On Truth And Prophecy
by Rev. Kirby Williams
The importance of Prophecy to the authority of Scripture and how its misinterpretation and misapplication can turn the truth into a lie.
Text: Luke 21:9-11
Date: 05/11/2025, the Combined service.
Series: "Luke: Thy Kingdom Come" Part 192
Description:
After warning His disciples of the dangers of false christs, Jesus continues His discourse of the "times to come" by warning them of the danger of misinterpreting the "signs of the times". Although He makes it clear that such signs will portend both the destruction of the Temple and the Parousia, He warns that even though they will be evident in the age to come-- they are just the beginning of "birth pains". We will first discuss prophecy in general as we launch into this discourse. We will then examine each of the signs Jesus lists as both portents of the Parousia, and natural phenomena of the church age. Ultimately we will realize that although prophecy is truth, the enemy uses false interpretation and application to undermine the truth and thereby the validity and authority of Scripture.
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I. Introduction, John 18:38.
A. The abolition of truth.
B. The only source of truth, John 1:14, 14:6, 17:17, 18:37.
C. Substantiating the truth, John 16:13; 2Tim. 3:16; 2Pet. 1:19-21.
II. Exposition of the text, Luke 21:9-11.
A. Context
B. When signs are not signs.
1. Revisiting the introduction to the discourse, vs. 6-8.
a. The disciples' questions, vs. 6,7.
b. The danger of false christs, vs. 8.
2. A primer on prophecy and eschatology.
a. The idea of "prophetic foreshortening".
i. An example from nature.
ii. An example from Joel, Joel 2:25,28-31.
b. The importance of the Temple Organon, Rev. 21:22.
c. The "here and now" and the "not yet".
C. Focus on the "Discourse of Things to Come", vs. 9-11.
1. Discerning the times, vs. 9b.
a. A confusing timeline, Mark 13:8.
b. Identifying the truth about prophecy.
2. Signs of the times, vs. 9a, 10, 11.
a. Trouble among people, vs. 9a, 10.
i. A continuation of wars.
ii. A vast array of tumults.
iii. Nations in conflict, vs. 10a.
iv. Kingdoms in conflict, John 17:6; 1John 5:19; Col. 1:13; Luke 4:5.
b. Trouble from the earth, vs. 11a.
i. Earthquakes, Rev. 16:18
ii. Famines.
iii. Pestilence.
c. Terrors from heaven, vs. 11b, Joel 2:31; Rev. 6:12-14.
III. Application
A. A discussion of the TRUTH, Rom. 3:4.
B. Work to be done, Matt. 24:14.
IV. Conclusion
