Chapter 3 - Primary Subjects of Prophecy (Continued)
The Mission of Salvation
The primary substance of Biblical prophecy is indeed about the One who provides salvation. Following next would be prophecy about the ‘salvage operation’ itself. God’s Word employs a significant number of literary devices including the use of ‘types’ and ‘models’. These utilize people and situations to point to something or someone in the future. For example, we see that Passover is a model of God’s plan of redemption; the prophet Elijah was a model of John the Baptist; Moses and Joseph as types of Jesus, etc. By properly interpreting Scripture we can see not only the who, what, when, and where of how salvation works, we can also see that it was God’s plan from the beginning of time.
Many forget how serious sin is, including some Christians. The presence of sin literally changed everything. But with that said, it was not unexpected by God, the actions of Adam and Eve were known prior to creation. Instead of engaging in some form of mental exercise or debate the question, “If God knew this, then why…?” we should learn from the Bible that mankind was not created with sin and as a result of sin, mankind’s perfect existence became corrupt and all of creation was cursed (see Genesis 3:14-19). We live in a ‘fallen world’ and death is the payment for our sin (see Romans 6:23). God’s plan of salvation will not only ‘salvage’ us, but will restore us to original condition, just like how He created mankind in the first place.
The restoration of the nation of Israel and the promise of eternal life with Jesus are included in the mission of salvation.
Jesus spoke many times regarding salvation. These prophecies should also be considered promises, as God cannot and will not lie (see Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Psalm 89:34; Ezekiel 24:14). Here is a list of many of those prophecies/promises:
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11)
“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33)
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:36)
“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:35-40)
“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:48-51)
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” (John 8:51)
“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” (John 10:9)
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:27-30)