Many Christians are considering how prophecies might be fulfilled in our world today. Anxiety-producing, alarming events, such as wars, governments in distress, and disasters of all kinds, have always caused people to search for answers in the supernatural realm.
Some, including Seventh-day Adventists, have found the Bible to be a comforting source of information about our past and future. But many lack the keys to understanding biblical prophecy.
This has led to a profusion of predictions that have not come to pass. Even when setting a date is judiciously omitted, these careless predictions divert our minds from weightier matters and cause apathy and more confusion, amounting to more harm than good to the community of believers.
Our Sabbath school lessons this quarter, called “Allusions, Images, and Symbols”, will allow us three months to become familiar with the keys to understanding prophecy. Keys are vital, just as they are to a mapmaker or an expert in data analysis. Without a key, maps and statistical charts may be useless to those trying to understand them.
Therefore, our study this quarter will teach us about allusions. These are expressions that are designed to make us think of something else, without actually mentioning it directly. Knowing what these meanings are gives us an added tool to unlock what is being referenced, without endangering the life of God’s messenger. An example of an allusion, would be using “Sodom and Gomorrah” to represent a place of extreme depravity. Or “Babylon” as a place or condition where there is confusion about what we believe.
Then, there are images. When used in the Bible, images indicate a general likeness to something or someone else. For example, when bowing down to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, they were giving allegiance to earthly kingdoms that would not last–something that may be applied to other times when earthly kings or governments demand our loyalty and obedience.
And the final key we can utilize is perhaps the most common, which is symbolism. Symbols reveal actions, objects, and even numbers which have deep spiritual meaning. The number seven represents God and His perfection. He created our perfect world in seven days, which included our celebration and worship of Him on the seventh day. Many sevens are found in Revelation, which may indicate the Sabbath’s continued importance for mankind throughout eternity. There are hundreds of other symbols that help us understand a prophecy we are trying to unlock.
So, hold on to your seats. Our study together this quarter will undoubtedly draw us closer to our omniscient God who wants desperately for us to know what is going on in the world. He has mercifully given us the tools to search for and use such knowledge. May we use them to solemnly and earnestly prepare our hearts for Christ’s Second Coming.
To help with Lesson 1, see these ten principles of prophecy you’ll want to keep in mind…
https://www.outlookmag.org/bible-prophecy-102/
