… now for “THE REST OF THE STORY”!

By: Randall E. Pickens, Sr.

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You would have to be oblivious to your surroundings not to be concerned about the events of the day.  Anyone with even the least bit of knowledge about end times prophecies knows that these current day events are “eerily similar” to prophesied events to come. 

In 2 Tim 3:1-17, Apostle Paul starts his letter to Timothy (his spiritual son) by qualifying the context to be descriptive of the “last days”.  It is important to keep this detail in context.  So, I stress this is Paul’s description of the environment that will precede Christ 2^nd coming.  It is a prophetic message!  No doubt Paul is addressing concerns that Timothy and his contemporaries would have had regarding their current environment; much the same as Jesus did in Matt 24 when the Apostles inquired about the end of time but Jesus clearly states what they were experiencing was “not the end”.

The 2 Tim 3:1-17 account states 19 characteristics to be representative of the end times.  These characteristics will be familiar to those who follow the prophetic talking heads today.  These characteristics mirror those presented by Jesus in the gospels Matt, Mark, and Luke.  These and other characteristics revealed by John’s Revelation about the end times are to say the lest unsettling or to use a phrase I hear often from those who avoid prophetic teachings; “it’s too scary”!  This is the attitude that I will address in this article.  This attitude is what caused me to borrow Paul Harvey’s signature phrase; “and now for the rest of the story” as a title for this article.  I want to address those who avoid prophecy.  I want to show them that the purpose of prophecy is to build faith and to “comfort the believer” with “the rest of the story”.  Jesus puts it so very simple in John 14:29 when he said “that when it comes to pass you might believe”.  Prophecy is the active voice of God to the generation of fulfillment.  This is a phrase that came to me in my meditations when the Holy Spirit called me to study and teach prophecy.  It is a clear call to hear the voice of God in our generation and more importantly “act accordingly”.  We were called to be watchmen and to proclaim the coming of the Lord.     

According to “The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy” by J. Barton Payne, there are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament for a total of 1,817. These prophecies are contained in 8,352 of the Bible’s verses. Since there are 31,124 verses in the Bible, the 8,352 verses that contain prophecy constitute 26.8 percent of the Bible’s volume.  If we take this account to be accurate then approximately 1/3 of the Bible is categorized as prophecy.  I personally suspect this to be a conservative estimate but none the less makes the point that prophecy is a key characteristic of Judaism and Christianity.  There should be no doubt then that the purpose of prophecy is to bolster the faith of the believer and put the naysayer on notice of judgments to come for rejection and rebellion.  The point here is, God doesn’t want anyone to perish.  This is the basis for “the rest of the story”.  I would emphasize that prophecy offers us proof that repentance is required to avoid the consequence.  That Jesus is truly the remedy to our sinful state and in fact our only hope of salvation.  I would emphasize that this is “the rest of the story”!  So, notice that in the case of the 19 characteristics of the end times, 2 Tim 3:9 concludes that these characteristics and those who are responsible “shall proceed no further, … their folly shall be made manifest”!  This is the reason for the believers to celebrate. However, if you’re rebellious and rejecting the solution then the consequence is yours to own! God gave you a free will; the will to receive or reject.   

Paul goes on to acknowledge his own experiences of persecutions but in 2 Tim 3:11 Paul tells us “the rest of the story”!  He tells his spiritual son this, “but out of them ALL, the Lord delivered me”.  This is another reason to celebrate and take note that both responses occurred within the course of the same conversation. (in context).  Paul addressed the “dooms day characteristics” as well as the current persecutions of his day.

I would challenge all to watch for the alternative and consequence characteristic present in all prophecy in general, both in the Old Testament prophets as well as the New Testament.  Prophecies to individuals and collective can be seen to include the revelation of sin and a call for change.  The fact that prophecy speaks of terrible things to come should be scary “only” if you are a child of disobedience.  If you heed the warning and repent then you will be saved!  The reason we celebrate the “gospels” is because they are “good news”.

Let’s take a look at another point to be made about properly revealing both the consequence “dooms day message” and the “alternative” salvation remedy associated with prophecy.  Most are well aware of the “mark of the Beast” spoken of in Rev 16 and 19.  Believers and naysayers alike are familiar with this prophetic event and much fan fair surrounds the subject and many will debate who the Beast will be that implements this requirement.  However, few are aware that “God marks his servants” in Rev 7:3 …hurt not the earth, neither the sea, or the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.  This event occurs well before the mid-tribulation implementation of the mark of the Beast.  Now, this is in reference to the 144,000 which I believe are specifically tribulation saints for the Church Age saints have already been removed (that is a discussion for another day).  The point being though is that the emphasis on the consequence seems to get more press than the alternative.  Even at the height of the tribulation period God is still offering an alternative to those who will accept Jesus as the remedy for their sin.  Again, the consequence for the rebellious is of their own choosing.  Even the letters to the 7 Churches in Rev chapters 1-3 we see He constantly refers to the blessing of salvation to the believers “he that overcometh”.

The earliest prophecy of a seed to come (Jesus) in Gen 3:15 was the immediate response of a loving God for the redemption of His beloved creation from the consequence of sin.  Heb 2:3 How can we “neglect so great salvation”.   We should always be sure to share “THE REST OF THE STORY”.  If you have avoided the prophetic teachings you have dismissed an important proof of your salvation.  Your faith has not been allowed to grow and counter the fear that comes from being misinformed.  God will never forsake his beloved children.  Every action from the beginning of time has been to bless and redeem us from the curse of sin and the father of lies.  The tribulation period will be a time of judgment on Satan, his fallen angels, and the children of disobedience but a time of salvation of the believers.  Jesus has already paid for the consequence of our sin.  REJOICE AND BE GLAD!  Fear not…   and when you see all these things, look up for your redemption draweth nigh. Now that’s, THE REST OF THE STORY!

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