By Antonella Pedley
Whenever world events become troubled, people instinctively search for explanations. But searching for answers today could lead you down rabbit holes or into heated political debates. There’s also an endless supply of shadowy conspiracy theories to explore.
The problem with conspiracy theories is that they are highly unprovable since they describe events happening behind the curtain of open society. How do we decide which one is true?
Unlike conspiracy theories, the Bible makes an extraordinary claim about its source of information: “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7. God reveals His actions through biblical prophecy. Because many Bible prophecies have already been fulfilled, studying them gives us clues about how future prophecies will be fulfilled.
One very important reason God gave us biblical prophecy is to strengthen our faith in Him and the reliability of His Word. After telling His disciples about future events in His life, Jesus explained: “Now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.” John 14:29. As we see Bible prophecies fulfilled in the past, we can know that God and His Word can be trusted for the future.
Jesus emphasized another purpose for Bible Prophecy when He said: “But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.” Mark 13:23. We are to “take heed” because we must choose a side. Understanding the background of world events helps us be on the right side of the controversy between good and evil.
Jesus also warned that one of the signs of the end is deception. Just as conspiracy theories are a form of deception, so also are wrong applications and false interpretations of prophecy. Satan uses these to obscure the truth.
One such idea is that the COVID-19 vaccine is the mark of the beast, or that an individual here or there in history is the Antichrist. Randomly attaching prophetic labels to events or individuals does injustice to God’s Word and fails to arrive at truth.
In contrast, Bible prophecy correctly and carefully studied will give you the key to truth. The right principles of prophetic interpretation are themselves found in the Bible. One such principle was highlighted by Jesus: prophetic fulfillments follow the course of history. Yet they are neither solely reflecting the past, nor should they all be projected into the future.
Jesus’ explanation to the two disciples walking towards Emmaus illustrates how He applied prophecies to His recent death and resurrection: “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Luke 24:27.
On another occasion, Jesus applied prophecy to the future destruction of Jerusalem: “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, ‘standing in the holy place’ (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” Matt. 24:15, 16.
In both instances, Jesus was using the historicist method of interpreting prophecy, the same method used by Jews and early Christians to understand Old Testament prophecies. Historicism associates biblical prophecies with actual historical events and identifies symbolic beings with historical persons or societies. This results in a progressive and continuous fulfillment of prophecy from the Old to the New Testament and puts the Bible student in harmony with the prophets, the apostles, and Jesus Himself.
We will use this method as we examine the important prophecies about the mark of the beast.
All Scriptures quoted from the New King James Version.
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Antonella Pedley writes from Sweden and is a lifelong student of Bible prophecy.