God declares the end from the beginning. Isaiah 46:9-10 says, “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come… ” What other history book does that? Prophecy is proof that the bible is from God. How can I say this? Deuteronomy 18:21-22 states, “You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.” There are over 300 prophecies that Jesus Christ has fulfilled on the topic of his life, death, and resurrection!

A good majority of God’s word is prophecy. Over 20-25% of both old and new testament scripture is prophecy. So we might say prophecy is important in the bible! 2 Peter 1:20-21 says, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” God’s message is clear; he exists and is in control of history!

Jesus also tells everyone in Luke 21 about remaining watchful for his return. We are living in the last days everyone. Hebrews 1:2 tells us this. His words say in Hebrew 2:1-3, “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” Christ wants us spiritually fit and ready because he is coming back. Don’t be careless about life – seek God – who he is, why he came, what he did, and what he will be doing. Ask God for his help in this. Ask him if you need more patience, wisdom, and understanding and if he will give it to you. Knock at his door! Matthew 7:7,8 states, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Get a good bible, maybe one with a ‘life application study’ and start reading. Do not give up and see what happens! How is a person to know the signs of the times we are in unless you start getting acquainted with what Jesus says in his word so you can understand and be ready?

If you knew something in the future was coming wouldn’t you think to prepare? No one likes to be left behind or left out of anything important, and in this case most important right? If we know our car needs fixing we don’t wait until it almost falls apart to get it looked at. Or if one of our children needs to go to the doctor suddenly, we just wouldn’t ignore it would we? That is what Jesus is trying to tell us, be ready! Luke 12:40 states, “You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” A lot of prophecies left to be fulfilled have to do with him coming again one day. And he wants you prepared not only for yourself but for your family as well and whom you love.

Don’t we all desire to know the future, if we can, so we can prepare? Sure, but none of us can predict that. The only safe and truthful place you can hear about the future is in prophetic scripture from God’s Holy Word, the Bible. He gives us all we need to know there.

Revelation 22:7 says, “Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” Revelation 22:13 states, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” John 1:1-5 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” His name is the Word of God. And prophecy is about him. His word is consistent and unchanging and points to Christ. Much prophecy was fulfilled in his first coming as Jesus, our redeemer and sacrifice, and eternally living Lord. He is central and the theme in all prophecy. And with Jesus’s second coming, he is coming to rule over all nations and show everyone who really is king of the world! Let us prepare our hearts for him!

2 Peter 1:19 states, “And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” The morning star is our Messiah.

Scripture is our light. It is all people’s help for the present time and the future. Light shines to guide us. Follow the ‘light of the world.’ Light draws us, it warms us, it staves off darkness, makes things visible, and sustains all life. As plants do not grow without enough light, Lord help us to see that we too wither without your light to sustain us. John 8:12 says, “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, Jesus is coming back one day!