The Goal Of Prophetic Revelation

I read a quote on Facebook the other day that said: “The Holy Spirit will warn you, it’s up to you to pay attention.” This got me to thinking and meditating on the discourse of Jesus about the Holy Spirit as recorded in John’s Gospel from chapters 14 through 16. There were several things that stood out to me. This is one of my favorite texts in the entire Bible as it speaks of the ministry of the Holy Spirit and His work of revelation to us.

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” John 16: 13-15 NASB

I also like the King James Version’s wording of the last phrase of verse 13 where it says: “He will show you things to come.”

The simple point is that God is a God of Revelation! The Bible is very clear about that!

“Surely the Lord God does nothing; Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” Amos 3:7 NKJV

The New American Standard Bible says: “He reveals His secret counsel…” I like that too!

The Facebook quote said that the Holy Spirit would warn us. God reveals! Jesus said the Holy Spirit would take what was mine and would disclose…or reveal it to us. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would show us things to come.

This is the very nature of the Prophetic! God wants us to know what He intends to do and what is coming so we don’t miss it. Remember when God was about to judge Sodom and Gomorrah? What did God Say?

“The Lord said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?’” Genesis 18:17 NASB

This leads me to the crux of this Blog. I came across something in John 14 at the end of the chapter that I had never seen before.

“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you….You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.” John 14: 25, 26, 28 & 29 NASB

I don’t know where some of this has been all my Christian life. Look at what Jesus said:

·         These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you.

·         You would have rejoiced because I go to the Father.

·         Now I have told you before it happens.

·         So that when it happens, you may believe.

I don’t know how many times I have read John chapter 14 in my life…but I have never noticed these four statements before. I have seen verse 26 before about the Spirit being sent by the Father in Jesus’ name. I have seen that the Spirit would teach us all things and bring to our remembrance all that Jesus said…but never these other statements.

The ultimate goal of Prophetic Revelation is summed up in these verses! Namely that we might rejoice and so that we might believe! Look at what Jesus said. I am telling you all of this in this whole discourse while I am with you. But, I am getting ready to go to the Father who is greater than I. You should rejoice over this. The revelation of God should make us rejoice because we have the inside track on the purpose and plan of God.

Notice He said I told you this before it happens! What did Amos prophesy? “SURELY THE LORD GOD DOES NOTHING WITHOUT REVEALING HIS SECRET COUNSEL TO HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS!” What did God say about letting Abraham in on His Plan? “SHALL I HIDE FROM ABRAHAM WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DO?” Do you see a pattern here?

Jesus told them before it happened. Why did He tell them before it happened? “SO THAT WHEN IT HAPPENS YOU MAY BELIEVE!” This so reminds me of what the Word says:

“Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” 2 Chronicles 20:20b NKJV

God wants us to believe His Revelation. If we believe His Revelation we rejoice and are made glad. If we believe His Revelation we prosper and are established. If we believe His Revelation we don’t miss what it is He is about to do and we get to be in on it; which is why He revealed it in the first place.