We have spoken before of the church as being divided and it’s messaging is coming to us on three different prophetic fronts. Three different messages cannot each be all truth, not if there is any contradiction concerning the timing of events; but each must be considered to make that determination. So with this in mind, I believe that we need to examine them briefly and deal with them through the Scriptures teaching.

The three prophetic camps are easily identified. One prophecy camp is actively engaged in prophesying and in expecting a spiritual awakening bringing in God’s kingdom on earth. These prophesies speak with specifics to what today is happening in America and around the world, where we are seeing what appears to be a socialist/communist takeover of America and then a move toward the one world situation that we see prophesied in Scripture. These prophets tell us that God will avert this planned takeover which is said to be a premature implementation by Satan of his plan that is revealed in Scripture, which plan is to still eventually come about, but not until after the kingdom of God is brought in. The reason the timing is considered premature is due to the subversion of God’s kingdom coming on earth.

In other words, they understand that the millennial kingdom takes place before Jesus will return. This makes Satan’s attempt to set up his kingdom as described in Revelation premature in their minds. If they are correct, when God averts this action He will clean house and establish through His people this kingdom on earth.

A second group of prophecy teachers are seeing the same events taking place in America and across the world, and they are interpreting these events to be the actual Satanic takeover as described in Daniel, Revelation and in other scripture passages. They therefore are seeing an almost immediate or imminent Rapture of the church, followed by Jesus coming to establish His kingdom 7 years later.

The third group of prophetic teachers are also looking for Jesus coming to establish His kingdom, but before that, we look for the Temple to be rebuilt and the Antichrist to appear, so this is before the kingdom can be set up. Thus Christ’s coming, and the Rapture demand based on scriptures teaching this evil move that is being seen on the part of governments today. They expect severe times at the end of the age similar to what we now see coming on America. But, what is happening now though it could certainly lead to imminent tribulation, still God’s timing could also accommodate what the prophets are calling for in terms of Revival. This is potentially possible because all of the end time signs are not yet fulfilled. There has not yet been a revealing of the Antichrist.

So how are believers to judge between the three teachings?

I have dealt with my reasons scripturally for adoption of the post Trib Rapture theory. I have taught on those reasons extensively within this blog. But as stated here a present day revival which would only postpone those events would not damage the post-Trib resurrection teachings of scripture, nor the rapture timing issue. At least it would not as to our understanding of Scripture. In fact a revival would not damage the pre-Trib Rapture theory either. However, the establishment of a millennial kingdom before Christ’s return as prophesied by many of these prophets would in specific ways destroy critical parts of the pre-Trib position, and any pre-millennial aspects of these other teachings.

But the lack of a revival in the governments of the world leading to the kingdom before Tribulation, would definitely bring these kingdom age prophets into question. A revival within the church, which would add significantly to the church, would merely postpone tribulation and Rapture, but would not end the debate over the raptures timing.

However a revival accompanied by a worldwide sweep of evil taking place in governments, which would also lead to a lengthy worldwide period of peace bringing God’s kingdom to earth, would not only verify the prophetic voices in our day, but would destroy the dispensationalist teachings of this immediate and imminent timing of the pre-Trib teaching.

So either way this plays out, there will be those within the church who will be termed false prophets when things are further revealed — false prophecy is a term that we are not unfamiliar with in scripture. The prudent believer is to be aware that there will be false prophets among us, and by so doing can be less likely to be deceived in these times when deception is definitely among us from both within and without the church.

There are two ways that a false prophet is revealed, one is with the word of God itself. The second is through the failure of the prophecy spoken. A false prophet will normally give the people what they want. A true prophet will likely be rejected by the general population. We must be discerning, seeking God, and guided by His Holy Spirit. We owe it to our family; to one another, and to ourselves to be discerning in these times.