MP3: Traveling Down the Rapture Road in 2 Peter, Lesson 3
Hosts: Nathan Jones & Vic Batista
Continue traveling down the Rapture Road with Nathan Jones and Vic Batista in this verse-by-verse study of the incredibly prophetic book of 2 Peter! You can start at the beginning with Part 1 or listen in to The Truth Will Set You Free podcast (above).
A Prophetic Word Confirmed
Nathan Jones: We are now coming to the close of the first chapter in 2 Peter. We’re about to learn that the Holy Spirit is the one who inspired the Apostles and Prophets of the Bible to write down God’s messages and what they had experienced first-hand. This fact leads us into the last section starting with verses 19-21.
And so 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; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
Vic Batista: What a powerful passage! Verse 19 tells us “we have the prophetic word confirmed,” emphasis on “confirmed.” The prophecies contained in the Word of God have been confirmed, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. They have been tested and found true.
Nathan Jones: Fulfilled Bible prophecy is the best proof that the Bible is the Word of God. There are 300 general prophecies and 109 distinct prophecies concerning Jesus Christ’s First Coming, and they all came true to the smallest detail. So, we then can know for a fact that the Bible is the real deal because prophecy fulfilled proves that the Bible is the very Word of God. We can know this truth because we have the prophetic Word confirmed. It is a given.
Nathan Jones: Fulfilled #BibleProphecy is the best proof that the #Bible is the Word of #God. Click To TweetThere are so many prophecies fulfilled in the Bible, and we still have so many more that have yet to be fulfilled about Jesus’ return at His Second Coming. So, for Peter, Christ’s return is a given. This Word is confirmed. It is a done deal! We can be sure that the Bible is the Word of God because Bible prophecies have indeed been fulfilled.
Vic Batista: Noticed that Peter advises, “which you do well to heed as a light shines in the darkness.” We have been teaching biblical prophecy for many years, encouraging our readers to do one thing, and that is to heed what the Scriptures say. Why? Because the events that the Bible says are going to unfold will without a doubt unfold.
Nathan Jones: God’s plan, to Himself, has already been accomplished. There are a number of what are called proleptic passages in the Bible, where the prophecy concerns the future, but are recorded verbally in the past tense. So, to God, human history is done. Jesus already died on the cross, Jesus has already made His Second Coming, the Millennial Kingdom has happened, and the Eternal State is well on its way. God wrote the Bible as if after the fact because He exists outside of time. God then interjects into human history the different books of the Bible so that mankind can know how it all turns out.
This fact always blows my mind, because to God, prophecy has already been fulfilled. All 100% of it! This can be confusing to us mere mortals because of where we are on the timeline as we wait for future prophecies to be fulfilled. So, God’s prophetic word is confirmed because, to God, it’s already done. Jesus has already done all of this, and the Bible is more like reporting on what God has already achieved. Crazy, huh?
Vic Batista: It is so crazy, yet it is so encouraging, and frankly, rather amazing!
In the eleventh part of our faith journey down the Rapture Road through the book of 2 Peter, we’ll conclude our examination of 2 Peter chapter 1.
Hi Nathan. I just started to read your blog. What a wonderful surprise to learn that Vic is a Calvary Chapel pastor!!! I was brought to the Lord by someone who went to Chuck Smith ‘s Calvary chapel!!! He was awesome!!!
Katie, praise the Lord!