WHY PASTORS DON’T TEACH ON ONE QUARTER OF THE BIBLE?
– DISCERNING THE TIMES WE ARE LIVING IN
Your local church may not be talking about it but the prophecies concerning Jesus imminent return are all around us. All you need to do is take the Bible in one hand and the local newspaper in the other hand, that is if you’re familiar with prophecy. The Bible is over 26% by volume written on prophecy yet most pastors don’t teach on prophecy. Why is that? You would think God would want us to know His plans for the Second Coming of Christ. After all, there were hundreds of prophecies concerning the First Coming of Christ that were fulfilled literally. Surely, it is intelligent to believe that the prophecies concerning His second coming will also be fulfilled literally. Remember that they were written and spoken very largely by the same prophets and on the same occasion as those prophecies concerning His first coming. One has to ask, “Why aren’t the pastors preaching and teaching on those prophecies concerning Christ’s second coming?”
Now, why do the pastors leave out over one quarter of God’s written word? As children of God, wouldn’t you think God would want you to know His plans? I know Satan doesn’t. That’s why one quarter of Scripture is never talked about in most churches because Satan wants you stumbling in the dark and not knowing God’s plans for Christ’s second coming and all the other prophecies concerning end time events. Why do I know this? Because Jesus tells us in the Revelation of Christ Jesus which God gave Him to show His servant John which read, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy….. (Rev. 1:3).” It’s pretty obvious from this statement that God doesn’t want you to be in the dark and uninformed when it comes to the Revelation of Jesus Christ. It seems the most neglected book is the book of Revelation. However, it is the only book that promises a special blessing to those who read and study it (Rev. 1:3).
When I was researching this years ago, I found out that over three quarters of church pastors don’t teach on Bible prophecy. A person has to ask why do they avoid such an important subject? After all, they are responsible and accountable for teaching the complete Word of God. Could it be that Satan has filled their hearts with fear (we know fear never comes from the Lord). Fear of showing their lack of knowledge on the subject. Fear pastors may have of offending or scaring church members. Maybe the fear that people will stop coming and stop giving to support the church. Or maybe it’s the fear of them looking like a fringe group who take things to an extreme when other churches pulpits are silent on the subject. Anyways, how can these pastors remain silent and still preach the full gospel of God? Something doesn’t add up here. You have to know that behind the scenes the dark side (Satan) is behind this fear. Satan will do anything and everything in his power to oppose God and those who follow God. Satan has an agenda to deceive you and to destroy you and he certainly doesn’t want you to know God’s future plans for the church and the events of the end times and this is why he influenced the creation of this false Roman doctrine called “Amillennialism” that these pastors teach. People don’t realize that Satan seeks to destroy the truth of God’s word while derailing its effectiveness through the insertion of false doctrine. Satan’s forte is in the realm of religion. He is the originator of religion, starting off with the Tower of Babel. He infiltrates and corrupts churches with his own type of false doctrines, ministers, priests and all other types of church workers. Satan will do everything in his power to keep you from knowing Christ and knowing God’s future plans for Christ’s second coming – to keep us from knowing God’s plans, God’s warnings, and what God is preparing us for what’s coming.
Predictive prophecy concerning the last days seems to be a purposeful-neglected faucet of ministry for some pastors and Bible teachers. Instead of embracing and teaching the “whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27b),” many seem to strategically avoid end times eschatology, altogether. Eschatology (end times study) is not meant to encourage idle speculation or controversy. Rather, it is meant to encourage us to witness to Christ and serve Him faithfully, as we watch, wait, and do business in the present until He returns in the future (see Matthew 24:46, 25:13; 2 Peter 3:12).
We know that Jesus carefully taught His disciples about future prophetic events and promises, so did His apostles Paul, Peter, James and John, along with Gospel writers Matthew, Mark and Luke. If churches and ministers are to faithfully follow their examples, rather than avoid them, they must study, understand, and proclaim the eschatological events which are yet to come, while teaching, preaching and practicing personal holiness (2 Peter 3:1-18). If congregations do not get regular biblical instruction and inspiration about the last days and our Lord’s Second Coming, they will be in danger of deception by the devil (Rev 12:9) and his demons (1 Tim. 4:1-2).
WHY DO THE PULPITS REMAIN SILENT WHEN IT COMES TO BIBLE PROPHECY?
There are many pastors who remain silent on Bible prophecy because they don’t understand and were never taught it in seminary. Pastors, as shepherds of the flock of God, whom the Holy Spirit has made accountable overseers need to understand that God’s plans for end times study and teaching are crucial (Acts 20:27-31). Pastors are admonished to faithfully give attention to reading, exhortation, and doctrine not just to some Scripture but all of Scripture (1 Timothy 4:13). Avoiding God’s prophecies or hard to understand parts of Scripture (2 Peter 3:15-16), is not an acceptable strategy for Bible teachers or preachers. Unknowingly, pastors go to seminaries or theological colleges that have been indoctrinated over the centuries by the false Roman Catholic doctrine of “Amillennialism” where prophecy is spiritualized and allegorized because they believed that all prophecies of Scripture have been fulfilled in A.D. 70, when they say Christ came back.
They believe that they are now in the Millennium and that Satan has now been bound and not influencing or deceiving the nations or peoples of this world. They believe that the Church, Christ’s body of believers, has replaced Israel in God’s plan for all intent and purposes (replacement theology). They believe that the church is now the new Israel and they teach that the Jewish people have no special future and no longer have a special purpose in the plan of God. This is totally false Roman Catholic doctrine they follow because I just gave you the prophecy of Jesus which was fulfilled in the year 1967 when Israel recaptured the city of Jerusalem after the Six-Day War. Clearly, Israel is back in the land and Jerusalem is once again in the hands of the Jews just as the prophet Ezekiel had prophesied this would happen 2500 years ago (Ezek. 37:11-12, 14, 21-22, 25). I can imagine that God must be very upset and disappointed at those who teach this foolishness of “Amillennialism” where they twist and spiritualize the literal Scripture and prophecies given by God. This is a completely unjustifiable tampering with Holy Scripture, and these pastors will one day be held accountable.
You also should know that this false doctrine of “Amillennialism” was basically carried on by the Reformation churches after they broke away from the Roman state church but took with them a number of false Catholic teachings. This is why we hear little or no teaching on prophecy nor is prophecy taught in most seminaries and theological colleges. Why? Satan is doing a good job keeping churchgoers from knowing God’s plans for the church, Christ’s second coming, and all the end time events when the pulpit remains silent when it comes to Bible prophecy. I counted approximately 1.6 billion churchgoers world-wide who go to these churches and hear nothing on prophecy even though over one quarter of God’s word is on prophecy. Something is not kosher here and you know that Satan’s up to something. He wants to take as many as He can with him by deceiving people and keeping them in the dark as to the truth of God’s word. Believe me, only God knows the future and tells it to us in advance – to prepare us and protect us during these perilous times that are just ahead of us.
The church must be ready for the time of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ as the Lord of lords and the King of kings. There is nothing more effective to building up the faith of the church than seeing the prophecies that have been fulfilled. As the Word of God says, one does not know prophecy is true until it has come to pass (Jeremiah 28:9). When we see that God’s prophecies are true, we can be certain that those that have not yet come to pass will do so as declared by the Word of God. Scripture clearly tells us, “So, if faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Rom. 10:17).” “Then how shall they hear without a preacher (Rom. 10:14).” How can churchgoers understand the complete counsel of God’s word – God’s prophecies concerning the Second Coming of Jesus when pastors don’t teach, and the pulpits are silence on Bible prophecy? Unfortunately, many churchgoers remain ignorant when it comes to the events leading to the Second Coming of Christ Jesus. It’s a shame really, because prophecy can be one of the most exciting and energizing topics in the entire Bible. Prophecy that was fulfilled in the past is the way God proves Himself to us and gives substance to our faith (Isaiah 46:8-10). The study of prophecy is the number one guaranteed way to prove that God is who He claims to be and distinguishes the Bible from all other so-called holy writings.
Since God did everything, He said He would do in the past; it stands to reason He will also do everything He said He will do in the future. You hear churchgoers saying they want balanced teaching. Well, prophecy teaching provides balance. Since one quarter of the Bible deals with prophecy, how can we be balanced when pastors leave out such a large and integral part of Scripture?
DISCERNING THE TIMES, WE ARE LIVING IN – THE SIGNS OF OUR TIMES
Jesus called the religious leaders of Israel hypocrites for not discerning the signs of the times they were living in (Matt 16:3). We can see from Scripture that Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day for not knowing the time of Christ’s first coming. If He called those people hypocrites and expected them to understand the times that they were living in and what they were going through prophetically at the time, what does He expect of our generation today and the times that we are living in and the Second Coming of Christ? Are we also hypocrites for not heeding Bible prophecy pertaining to Christ second coming. Today, we are surrounded by so many obvious end time signs that we would have to be blind not to see them and yet most pulpits remain silent when it comes to Bible prophecy? What a tragedy!
We find prophetic Scripture throughout the Word of God in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. By not teaching on prophecy, pastors are not covering the whole counsel of God. The times we live in are perilous and as Christians we need to understand where we are in God’s prophetic timeline. A lot of Christians say but we don’t know when Jesus will return. Jesus Himself says He does not know the day or the hour, only the Father knows. Please note, Jesus says the Day or Hour. He does not say Week, Month, or Year. It is clear to see when looking at events unfolding before our very eyes today and what has taken place over the last past 70 years (regathering of the Jews – state of Israel), we can know we are living in the days Jesus spoke about.
The “Last Days” are slated for only one generation in history and only that particular generation. For this reason, God has unsealed the book of Daniel so that we can understand His plans before He exercises His wrath on earth. The year 1967 fulfilled this key prophecy of Christ Jesus: “And they (the Jewish people)will be led away captive into all Nations (A.D. 70 & 135). And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles UNTILL the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (Luke 21:24).” (the Jewish people)will be led away captive into all Nations (A.D. 70 & 135). And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles UNTILL the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled (Luke 21:24).” The year 1967 marked the end of more than 2500 years of Gentile rule over Jerusalem when Israel gained control of the entire city of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War. This is just one proof that we are now living in the end times. I believe those individuals born after 1967 will be the generation that will experience God’s wrath on earth, called the Great Tribulation, IF they hadn’t put their faith in Christ Jesus.
Speaking of the seven year Tribulation period, Jesus said, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, nor, nor ever shall be. And unless those days be shortened, no flesh would be saved (nobody would survive); but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened (Matthew 24:21-22).” This description isolates the period from all the inquisitions, pogroms, purges, massacres, and genocides of history. This prophecy of Jesus could not have been fulfilled by any previous persecutions because it is clearly stated that it will be ended by the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus said, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days …. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son Of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory (Matt. 24:29-31).” Just as a matter of interest, the book of Revelation tells us that one half of the world’s population will die in the Tribulation. That’s around 4 billion people worldwide. It’s going to be so bad during God’s wrath on earth that Scripture tells us, “In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them (Rev. 9:6).”
Jesus not only spoke many times about the future, He also rebuked people who didn’t seem to recognize the significance of the events taking place around them. Jesus reprimanded the Pharisees and Sadducees for not discerning the times. Jesus said in Matthew 16:2-3, “When it is evening you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.” It was no small thing to Jesus that the people of His generation remained ignorant to God’s prophetic word. This is why Jesus, today in our generation, wants us to investigate what the Bible has to say about God’s prophetic plans for Christ’s second coming and ask God to help us determine the times in which we are living in – the signs of our times.
In closing, I want to tell you that God foretells the future with inerrant accuracy. He knows the end from the beginning and put it in writing – it’s called the “Bible.” He’s given us a snapshot of things to come. It is obvious to those who have eyes to see that the whole world is living in a time of a global financial crisis of biblical proportion and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. What we see happening worldwide today is just a sign of things to come and sadly many will be devastated financially. Thank God, He has revealed the future not to scare us but to prepare us for what’s coming. Throughout Bible history God has always warned His people before He took action.
The book of Revelation paints a picture of the events that will bring the world as we know it to a finale. The word “revelation” itself means the unfolding of that which was previously hidden or unknown. Sadly, the book of Revelation has remained hidden and unknown to many Christians simply because many pastors don’t teach about Bible prophecy or on one quarter of the Bible. How tragic!
Oscar Leske
F/B – Signs Of Our Times