Prophecy — A Light that Shines in a Dark Place
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19).
The Apostle Peter’s appeal to the church was passionate. His second epistle held his final words and it was to be circulated throughout all the churches. Peter knew that his martyrdom was close at hand, as he writes in guarded terms (2 Peter 1:14-15). How would we feel were we to learn that one of our most beloved leaders was soon to be brutally executed?
Peter begins by urging the brethren to make their calling and election sure. He details the step-by-step growth that will culminate in fully developed love. The development of Christ-like character linked to continued study results in growth not only in knowledge, but in grace. He entreated the brethren “be established in the Present Truth” (2 Peter 1:12). What this means will be considered later.
PROPHECY SUPERIOR TO PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
Peter addresses what was possibly the grandest of his experience with Jesus. Along with James and John he had traveled apart from the other apostles while in the north. There they saw the vision of the kingdom in glory (Luke 9:26-36). “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16).
James and Paul had been martyred, beyond this, accounts of the apostles’ death are known only by imperfect tradition. Soon John would be the last living apostle. The church was not to expect continued visions or prophetic revelations throughout the Gospel Age. “When that which is perfect [or, “complete”] is come [the testimony of the full New Testament], then that which is in part [apostolic miracles] shall be done away” (1 Corinthians 13:10). Soon, all the apostles, except John, and all upon whom they had laid hands to give special gifts, would be gone. But the New Testament would supplement and stand on an equal footing with the Old Testament to provide spiritual guidance for the church throughout the Gospel Age.
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19). The importance of what the Apostle Peter is saying here should be a lesson even today. There have always been claims made that the spirit of prophecy rested upon various church leaders both men and women. Pentecostalism claims this continued outpouring of the spirit and the apostolic gifts.
As strong as Peter’s credentials were and as important as his personal experiences were, Peter directs us to the superiority of the Old Testament. This is the “more sure word of prophecy.” Some expositors believe that the sense of the Apostle Peter’s words are that the heavenly vision makes the words of prophecy more sure. While not favoring this thought, the lesson for the church in either case is that applying prophecy is important.
This word “sure” (G949 Bebaios) is a technical term meaning “permanence,” or “enduring.” For example, the Septuagint Greek New Testament uses Bebaios for Leviticus 25:23; “The land shall not be sold forever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.” Leviticus 25:30 also uses the thought of forever. To set these “forever,” or “sure” writings of the prophets ahead of your direct life experience with Jesus, as Peter writes, is a testimony that comes only from a fully crystallized Christian character. This word is a light that shines in a dark place and will direct your lives.
THE DAY STAR ARISING
Peter then refers to the Day Star. Most of us in this modern light-polluted world would be hard pressed to identify the planet Venus shining near the horizon before dawn. This is the Day Star.1 Venus was one of the planets recognized from the most ancient times. Because the orbit of Venus is between the earth and the sun, we only see Venus near the horizon in the pre-Dawn early morning, and at other times of the year in the early evening.
Over the millennia before electric lighting, people got an early start on the day’s labor. They were up while it was still dark. Their early rising would mean that they could take advantage of every minute of daylight. The bright and beautiful Day Star was the happy indicator that within the next hour or two the full sunrise would come.
The “Present Truth” for those brethren receiving Peter’s second epistle was that they were in the pre-dawn hours before the Kingdom. They had no idea how long the intervening period would be until the Kingdom, but their thinking was surely it would be short. We know this was their belief, because the rumor had spread among the brethren that the beloved Apostle John would “tarry” until the Lord’s return in power and glory (John 21:21-23). In answer to this error, John essentially tells the brethren to use their critical thinking skills and reason out what the Lord said, and what he did not say.
Venus, the Morning Star, symbolizes the return of Christ.
A LONG GOSPEL AGE
As his ministry was closing, the Apostle Peter appears to have had special insight into how long the Gospel Age would be. There are several reasons for suggesting this.
(1) Study Required. Peter opens by telling the brethren, “You need to study prophecy” (2 Peter 1:16-21). A review of the wide-range of prophetic texts still needing fulfillment would require a long time.
(2) Epistle of Jude. Nearly the entire Epistle of Jude, with its strong, practical prophetic lessons, is transcribed and emended in Peter’s epistle. No doubt, for this reason, in the mid 4th century when the accepted books of the New Testament were being settled, this second letter of Peter created some controversy.2
There appears to be a logical explanation. Peter no doubt had received Jude’s short epistle and recognized its value. However, Jude’s epistle may not have had wide circulation. Peter knew that by including the lessons from Jude and elaborating on them, Jude’s words would receive the wide circulation they deserved. But, there is a notable difference between Jude and 2 Peter. Jude, like the Apostle Paul, spoke of the false teachers already entering the church (Jude 1:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:7). Peter points to a yet greater future fulfillment during the long period of the Gospel Age. Because of the changes Peter made to Jude’s epistle, perhaps he held back on citing Jude as the author. It is even possible that Jude was sharing lessons that he had learned from Peter.
(3) False Prophets Coming. Peter warns the brethren about coming false prophets and teachers who would mislead the church after his execution (2 Peter 2:1-22). This would surely require some time. It is impossible to distinguish good prophetic interpretation from poor prophetic interpretation without personal study and understanding of prophecy. “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in [i.e. in the future] damnable heresies, even denying the Lord” (2 Peter 2:1).
(4) Scoffers in the last days. As Peter closes in Chapter 3 he warns the brethren that there are yet future “last days.” Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of his presence? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:3).
(5) One day as 1,000 years. In order to reinforce the point that a long time period would be involved Peter writes: “But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). Clearly, this a warning that from God’s perspective, 1,000 years is a short time. This knowledge would be needed if, in fact, the brethren were not thinking in terms of a long period. What human reckoning considers a long period of time is short from the perspective of God whose existence is from eternity to eternity.
Reverent Study of God’s Word is required.
(6) A new heavens and a new earth. The brethren would yet need to see the dissolution of both the existing heavens and the existing earth – that is the order of things in the political and spiritual realm (2 Peter 3:11-13). This process would take a long yet unfulfilled period of time.
(7) Reference to Paul’s writings. As Peter closes his letter, he makes a special point of commending the epistles of the already martyred Apostle Paul. Paul’s letters spoke of long periods of suffering for the church before the dawn of Christ’s Kingdom. He wrote this to the Thessalonians: “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5).
Apparently, the brethren were not remembering these things.
Peter observes, that Paul’s writings are “hard to be understood” and that already, unwise interpreters seeking leadership in the churches were wresting them “to their own destruction.” So, for all these reasons Peter knew that the need to study Prophecy would be essential for the church.
So many in the church of Peter’s day may have asked, “Why is Prophecy needed at all? Had not our Lord Jesus come and closed out the last week of special favor to the nation of Israel? Were not all the promises of prophecy rapidly coming to fulfillment?”
PROPHECY GIVES HOPE
Hope for mankind began with the earliest prophetic promise. God’s promise to mother Eve said that her seed would someday, “bruise the serpent’s head” (Genesis 3:15). This surely is “a more sure word of prophecy.”
The Apostle Paul wrote directly about this. “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Romans 16:20). It is also essential to understand the promise to Abraham. “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 22:16-18). This also is “a more sure word of prophecy.” Paul also referred to the Abrahamic promise in Galatians, “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, ‘In thee shall all nations be blessed’” (Galatians 3:8).
PROPHECY ANSWERS PERPLEXING QUESTIONS
The Prophet Habakkuk asked the perplexing question that so many have asked. “Why does God permit evil?”
Habakkuk sets this question before God, “Your eyes are too pure to approve evil, and you cannot look on wickedness with favor. Why do you look with favor on those who deal treacherously? Why are You silent when the wicked swallow up those more righteous than they? And [you] make men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net” (Habakkuk 1:13-15 NASB).
Such words are a direct challenge to God. Surely God does not look with favor on those who deal treacherously. We read a similar observation in Psalms, “The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming” (Psalm 37:12-13).
But, God is not silent when the wicked swallow up the righteous, His words, spoken through the prophets, are sure. “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (Psalm 37:9-11).
The Prophet Habakkuk
Nor has God made men like the fish of the sea. Many people may choose to follow the crowd and to live like fish, but this is not God’s doing. Certainly, God does not make men as the creeping things that have no ruler over them.
Habakkuk was distraught, unhappy, and perplexed. He wanted some answers and wanted them right then.
PROPHECY HELPS US “SEE THE VISION”
Habakkuk expected to be reproved by God. What a bold prophet! “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look out to see what He will speak by me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the LORD answered me, and said: ‘Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that a man may read it swiftly. For the vision is yet for the appointed time, And it declareth of the end, and doth not lie; Though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay’ “ (Habakkuk 2:1-3).
At this end of the age we have special helps, a feast of “meat in due season.” One of the best ways to approach our Bible studies is with the Chart of the Ages. This wonderful tool helps organize and quickly put in perspective the “more sure word of prophecy.” The outline of The Divine Plan of the Ages lays out this vision in brief:
“The Title of this series of Studies — The Divine Plan of the Ages, suggests a progression in the Divine arrangement, foreknown to our God and orderly. We believe the teachings of Divine revelation can be seen to be both beautiful and harmonious from this standpoint and from no other. The period in which sin is permitted has been a dark night to humanity, never to be forgotten; but the glorious day of righteousness and divine favor, to be ushered in by Messiah, who, as the Sun of Righteousness, shall arise and shine fully and clearly into and upon all, bringing healing and blessing, that will more than counterbalance the dreadful night of weeping, sighing, pain, sickness and death, in which the groaning creation has been so long. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the MORNING (Psalms 30:5).”
We might think that the shining light of prophecy is only of value in our own day, but this would be a mistake. While it is true that the understanding of prophecy is greater today than in the past “Dark Ages,” to be “established in the Present Truth” also describes the truth revealed during each of the seven stages of the church. It has been necessary throughout the Gospel Age.
— Br. Richard Doctor
(1) Van der Sluijs, Marinus Anthony, Who Are the “Attendants of Helios?”, Journal of the American Oriental Society, Volume 129, Number 2 (April-June 2009), pages 169-177.
(2) Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, Book 6, Chapter 25.