PROPHECY by Dudley Marvin Canright

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Dec 16, 1913

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 40, No. 48.

PROPHECY

By Dudley Marvin Canright

A Large Part of the Bible Is Prophetic—The Prophecies Throw a Clear Light into the Future and May Be Understood

PROPHECY is defined to be "a declaration of something to come; a foretelling; a prediction; especially, an inspired foretelling."

Those who have given the Bible anything more than a passing notice are well aware that it abounds with prophecy; that prophetic declarations are to be found in almost every book from Genesis to Revelation. Indeed, some books contain but little else than prophecy. The books of Daniel and the Revelation are of this class. In these are to be found long chains of prophecy which foretell many of the principal events of the world's history from six hundred years before Christ to the end of the world. Such lines of prophecy, showing, as they do, the position of the human family in the stream of time, must be of the greatest importance to all. We may not see the meaning and value of the inspired prophecies, but that does not affect the question. The fact that the blind do not see the sun, in no way affects that great body, which is of so much value. Those who are blind sustain the loss. So it is with those who pay no attention to the prophecies of the Bible.

BOTH PROPHETS AND ANGELS STUDIED THEM

The apostle Peter tells us that not only the prophets "inquired" and "searched diligently" for an understanding of the prophecies, but that even "the angels desire to look into" them. 1 Peter 1: 10-12. When the Saviour was on earth, He called the attention of His disciples to events then transpiring in fulfilment of prophecy, and declared that "many prophets and kings" had "desired to see" them. Luke 10: 24.

It is certain, from these statements, that angels, prophets, and kings were deeply interested in prophecy — in the Lord's "declarations of things to come."

But we are told by many, even ministers of the gospel, that we can not understand the prophecies, and that therefore it is of but little use to notice them. This is not the opinion of a few only; it is wide-spread. To say that the prophecies can not be understood is to charge God with trifling with men. It represents Him as having given the human family a book, the most of which would be of no possible use to them, simply because He put it in a form impossible to be understood. Why were all the prophecies written? What are they for? Have they any meaning? If it be true that we can not understand them, then they only occupy space, have no meaning, and are of no value. This we can not believe to be the case.

CAN A REVELATION BE A HIDDEN MYSTERY?

It is admitted, by all believers at least, that the Bible is a revelation from God to man. But what shall we say of a pretended revelation that is so dark and hidden that its meaning can not be understood? Webster says of revelation: "Specifically, to communicate that which could not be known or discovered without divine or supernatural instruction." "To reveal is literally to lift the veil, and thus make known what was previously concealed." The Bible, being a revelation of many things of both the past and the future, must "lift the veil," and make known to man that which could not be discovered without divine instruction.

And this is just the object for which the prophecies were given. The Lord assigns the following reason why an outline of the world's history was given to Nebuchadnezzar in his dream of the great image:

"As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and He that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass." "But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days." Dan. 2: 29, 28.

This scripture states most emphatically that the object of this line of prophecy was to "lift the veil" and disclose the future. How wrong, then, must be the teaching that prophecy can not be understood, and therefore is of no value!

Moses says, "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." Deut. 29: 29. If revelations and prophecies "belong" to us, we certainly are not on forbidden ground when we are seeking and teaching their meaning. On the contrary, we are but doing our duty, and using them as the Lord designs we should.

"HE REVEALETH HIS SECRET"

In Amos 3: 7 the Lord says, "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets." When inviting the sinner to come to Him and live, the Lord lifts the veil, and makes known to him what the future will be to the righteous. Before He brings His judgments on the wicked, He reveals His purpose through His servants the prophets. The dealing of God with past generations illustrates this important truth. The Flood was stayed until the people had been warned one hundred and twenty years; then the impenitent perished in their sins. The Bible declares that Noah was a preacher of righteousness. 2 Peter 2: 5. What did he preach? — The prophecy of a coming flood.

But the people would not believe him. They no doubt charged him with foolishness in saying so much about that prophecy. And "as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

THE LIGHT THAT SHINES INTO THE FUTURE

The apostle Peter highly commends the prophecies, and admonishes all to take heed to them. He says, "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts." 2 Peter 1: 19. In the preceding verses, he has endeavored to give unmistakable evidence that Jesus was the Son of God. He points to the scene on the mount of transfiguration, and says that he was an eye-witness of Christ's glory, and that he heard the voice of God which came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Then he says, "We have also [in addition to the above evidence] a more sure word of prophecy." He points to the prophecies of the Old Testament that reveal the time, place, manner, etc., of the first advent of Christ, and says these, as fulfilled by Him, are "more sure," bear stronger testimony, than any other evidence. He then adds, "Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in your hearts." Every one knows the object of a light in a dark place. It is to show us where we are and what to do. So the prophecies are to show us where we are in the world's history, and the work we should do to meet the mind of God.

THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Many people have the impression that the book of Revelation is so mysterious and dark that no one can understand it. This is a strange position to take with reference to this book. It is called "the Revelation" — literally, "the veil lifted," and that made known which was previously concealed. The introduction of this wonderful book runs thus:

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John: who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." Rev. 1: 1-3.

The Father "lifted the veil," and made known to His Son the contents of this book. Christ gave the same to His angel, who gave it to John, and he wrote it out for the world. Then a gracious blessing is promised to those who read and hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things written therein. From these plain statements, who can say that the book is only a mystery, and that it is useless to study it?

SUFFERING A GREAT LOSS

From these considerations, it is evident that those who set the prophecies of the Bible aside suffer great loss. It has pleased the Lord to communicate His purposes to the human family, that they might understand His ways. Referring to Daniel's prophecies, the Saviour says, "Whoso readeth, let him understand." Matt. 24: 15. After all that God has done to lift the veil of futurity, after He has told us we can understand, and after He has pronounced a blessing on all who read and keep the prophecies, it is surely a great wrong to claim that they can not be understood, and that those who endeavor to explain them are on forbidden ground. Concerning the book of Revelation, the Lord said to John, "Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand." Rev. 22: 10.

A. G. D.