Are You Missing the Point of Bible Prophecy?
Are You Missing the Point of Bible Prophecy?
By: J.B. Hixson, Ph.D.
The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming. (Psalm 37:12–13)
The idiom “can’t see the forest for the trees” was first used in a collection of proverbs by the English poet John Heywood in 1546. Heywood used the word “wood” instead of “forest,” but the meaning was the same; namely, that one is focusing too much on the details and is neglecting the bigger picture.
In the seventeenth century, the expression was used to criticize the Papacy when it was alleged that financial details were holding sway over religious matters in the Catholic Church, and it has been used in a variety of contexts and cultures in the centuries since then.
In our day, one might rightly apply the adage to the study of the end times. It seems today’s prophecy experts too often obsess over the trees and fail to acknowledge the larger forest in God’s plan of the ages. The field of eschatology is rife with prophecy “arborists” who make much ado about even the smallest details in current events, declaring doom and gloom, and shouting, “Head for the hills!”
Meanwhile, there is a marked shortage of “forestry service” men and women who step back, examine the overall perspective, and remind us of where it is all headed. If we focus too much on a single tree in the forest, we might get the mistaken impression that the entire timberland is diseased, dying, and about to disappear. This is by no means the case. According to God’s plan, the “forest” will suffer for a season under the regime of the Luciferians and their ultimate leader the Antichrist, but make no mistake, the forest will not only survive, but it also will thrive when Jesus Christ returns to take the helm.
King David was a “forestry service” prophet. In Psalm 2, he exposed the plot of the Luciferian elite to take over the world (Psalm 2:1-3). But he did not stop there. David also reminded his readers that God will win in the end. In fact, He has already won! From God’s timeless perspective, the King of Kings has already been installed on the throne (Psalm 2:4-6); it is just a matter of time before His reign begins on earth!
Elsewhere, David writes, “The wicked plots against the just and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him for He sees that his day is coming” (Psalm 37:12–13). There were plenty of “trees” to be concerned about in David’s day, but the “forest” was, and still is, in good hands.
Are you missing the point of Bible prophecy? As we navigate these unprecedented times when the world is marching faster and faster toward a Satanic one-world political, economic, and religious system, let us resist the temptation to obsess over the details. We must be aware and be prepared for what is headed our way, especially if the Lord tarries His coming, but we must never be scared. “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord” (Proverbs 21:31).
Never forget that this is all part of God’s plan, as an anonymous psalmist reminded us nearly three thousand years ago. “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:10–11). As you study Bible prophecy, take a stroll through the forest from time to time. I think you will find it very encouraging!
By: J.B. Hixson, Ph.D.
The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming. (Psalm 37:12–13)
The idiom “can’t see the forest for the trees” was first used in a collection of proverbs by the English poet John Heywood in 1546. Heywood used the word “wood” instead of “forest,” but the meaning was the same; namely, that one is focusing too much on the details and is neglecting the bigger picture.
In the seventeenth century, the expression was used to criticize the Papacy when it was alleged that financial details were holding sway over religious matters in the Catholic Church, and it has been used in a variety of contexts and cultures in the centuries since then.
In our day, one might rightly apply the adage to the study of the end times. It seems today’s prophecy experts too often obsess over the trees and fail to acknowledge the larger forest in God’s plan of the ages. The field of eschatology is rife with prophecy “arborists” who make much ado about even the smallest details in current events, declaring doom and gloom, and shouting, “Head for the hills!”
Meanwhile, there is a marked shortage of “forestry service” men and women who step back, examine the overall perspective, and remind us of where it is all headed. If we focus too much on a single tree in the forest, we might get the mistaken impression that the entire timberland is diseased, dying, and about to disappear. This is by no means the case. According to God’s plan, the “forest” will suffer for a season under the regime of the Luciferians and their ultimate leader the Antichrist, but make no mistake, the forest will not only survive, but it also will thrive when Jesus Christ returns to take the helm.
King David was a “forestry service” prophet. In Psalm 2, he exposed the plot of the Luciferian elite to take over the world (Psalm 2:1-3). But he did not stop there. David also reminded his readers that God will win in the end. In fact, He has already won! From God’s timeless perspective, the King of Kings has already been installed on the throne (Psalm 2:4-6); it is just a matter of time before His reign begins on earth!
Elsewhere, David writes, “The wicked plots against the just and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him for He sees that his day is coming” (Psalm 37:12–13). There were plenty of “trees” to be concerned about in David’s day, but the “forest” was, and still is, in good hands.
Are you missing the point of Bible prophecy? As we navigate these unprecedented times when the world is marching faster and faster toward a Satanic one-world political, economic, and religious system, let us resist the temptation to obsess over the details. We must be aware and be prepared for what is headed our way, especially if the Lord tarries His coming, but we must never be scared. “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance is of the Lord” (Proverbs 21:31).
Never forget that this is all part of God’s plan, as an anonymous psalmist reminded us nearly three thousand years ago. “The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations” (Psalm 33:10–11). As you study Bible prophecy, take a stroll through the forest from time to time. I think you will find it very encouraging!
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