Every Vision Will Be Fulfilled

December 16, 2002



"Son of man, what is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: 'The days go by and every vision comes to nothing'? Say to them, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.' Say to them, 'The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled.'" (Ezekiel 12:22-23 NIV)

Let us step back a minute from detailed examinations of specific prophecies and reexamine our understanding of prophecy itself. We believe that every bit of Scripture is vitally important and will be completely fulfilled. Certainly, many have been, with astonishing accuracy, verifying over and over the supernatural origin and inerrancy of the Book.

Yet the Bible, especially in the books from Isaiah to Malachi, contains quite a few seemingly arcane prophecies. Many of these contain details that are either historically unfulfilled, unverifiable, or vague. Often these are presented by the prophets in settings associated with the events and peoples of that day, yet with hints, sometimes subtle and sometimes not so subtle, that the prophet was also speaking of future events.

When I read the Bible, and come across a prophecy that either has no or only partial apparent historical fulfillment, that indicates one thing to me: there are aspects of it yet future. The Bible is not just a haphazard, random assortment of writings; each piece is extremely vital and important. Our understanding of the Divine inspiration of the Scriptures, each writer being moved by the Holy Spirit to include exactly what God wanted, compels us to agree that every portion of it is extremely important.

As history has progressed and God's prophetic plan has come into clearer focus, Scripture passages that have seemed obscure for many ages take on new meaning as the Holy Spirit reveals them. You may be aware that there are large portions of the Bible that have not yet been fulfilled. Some Christians relegate nearly all of these to the time of the coming of Jesus and the events that follow; others make a lame case that nearly all of the prophetic Scriptures have already been fulfilled. It is my opinion that neither of these perspectives are correct.

Why? Because we have entered a new era in history, an era when God is dealing differently with the Jewish people. One could argue a starting point of 1948 as the beginning of this new era. But regarding the issue of the understanding of the as yet unfulfilled prophetic Scriptures, the important point is this: now that we are in this new era, an era that was itself prophesied, we are going to see more and more prophecies regarding Israel fulfilled, and soon.

We are in the beginning of the process of restoration, consolation, reconciliation, and comforting for Israel. After many years of estrangement, God is now once again "turning His face" towards her as the prophets predicted. As a result, many of the "dormant" sections of the Bible regarding this process will suddenly come to life.

I receive criticism for my writings from some parties, who say that it is ridiculous to suppose that suddenly, after so many centuries, we are going to see chapters and chapters of Biblical prophecy fulfilled in very short order. But is that really ridiculous? What if, instead, we are now at a critical point in God's plan for Israel, the point where He begins actively and demonstratively working on her behalf, just as He has promised?

Many Christians focus their interest in Bible prophecy and the signs of the times on the more sensationalistic aspects such as the new world order, one world government, the antichrist, etc. While understanding of these is important as well, more focus should be placed on what God is doing in Israel. If we assess the prophetic Scriptures as a whole and weigh them on a balance, the portions that deal with Israel's physical and spiritual revitalization far outweigh the portions that deal with the more sensationalist aspects. So if we are to be balanced in our approach, we should put our emphasis where the Bible does.

Not long ago, I attended a Bible prophecy conference here in Tampa, and was very disappointed with what I heard. Very little actual Bible prophecy was addressed; it seemed more like a hand-wringing (and book selling) session about how "big brother" is advancing his agenda. Well, yes, he is, and that was predicted, but are we not missing the point of what God is doing in the world today if we focus on these things and not on Israel?

So let's be alert to what the Holy Spirit is showing us in these days. Among you, the readers of this article, there are undoubtedly young and maybe not so young men and women who the Lord is designating to be proclaimers of His Message. Let us all spend the time to know and understand what that message is, in its entirety, to the best of our God-given ability. Spend time poring over the Bible, not to read into it things that are not there, but to let God's Spirit show us what He is doing in these critical days, so that we can communicate the message faithfully and accurately to others.

Trumpet Sounds 12/16/02