ELDER: The Bible Lets Us Know What Is Coming

One day recently I was surprised to receive my Wednesday local newspaper in the mail on Tuesday. My first thought was that someone had made a mistake, but then I remembered that the following day was a holiday in which the post office would be closed. However, it still was a little eerie to read the news that was dated for the next day. It reminded me of the old TV show in which a man regularly received what was described as “tomorrow’s newspaper today.” He was supernaturally given advanced notice of events and used that knowledge to avert certain disasters, save people from harm, or help prepare for some occurrence. I was a little disappointed when I examined my day-early newspaper and didn’t find any such prognostications that I could use to make a difference, alter the future, or make advance preparations.

While we rightly categorize such a concept as a fantasy, there is a sense in which we actually have received “tomorrow’s newspaper today.” We don’t receive such a supernatural communication on our doorstep or in our mailbox each day. However, God has provided us with some revelation in the Bible about what the future holds. It typically doesn’t provide us with specific dates, but it does give us a clear picture of certain trends we can expect, along with some definite events. Are we paying attention to what it reveals about what is ahead for us? Are we responding appropriately by trying to avoid disasters, warning others, and preparing for what is to come?