The Six Big Mistakes People Make with Prophecy

Posted on Nov 08, 2018 Topic : Men's Christian Living, Prophecy
Posted by : Jeff Kinley

“See that no one misleads you.”
Matthew 24:4

The world of Bible prophecy is a fascinating field of study, but it is not without its pitfalls. There seems to be a cacophony of noise concerning the end times today. Supposed signs in the heavens, sensationalized headlines, apocalyptic theories, and unfounded predictions have created a perplexing prophetic patchwork, often creating more confusion than clarity. So, how do we navigate through this prophetic haze?

Part of the challenge is that along the path of prophecy are hidden land mines, traps that snare you, and stumbling blocks that threaten to trip you up in your quest for God’s truth. You need a spiritual mine detector alerting you to potential booby traps. These perils along our path further prevent us from understanding the nature, meaning, and possible fulfillment of Scripture’s prophetic truth. Through my experience over the years, I’ve seen many well-intentioned Christians fall prey to schemes and errors that only further lead away from the path of discovery.

I’ve identified what I believe to be the Six Big Mistakes people make with Bible prophecy. These act like padlocks, preventing us from entering, understanding, and applying prophecy to our lives.

Sensationalizing prophecy
Scoffing at prophecy
Ignoring prophecy
Being slow to believe prophecy
Misinterpreting prophecy and misleading others
Misapplying prophecy

Because we are living in the last days of the church age, this is all the more reason Bible prophecy is immensely applicational. God intended for us to know what His Word says—to understand it, believe it, and live our lives in light of it. In fact, it is His desire that every believer read, hear, and take to heart the prophetic word (Revelation 1:3). When studied in its proper context, like the rest of God’s written record, prophecy is “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). It is an integral part of our maturation in Christ (Ephesians 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:1-3).

As we examine the topography of prophecy, let’s be aware of these mistakes and traps that threaten to prevent us from understanding God’s Word . Let’s take careful steps to avoid the land mines in our pursuit of God’s truth. Knowing they exist and identifying them is an essential key to unlocking these end-times mysteries.