ASK Commentary
December 1, 2003 

December Newsletter and Article Now Online

Commentary for December 1, 2003 — Time Prophecies

The ASK “December Newsletter” is on the ASK Website. Link to the Newsletter and the article “Dislocation of Time in Prophecies.” The article is transcribed from a 1983 tape (not available for distribution) from a lecture given by Dr. Martin.

It deals with one of the central prophecies of the Old Testament that shows the evidence and example of Jesus’ role as Messiah. The different threads of time and events that are woven throughout the prophecy are amazing and fascinating. This prophecy is one that we should all study and understand because it is important for us to know, and perhaps demonstrate to ourselves for the first time, exactly why Jesus is the Messiah of the Jews and the Savior of the world — all from the Old Testament.

While we have the entire New Testament to look through as we examine the prophecies of the Old Testament in their fulfillment in Christ, the apostles did not have that help. We should read those prophecies, know those prophecies, study them and be able to give an account of them to others of our hopes for the future, to paraphrase 1 Peter 3,

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.”

1 Peter 3:15–16

To “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,” means that God should be special to you and His words as a treasure. If that is not the case in your heart, ask Him to make it so. Surely He will do so because our hope — yours and mine is in Jesus Christ. Ask God to prove Himself to you by His Word through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of His Son, your elder brother, Jesus Christ. Christ’s history is an example of your future as He is the Captain of our salvation. Our hope hinges on the prophecies of the Old Testament as fulfilled in Christ. We can know. But (and this is what many of us do not want to hear), it takes work.

Dr. Martin’s article will help you understand many of the issues and difficulties involved in that knowing and understanding. He also gives some guidelines on how to read the texts that show Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecies.

David Sielaff
david@askelm.com

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