The Purpose of Prophecy

Advent 2022  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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The Purpose of Prophecy

We only have a few moments this morning, but what I would like to do with our time is talk briefly about prophecy and its purpose. Prophecy is a popular subject. When I was in student ministry, I was told if I wanted to have a lot of kids in attendance, one of the things I could talk about is prophecy (or, end times).
We have seen a glimpse into this with the greening of the sanctuary. These symbols are meant to point us to something better, or, some One better.
Peter writes, “Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.” (1 Pet. 1:10–11)
The purpose of prophecy was to reveal God’s plan of redemption in Christ with greater clarity. It was meant to give glimpses, or to phrase it as the London Baptist Confession states, “by farther steps,” in which the Seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15) comes into greater clarity.
Prophecy is not meant to satisfy our appetites. It is not meant to help us know who the antichrist is, or to know what nation will contribute to the New World order, or anything else. Prophecy is meant to point us to Christ and understand His person and work more fully, to worship the Triune God who, before the foundation of the world, developed this unimaginable, glorious and irrevocable plan of redemption.
Prophecy should produce praise to the Triune God.

I. Prophecy’s focus is to reveal God to humanity- 1 Pet. 1:10–11

The word that we use to describe God’s separation from creation is transcendence. God is in the heavens, we are on the earth. God is outside of time, we are bound within it. God is everywhere, omnipresent, we are bound to these physical spots. God never ages while we grow old and die.
Many more examples could be given. God is so great that we cannot grasp Him (Isaiah 55:8–9).
Prophecy is meant to reveal this incomprehensible God. Have you considered that truth this morning? That if God has not initiated His plan of redemption we would not know Him? Oh, let this Christmas season remind you of the height of God’s prophecy in Jesus Messiah.
The crismons are prophetic, in a sense, they reveal the glories of God. They reveal the radiant display of Christ through shadows.

II. Prophecy’s beauty is the radiant display of Christ in shadows- Col. 2:17

Prophecies, according to Peter, were preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah, which included shadows. These shadows are things like sacrifices, or people, or places, or things. We would use the word typology.
While these are interesting and fascinating, they should not be interesting in and of themselves: they should stir our hearts because they reveal glimpses of our precious Savior.
Go back and look at Colossians 1:27 “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
The Tabernacle/Temple, the location of God’s presence, meant to demonstrate the coming closeness of God, for He would be in us.
We see wonderful “shadows” this morning. The circle, demonstrating the eternity of God.
Because Jesus came, we can enjoy eternity with God. Stephen Charnock says this,
“Happiness cannot perish as long as God lives: he is the first and the last; the first of all delights, nothing before him; the last of all pleasures, nothing beyond him: a paradise of delights in every point, without a flaming sword.”—Stephen Charnock
We will enjoy happiness with God for ever because of Jesus.
Or take the crown. We see God sitting on His throne in Revelation chapter 4. God is pictured in the entire book as sitting on the throne. He rules with omnipotence. None can stay His hand, no matter how insane it is getting (I mean, have you read the book of Revelation!?).
What a comfort that is! This was prophesied all the way back in Genesis 3:15, but clearly in Isaiah 66.
Prophecy displays the radiant beauty of Jesus, and of our Triune God.

III. Prophecy’s purpose is to produce praise to the Triune God- Rev. 7:1–17a

Before God spoke an atom into existence, he knew what Adam would do. He planned our redemption, knowing that one day He would complete His work of changing us from the image of Adam into the image of Jesus Christ. He knew, planned, provided for, and will accomplish what we see in Revelation chapter 7. Prophecy, glimpses and shadows here and there in the OT, and on into the NT, should produce praise to the Triune God.
“The entire story of the Bible—not just verses pulled out here and there—helps us to know Christ and to know him for all that he is.” Stephen Wellum and Trent Hunter
Are you praising Him?
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