THE WILD WEST OF BIBLE PROPHECY

By Dr. M. R. Dowler

I like prophecy. I love to hear it preached and I love to study about it in order to preach it myself. Most people would agree that the subject of Bible prophecy is exciting. There is something within our inquisitive nature that loves to learn something about the future never known before (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). Conversely, the study of prophecy in many of our modern churches is like living in the Wild West---anything goes. The wildest of predictions and the most outlandish of speculations abound by preachers in church and on television.

On such example is the proclivity to try to figure out the identity of the Antichrist. I have several shelves of prophecy books in my library ranging from decades old to recent publications. One prophecy teacher (of whom I have several of his books), popular in the 1970s and 1980s “identified” the man of sin (2 Thessalonians 2:3-5) as Henry Kissinger by using the letters in his name supposedly totaling 666 (you know A=1, B=2; etc). Trouble with using these letter/number schemes is that you can manipulate just about anyone’s name to total 666, even Barney the Purple Dinosaur or Ronald Wilson Reagan. And as ridiculous as this may sound, a lot of good folks can and do get wrapped up in it.

Eschatology is a big fancy-schmancy theology word for the study of prophecy and the end times. Interestingly, eschatology seems to fall within one of two extremes; what theologian Millard Erickson calls “eschatomania” and “eschatophobia.” Eschatomania, as the name implies, sees prophecy in every aspect of Christian theology. Eschatophobia is a fear of all things prophetic. Sadly, some pastors are so intimidated with what the Bible and fallible human authors say about the end time that they fail to study or teach it.

A balanced view of eschatology must be maintained. Prophecy is important, and there are at least three reasons why God wants us to study prophecy; 1) we are commanded to study it (Isaiah 34:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21); 2) certain parts of the prophetic program can comfort us (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18); and 3) knowing what the Bible says about the future can help us to consecrate our lives to Christ today (1 John 3:1-3). Sometimes we Bible teachers get it wrong, not intentionally, but because we also (as everyone) “look through the glass darkly” (1 Corinthians 13:9-12). Think about it.