THE SCHOOL OF PROPHECY

MATTHEW 24

Pastor Rick Jackson

 

I. THREE KINDS OF PROPHECY

1. Preceptive Prophecy- the proclaiming of the precepts of God- also known as "forth telling"

[Neh. 9:14, Ps. 119:4, Jer. 35:14-19]

- And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

- Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

- The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me. I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me. Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have performed the commandment of their father, which he commanded them; but this people hath not hearkened unto me: Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered. And Jeremiah said unto the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath commanded you: Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not want a man to stand before me for ever.

 - The man that preaches the precepts of God is a prophet in this broad sense even today.

2. Predictive Prophecy- the kind we generally think of when we hear the word “prophecy”-  also known as "foretelling" 2 types=

-Fulfilled prophecy-that which has already come to fruition [Is. 7:14, Mic. 5:2] It is a great testimony to the divine authorship of the Bible [Is. 46:9-10]

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

-Unfulfilled Prophecy- that which awaits fulfillment [2 Pet. 3:1-13]

3. Presumptuous Prophecy- not given by divine enablement but claimed to have been - also known as "false telling" [Deuteronomy 18:18-22]

I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

 

II. THREE PRINCIPLES CONCERNING MT. 24

There are 3 king discourses given by Jesus in Mt. (1) The Principles of the Kingdom [Mt. 5-7], (2) The Parables of the Kingdom [Mt. 13], and (3) The Prophecies of the King [Mt. 24]. When we look at Mt. 24 we need to remember 3 things.

1. We are not looking for signs- We are looking for the Saviour [Titus 2:13]

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

2. The Rapture is Imminent- it could happen any moment [1 Cor. 15:52, 1 Th. 4:13-18]

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

3. The signs in Mt. 24 are Tribulation signs for Tribulation saints. They only hint to us.

We may see trends leading to the end but the signs are not for us now.

 

III. FOUR SIGNS OF THE END [24:1-3]

1. The Misleading Sign [v. 4-5, 11, 24] –unusual deceptions associated with religions and the name of Christ

-Since 1950 more than a score [Jim Jones, David Koresh, Sun Myung Moon, some politicians called Savior]

2. The Military Sign [v. 6-7] –in just the first 30 years after WW2 there were over 150 wars with over 25 million slain.

-There will be no peace until THE Prince of Peace comes [1 Th. 5:3]

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child ; and they shall not escape.

3. The Moral Sign [v. 12]

4. The Missionary Sign [v. 14] There is only one true Gospel [Gal. 1:6-12] but there are many designations-

THE Gospel of God, the Gospel of Christ, “my Gospel” –Paul, the everlasting Gospel, the Gospel of the kingdom-all the same Gospel but the emphasis will be “the King is coming, get ready, trust Him now [Ps. 2:10-12]

- Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.