Let us be reminded, in treating of prophecy, of its great end — a double one. One end is that of detaching us from the world, while the other end is to make us intelligent of the character of God and of His ways towards us. These are two precious fruits which spring from the knowledge of prophecy. Satan suggests the neglecting of prophecy, because in it is found the judgment of this world, of which he is the prince. But God, who has given prophecy to us, has even attached a particular blessing to the reading of that part of prophecy (the Book of Revelation) reputed the most difficult. Prophecy throws a great light upon the dispensations of God; in this sense, it does much as regards the freedom of our souls towards Him, for what hinders that freedom more than the error so often committed, namely, that of confounding the law and the gospel and mixing past economies or dispensations with the existing one?
The difference between the position of the saints of old and that of the saints during this dispensation may trouble the minds of many. Now the study of prophecy clears up such points and, at the same time, enlightens the faithful as to their walk and conversation, for prophecy, while it always maintains free salvation by the death of Jesus, enables us to understand this entire difference between the standing of the saints now and formerly, and it lights up with all the counsels of God the road along which His own people have been conducted, whether before or after the death and resurrection of Jesus. It is always the hope which is presented to us which acts upon our hearts and affections, for that which occupies the heart of man as hope makes the rule of his conduct. Of what vast importance then to have our souls filled with hopes according to God!
The Object of Prophecy
Revelation 12 presents to us the great object of prophecy and of all the Word of God, that is, the combat which takes place between the last Adam and Satan. It is from this center of truth that all the light which is found in Scripture radiates. This great combat may take place either for the earthly things (they being the subject, and then it is in the Jews) or for the church (that being the subject, and then it is in the heavenly places). It is on this account that the subject of prophecy divides itself into two parts: the hopes of the church and those of the Jews, though the former is scarcely prophecy, for, properly speaking, prophecy concerns the earth and God’s government of it.
But before coming to this great crisis, namely the combat between Satan and the last Adam, it was necessary that the history of the first Adam should be developed. This has been done. And in order that the church, that is, Christians, may be in a position to occupy themselves with the things of God, it was needful, first of all, that they should be in happy certainty as to their own position before Him. At His first coming, Christ accomplished all the work which the wisdom of the Father, in the eternal counsels of God, had confided to Him; this effected the peace of the church. The Lord Jesus came, in order that the certainty of salvation, by the knowledge of the grace of God, should be introduced into the world, that is, into the hearts of the faithful. After having accomplished salvation, He communicates it to His followers in giving them life. His Holy Spirit, which is the seal of this salvation in the heart, reveals to them things to come, as to the children of the family and heirs of the family estate. During the period which separates the first coming of the Lord from the second, the church is gathered by the action of the Holy Spirit to have part in the glory of Christ at His return.
Salvation
These are the two great subjects which our hearts need to lay hold of. Christ, having done all that is needful for the salvation of the church and having saved all those who believe, the Holy Spirit now acts in the world to communicate to the church the knowledge of this salvation. He shows that Jesus has already accomplished the salvation of all those who believe, and when the Holy Spirit communicates this knowledge to a soul, it knows that it is saved. Being then put in relationship with God as His children, we are His heirs, “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” All that concerns the glory of Christ belongs to us, and the Holy Spirit is given to us, in the first place, to make us understand that we are children of God. He is a Spirit of adoption, but more, a Spirit of light, who teaches the children of God what their inheritance is. As they are one with Christ, all the truth of His glory is revealed to them, and the supremacy which He has over all things, God having also constituted Him heir of all things and us coheirs.
After Christ has fulfilled all that was necessary, the church, until the second coming of its Saviour, is taken from out of all nations and united to Him. It has, while here below, the knowledge of the salvation which He has accomplished and of the coming glory. The Holy Spirit in those who believe is the seal of salvation accomplished and the earnest of the future glory. These truths throw a great light upon the entire history of man. But let us ever remember that the great object of the Bible is the conflict between Christ, the last Adam, and Satan.
Adapted from J. N. Darby