Prophecy: Propelling Practice “Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy” 168 th Semi-Annual FRATERNAL GATHERING of the Ontario Christadelphian Ecclesias May 3-5, 2013

Questions to Consider this Morning: What is the most basic and primary prophecy in all of the scriptures? Why does John only make reference to “Anti- Christ(s)” in his epistles (that term is not in the gospel of John)? How do these questions relate current events? How do these questions relate to us?

Quick Review from Friday: Prophecy must have these two components: 1.As a “Future-Teller” (foreteller – to tell before hand) 2.As a “Truth-Teller” (forth teller – to tell the truth required) Only God has this ability (Isa 46:9-10)

Purpose of Prophecy (minimally): 1.Warn the Wayward 2.Encourage the faithful 3.Vindicate God 4.Vindicate His messenger 5.Vindicate His message

Purpose of Prophecy The purpose of future telling was not to simply future-tell; rather it was to be an engine for faith. Once the event was past and fulfilled as predicted, you could have confidence in the rest of the prophet’s message. The hearer could change their ways and heed the message with its moral imperatives, which always agreed with other utterances of God.

What is the most basic and primary prophecy in all of the scriptures? 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Conflict of the Seeds throughout time From this point forward we have the great controversy of the scriptures. It is the conflict of: 1.“The seed of the serpent” 2.“The seed of the woman”

2 Seeds Isa 1:4 4 Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger,they are gone away backward. Isa 41:8-9 8 But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend. 9 Thou whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof, and said unto thee, Thou art my servant;I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away.

“The Children of Promise” (seed) “…For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.” Romans 9:6-8

Consistent Theme Continues: 1 John 3:9-10 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. Rev 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

“Seed” of the Lord in the final promise 22 They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. 23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. 24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. 25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord.

Gen 3:15 demonstrates both elements of Prophecy 1.Future Telling – The fact that a promised seed would come and take away the curse (consequence) of the serpent’s lie and their disobedience. They failed to trust and believe in what God had said from the beginning. 2.Truth Telling – The promise of deliverance from death eternally. The power of the serpent would be destroyed. The serpents words could only bring death - not life.

Understanding John’s Gospel Purpose verse: John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Focused Purpose for his writings: John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

Framing Johns Gospel Who better to right this account? The Gospel of John was written to for the world at large (so anyone could read and make up their mind) vs the epistle of John was written to those who already had the faith of messiah. What is the focused parallel?

Gen. 3 is the context of John’s entire Gospel We see the “anti-christ(s)” consistently through this book. Sought to kill Jesus is referenced more than 30 times!! One example: John 8:40-44 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

By my count there are more than 80 references to the dependence and superiority of God. Exactly what you would expect with a son depending on a father! Rather than proving that Christ is God, John goes out of his way to stress the dependence on God. Gen. 3 is the context of John’s entire Gospel

Beginning of the High-Priestly Prayer John 17:1-5 1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

The end of the High-Priestly Prayer John 17: Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

An Interesting Detail 11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

True Worshippers - John 4:23 Ex 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. Ex 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel. Psa 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Psa 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

Followed by a Call to Repentance: Christ goes out and seeks on his disciples, Peter, who has just denied his Master. He restores him and calls him to fulfill his purpose of an apostle.

In Closing 1 Cor 13