Q: I am not fully in agreement with your assessment of Jehovah’s intentions for us to know or delve into matters of prophecy. It really is a matter and course of humility and balance. The haughty, improper, and corrupt methods that others person(s) and/or religious groups have used to explain prophecy (and failed), does not mean that this effort is wrong in itself. . .

We have often heard the phrase, "prophecy is best understood after it has been fulfilled." This is very true. However, it has also been used as a 'catch-phrase' for implying that we don't need to be too concerned about it, as we will fully understand it after it is accomplished. This thinking minimizes its value, and can even be dangerous, because one of the fundamental purposes of prophecy is to warn and protect against impending harm. The key is following a method for "accurate" understanding. This cannot be done without seeking the guidance of Jehovah's spirit, confirmation with his Word, and mutual exchange with our fellow brothers. Then do the scriptures really imply that these things are indiscernible beforehand, or that we are not meant or even prevented in understanding them? . . .

While the vast majority of mankind in the world are taking no note - like those of Noah's day; we, as Jehovah's witnesses, ARE taking note. Moreover, we do not have to be victims of the symbolic Thief, because we ARE staying awake. Therefore, I feel examining prophecy is part-and-parcel to this matter. . . Prophecies are designed to give us hope, and to warn, giving a "heads up" of what is going to take place. It is true, we do not fully understand prophecy until it is fulfilled, but having a basic foreknowledge of it is vital.
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A: I am a bit confused as to what it is you are saying, or asking. You seem to agree that there are prophecies that are "best understood after it has been fulfilled," while you also agree that the "fundamental purposes of prophecy is to warn and protect against impending harm." Do you agree that when the purpose of a certain prophecy is to warn us in order to protect us against impending calamity, then we could expect God to record it in such a way that we would clearly know and understand the message? Consider Jonah, for example, his message was clear: "Only forty days more, and Nineveh will be overthrown." There was nothing confusing or ambiguous about his prophecy. The Ninevites listened, understood the warning, and immediately acted upon it; unlike God's own people. (Jonah 3:4,5; Luke 11:30) Interestingly, Jonah was specific as to when the destruction was going to come—40 days; whereas we have not been given that information in our own case. We do not know "the day or the hour" (or the week, or the month, or the year, or even what century). And neither is there a means of calculating that time. What did Jesus mean when he told his apostles, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know"? (Acts 1:7; NLT) Why would you feel that it is "a matter and course of humility and balance" to delve into prophecy we are told does not belong to us to know?

What would the purpose be in needing to know certain details about future events when your life is not dependent on it, and when you could do nothing to affect its outcome? You feel that it would give us hope; but is our hope not based on God's promises, even when all the details are lacking? (Heb. 11:1-3, 13) The book of Daniel contains numerous prophecies that were given him in symbolic terms which Daniel himself did not understand. When he inquired about their meaning, and length of time involved, he was told that "the words are made secret and sealed up until the time of the end." How important would you say it was for Daniel to understand the things he wrote about, when it was not going to happen until "the time of the end"? Not even the angels have that information ahead of its time. (Dan. 12:6, 8,9; 1 Peter 1:10-12) The prophecies that have been recorded for our benefit, and for our protection, are clearly explained; and there will be no excuse not to have acted on them. Instead of calculating some date, Jesus gave many signs that when observed would indicate that his long awaited presence was now at hand. (Matt. 24:32,33; Luke 21:29-31) We would be staying awake by taking note of these signs and know their meaning. In this way that day does not overtake us "as a thief in the night." (1 Thess. 5:1-4) In Noah's day the people could observe the ark that Noah was building, it was their sign. Yet, as Jesus said, "they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away." That is how it will be at the presence of the Son of man. (Matt. 24:36-39)

Besides the many prophecies that have been written for our benefit—and therefore belong to us, there are also many other prophecies that belong only to Jehovah; and they were written to exalt him as the true God, that the world may know that "I am the Divine One and there is no other God, nor anyone like me; the One telling from the beginning the finale, and from long ago the things that have not been done." (Isaiah 46:9,10) These are the prophecies that he "has placed in his own jurisdiction." They are his "sacred secrets," and will not be known ahead of their fulfillment. Notable among such prophecies were the ones regarding the promised Messiah—the "Son of man," and his "holy ones," which could only be understood once the Messiah arrived; or after their fulfillment, such as in the case of Pentecost. None of the disciples understood what the following day would mean for them, although Jehovah had caused it to be prophesied, as Peter then was able to explain. (Acts 1:7; 2:1-4; 14-21; 1 Cor. 2:7,8; Eph. 1:8-12; 3:4,5; Dan. 7:13,14, 27) Today, these prophecies are no longer a "sacred secret" to God's people; but there are still many other ones awaiting their fulfillment, especially in connection with the book of Revelation. 

Why is there so much confusion when it comes to interpreting certain prophecies, if God wants us to understand them? If a prophecy remains God's sacred secret until it is undergoing fulfillment, the time leading up to it affords many people the opportunity to present themselves as having been "anointed" by God with the power to reveal the mystery of the prophecy; appealing to their personal "anointing" as proof of their many different "correct" interpretations; even implying that you will not get this understanding from anyone else. (Matt. 24:24,25) For many decades God's people had put their trust and hopes in a certain date, because the Leaders had promised that this was God's word of "truth"; only to be discarded when the time came and went, and their "truth" upon which so many had pinned their hopes was in need of a new interpretation. It is for our protection that Jesus warned against false prophets and those who would come on the basis of his name, claiming to be Christ ["anointed one" in the Greek language]. (Matt. 24:24,25) Many of God's former zealous servants have stumbled on account of having put their trust at one time in men's promises. If you believe that God wants you to understand all his prophecies, including the ones that belong to him, then you are a good candidate for falling victim to the false prophets.



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