In Ecclesiastics, Solomon says that there is a time for everything. While it is not specifically listed, this would certainly include prophecy. The last time prophecy became really relevant to the world was 2,000 years ago. The prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures foretold a coming Messiah. But, depending on who you listened to back then, you heard differing things about it. One of the reasons for this was false prophets... and men in the leadership positions of the faith who had no business being there. They have no business being their because they themselves do not really believe... they are there for other reasons. Belief is essential! And, when it comes to any belief (Jewish... Christian... etc.) which is rooted in the Hebrew Scriptures... a belief in literal prophecy is essential... or this is a person who does not truly believe, and they should not be listened to. No matter the brand of "faith" or branch of "religion" you follow, the one essential core belief which is shared is "resurrection" or the belief in a literal life after death. And if you have not yet considered it... this too is a prophecy. The "Resurrection of the Dead" is a future event that has yet to occur! That is prophecy! And, since it is a prophecy which has not occurred yet, we will assume that this is at least one prophecy that you would personally like to see... literally fulfilled. And here lies the importance of literally fulfilled prophecy. If so much as one prophecy in Scripture has a fulfillment that is non-literal... then any prophecy in Scripture can turn out to be non-literal... and this... would include resurrection! This was also the importance of Messiah's literal resurrection back to life after being publicly executed. It was prophesied that God would not allow His Chosen Holy One to see corruption! (Psalm 16:10, 49:15, 86:13; Acts 2:31; Heb 13:20) Here, we can see just how important literally fulfilled prophecy really is.
When the perfect time came according to the prophecies, the Messiah known among the Jews as "Messiah ben Joseph" arrived. This prophetic "type" or "model" was Messiah the "suffering servant" also known as "the BRANCH." (Isa 53; Zech 6) who in Zechariah 6 is seen as a "High Priest and King" who is actually named "Yahusha." Now, here is where literal prophecy is going to thunder through the door! The Messiah who arrived, came in the literal person of "Yahusha ben Joseph of Nazareth!" So, the prophetic "type" of Messiah the Sages saw... "Messiah ben Joseph, the BRANCH who was named Yahusha (Jesus)," showed up in person as "Yahusha ben Joseph of Nazareth (Branch)!" It does not get more literal that this! Is it any wounder that both Philip and Andrew say, "We have found the Messiah... the one of whom the law and the prophets speak!" (Jn 1:41, 45) He was pretty hard to miss! What most people, even today, do not realize is that the Messiah's name "Joshua" (Yahusha/Jesus) is actually given in the Zechariah 6 prophecy of the "BRANCH," because of the way the translators chose to translate the Hebrew name "Yahusha" into English. In the Old Testament "Yahusha" is translated as "Joshua" and in the New Testament it is "Jesus." So, how would the English reader ever make the connection? The truth is... they don't! So, how important is literally fulfilled prophecy?
Without prophecy there would be no "Jesus!" (Joshua/Yahusha) You see, the only reason we know that He was and is the prophesied Messiah of Israel, is by and through the prophecies. Get rid of the prophecies and He was a really unfortunate Jewish rabbi who lived in the first century. And remember, without the prophecies... there would have been no resurrection... nor will there be in the future. Resurrection is entirely prophetic!
Without prophecy there would be no "Church!" No Greek Orthodox Church, no Catholic Church, no Protestant Church... none of them! They would all vanish from sight and memory. It was Jesus' (Yahusha's) fulfillment of over three hundred of the prophecies in Scripture which enabled the disciples to go forward and prove to others that He was the prophesied Messiah. This is why it is written, "The testimony of Yahusha Mashiach (Jesus Christ) is the Spirit of Prophecy!" (Rev 19:10)
Without prophecy there would be no Israel and the Jewish people would have vanished! They would have been assimilated and disappeared among the nations long ago! Countless other religions that united a certain "people groups," such as the Jews, have all come and gone. It is a long list. Yet God prophesies that despite the fact that He will punish them and cast them into the nations... He will sustain them there and bring them back to the Land once again! (Leviticus 26 - for one of many!)
Now, with all that said... it is impossible to even think that prophecy is unimportant or irrelevant! It has impacted the world in which we live... like nothing else ever has! Some have claimed that God stopped fulfilling any prophecies in A.D. 70 when He allowed the Romans to destroy Jerusalem and disburse the remaining tribes of Judah and Benjamin. This was and is wrong! God has never stopped fulfilling His prophecies at ANY time. Just because we may not know what the prophecies are that He is in the process of fulfilling... does not mean that He is not fulfilling them! He was fulfilling them, and we know exactly what those prophecies were. In fact, the year 1967 was a banner year for literal prophetic fulfillment's! And yes, that was the very year Israel got control of Jerusalem back! Prophetically, that is the specific city on Earth that is the exclusive property of God. Even the Hebrew people themselves are tenants. And after 2,000 years... somehow this one city above all other cities on Earth remains under intense controversy. How can this be? Oh yes, I remember now... it's because prophesied this very thing... “Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples... I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it." (Zech 12:6). Now, in case you are not watching, the United States moved is embassy to Jerusalem in 2018 and many other nations are following suit. You see, prophecy is becoming very relevant again... and there is a reason!
The time has come again. It is not coming (future), it is here (as in right now)! You are in it! Whether you like it or not, you are in it! There is no way to avoid it or get out of it! You certainly can attempt to ignore it or pretend it is not real... but we would caution you... to do so may be at your own peril and/or those whom you love and care about. If you have never read the Book of Revelation... do so! And as you do so, imagine that it is all literal and very real... every word of it... because Scripture says that it is. When you are done with that, go read Isaiah 24. It's is a very short chapter and again, very real! God is real! And this is a large part of our mission. This is what we do. We are here to show you just how real all the prophecies are... so that you might believe... and know how real God is. The time to repent and turn completely back to God is now! The plain truth is... heaven and a love which is beyond comprehension is just a heartbeat away... and likewise so is tremendous irrecoverable loss. To gain one and avoid the other only requires one thing... belief in Israel's prophesied Messiah, Yahusha HaMashaich (Jesus the Christ). And what He desires is that you love God. But first you must truly believe... and for many this is a difficult proposition. So, let us help you if we can... let us share what we know with you. It may just change your life forever. We hope it does, and that the life you find is the one that is forever with Him!
Prophecy is... the proof of the truth!
Shalom and Blessings to All... Michael, Aman Ministries
