survive God's Day of Calamity, coming upon Modern-day "Israel," of our day, Jehovah's Witnesses. Else, he pay the consequences of his ignoring God's Messenger. -- John 15:22; Luke 10:16
As clearly stated above, the whole purpose of Jehovah revealing His Prophetic Will for mankind, is for them to repent! Yes, as the verse says to Israel, "to turn them back from their bad way and from the badness of their dealings."
So, then, the messenger, the prophet, and his message, combine for a purpose...a purpose... Yes, to avert danger and destruction for God's People. To cause people to "repent," as Jesus said in his ministry.
What good, would it do, I ask you, to deliver and interpret this message, this All-important, special message from God, AFTER, now that's AFTER DESTRUCTION HAS BEEN WROUGHT UPON GOD'S PEOPLE... what good would that do?
None.
HIGHLY VALUE GOD'S PROPHETIC WORD
Revelation 10:7 says:
"but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to blow his trumpet, the sacred secret of God according to the good news which he declared to his own slaves the prophets is indeed brought to a finish."
What does this mean?
It means, the "prophets," the prophetic books of the Bible, contain all of the "hidden" truths, yes, the actual "sacred secrets of God," all contained, hidden within these prophetic messages. God has purposely hidden them there.
So, if one wants to understand Bible Prophecy today, he must take this little "clue," this tip. The books of Daniel, Hosea, Micah, Joel, yes, all of the Prophetic books, contain the real, hidden message from God. His "Sacred Secrets" that have yet to be revealed to man. Namely this, the Divine prophetic message that shows, Discipline is to come upon God's Name People, mysterious "Israel," of our modern day. A mystery "Israel," that is held in spiritual "captivity," to a mystery, modern day Babylon the Great. Thus, after leaving this modern-day Babylon the Great, "Israel," understandably, will be in dire need of spiritual "restoration," as the Prophets, the Prophetic books of the Bible, clearly show.
Acts 3:21 says:
"Whom heaven, indeed, must hold within itself until the TIMES OF RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS of which God spoke through the mouth of HIS HOLY PROPHETS of old time."
Yes, the "Prophets spoke," of "restoration," yes, "restoration" of Israel, according to God's Will. Yes, "God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets of old time" about "restoring" Israel, to His own glory. Modern day "Israel," of our times.
Yes, Peter knew this. And He relied upon the "prophetic word," as he demonstrated repeatedly in his inspired writings.
So, listen to prophecy, and listen to "interpretation" too of prophecy, pay heed, as you should. Listen to it BEFORE it occurs. This is the will of God. -- Isaiah 48:18, 19
2 Peter 1:19 says:
"Consequently we have the Prophetic Word made more sure; and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place until day dawns and a daystar rises, in your hearts."
MDS
"...Jehovah, who has put faith in the THING HEARD (the "REPORT") by us?[/i] -- Isaiah 53:1; John 12:38 NWT Ref. Bi fnt