Covenant theology, believes that Scripture should always be used to interpret Scripture. If the New Testament says an Old Testament prophecy has been fulfilled then it has been fulfilled, even if the fulfillment wasn't "literal". We believe that clearer passages of scripture should be used to interpret less clear passages of scripture.

And He said, Hear now My words. If there is a prophet among you, [I] the LORD will make Myself known to him in a vision, and will speak to him in a dream. Not so, My servant Moses. He [is] faithful in all My house. I will speak with him mouth to mouth, even clearly, and not in dark speeches. And he shall behold the likeness of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses? Numbers 12:6-8

In this verse, God makes it clear that he used "dark speeches" while speaking to his prophets in visions and dreams, but that he spoke clearly to Moses.

And never since has a prophet like Moses arisen in Israel, whom the LORD knew face to face, Deuteronomy 34:10

For He was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, because he who has built the house has more honor than the house.Hebrews 3:3 This speaking of Jesus.

God, who at many times and in many ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds, who being the shining splendor of [His] glory, and the express image of His essence, and upholding all things by the word of His power, having made purification of our sins, [He] sat down on [the] right of the Majesty on high, Hebrews 1:1-3

The New Testament is the final, full and clearest revelation of God!!. Israel of the Old Testament is the bud while the Church is Israel flowered.

Because people do not look to the Bible to define Last Days, rather looking in the newspaper and practicing newspaper exegesis, we have had many false prophecies that the end is about to take place. These false prophecies began with the Montanists in the 2nd century A.D. In the third century a prophet called Novatian was predicting the imminence of Christ's return, The sack of Rome by the Vandals (A.D.410) was supposed to bring the end, The birth of the inquisition (1209-44) prompted many saints to conclude that it was the beginning of the end, The Black Death that killed millions was viewed as the prelude to the demise of the world (1347-1350) Martin Luther in January 1532 wrote, "The last day is at hand. My calendar has run out. I know nothing more in my Scriptures." As the last day of 999 approached , "the old basilica of St. Peter's at Rome was thronged with a mass of weeping and trembling worshipers awaiting the end of the world."These are just a few of the last days false prophesies of the past. There are many more.

As we approach the year 2000 A.D. again prophetic speculation is rampant.

The most well known false prophet of today, published a book in 1970, predicting the rapture. His reasoning was that Israel had become a nation in 1948 and therefore, the events of Matthew 24 should take place within a generation (40 years). He wrote. "If this is a correct deduction, then within forty years or so of 1948, all these things could take place. Many scholars who have studied Bible prophecy all their lives believe that this is so." Of course, we know he was wrong 26 years ago. But people continue to listen to him and he continues with his newspaper exegesis. Deuteronomy commanded that God's people stone to death false prophets, not listen to them. This same man also recently on his Saturday afternoon program said that repentance was not necessary for salvation. That every time the word repentance was used in relationship to salvation, Jesus was speaking to the Jews and Gentiles were only told to believe. He also said that repentance for the Jews only meant turning from their unbelief in Jesus, not repenting of their sin. So in addition to making false predictions about end times, this false prophet, Hal Lindsey, writer of the Late Great Planet Earth is also teaching a false way of salvation.

Other modern false prophets include Alden Gannet (1971) Charles Ryrie (1976), Herman Hoyt (1977), Dave Hunt (1983) Edgar C. Whisenant (1988) 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could be in 1988. , Richard Ruhling (1989), Grant Jeffrey (1989), John Walvoord (1991), Harold Camping (1994) predicted rapture to occur in Sept. 1994.

Regarding Edgar Whisenant, He said, "Only if the Bible is in error am I wrong, and I say that unequivocally. There is no way Biblically that I can be wrong: and I say that to every preacher in town." When his system of predicting the end came to naught, he went on to publish a new book called The Final Shout: Rapture Report 1989 . It seemed he had made a mistake with his first book because he was following the wrong calendar. It seems, he is still following the wrong calendar because the Rapture didn't occur in 1989 either.

Whatever your millennial viewpoint, the important thing is to make Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior of your life. He gave us the commission to disciple the nations, feed the hungry, clothe the poor, and to lead godly lives. As with the Ten Bridesmaids or the Five Men that were given the talents, the teaching is to be diligently going about your duties because you will have to give an account for yourself at the end. Therefore watch, for you do not know either the day or the hour in which the Son of man comes.Matthew 25:13.

Written by: Stephen & Tammy Alger

"Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, MODERN KING JAMES VERSION, Copyright 1962, 1990. Used by permission of the copyright holder, Jay P. Green, Sr.

common law copyright 1996

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