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Prophecy
Sermon by Dr. Bob Benchoff, May 31, 2002
Jesus Christ said to the glory of the Father's name in Jesus Christ saints would arise from the dead and should appear unto many and minister unto them. Jesus Christ asked his disciples if such a prophecy was truely made, and also asked them if fulfillment of that prophecy did take place with the saints arising from the dead and ministering unto many people to the glory of the Father's name in Jesus Christ. And the disciples said yes. And Jesus commanded that it should be written (Ref.: Book of Mormon, page 454).
Logic is associated with prediction and probability. For many people, logic is not typically associated with emotions and feelings; and for many, logic is not associated with prophecy.
While some people, such as Thomas Jefferson, may find discord between church and state, closer examination clearly shows all these anomolies are all inseparable. Furthermore, these all work together in perfect harmony. This is not to say there is no longsuffering (click to find out why there is longsuffering).
Even an athiest believes chemicals logically react to cause emotions, and time logically interacts with matter and energy.
So if you ask just about anyone if they can predict the future, they will likely say no. In some situations, if you tell someone you can predict the future, you may find yourself in a mental ward, or in prison. Society often has a problem dealing with unusual information.
On television this week I saw someone advertising their financial group. He said they don't predict the future, they just provide reliable information. Computers and librarys have a great volume of reliable information, but that doesn't mean it is useful. Good and useful information comes from God.
You can predict the past. You can predict the present. Using the same physics, the same chemical reactions, and the same time constants, do you think you can predict the future? If you don't, reread the first and fourth paragraphs.
You can do so much through Christ it is astounding! Some prophecies have already been fulfilled. Any prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled is suitable for you to use as your prediction (Ref.: Book of Revelation). You can predict the future!
Rely on what you know through Jesus Christ. Even if that is only a small amount, it's a good start for learning more about Jesus Christ. Many people have done good works and prophesied. You can enter into these with them.
If you can predict some portion of the future, such as predicting something that was prophesied by a reliable Biblical prophet, then it follows that you can predict other portions of the future too.
According to Thomas Nelson, Inc., prophecy has a vehicle and the mode of the model can be established and documented. Also there is inference by Thomas Nelson, Inc., that various prophecies have various modes.
In any case, I believe they would agree there is one source of reliable prophecy, and that further analysis is our responsibility.
So, given that future predictions can be made, and knowing that there is a sequence of proper predictions correctly coming true (for instance, there were predictions of Elijah, then sequentially there were predictions of the King of the Jews), then we can understand that time frame relationships can be successfully established progressively with any schedule gaps predicatively filled according to those ideal standardizing fixed points of reference as a minimum.
Having found this minimum, and understanding that it is a true value with fixed properties, it can now be termed as another useful applicable reference standard. And so the logical schedule building process continues.
So, for instance, if a prophecy had said that John the Baptist would perform baptism on Jesus Christ, then that portion of the schedule would be relatively gap free, as compared to if a prophecy had said that in future generations an heir of John the Baptist would perform the baptism on Jesus Christ. In the former, and interactive personal relationship can be deduced; in the latter, a genealogical time frame can be considered applicable to properly fill the gap.
So we see a further developmental reference point emerges as to the interrelationships of individual prophecies. This new point likewise can be considered a true standard useful for correctly predicting the future. So as these tools are revealed, precision can be honed to a clear understanding of what is entailed in future events.
Mathematically speaking, for instance, after the number one was invented (or revealed), the numbers two, three, and so on could be invented. Then subtraction, multiplication, and calculus could be invented. So, by applying theories dealing with sets, constants, and variables, a construct can be made of the future with total accuracy.
Many efforts have been made in this field. As new technologies emerge, such as with more capable computer processing potentials, improved search detectors, better information analyzation software, and so on, greater mathematical topological space will be derived. This will result in greater accuracy and performance on all fronts.
In conclusion, optimal methodology and predicting the future are useful tools you are free to use, graciously provided by Jesus Christ.
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Mark 13.23 & 14.28.
To visit the Internet Church of Christ founded by Dr. Bob Benchoff, click here.