WHERE ARE WE?
Luke 21:31
“Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.”
Luke 21:31
“Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.”
3rd grader Shakira said to her 5th-grade cousin, Cassie, during recess at school in Raleigh, North Carolina. “We got lost on Sunday and ended up in another whole state!”
“What happened?” Cassie asked.
“We drove around trying to find my dad’s uncle Raymond after church. We ended up in Virginia—I saw the sign that welcomed us!”
It’s pretty easy to find oneself in a different state while driving in America. Roadside signs announce the names of cities and states, so that people know where they are. No guard stops a car crossing the border into another state, in America. Because the speed limit on Interstate highways is usually over 60 miles per hour, every minute driven is a mile closer toward destinations. Conveniently, the miles are marked at regular intervals on the right side of the highway. But that wasn’t always the case.
In Roman times, stone columns erected by the side of the road indicated the number of miles from one place, and towards another place. This is how the English language got the word milestone. (Today, the word milepost is usually used in America). In1920, a Zero Milestone was erected just south of the White House in Washington, D.C. This was the point from which distances to various places around the nation are measured.
Just as a highway milepost keeps one oriented (OR-e-en-ted means where one is) on a land journey, God established prophetic (pro-FET-ik means predicted) markers that announce where we are through time. We could say that Genesis 3:15 is Zero Prophetic Milepost from Satan’s promised defeat. “And I will put enmity [EN-mit-ee means hostility] between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” (Emphasis added). God predicted Satan’s future after Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.
If Genesis 3:15 is 0 prophetic milepost, our destination to the Holy City—new Jerusalem—is Revelation 21:2. Prophetic mileposts are specific to God’s chosen Jewish people. Jesus’ birth, life, death, and ascension fulfilled most all prophetic mileposts from the Old Testament. Zechariah 8:8 came true in 1948. “I will bring them back to Jerusalem; they will be My people, and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God.”
Gentiles who believe in Jesus share all Jewish prophetic promises, including eternal destination (Galatians 3:26-29).
Take Home Nugget
New Testament prophetic mileposts signal Jesus’ return. The lesson link, below, highlights some of these mileposts. Just as road signs informed Shakira that she entered Virginia, Christians trust God’s prophetic mileposts that signal our future.
J.D. Griffith
In God, history and prophesy are one and the same.
A. W. Tozer
A personal, private lesson experience with our staff
Written for http://www.biblestudyforkids.com/
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