Chalcedon Blog

"Our view of prophecy is too often exotic and lawless. Men want to know about a future which makes itself and is not an outcome of historical forces."[1]

Prophecy is typically seen in these terms, a foresight or prediction of a future event usually disconnected from any present circumstances. Nostradamus is the epitome of such wizardry. It is laughable that people are still curious to see if contemporary events fulfill this false prophet's soothsaying.

Biblical prophecy does not function in that manner. The prophets of the Bible spoke in terms of the covenant, and each prophecy was the historical development of either the obedience or disobedience of the past. This is not an attractive definition in the age of Charismania where charlatans sporting prolific gifts of prophecy make both individual and national predictions as signs of their authority.

Still, these modern prophecies have nothing to do with covenantal obedience or rebellion. They are merely predictions of disconnected events in a future without context. These false prophets sit on top of the church world only because the people themselves are curiously indulgent--they want to know the "secret things."

The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deut. 29:29

There are "secret things," and there are "revealed" things. What should be of concern to us are obviously the things that are revealed. The reason for this is stated clearly by Moses: "that we may do all the words of this law."

What God reveals is so that we may more fully obey His law-word. In other words, true prophecy reveals a future curse upon person and property--or a future blessing--in order to better secure our obedience in the present. If we are seeking "revelation," let it be something that inspires you to greater faithfulness. As Rushdoony says, "The purpose of the revealed things is to command our obedience."[2] This is what Rushdoony refers to as a legitimate future:

As against curiosity and a probing about "secret things," we are plainly commanded to obey God's law and to recognize that the law gives us a knowledge of the future which is legitimate...The unfolded or revealed things are with us for all time, to the end that we may obey all the orders of the law.[3]

What is revealed, Rushdoony writes, "means 'the unfolded issues of the day' in terms of the law-word of God."[4] If I have anything "prophetic" to say to you, it's only to better secure your obedience in the present. A desire for the secret things means, like Israel in the wilderness, that we despise God's manna, i.e., "every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

Man will not consider God's law-word for his future. He will rather spend billions of dollars to search for ice on Mars before he'll consider the patience and comfort of the Scriptures. He'll search the depths of the oceans before he'll plunge the deep things of God.

For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, thou mayest do it. Deut. 30:11-14

This makes life simple, but man avoids the simplicity of Biblical living because his heart is evil. He is perpetually tormented by the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He is tormented for having his eyes opened and being made like a god. Now, his drive to "know" exhausts and haunts him. He cannot rest until he has examined every molecule in the universe in the name of achieving his godhood--omniscience. He cannot predestine and control unless he knows all things. But his answer lies in salvation and in the law-word which is near him, in his mouth, and in his heart.

The secret things belong to God, but man lusts to possess them. The things revealed belong to us and our children, but instead we turn away from His revealed Word and raise our children to be equally curious for what God has hidden from us. The Word is near us, in our mouth, and in our heart. We do not need to search high and low for God's will. It's lying at your door. I can say to every Christian that their future is bright, if they are faithful to the law-word of God.

1. R.J. Rushdoony, Systematic Theology in Two Volumes (Vallecito, CA: Ross House Books, 1994), 1073.
2. R.J. Rushdoony, Salvation and Godly Rule (Vallecito, CA: Ross House Books, 1983), 389.
3. Ibid., 388.
4. Ibid., 391.