It's amazing that a pastor has what one author called, "A special animus for those whom he deems overly occupied with Bible prophecy."
The pastor, Rick Warren, has written that when the disciples wanted to talk about prophecy, Jesus refused to do so, saying, "The details of My return are none of your business." Really?
Yes, he wrote that in one of the most popular books ever, The Purpose Driven Life. That book has sold over 50 million copies, making it one of the best-selling books in publishng history. So, how many millions of people read and never checked it out that Jesus said in reference to prophecy, "It's none of your business."
Again, really? Over 25% of the Bible is devoted to prophecy. Ignore it? Pastor Warren goes on to connect being concerned with prophecy is "Trying to figure out the exact timing of Christ's return." Warren seems to think that the abuse of some in setting dates (which no repubable Bible teacher or scholar does) is justification for ignoring eschatology.
Dr. Charles Ryrie states an important principle: "Abuse of a doctine is no reason for playing down the truth of that doctrine."
How important is prophecy? In I Thessalonians, 4:13-18, Paul took the time to discuss the rapture of the church because the believers were "uninformed" about it. In the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24, Jesus spent 51 verses teaching prophecy to His students. He didn't say or even imply, "It's none of your business!"
In I Cor. 15:51ff, Paul instructs the Corinthians about the rapture of the church. What about alll the prophecy in Revelation 4 to the end of the book? That book contains a massive amount of prophecy.
The book of Revelation has something important to say in chapter 1 verse 3: "Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near."
That one verse nails it. How can a pastor say what that pastor said/
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