We Have The Words Of The Prophets

By Chris Chorlton
Bible:Isa 52:1-10 Bible:2 Pet 1:16-21 Date: 15.12.02

Sunrise

Have you ever had to be somewhere before the sun comes up? Or been waiting for it to rise? 2 Examples Racing to Massada to try and climb it before the sunrise At an Easter sunrise service waiting for the sun to rise as I was freezing.

2 Peter 1.19 “pay attention to the word of the prophets, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” This idea is mirrored in Romans 13.12 “the night is nearly over, the day is almost here.”

This is what advent is all about. The light is coming but it is still dark. I’m sure you all know that Jesus was almost certainly not born on 25th December. Cynics will say that the Early Christian leaders wanted to tempt Pagans away from their winter solstice festivals so deliberately put Christmas at the same time. Perhaps they are right. But look at the themes of Advent.

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. Bible:John 1:5
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Bible:Isa 9:2

This is what almost all Prophecy is all about. A new age has come, a new age is coming. It will be as different from the present one as darkness is to light.

Prophecy

Prophecy is about God’s words, they are true for all time. God doesn’t see the world in time like we do his words are always true

Often Biblical prophecy is dismissed as either already fulfilled or yet to be fulfilled. When Jesus talks about the end of time in Matt 24:34 “I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” Did he mean the destruction of Jerusalem? the end of time? Both? Neither? I think it is a mistake to read it only in one way. It also has a reference to the present. Prophecy is a comment about the world we live in, and about the way we live in it, here and now. It is in fact supremely relevant but often a devastating criticism of our own worldliness, our worldly hopes and expectations.

Eg “Unto us a child is born” Famous Christmas prophecy. Isaiah's reference to the young woman and child in its original context a reference to Ahaz's wife and their future son, Hezekiah, who goes down in the annals of Judah's history as a good king. So, devout Jews down through the ages--including today the prophecy of Isaiah does not refer to Christ.

Rabbi Heschel says in his book, "The Prophets" that “prophecy never comes to an end. For this reason, prophetic predictions are seldom final. No word is God's final word." In other words, God's word is a Living Word, is never static, but dynamic, speaking to us in its unique way, in every time and place. In that reading we had prophecy…. Every time….! In this way of understanding prophecy, we Christians, can feel quite comfortable in "reading into" this passage of Isaiah a reference to the birth of Christ as our Immanuel, which means, literally, "God is with us."

Science and Time

Scientists report that one of the largest stars in our galaxy is about to self-destruct. This star, which has a mass 100 times greater than that of our sun, is giving signs that its life is about over. Researchers say that it could become a supernova—a blazing, exploding star—within the next few thousand years. But this star is so many thousands of light years away that it has already happened. They are talking in the future tense about a past event.

This reminds me of biblical prophecy. For example, the predictions are often written in the past tense. This is done because even though the prophet is writing of a future event, he has already “seen” it. Also, in the mind of God it’s as if the events have already happened.
An OHP was shown.

Isn’t is great that we can definitely say that our Hope & Trust in God is so sure that it has been written about in the past tense.

We Prophecy in Song

Prophecy is relevant. It is for us now. We are all going to prophecy together now before I preach any more. Sing - Awake Awake o Zion

Awake o Zion. Zion is the place where God is really present among His people. Jesus promised it, wherever two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.

You watchmen lift your voices – we should be expectant, watching for the sun…. like dawn services! The world is dark but burst into song. Jerusalem is in ruins, but there is Good news. We should be expectant. I don’t think that the author is saying the feet of him who brings good news are beautiful. It seems more to me like the footsteps. Don’t you love listening to footsteps when you know Good News is coming! Eg of when I passed my driving test, my Mum knew I’d passed before I arrived from my footsteps The ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God. There is a message of hope to the broken walls of Burley. The message is to shout for Joy.

BUT

BUT there is an add on. Just after the reading we had Isa 52:11 “Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.” God expects purity. His temple utensils, cups etc were used by Belshazzar but a hand wrote on the wall. Mene Mene Tekel Parsin. And when interpreted by Daniel it said the King would die that night.

The Church is now God’s Temple, our bodies are Temples of the Holy Spirit. We are called by God to be a pure people. We live in an impure world. Yesterday’s paper has a big photo shoot about AIDS and nations that are ravished by it. Later on in the same magazine it says ‘orgies are fine, just wear a condom.” George Carey said only Chastity will cure AIDS and he was criticised for not promoting safe sex. We could airdrop condoms to everyone on the planet We would not cure AIDS. The only thing that would change the world is a change of heart.

It needs to start with us

Christians fall for the worldly lie that we are judged on our actions. Not at all. “Who ever looks at a woman lustfully has committed adultery with her in his heart.” Who can stand? We need to identify darkness and speak out about it. Where is the darkness? Start with me. Alcohol. Porn. Sexual sins, is the Bride of Christ sexually pure?. Money, do we live in debt or not give to God’s church? Are you “a light shining in a dark place, waiting until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts”? If you are not a light, you should be!

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Other talks by Chris Chorlton

• To Boldly Go
• Good Preaching
• Strength In Weakness