Trifocals, Scripture, and Prophecy

 

Several years ago I received my first pair of prescription trifocal glasses. It was a sign of aging which I could no longer postpone or deny. And if that wasn't traumatic enough...

 

The first obstacle I had to negotiate upon leaving the opticians office was the escalator in the mall. That was so successful (not) that I seriously considered groping my way back to the opticians for a refund. However I decided to press on, knowing that I still had my old distance lens glasses as a backup in case the drive home proved to be more of a challenge than I or my fellow travelers were willing to bear. Amazingly, as I exited the mall I noticed that little by little my eyes were adjusting. I was able to spot my car in the parking lot without the benefit of pressing the panic button on the remote. Most of the drive home I was able focus on objects in the distance, looking through the upper part of the lenses. Switching to intermediate objects, like the speedometer, was a bit dicey but my temporary fix was to use cruise control.

 

Little by little my eyes learned where to focus, depending on the need. After a while, my tennis game even improved as a result of my newly improved vision, even though that little yellow ball would change from being a far object to an intermediate object to a near object in less than a second. It has been the same way with my study of prophecy in the Word of God. Admittedly, just as it was with my vision, at first I had to turn to the professional to guide me. I am, and always will be, grateful for anointed teachers, who faithfully share their gifts with the saints, helping to equip them for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12). Those who do their jobs well are never interested in building for themselves an adoring fan base; rather their goal is to develop Bereans, who check the Scriptures themselves and who, able to digest solid food, are able to teach themselves (Acts 17:11, Hebrews 5:12).

 

The best teachers I had helped me to recognize my visual impairments with respect to seeing the truth contained in Scripture, and equipped me with tools to improve my spiritual vision. This has been especially true of prophecy. So much of Scripture is prophecy that fulfilled prophecy stands as the stalwart proof of this fact "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," ( 2 Timothy 3:16). Accurate hindsight is important in the understanding of God's Word. But what of prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled?

 

That's where the trifocals (or at least bifocals) come into play. Much of prophecy that is still future has also enjoyed a fulfillment in the past. For example, there is an event in Scripture called "the abomination which causes desolation." This event is mentioned by Daniel, Jesus, Paul and John, so it must be important (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4; Revelation 13). Daniel wrote of this event some 550 years before Christ. There was actually a fulfillment of this prophecy in 168 B.C., yet in the last few days of Jesus' earthly ministry He refers to it as yet future, as does Paul. John, in 95 or 96, while he also refers to this as a yet future event could also have looked in his rear view mirror and declared it fulfilled. The truth is - he didn't, although some Bible "scholars" have declared everything in Revelation as having been fulfilled centuries ago. I don't know where they get that from; perhaps they need some new glasses.

 

You see, "...we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; ²⁰ knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation," ( 2 Peter 1:19-20). The "abomination which causes desolation" is one of those prophetic passages which has a near, (perhaps intermediate), and far application. We'll talk more about that, and its implications as we view this event through the proper prescription trifocals. Until then, be encouraged.