SEVEN THINGS TO REMEMBER

 

 

II Peter 1:14-21

 

Prayer

 

When Peter wrote these Scriptures he wasn't concerned about the Rapture of ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

the Church.

He believed in the Rapture of the Church.

 

 

But he didn't expect to be Raptured.

He expected to die.

 

 

He said, ìKnowing that shortly I must PUT OFF THIS MY TABERNACLE, ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed meî (Vs. 14).

ìMoreover I will endeavor that ye may be able AFTER MY DECEASE to ÝÝÝ

have these things always in remembrance" (Vs. 15).

 

 

Jesus told Peter that he would soon die.

But Peter wasn't concerned about dying.

 

 

He was concerned about how his death would affect our understanding of ÝÝÝ

prophecy.

He wanted us to have a record of what he said about prophecy.

 

 

He said, ìI will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these

things always in remembrance.î

We would say, ìI will try to make a record of what I said so you can ÝÝ

remember it after I'm dead.î

 

 

 

 

1^st---Peter said always remember that, ìWe have not followed cunningly ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

of our Lord Jesus Christ.î

We would say, ìAlways remember that we have not told you cleverly devised ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

stories about the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.î

 

 

They're not fables;

Not legends;

 

 

Not myths.

They are things that will happen.

 

 

Later, Peter said, ìThere shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after ÝÝÝ

their own lusts.î

ìAnd saying where is the promise of His comingî (II Peter 3:3, 4).ÝÝÝÝÝÝ

 

 

ìAt the end of theÝ age, people will scoff at prophecy.î

ìBut I want you to always remember that we didn't make these things up.î

 

 

2^nd---Peter said always remember that, ìWe were eyewitnesses of His Ý majesty.î

ìFor He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such ÝÝÝÝÝÝ

a voice to Him from the excellent glory.î

 

 

ìThis is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.î

ìAnd this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with Him Ý

in the holy mount.î

 

 

Peter was referring back to something that happened at the Mount of ÝÝ

Transfiguration.

Jesus told His disciples some of them would not taste death until they saw ÝÝÝ

Him coming in His kingdom (Matt.- 16:23).

ìSix days later, He took Peter, James and John up on a high mountain,î

ìAnd He was transfigured before them.î

 

 

He showed them a vision of His Second Coming.

Peter said, ìWe were eye witnesses of His majesty.î

 

 

ìWe heard a voice from heaven.î

Matthew said, ìThey fell on their face and were sore afraidî (Matt. 17:6).

 

 

It almost scared them to death.

Now, Peter was saying, ìI will soon die.î

 

 

ìAnd I want you to always remember that we didn't make this up.î

3^rd---Peter said always remember that, ìWe have also a more sure word of ÝÝÝ

prophecy.î

 

 

Always remember that we have the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, ÝÝ

Daniel and the others.

Their prophecies are accurate;

 

 

Theyíre reliable.

But Iím talking about all of them not just the good ones.

 

 

Some people believe the good things.

But they think theyíre too enlightened to believe the bad.

 

 

Theyíre not enlightened.

Theyíre in darkness.

 

 

 

All of the prophecies are the sure Word of God.

Letís notice this.

 

 

Some people think the Old Testament has been done away with.

Jesus was walking with two men on the road to Emmaus, and He said, ìO ÝÝÝ

fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spokenî ÝÝ (Luke 24:25).

 

 

What prophets?

The Old Testament prophets.

 

 

The New Testament didn't exist when Jesus said this.

And He told those two men, ìYou were foolish not to believe EVERYTHING ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

the Old Testament prophets said.î

 

 

Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus.

The rich man said, ìsend Lazarus to my father's house: For I have five ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

bretheren;î

 

 

ìThat he may testify unto them, lest they also come unto this place of torment.î

Jesus said, ìIf they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be ÝÝÝÝÝ

persuaded, though one rose from the deadî (Luke 16:19-31).

 

 

What prophets?

The Old Testament prophets.

 

 

Evidently there is enough gospel in the Old Testament for people to get ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

saved.

Lazarus got saved and thatís all he had.

 

 

Jesus said, ìSearch the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:î

ìAnd they are they which testify of meî (Jn. 5:39).

 

 

What Scriptures?

The only Scriptures that existed when Jesus said this is the Old Testament.

 

 

Here's a good reason to study the Old Testament.

Jesus said, ìSearch the scriptures; They testify of me.î

 

 

Hereís another reason to study the Old Testament.

Jesus said, ìIt is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one title of the law

to failî (Luke 16:17).

 

 

It would be easier to destroy the universe than it would be for God to

overlook one little letter of one little word that Moses wrote in the Old

Testament.

Here's another good reason to study the Old Testament.

 

 

One out of every ten things Jesus said is a quote from the Old Testament.

Jesus quoted from the Old Testament over and over again.

 

 

He never said ignore it.

But He often admonished us to believe it, live by it, and search it.

 

 

Here's a good reason to study prophecy.

Many experts estimate that prophecy represents about forty percent of the ÝÝÝ

Bible.

 

 

We should study prophecy because it's unwise to ignore forty percent of the

Bible.

Here's another good reason to study prophecy.

John said, ìthe testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecyî (Rev. 19:10).

The things Jesus said are the spirit of prophecy.

 

 

He predicted many things.

Every prediction is a prophecy that came true;

 

 

Or it will come true.

Here's another good reason to study prophecy.

 

 

The Jews of Jesus day didn't study prophecy.

And when Jesus came the first time, they didn't recognize Him.

 

 

We must not make that mistake.

Hereís another good reason to study prophecy.

 

 

If God didnít want us to study prophecy, He could have left it out of the ÝÝÝÝÝ

Bible.

4^th---Peter said always remember that, ìYe do well that ye take heed as unto

a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star ÝÝ

arise in your hearts.î

 

 

Some say God never intended for us to understand prophecy;

That we should concentrate on other things.

 

 

I'm not saying other things are not important.

They're very important.

 

 

But Peter was talking about prophecy when he said, ìYe do well that you take ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

heed.î

You would do well to study prophecy until it shines like a light;

 

Until you have a clear understanding of it;

Until the Day Star [Jesus] arises in your heart.

 

 

Our knowledge of prophecy should be like the sunrise.

The sun comes up and drives the darkness away.

 

 

Our knowledge of prophecy should be like a light that drives the darkness ÝÝÝÝ

away from other Scriptures that are hard to understand.

It should enlighten our heart;

 

And pull pus into the arms of Jesus.

Many experts believe that prophecy is one of the greatest proofs we have that ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

the Bible is the Word of God.

 

 

The Virgin Birth was prophecy.

The Triumphal Entry was prophecy.

 

 

The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus was prophecy.

The pouring out of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost was prophecy.

 

 

The fulfillment of these things proves that we have the Word of God.

5^th---Peter said always remember that ìno prophecy of the Scriptures is of any ÝÝÝÝÝÝ

private interpretation;î

 

 

Always remember that no prophecy is subject to a personís own opinion;

That no prophecy can be interpreted without the other Scriptures.

 

 

If we want to understand prophecy, we have to search the Scriptures.

We have to let the Bible interpret itself.

 

 

 

Many people say, ìI don't think anyone can understand the Book of ÝÝÝ

Revelation.î

It is difficult.

 

 

And I don't think anyone can understand ALL of it;

Or ALL of Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.

 

 

But here's a clue.

The Book of Revelation contains at least 265 references to things in the Old Ý

Testament.

 

 

So knowledge of the Old Testament is a major key to understanding the Book ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

of Revelation.

Concerning the Book of Revelation, JOHN said, ìBlessed is he that readeth,

and they that hear the wards of this prophecy, and keep those things ÝÝ

which are written thereinî (Rev. i:3).

 

 

I have a question.

Would God promise to bless us for reading, hearing and keeping the things in ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

the Book of Revelation, if He didnít want us to do it?

 

 

Concerning the Book of Revelation JESUS said, ìBlessed is he that keepeth

the sayings of the prophecy of this bookî (Rev. 22:7).

Here's another question.

 

 

Can we keep them, if we don't read them?

I think it's clear that God wants us to read them.

 

 

6^th---Peter said always remember that, ìProphecy came not in old time by the ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

will of man.î

Isaiah couldn't make himself a prophet.

 

Jeremiah couldn't make himself a prophet.

Mohammad couldn't make himself a prophet.

 

 

Joseph Smith, Jim Jones or David Koresh couldn't make themselves a prophet.

No person can make himself a prophet.

 

 

True prophecy doesn't come by the will of man.

It has a heavenly origin not an earthly origin.

 

 

7^th---Peter said always remember that, ìHoly men of God spake as they were ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

moved by the Holy Ghost,î

Paul said, ìAll Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (II Tim. 3:16).î

 

 

Look in the Old Testament.

More than 3800 times you will read something like this:

 

 

ìThus saith the Lord,î

ìThe Word of the Lord came to me,î

 

 

ìThis is the Word of the Lord.î

Look in the New Testament.

 

 

Not counting the Book of Revelation, the New Testament writers quoted from ÝÝÝÝÝÝÝ

the Old Testament more than 300 times.

What did they call these quotes?

 

 

When they called them anything, they called them the Word of God.

I want to close by encouraging you to study all of your Bible.

 

 

And to pay particular attention to prophecy.

It came from God.

 

 

He gave it.

And we should be interested.