And You Would Know

"He sent Jesus as one of us to show how much and how deep His love runs."

PROPHECY is not cloak and dagger. The Spirit of God seeks only to encourage us. Though He wants us to seek Him because of what He’s said, He never speaks to confuse or keep us guessing at His meaning. We should know His voice and so know if what He said has been interpreted or is still being interpreted. Much of Old Covenant prophecy wasn’t fully known when it was spoken or, as with prophecies about Jesus, by example, wasn’t seen at the moments they were fulfilled, but only fully known in hindsight. The Pharisees could quote it but did not see Jesus as fulfillment of it. Such is John’s Revelation as well. A great portion of it was said in order for it to be seen, looking behind us. We would know this if we’d ask Him and not assume.

Too often we assume, and what we assume is wrong or from our human mindset. God’s perspective, His point-of-view, is much Higher. He is the Most High. He sees things accomplished, knowing all things. We are, as it says in 1 Corinthians 13, looking in a mirror and seeing only a partial reflection. We are eager to know and impatient to understand, so we guess. Our human emotions play into it. The Holy Spirit thinks in complete clarity, unswayed by feelings, although He is love. He is also holy and just. His justice is mercy. However, for some, eventually, there will be serious judgment.

The word “judgment” used in the King James Version sounds severe but usually it is God alleviating suffering. If we knew Him well, we would know this without question. It all comes back to this. We feel we understand God’s thinking, His mannerisms, but have formed our opinion, our vision, within the church, who, as I have said, has made God far too severe. As such, prophecy in our modern era has become mostly these frightening predictions of war and death and financial loss, none of which is God’s way. He is never going to yank the rug out from under you and laugh. Death of the sinner is His last, last, last resort. He didn’t send the flood in Noah’s day until there were only eight righteous souls left on earth. Only eight. No one else had any of God’s nature left in them, but were, instead, chamas, or extremely violent (Genesis 6:11). Notice sin was not exterminated as a result of the flood either. Men continued to sin following the earth’s new growth. As families were formed and nations grew, people sinned, and in extreme ways. This should tell us something about how bad it was. And also, God’s nature and intent. He never intends to abandon us or this planet. He adores us. He sent Jesus as one of us to show how much and how deep His love runs.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Romans 8 promises He will renew the earth itself. I love the Message Bible’s analogy of earth as an expectant mother, awaiting her child’s birth. There is such hope in her heart for what she will one day hold. This is the heart of prophecy. I hate to say it this way, but fear-based prophecies should be thrown away entirely, regardless of the speaker. This is not God’s voice. He fulfilled the Law in Jesus and now has no reason to be mad. An angry God is our negative viewpoint. The King James Version, for instance, leans greatly in this direction. Come to know Him in the New Covenant and you will not see Him that way at all. It does not toss out the Old and what is said of Him there, but rather, it confirms it. But our eyes must be the Spirit’s eyes for it to be clear.

Our eyes must be His in order to see what is needed of John’s Revelation. No one person interprets it correctly, although some are close. I highly recommend reading the Remedy translation, available free in e-sword. He gives many symbolic interpretations. Regardless, do not get lost in symbols. Look at the Savior and John’s vision of heaven. See the praises for the Lamb and the end of death and sorrow. Here is God’s heart, and His mercy will take us there to that point in time. Love and mercy, filled with joy and praises for our wonderful Father, who Jesus said was greater than all (John 14:28). Praises for the work of the Lamb across the ages, and the Holy Presence which, here today, speaks to us all.

He speaks so we will know Him and His heart for us. This is what we should see of prophecy.

“Now, that we have been won back to trust, cleansed in mind and set right with God by all that Christ accomplished at the cross, it is ridiculous to think that God would let us go!” (Romans 5:9 Remedy)

“For God did not make us to let us go and be separated from him, but to be his—united to him in love through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9 Remedy)

Image by Dalibor M from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com