Understanding Bible Prophecy: A Guide To Types And Meaning

One of the questions I’m asked most often is How can we understand Bible prophecy? The truth is that it’s a loaded question that I can’t fully answer in a single column. Contrary to what we might believe, there is more than one type of Bible prophecy. This means each type of prophecy requires a different interpretation and understanding in order to fully understand its contents. It’s also important to have knowledge of what prophecy is in addition to a general working knowledge of Bible literature. In this column, I will do my best to provide a crash course on Bible prophecy, how to read it, and most of all, how to understand it.

handwriting poetry — Prophetic writing. Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-text-on-gray-background-261763/

What is prophecy?

In its strictest definition, prophecy is the act of divine communication through an individual, to a group of people. While many assume prophecy is about predicting the future, this isn’t the only thing that prophecy is about. It provides divine insight into events while providing information and words applicable for all time. Prophecy is a way God communicates with His people, conveying essential messages to them through someone who is either a prophet or has the gift of prophecy. A prophet is an individual called to serve in ministry, primarily conveying divine messages (speaking for God). Someone with a gift of prophecy is given a prophetic word to speak at times, but it’s not a full-time ministry.

There is no competition, nor contradiction between the two. Both serve as gifts to the body of Christ and exist because, whether we like to admit it or not, we don’t always hear from God in the way we should. Sometimes we need additional insight into a situation, whether it’s personal, corporate, or worldwide. As a result, God provides people who are appointed by Him to serve by speaking His words to us.

The basics of prophecy

Prophecy can be complex or simple; manifest in types or realities; and be easy or hard to understand. Sometimes it doesn’t all make sense until after the fact. Other times, the prophetic words spoken are evident from the outset. Prophecy can provide comfort, conviction, insight, hope, or analytics. It shows us what is and what will be, as well as revealing ourselves. Prophecies may come through dreams, visions, audible words, or a knowing sense from God.

We should aim to study and understand prophecy for ourselves. This helps us not only understand it when it arises in our lives, but also helps us to understand Biblical prophecy in context.

What is prophetic literature?

Prophetic literature is any body of prophetic experience, including prophecies, put into written form. The most obvious example of prophetic literature is the collection of Old Testament writings known as the prophets. Within this heading, the prophets are divided into major (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel) and minor (Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi). The designations of major and minor don’t relate in any way to the prophets themselves or their ministries, but are literary references referring to the length of their prophecies. While these don’t compose the entire body of prophetic literature found in Scripture, they are a good “go-to” when first studying prophecy.

In the words of the prophets, we find everything from personal biographies to reprimands and words of hope. Most prophetic words prophesied events that directly related to the people’s disobedience through idolatry. Those who spoke for God expressed His full expanse of emotions; everything from rage, to sorrow, to the feeling of a jilted lover or unappreciated parent. The prophets spoke what was to come as the result of broken covenant, and the people had to deal with those results. They also addressed leaders, offering moral, spiritual, and sometimes practical guidance.

What prophecy is not

If you study Biblical prophetic literature, you’ll be lost to find anyone prophesying a house, car, or endless positivity over someone’s life. If anything, you’ll find many words of correction, discipline, and the promise that someday, everything will work out. It probably won’t be immediately, but somewhere down the line, things will resolve themselves. Those who speak prophetic words must be comfortable speaking whatever God gives, and that may be a word of encouragement or one of correction. Prophecy contains both, and always will contain both.

Likewise, prophecy isn’t fortune-telling. Biblical prophets provided as much “why” as “what” in their messages. They didn’t randomly say things and then walk away without some context. It’s inappropriate to use Bible prophecy as some sort of plug-in for headlines or to make vague, non-specific statements classify as such. If you are receiving vague words that don’t mean much, or can just as easily apply to anyone, you aren’t receiving prophecy.

Types of prophecy

There are a few different types of prophecy. They overlap as well as categorize different understandings of prophecy within the church. They are:

Prophetic gifts
Personal prophecy
Corporate prophecy
Speaking to power
Symbolic
Fulfilled
Being fulfilled
Unfulfilled

Prophetic gifts

The Bible speaks of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12. Among these different gifts, there are different categories of gifts. One such category of gifts are prophetic gifts: prophecy, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discernment of spirits, and speaking in different tongues. Prophetic gifts are so classified because they relate to prophecy. (God speaks directly through these gifts to those who receive them.) While they are all a little unique, each gift can be delivered to an individual or a group (personal or corporate) and provide essential insight into a circumstance, either present or future.

Personal and corporate prophecy

A prophetic word can be delivered to a person or to a group. That “group” can include a church or group of churches, the entire church, a nation, a subset within a nation, or many nations. A word on this matter, however: prophets are specifically sent with a message, which means prophetic words aren’t random. God doesn’t just give a random message through someone “for the whole world.” Prophetic words are directed to either people or people groups, assigned with that message, just for them.

Speaking to power

In Old Testament times, prophets were often advisors for governors, kings, and other national leaders. They were sought out as guides for military action, strategies, laws, and yes, even moral guidance. Many were hand-selected, called to duty, or sought out for their renown and reputation. I believe one of the failings in our modern political system is the lack of accountability among our leaders. With prophets to speak to power, leaders are responsible for their moral failings as much as for their political implementations. Even though our world is different today, I do believe prophets are called to ‘speak to power’ in modern times. They are there to serve as consultants, counselors, and ultimately conscience for those in power.

Symbolic

Symbolic prophecy uses symbols, images, and types in order to point or teach on something else. The symbolism in symbolic prophecy is not to be taken literally, but to be understood as describing something else. One of the biggest mistakes people make when interpreting books such as Daniel or Revelation is the misapplication of symbolism. Sometimes we can clearly discern what a prophetic symbol means. Other times, the specific interpretation of a symbol or type is more complicated. It requires more in-depth study. In some instances, we have no way of knowing for sure what a prophetic symbol might mean, because it’s very far removed from the information we have on the subject. As a result, we must be very careful about who we listen to on matters of symbolism in prophetic imagery.

Fulfilled

Fulfilled prophecy is seemingly self-explanatory, at least in definition. A fulfilled prophecy has already been fulfilled. An example of fulfilled prophecy would be the birth of Christ, which was prophesied many times before it came to pass. Fulfilled prophecies remind us that God is faithful to keep His promises. All unfulfilled prophecy shall one day be fulfilled.

We should remember, however, that fulfilled prophecy isn’t “done” in a literal sense. Fulfilled prophecies (especially those that pertain to world events, nations, or spiritual happenings) often have a universal application. You can apply it for things yet to come, as well as providing words and insights for things going on right now.

Being fulfilled

Prophecy that’s now happening, as in process, is considered to be “being fulfilled.” Much like any prophecy, it can be personal, corporate, universal, or some other form. Many understand it from the perspective of interpreting current events, but this isn’t exactly the way prophecy in action works. Prophecy that’s being fulfilled may take place through personal events, things between an individual and God, or might be bigger than that. It’s a full survey of world events, culture, morals, and personal happenings, all seen through the lens of prophetic word that has been and is now being spoken. Interpreting and identifying current prophecy is not an easy task. It must be pursued with sincerity of heart and understanding of prophecy in the bigger picture.

Unfulfilled

Unfulfilled prophecy refers to prophesies that are yet to be fulfilled. Such might happen in the near future or distant future. Like other forms, they might be personal or global, and often take years of study to interpret correctly. Sometimes we might not be able to determine an unfulfilled prophecy’s entire meaning until it comes to pass. this doesn’t mean we can’t understand future prophecies, but that we must take the proper approach to understanding them (especially if more than one interpretation is possible). Much of the book of Revelation classifies as unfulfilled prophecy.

In conclusion

In closing, there’s a couple things to remember when it comes to understanding Bible prophecy. We must understand Bible prophecy in both a modern and ancient context at the same time. This is not always easy to do. Listening to a preacher (even one who has studied prophecy for years) describe their understanding of futuristic prophecy isn’t often helpful, especially if we don’t have fundamental understanding of prophecy ourselves. Like all things, we can’t hang our hat on one specific verse when trying to interpret matters. We should have an overall concept of belief, crossing the barriers of plug-in-verse mentality and understand more fully the ideas of prophecy in a bigger sense.

Prophecy exists to give us a full sense of God: past, present, and future It helps us see ourselves as part of a bigger spiritual picture than what we might experience in the immediate. When we embrace prophecy, we recognize nothing is a surprise to God. This helps us embrace His presence in a bigger and more profound way, regardless of what we see right now.

For more on prophecy, check out my books: