Bible Prophecy - Silence in the Pulpits

Welcome to God first with the, we committed to encouraging you to put God first won't even like the window in the Bible. Now, in honor of the one and only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Let's join Duane see Thomas for today's message greetings in the name of our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My name is Brian Thomas, and I thank you for joining me today on the God first program we are today going to look at the topic of Bible prophecy, and in particular we want to look at the fact that there is silence in the pulpits today, so we want to discuss the silence that is happening in and why that isn't what we as believers in Christ can possibly do to address that. So have joining me today.

Best-selling author Jeff Kelly who is passionate about communicating God's vintage truth to this generation. He has been a featured guest on shows such as Fox and friends the Glenn Beck show Ben Shapiro show in hundreds of national radio and television programs is also served for over two decades as student pastor and senior pastor and he is a graduate of the University of Arkansas, and Dallas theological seminary. He's written a ton of books and just a few of them are the interview with the antichrist as it was in the days of Noah and the Union of America just want to thank you for coming to join us today to talk about this topical Bible prophecy. Such an honor to have you. So let me clarify for listeners before we really get going. When I say Bible prophecy.

What we are referring to. Because early in ministry. When I would meet people and I was able God's call me to a focus of passion for Bible prophecy, and people started give accounts in which they met someone and they would begin to speak of how they would move to a certain city and get a certain job and meet a certain person at at the pump the brakes as a hold on a minute. I'm not talking about that type of not here to prophesy anything to you individually, but instead were speaking of the prophecies that God is already given us in the Bible and in particular the second coming of Jesus Christ.

So that is what we are here to discuss and again we want to talk about the fact that it is very quiet in a lot of churches today when it comes to this topical Bible prophecy. So Jeff, I want to begin by asking you what percentage of the Bible is prophecy very conservatively brought it about 28% of the Bible where sometimes people say 33% of the Bible, so roughly round 1/3 of the Bible is prophetic at the time it was written. Of course, when you begin to bend, break that down there about 8000 verses in the Bible that are prophetic in nature. 23 of 27 New Testament books mention the second coming of Christ. There are hundreds of property covered trailer profit about the coming of Jesus Christ.

First and second coming. About one out of every 31st 20 really got coffee out of the Bible. He could really be getting the Bible in the course look about the last book of the Bible is a book that 95% prophecy and so prophecy must be something important.

God, something he wants his children to know about you, absolutely's and as you talk about that and I think to myself, when you have a marriage and you think about the components of a marriage and lessee you have a component of forgiveness.

You have a component of affection. You have a potluck component of sacrifice you take either one of those three out your marriage is going to suffer significantly in so when you look at today with with Christiansen in the church and when it comes to the Bible with prophecy that is a huge void that is being left when churches ignore Bible prophecy, and I recently heard a study in which it was revealed that only about 2% of churches teach Bible prophecy, the why, why do you think that is for many reasons and talk about my book of America under my book uncovering the secrets of Bible prophecy attracted a lot of pastors today. Quite frankly don't feel qualified to teach on the subject. A lot of pastors today or by vocational maybe they didn't go to Mary or they haven't had a formal theological education and so quite frankly very clueless on some of the people out there in the computer and signature thing is that a lot of pastors today have really embraced the idea that the pastor is more of a yellow or salesman or, cheerleader on Sunday morning the someone recently said a lot of churches today are nothing more than a light show followed by Ted talk, you know, a lot of people are good at doing that prophecy Brian requires study protocol. Bible study because it does require us to get into the word.

Sometimes pastors will will avoid that because that rate knobs were not all but pastors I think to say, prophecy is something that is very good or controversial and I think they're afraid to not to take a stand on a certain view are certain issues for fear that it might alienate part of the congregation of from pastors of the property of frightening because the no doubt talk about a lot of judgment by the end of the Bible.

Other pastors today really are pastor tell me one time that he thought prophecy was just a hobby for old people and I was just incredulous, he could do to give you something practical I can give my people go there nothing more practical than the Bible prophecy because it is relevant to everything going on right now so there are many different reasons why capturing about billing data and it's really very sad because right now we are in an age where worsening, primitive And want will talk to battle but right now that the pastors today are just simply not stepping up, time for a voice to speak for God out of his word. I think a lot of pastors are missing the opportunity to quite frankly, people are out there in the congregation are asking these questions there wanting to know 71% of Americans of evangelical believe that Christ is going to come back in your lifetime. So they want to be taught and I find that a lot of people that I talked to are just simply their uninformed about Bible prophecy left. The one thing that the apostle Paul told the clunk of first for God don't want you to be uninformed because when running form that brings up what we talked about that one chapter. That it troubled our fate. It allows all teachers to come and sensationalist comment and they start teaching things about what's going on culture and they mislead people to a lot of confusion.

Instruct so God made the pastor to be there to equip the saints, and that includes all the word of God solving property report department.

I agree with you totally because it leaves the church do not teach the same stand that leaves the world to do it in and like you said, that's when you get old and all kinds of wacky things and we will say that when it comes to the Bible prophecy. We both know that that there are some some extreme individuals out there that will say some wacky things in and we definitely do not make predictions concerning the return of Christ.

We don't do that, but there been some like Harold camping and Louis Farrakhan and the Jehovah's Witnesses of done that it is really given Bible prophecy a black eye and I think sometimes pastors and churches. They will, we don't want to get lumped in with that group but I say we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater. We we just have to teach it and preach it in the correct manner and not allow those things to to get a sidetrack to retreat to discourage us from from teaching on this topic. So today was a great point that I agree with you totally on that one of the other things I've noticed is when it comes to the different views you touched on that because there are people out there that they will argue. I mean, they will argue to the death over which view is correct. In one of the most contentious things that we see in that aspect is when it comes to the rapture. The pre-tribulation rapture.

The mid-tribulation rapture post-tribulation rapture in the need wrath were rapture and I've seen people get into these heated debates and arguments, and in their pastors that say I really just don't want to deal with that I have too many other things that I need on to to focus on so it seems though to me that the further we go in time that the hostility towards this pre-tribulation rapture doctrine.

It just seems to be increasing by the day. Have have you observed that the same in your ministry but I have an impact on my recent book interview with Antichrist apocalyptic futuristic model that explored the time of the tribulation is outlined in Revelation 6 through 19 but up but at the end of the book I talked about in the Bible.

The Bible on Amazon they get reviews for their book and it's getting great review Westrick number one I got it came under Rotary view of the book in 20 this whole idea of the pre-tribulation rapture is nothing more than a complete fairytale. A complete myth that nowhere in the Bible. This went off about the whole thing and I see that to you show love radio shows.

Met type of thing the chalice on that one reason because people sometimes address it. By the way my book like the bride level II chapters on the rapture but the whole idea that people think that the rapture is some sort of recent doctrine that it was invented by theologians in the 17 1800s and in torture, sort of a recent thing that we believe and thought I was. We can't be of from the Bible and shown the book like the right how that truth to trace the quality back to church history to the early fathers don't need to wake up in the Bible and ask what is the Bible say but I think people think the pretrip rapture is a recent doctrine sometimes outplayed the doctrine of escapism because preemies before tribulation taught me that God will resting his bride prior to unleashing judgment on planet Earth. And as we see in the book Revelation and how to to that argument of escapism.

I just simply say you know Jesus has promised to take his body promised to bring his bride to the father's house. John 14, but we see and first chapter 1 Chapter 5 that we are not destined for God's wrath were destined for deliverance that we are not done prepare for racket coming so we see this in Revelation chapter 3 verse 10 Jesus told the church in Sardis that were going to be delivered from the hour of testing them coming upon the whole world so probably a doctrine of escapism anymore than Noah and the ark was a doctor, the scapegoat. The matron was lifted up above the waters of judgment during that so people log those sort of argument against the pretrip rapture, but I think it really boils down the that we are never as believers destined for God's wrath that we are suffering are going to suffer manager after persecution but contract was guided by on Jesus Christ at the cross, so there is therefore now no condemnation for those are in Christ Jesus from the one that really makes sense that when God now poured out his wrath on the earth like he did through the flood that he would rescue out of that rat is beloved or his chosen want topic that's what's going to happen with my dear I know there are other people have different views but as I read the Bible. I think very clearly pre-tribulation will deliverance or rapture of the bride of Christ.

I agree with you totally's and I recently heard Bible prophecy commentator that you and I both of you with a mere soft body. He mentioned that when you look at what is happening today in the world in society and in particular in our nation. You would think that pastors would open and close every sermon with the blessed hope of the rapture but but there is silence even if there topic is on something else you would think that they would keep that in the forefront that hey even though folks, things may look bad with the pandemic and with the racial tension but theirs is the silence that we see. But I agree with you that the pretrip relation rapture view is is certainly the one that I believe the Bible that makes the strongest case for but we also want to stress that this is not a salvation issue and we do not divide over there can be valued.

I feel totally confident that they're going to be some pretrip and post-trip view people that are going to spend eternity with Jesus Christ, so we should not divide over these things.

But I do believe truly that it does affect your your viewing and how you live in a first summit.

The argument will the pretrip guys you you all just stop living because you say Christ is going to return to the moment you so you is not working for the kingdom.

But I say no. The opposite is what happens because I have even a greater sense of urgency toward people that Jesus could come at any moment you need to be ready for. So this is not something to sit on your hands and just say will we just gonna wait until he comes nobody to be active, trying to win others to the kingdom. As will so on that note going to take a short break, but don't go away. Folks were going to come back and talk more with Jeff Kelly concerning Bible prophecy silence and the penalties don't go away you are tuned into the God first program listening to Brian.more crying God.org around the library. There you will find articles and messages available to download one very salvation is just to name a few. Also, sign up for our monthly newsletter and visit our web store and welcome back to God first program I name is Brian Thomas and I have been joined today by Bible prophecy commentator and author, speaker, Jeff Killian, we are talking about Bible prophecy silence in the pulpits you just now joining us if you would like to get in contact with us to hear this entire message you can visit our website God first.org this DOD the number one ST.org you can also write us at God first Bible Fellowship, PO Box 266, Knightdale, NC 27545. Alright so Jeff, let's continue looking at this topic again of the silence that we are seeing in the pulpits today concerning Bible prophecy. What you say to pastors who say that prophecy is a distraction and that they need to focus on what is going on people's day-to-day lives. People having trouble with their chief, their kids and in trouble on the job's financial matters. Whatever it may be, they say they don't have time for prophecy. They need to focus on that.

Those events what do you say to those pastors think of the word of encouragement that pastors are under a lot of stress today. Pastors are have a lot of demand upon them so they think they're being pulled in many ways, especially during a smaller church. 80% of churches in America under 200 members and those passionate worked very hard. There a lot of things that pastors One of the calling of a pastor to preach the whole counsel of God works from Genesis 11 all the way to the end of Revelation we are called and had been called to tackle every bit of that we don't really get the luxury of being at pick and choose topically what we do each week they have to preach through the Bible and also their topical sermon that pastors can do but as we go through the Bible.

Eventually you get to prophecy and in various places throughout the old and New Testament, and then finally got ended up with a book on proxy 95% profit as an author I've written 35 books always think very carefully about how I word my books and how I in my book help again because I want to have the maximum impact on the reader God the same way.

But in a much Better Way, Brian. He knows how to end the book and the story the great story writer and so he chose a book on property chose to tell us what's going to happen in the last day because he does not want to be an informed choice that was so important for God to do, then certainly it's important enough for us to preach in fact Revelation, the only book in the Bible.

The promise of the special blessing for those who hear and read it and obey it and told it's very important we do that reason I think that it that we need to focus in on that and not just our current life problems because Jesus when he was speaking with the Pharisees and the Matthew chapter 16 he rebuked them because as you can recognize the signs of the weather, but you can't understand the five times and they were the teachers of Israel and they are responsible for telling the Jewish people what God says and in Jesus basically said you can discern the sky and assigned to the weather, but you can't discern the signs of the time, you can discern the side of the times the standing right in front of you right now. They missed that and then overlook chapter 24 after the resurrection, Jesus walking down the road to Emmaus. With these two disciples that they are prevented from recognizing him. And there like you know kept telling him about what's going on in Stockton and Jesus rebuked him and he said you don't even understand all of was fulfilled prophecy. The Lord Jesus are going to be on the test expected for Christians to know what Bible proxy says so for those reasons I think Brian is a very important for pastors to prepare the bride of Christ to meet the bridegroom package look throughout the entire New Testament but we see it over and over again, the spirit of expectation of the Lord's return, looking for the blessed hope and waiting expectantly and knowing that the time is short and and even the end of first chapter 16 and one of the Lord is the Lord Marinol, which is an Aramaic term meaning may the Lord come and we believe that the way Christians greeted one another in the in the New Testament church in the way they said goodbye to one another.

So instead of just having coffee and doughnuts and I'll see you next week. They were saying Marinol may the Lord come between the time that we meet. Now the time we meet next week and so that's how fresh top top shelf.

It was on the mind of the early church and believers in all integrity.

Chapter 2. He reminded Schechter to remind the Thessalonians. Brian that this was a part prophecy teaching with the part of curriculum and church planting very important pastors now recalibrate themselves, and I finally got as we look around. We see prophetic sign that are prophesied in the book of Revelation, we see that in their embryonic and other developmental forms right now and so were living in the day.

So even more so should pastors be preaching on prophecy, absolutely, absolutely. And into the passes we don't want to sound like beware where pollen on you or anything because just few times we stated earlier, you were a pastor forward to get to dickies you totally understand what pastors have on their plate is about this a lot to juggle but I love the fact that you made mention of preparing our sales for the bridegroom calls being drawn with Jesus Christ is a picture of marriage.

The Bible throughout, holds the church, the bride of Christ and I think about to myself of the fact that Leslie, my wife goes on a mission trip.

She's going to a missions trip and the place is very remote.

She can't communicate with me but she tells me she's to know she's going to be gone for multiple years, but she can't tell me exactly when, but if she says will we do sorry to hear about certain things happening with that country. In the news know that I'm going to be coming home soon. I'm going to be thinking about that I'm going to be costly.

Watching the news headlines to see what of the signs that she said to look for are they happening and I will be excited about it and want to make sure that I'm ready not want to be out with other women not going to be unkempt and ungroomed when I have myself prepared and excited. And that's what I try to convey to to the pastors get get people excited about the fact that we are going to to spend eternity in him. When you are not excited about it it it does make me question. Do you really look forward to spending eternity with the one that you say you love the one that you say is your Messiah because certainly my wife. I look forward to her returning to me was she goes away, and the same thing with Jesus Christ. We should be excited about his return.

So that we really should not done probably 80 different wedding baby weddings in my ministry career and I can tell you that every single one of those wedding the bride was way more prepared than the group.

In fact the bride they spent really Mark and some of years thinking about their wedding day at the little girl you dream of the day that you're going to be married and all the preparation with the address of the floral and the wedding coordinator. There's nothing more important to a bride in her wedding day, and I fear that the church today lost that sense of excitement expectation that simple saying come, Lord Jesus made it be today.

Cannot tell you when he does come, the Bible says we don't want to shrink the light is appearing to be a bride dressed in those fine linen, ready to receive our bridegroom to be a great day a man, a man I love that picture I love that analogy. So let's wrap things up with this question. What suggestions do you have for the remnant because there is a remnant out there that cleave this teaching, there are people that I hear from and they say they want to hear about the second coming of Christ. They see the signs. They know there are things that the Bible said would happen.

We speak of signs were talk about the signs of his coming at the end of the tribulation. There are no signs for the rapture.

So we already see the signs pointing towards his second coming at the end of the tribulation. We know the raptors that much nearer, but they say they cannot find a church in a local area that will talk about it. They say they approach their passes and they refuse to to talk about it. What's a vice. Do you have for those people well and the same way I get letters I get emails from people contact me all the time of social media and yet I can't find a church that will even touch prophecy of the book Revelation, form, and this is my counsel to them because I'm not privy to exactly what their own churches like but I just look at if you're pastors not to give it to your personal go to your pastor don't attack him but be very very contrived. Just simply clean up after we want to learn book Revelation, we will learn about these things and see what he said somehow either not able or willing to do that what you have to do is to supplement that study. You have to listen to podcast podcast like mono or Bryant here or some other proxy teacher of the proxy pros I do with Todd Hansen that part Or books that that maybe somebody has written Dr. Mark Hitchcock target at heights of Ron Rhodes, myself, Todd Hansen, others are great books on prophecy then you can also use that both books and study material to start your own Bible study are there's no reason why you can't take the book Revelation in a good guidebook with it and just take three or four or 10 people through the book Revelation through prospect and instruct administer yourself laughing out. Maybe you could be a part of putting together a group of people that could bring Anna proxy speaker to Becky spend the day just teaching you through the basics of Bible prophecy. So there are things like that honestly have to be careful because there are people out there that better like you are generally rather sensationalist that a maybe look at the news a little too much about enough of the Bible, but we need to be careful about that same time there are many different things that you could do today to supplement that study, and continued to get yourself equipped in Bible prophecy yes will send will see us will just I want to thank you for joining us today.

This is been a great discussion and I know that people are going to be blessed, for it in the final minute. Can you share with the listeners how they can get in contact with you to hear your podcast your website and into receive your books if you can also give a word of hope and encouragement as we are looking at this pandemic.

We look at racial tension.

It just seems like things are just going downhill so fast, so give a message of encouragement and hope to our listeners as will absolutely for my website jerkily.com gives you permission about maybe you can purchase books there or that are Amazon my weekly podcast twice a week, vintage truth podcast is now in 80 different countries across the world. God's blessing that also do another podcast once a week with good buddy Manning Todd Hansen and call the prophecy pros podcast we exclusively talk about property on that podcast so we can check those resources out to your listeners that you we are living in the most exciting time to be alive.

Christian literally, that God has placed before us a golden opportunity to be salt and light it in a very very bad world out there. I like to say this primed that the darker the night. The brighter the light and so just being a disciple of Jesus being salt like Durga shot G so make sure that you're connecting with other believers. Make sure you're in the word of God. Make sure you're with Jesus every day, and the stronger you are an onslaught of persecution and lawlessness that's going to continue to be in our world and our country that happens you can still make an impact. God will give you to make an impact for Jesus Christ and don't give up. Persevere to the end demands will just I want to again thank you for coming on into one of us today given us the sound doctrine. Words of wisdom and to listeners please come back and join us next week. Until then, remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. This God's great nation of Israel. The only wise God be glory through Jesus Christ, you can blame God for Ryan and I first was protected under our copyright website.org next time great wealth