By David Ettinger
Too Much Hostility!
Bible prophecy can be exciting, disturbing, divisive, or all three. Actually, only option number one is acceptable. Why? Because the Bible is filled with prophecy. It is filled with prophecy because God put it there and wants us to be excited about it.
However, believers too often develop a skewed perspective regarding it. Whether one is Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, Pre-Wrath, or Post-Trib regarding the return of Christ and the Rapture of the Church, believers should be at peace with one another.
Unfortunately, extreme students of prophecy go to war over opposing views and express their disagreements with hostility. Is this what the Lord intended when He so caringly placed His precious prophetic pronouncements into the Book He authored? No. This being the case, how does God expect believers to respond to prophecy? Let’s look at three prophetic passages.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 addresses the issue of the Day of the Lord – that time period when Jesus Christ will return to Earth to rapture the Church and punish the wicked.
The Apostle Paul wrote this passage because believers were being told that the Lord had already returned and that they had missed His return. To combat this error, Paul explained that believers at that time will witness Christ’s return, and not be caught off-guard by it. Paul also explained that believers would not fall prey to God’s wrath, but that “we will live together with him” (v. 10). Basically, Paul’s message to believers was: 1. You did not miss Christ’s return. 2. You will not suffer God’s wrath. 3. You will spend eternity with Jesus. 4. Times and dates are not the issue (v. 1).

What IS the issue is that believers should take heart at such wondrous truths. Prophecy, therefore, should provide great encouragement, comfort, and confidence to Christians, knowing God controls all things. It is no wonder this passage ends this way: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (v. 11). Believers should respond to prophecy by allowing it to be a catalyst for encouraging others.
Hebrews 10:24-25
Here, the unidentified author is addressing the believer’s privilege to “draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings” (v. 22). Jesus is our gateway to the Father, and we can come to Him in prayer as we are, so long as we are covered by Christ’s blood. Elsewhere in Chapter 10, we are told to persevere because we know there is a day when Christ will return to Earth. Verses 36-37 speak of the return of Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom.
Knowing the prophetic end-game for believers is our citizenship in Christ’s Kingdom, the author urges believers to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
The “Day” in view here is the Day of the Lord. What should be the response to the prophecy of God’s coming wrath and subsequent establishing of His Kingdom? It should inspire us to build up and strengthen the body of believers.
2 Peter 3:11-12
Chapter 3 of 2 Peter speaks of the Day of the Lord, and the picture painted of it is bleak: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief [for unbelievers]. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. … That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat” (1 Peter 3:10, 12). Bleak indeed!

However, once that purging is accomplished, verse 13 assures believers that “in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.” In short, there will be terrible bad followed by wonderful good (for the believer).
But, as to the horrific purging coming upon unbelievers at the time of God’s judgment, Peter tells us we are to live soberly and seriously: “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming” (vs. 11-12).
So, how should believers respond to this incredible portion of prophecy? Believers are to respond by living holy and godly lives.
How to Respond to Bible Prophecy
As you can see from these passages, believers are never instructed to fight, argue, and malign one another over prophetic viewpoints. Rather, believers are to read prophecy, consider prophecy, and respond to prophecy just as the Bible tells us to. Prophecy should inspire us to encourage one another, spur on one another, and to live holy and godly lives which honor the Lord!
“Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19).
Blue Collar Theologian
October 28, 2020
Well said, David! May people hear and heed this message!!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
dettinger47
October 28, 2020
Exactly. Thank you, Mandy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Zama-Zoe Grace
October 28, 2020
I have been exposed to false prophets in the past, so I am very skeptical about receiving prophecy; I prefer when God speaks to me through visions and dreams and the Rhema word for now. Thank you for sharing, Great advise and insight into this delicate topic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
dettinger47
October 28, 2020
Thank you Zama-Zoe.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Crissy
October 28, 2020
Well said David. It is incredible what goes on in Christian circles regarding this topic. Only a few years back the church I currently attend split due to their differences regarding the timing of the rapture .
We are called to make disciples not fight over differences eschatological positions .
LikeLiked by 1 person
dettinger47
October 28, 2020
So true, Crissy!
LikeLike
craig
October 28, 2020
Excellent take-aways! It is a difficult issue, to be sure. Passions get raised easily, and the thing is, whether we like it or not our view of eschatology is closely tied with our method of bible interpretation and so can have ramifications beyond just times and dates. It can even stray into what some would view as apostasy, as in those who adopt a “full preterist” view are held by many to be outside Christian orthodoxy. The bottom line is that we are to love one another and do everything with love, but we are also called to contend for the faith once delivered, and the line between orthodox and heterodox can appear pretty blurry. Tough one. But again, I really like your take-away messages, they are “spot on” as you like to say. God bless!
LikeLiked by 2 people
dettinger47
October 29, 2020
Thank you, Craig. Excellent insights.
LikeLiked by 2 people
seekingdivineperspective
October 28, 2020
Amen, David! We should be encouraging one another with these truths, not arguing!
LikeLiked by 2 people
dettinger47
October 29, 2020
Well said. Amen!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Tom
October 29, 2020
Thanks, David. This is an excellent perspective on end times prophecy. I’ve seen much heated debate on the various views including quite a bit of nastiness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
dettinger47
October 29, 2020
Thank you, Tom.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Anonymous
October 29, 2020
Excellent balanced post.
LikeLiked by 1 person
dettinger47
October 29, 2020
Thank you.
LikeLike