SEVEN THINGS TO REMEMBER

 

 

II Peter 1:14-21

 

Prayer

 

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

the Church.

He believed in the Rapture of the Church.

 

 

But he didn't expect to be Raptured.

He expected to die.

 

 

He said, “Knowing that shortly I must PUT OFF THIS MY TABERNACLE,         

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

“Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able AFTER MY DECEASE to    

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    

prophecy.

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

 

 

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

things always in remembrance.”

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

remember it after I'm dead.”

 

 

 

 

1st---Peter said always remember that, “We have not followed cunningly        

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

of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We would say, “Always remember that we have not told you cleverly devised         

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

 

 

They're not fables;

Not legends;

 

 

Not myths.

They are things that will happen.

 

 

Later, Peter said, “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after    

their own lusts.”

“And saying where is the promise of His coming” (II Peter 3:3, 4).      

 

 

“At the end of the  age, people will scoff at prophecy.”

“But I want you to always remember that we didn't make these things up.”

 

 

2nd---Peter said always remember that, “We were eyewitnesses of His   majesty.”

“For He received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such       

a voice to Him from the excellent glory.”

 

 

“This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased.”

“And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with Him  

in the holy mount.”

 

 

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

Transfiguration.

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

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

“Six days later, He took Peter, James and John up on a high mountain,”

“And He was transfigured before them.”

 

 

He showed them a vision of His Second Coming.

Peter said, “We were eye witnesses of His majesty.”

 

 

“We heard a voice from heaven.”

Matthew said, “They fell on their face and were sore afraid” (Matt. 17:6).

 

 

It almost scared them to death.

Now, Peter was saying, “I will soon die.”

 

 

“And I want you to always remember that we didn't make this up.”

3rd---Peter said always remember that, “We have also a more sure word of    

prophecy.”

 

 

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

Daniel and the others.

Their prophecies are accurate;

 

 

They’re reliable.

But I’m talking about all of them not just the good ones.

 

 

Some people believe the good things.

But they think they’re too enlightened to believe the bad.

 

 

They’re not enlightened.

They’re in darkness.

 

 

 

All of the prophecies are the sure Word of God.

Let’s 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, “O    

fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken”    (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, “You were foolish not to believe EVERYTHING        

the Old Testament prophets said.”

 

 

Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus.

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

bretheren;”

 

 

“That he may testify unto them, lest they also come unto this place of torment.”

Jesus said, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be      

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

 

 

What prophets?

The Old Testament prophets.

 

 

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

saved.

Lazarus got saved and that’s all he had.

 

 

Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:”

“And they are they which testify of me” (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, “Search the scriptures; They testify of me.”

 

 

Here’s another reason to study the Old Testament.

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

to fail” (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    

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, “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (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.

Here’s another good reason to study prophecy.

 

 

If God didn’t want us to study prophecy, He could have left it out of the      

Bible.

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

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

arise in your hearts.”

 

 

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, “Ye do well that you take        

heed.”

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     

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         

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.

5th---Peter said always remember that “no prophecy of the Scriptures is of any       

private interpretation;”

 

 

Always remember that no prophecy is subject to a person’s 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, “I don't think anyone can understand the Book of    

Revelation.”

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  

Testament.

 

 

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

of Revelation.

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

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

which are written therein” (Rev. i:3).

 

 

I have a question.

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

the Book of Revelation, if He didn’t want us to do it?

 

 

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

the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (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.

 

 

6th---Peter said always remember that, “Prophecy came not in old time by the         

will of man.”

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.

 

 

7th---Peter said always remember that, “Holy men of God spake as they were         

moved by the Holy Ghost,”

Paul said, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God" (II Tim. 3:16).”

 

 

Look in the Old Testament.

More than 3800 times you will read something like this:

 

 

“Thus saith the Lord,”

“The Word of the Lord came to me,”

 

 

“This is the Word of the Lord.”

Look in the New Testament.

 

 

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

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.