All Are Fulfilling Prophecy.
By R. F. Cottrell
PROPHECY is the history of mankind given beforehand. History is the record of prophecy fulfilled. The rise and fall of empires, and the acts of private individuals are alike the fulfillments of prophecy; and whether or not we are aware of it, we are each and all fulfilling prophecy. If we understand the prophecies, we are fulfilling them; for it is written, "The wise shall understand." If we do not understand them, still we are fulfilling them; for "none of the wicked shall understand." The believing disciples, and even the little children, fulfilled prophecy when they shouted, "Hosanna to the son of David!" and the unbelieving and hardened did no less when they cried, "Away with him! crucify him! crucify him!" Says Paul, "For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him." Acts 13: 27. If we are looking for the second advent of the Lord Jesus, and are hasting unto the coming of the day of God, we are fulfilling prophecy. If, on the other hand, we are scoffing at this, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming, still we are fulfilling prophecy. If we blow the trumpet in Zion and sound the alarm of the day of the Lord nigh at hand; if we proclaim the everlasting gospel—the good news of the everlasting kingdom at hand—we fulfill prophecy; or if we depart from the faith, turn away our ears from the truth and are turned unto fables, and teach for doctrines the wisdom and commandments of men, still we fulfill prophecy. If we warn men of coming wrath, and a time of war and trouble such as never was since there was a nation, we fulfill prophecy; or if we say, Peace and safety—all things continue as they were—to-morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant,—in this we fulfill prophecy. If we give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils; if we seek to them that have familiar spirits, and to wizards that peep and that mutter; if we are led by the spirits of devils working miracles, we fulfill prophecy. But if we bring the teachings of these spirits to the test of God's word—to the law and to the testimony—yet we fulfill prophecy. If we are self-lovers, money lovers, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, bargain-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof, we are fulfilling prophecy. If, on the other hand, we are turning away from such, and heeding the call to gather ourselves together into the unity of the faith, and are seeking meekness and righteousness that we may be hid in the day of the Lord's fierce anger, we are fulfilling prophecy. If we are evil men and seducers, growing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived, we are fulfilling prophecy; or if we are being cleansed from our idols, being purified and made white, being sanctified wholly in order to be perserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are fulfilling prophecy. In short, if we are worshiping the beast and serving the devil with a high hand, and teaching that the law of God has been abolished—breaking the commandments and teaching men so—we are fulfilling prophecy. Or if we are humbling ourselves before the Lord and seeking a preparation for his coming by keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, we are still fulfilling prophecy. Since, then, we are all fulfilling prophecy, let us choose, while we may, to fulfill the right part of them. It is a fearful thing to fulfill some of them, but a blessed and glorious thing to fulfill the others.