The messages of the prophets were directed in first line to immediate situations and needs, but their writings always look far beyond these immediate situations. Thus, most prophecies can be said to have a double, and often even a triple fulfillment, the more immediate of these generally foreshadowing the more distant ones. Israel’s blessings were often dependent upon their obedience and were essentially associated with life upon earth.

The age of grace in which we are living is a parenthesis of unspecified length, often fitting between two clauses of the same sentence in Old Testament prophecy. There are no events prophesied in Scripture that would give us a time for the rapture of the Church—the Lord tells us to be looking for Him at any time. A seven-year period of awful judgment on earth, the Tribulation, will follow the rapture of the saints, the second half of this period being termed the Great Tribulation.

The Church is a heavenly people, blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ rather than with material blessings for this earth, although God in grace frequently grants some of these as well. Since we now have God’s complete Word, prophetic ministry today is a matter of forth-telling the mind of God rather than of foretelling future events. A prophet on earth today does not bring fresh revelations by direct inspiration, but rather, as led by the Holy Spirit, conveys God’s message from God’s Word for the occasion.