The prophecies of God in the Bible are His will and promises. He makes them the basis for the works He desires to perform. He proclaims them so that men will be in awe of Him, recognize Him as the Supreme Power who is omniscient, and benefit. They bring loss to those who do not rely on them, since their fulfillment will not apply to them. They establish that God will act for His name sake. They are for causing the beginning of a matter while signifying the end of another. God prophesies or uses prophecy when men are no longer doing that which He desires and when the rest that belong to Him need to see the best He has planned. He has always fulfilled prophecies and so will be the case. His prophecies are for a lasting effect. They do not become insignificant once they take place; for they are His Word and His Word is living. They come into effect. So, those obedient to Him always have a reason to rejoice. For concerning them He long ago said, “In that day the LORD of hosts will become a beautiful crown and a glorious diadem to the remnant of His people” (Isa. 28:5).
Subjecting ourselves to God is our greatest service to Him. If we believe His Word, there is a wonderful outcome to it. The Lord God will be our beautiful crown and a glorious diadem. The remnant will always exist, because we subjugate sin and sinful works. While innumerable people that are being led by men living outside God’s will seek their own lot, we who have made God our only trust will not be disappointed. For by His promise He became our marvelous adornment. There can be no greater glory than it and is the reason we gladly go through the valleys in life. This further is the reason to understand Him just as He intends and walk to mountain tops. God as our adornment is a privilege. It keeps us in the truth. The passing glory of the flesh and sin is cancelled. We do not have to hope in it, but on Him who is our priceless ornament.
He who has the living Lord as a crown and diadem has already been rewarded; for this is the meaning His prophecy holds. He or she has only the duty of walking His path and find the rewards. It means listening to Him and waiting upon Him while He is preparing a base for His glory. God has planned our years on this earth. It is not frivolous to say that He divides them into segments to accomplish various works. For this reason, as we move forward in time growing in Him, we realize the things He has done and are with confidence to hope for greater things; we praise Him knowing there is more to come. This is the substance of joy that continually exists in us and so, our joy remains. We make a difference. The men and women who show the Lord God in a bad light will be known. Of those kind the Lord said, “Again, they have done this to Me: they have defiled My sanctuary on the same day and have profaned My Sabbaths” (Ezek. 23:38).
Too many people calling themselves Christians fail to make God their glory. It is not like they lose their footing occasionally, but they continually walk in error. They proceed from error to error. They do not intend to pause. There is none to make them stop, for they do not listen to God’s prophecy spoken by His people. Their desire is to be the saved before men and they do not care for the soul that will be judged by God. But, God takes His stand to end their rebellion. He has called us to begin something new, which has been and was put aside. So, He has become a beautiful crown and a glorious diadem to us that His sanctuary is cleansed and the laws that were broken are kept. From time to time God took His stand to set right the order. When we stand, sit, walk, speak and perform in His light, He produces something through us that others have forgotten and rejected it existed. This will be the new order. Hence, Jesus said to His disciples “these are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled’” (Luke 24:44).
It was never God’s intention that Christ, His teachings and sacrifice are forgotten and rejected by men. Christ exists and so does His teachings and sacrifice; they last. This has to be proclaimed. And, God raised Him from the dead so that His being alive gives the power for the disciples to carry forward that which has been. He bestowed on them the Spirit for the truth. A people were brought forth that there will always be a remnant (rest) for Him. We who are born of Him are from the remnant and the remnant that serve God. Everything concerning Christ the person, barring His return, has been fulfilled. Yet, from His words there remains the fulfilling of the things written of Him in the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms. This is the reason prophecies of God never become insignificant; Christ the fulfilled prophecy has not become insignificant. It is when they are fulfilled that they become all the more significant for the things that ought to be done. Now, if by prophecy God became a beautiful crown and a glorious diadem to us, the conclusion can be deduced. To the extent it concerns Christ, the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms must be proclaimed until the last day. As far as it concerns us, His people, everything concerning Christ will be fulfilled through us. We have only taken the baton from those who preceded us. Note how the Spirit allowed Paul to be quick to say the following. “Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God” (Rom. 7:4).
There is a limit to using the Law. Anything related to Christ in the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms is necessary for the gospel. In fact, Paul preached Christ from them. God desired it this way so that the truth and purity of the law of Christ is vibrantly understood. It is this law by which all must live, though the perishing deems it foolishness. Yet, to us it is the power of God. We were joined to Christ after having been bought from the world. What is the effect? God brings forth from us a sweet smelling aroma that those who are rejecting and forgetting Him will have opportunity to receive grace. And many shall receive grace, since the Lord was raised from the dead that we bear fruit to God. See, the significance God placed upon us. As this is the case, let us take hold of God’s desire for us. “But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all” (1 Cor. 14:24).
We must be a people that edify, serve, help and lead the inner man of the ones that need grace. Therefore, we must be a people with the gift that God desires greatly. For if He did not desire it greatly there would not be the many prophecies concerning Christ, the remnant and the things that must take place. And He wants us to possess the free gift of the Spirit in the form of prophecy. Its purpose is clear – to convict the ungifted of sin, righteousness and justice besides edifying the church. It gives understanding for many things. Generally, prophesying is understood to be an act of foretelling. But it is also a form of teaching. A man who has it as a gift is able to perform both. And Paul by the will of God insists that all have it. When he calls all to prophesy, he is calling them to possess the ability for it that there will not be any spiritual lack in the church. Prophecy as a form of teaching arises from the gospel proclamation to supply God’s will to the listeners. It is for precisely targeting their hearts and to show them their condition. Its substance is from the Spirit. When edifying or strengthening believers, prophecy works through the promises of God. In this case, it foretells. This too convicts the ungifted by the power of the Spirit. An ungifted man is an unbeliever who needs a gift of the Spirit. Then the notion of a believer is that he or she is gifted. For in equating an unbeliever to an ungifted Paul insinuates that a believer is gifted. A common gift in all believers is faith and to an extent wisdom. Since you believed, you are no longer the ungifted. Yet, aim for the gift of prophecy so that your calling all the more becomes significant for God’s glory. This is of the Spirit of God and He says, “I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument” (Col. 2:4).
So, brethren, when you are with the gifts of the Spirit, you took hold of God’s desire. This is the inherent honor of being adorned by God. You are subjecting yourselves to Him. Then there is no persuasive argument that can lure you to the flesh. Your desire will be for God and His wishes. Remember, the prophecies of God are lasting to produce an effect that glorifies Him. When He prophesies through you, He is certainly glorified. It indicates your growing in Him and you make a difference. Your joy will be great, because you witness God working powerfully through you. You become bold for everything He supplies. And, let these words of the Lord be to you the strength to serve Him. “The living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades” (Rev. 1:18).