Are Prophecies Real?

Are Prophecies Real?

“Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.”

1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 (NLT)

There are so many prophecies being put out there from those who are charismatic that most people don’t know what to believe or who to believe. Over the years I have met many people who call themselves ‘prophets’ and give personal prophecies.  Some even ask for money to have a prophecy given to them. Beware; God would not charge you for the work of the Holy Spirit.  You won’t find anything like that in the Bible.

I have a rule I go by, “If it isn’t in the Bible – it isn’t.” Some give predictions that are possible because they are generally about current events and world affairs.  My rule here is ‘wait and see’.  Now, let’s talk about Biblical prophecies.

Almost every prophecy in the Old Testament has come to pass.  I say ‘almost’ because the time hasn’t come yet.  There are things that were spoken by Daniel, Isaiah and Ezekiel that were for the future.  Isaiah prophesied the coming of Jesus, the Savior and what would happen to him in Isaiah 53.  Daniel prophesied what was to happen to King Nebuchadnezzar in the near future and it came to pass. He prophesied about the end times in chapter 12.  Ezekiel prophesied about Jesus, the Son of Man, which occurs ninety times in the book.  In chapter 37 verse 21, he prophesied that after the Jews were taken prisoner and scattered, that the day would come when the Jews would once again be drawn back to Israel. In verse 22, he said, “They shall no longer be two nations and they shall never again be divided into two kingdoms again.”  The first part of the prophecy took place in 1948 when Israel once again became a country and now our own nation among others wants to divide it with the Palestinians.  In verse 22 God says this will never happen again.  Do you believe the Word of God, or those who want to destroy Israel?

According to the Bible, in Ezekiel, chapter 38, the country who will come against Israel first is Russia.  Russia will join with Iran and they will lead a new coalition and their hatred to destroy the Jews and their greed of Israel’s wealth will drive them.  The world will be in shock and Mideast wars will accelerate.  This prophecy has not been completed yet, but it will be in the near future.

Now let’s go to the New Testament.  It begins with the birth of Jesus, His teachings and explanations of God’s will for our lives and his death.  Then it tells us of what is to come explaining what “the Day of the Lord is”.  Look at I Thessalonians 4:16-17 “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God.  The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

Prophecy is throughout the Bible and the Bible is called “The Word of God”.  God cannot lie, so it seems that the Bible is “Truth”.  Therefore, that leads us to the conclusion that all prophesy in it must come to take place.  The Bible also says to beware of false prophets.  My belief is that the prophets of the Bible gave all the prophecies God wanted us to have and no more prophecy is needed.

‘Prophesy’ also means to preach or have a Word from God for certain people or a church. For those who think they are a prophet, someone with discernment will know if it’s true. I end this by saying that many prophecies in the Bible have already come to pass so will many others as time goes by. I believe we are living in the days just prior to the Russia-Magog war which will take place just before the Tribulation.  Keep close to the Lord and test what is said.