Matthew Henry wrote regarding the purpose of prophecy, specifically in regard to apocalyptic prophecy in the book of Daniel, but also as it applies to all prophecy:
"VI. That this prophecy of those times, though sealed up now, would be of great use to those that should live then, v. 4. Daniel must now shut up the words and seal the book because the time would be long ere these things would be accomplished: and it was some comfort that the Jewish nation, though, in the infancy of their return from Babylon, while they were few and weak, they met with obstructions in their work, were not persecuted for their religion till a long time after, when they had grown to some strength and maturity. He must seal the book because it would not be understood, and therefore would not be regarded, till the things contained in it were accomplished; but he must keep it safely, as a treasure of great value, laid up for the ages to come, to whom it would be of great service; for many shall then run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. Then this hidden treasure shall be opened, and many shall search into it, and dig for the knowledge of it, as for silver. They shall run to and fro, to enquire out copies of it, shall collate them, and see that they be true and authentic. They shall read it over and over, shall meditate upon it, and run it over in their minds; discurrent—they shall discourse of it, and talk it over among themselves, and compare notes about it, if by any means they may sift out the meaning of it; and thus knowledge shall be increased. By consulting this prophecy on this occasion they shall be led to search other scriptures, which shall contribute much to their advancement in useful knowledge; for then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord, Hos. 6:3. Those that would have their knowledge increased must take pains, must not sit still in slothfulness and bare wishes but run to and fro, must make use of all the means of knowledge and improve all opportunities of getting their mistakes rectified, their doubts resolved, and their acquaintance with the things of God improved, to know more and to know better what they do know. And let us here see reason to hope that, 1.
Those things of God which are now dark and obscure will hereafter be made clear, and easy to be understood. Truth is the daughter of time. Scripture prophecies will be expounded by the accomplishment of them; therefore they are given, and for that explication they are reserved. Therefore they are told us before, that, when they do come to pass, we may believe. 2. Those things of God which are despised and neglected, and thrown by as useless, shall be brought into reputation, shall be found to be of great service, and be brought into request; for divine revelation, however slighted for a time, shall be magnified and made honourable, and, above all, in the judgment of the great day, when the books shall be opened, and that book among the rest."
Isaac Newton echoes his words in regard to Old Testament prophecy and Revelation:
"
The folly of interpreters has been to foretell times and things by this prophecy [Revelation], as if God designed to make them prophets. By this rashness they have not only exposed themselves, but brought the prophecy also into contempt. The design of God was much otherwise.
He gave this and the prophecies of the Old Testament, not to gratify men's curiosities by enabling them to foreknow things, but that after they were fulfilled they might be interpreted by the event, and his own providence, not the interpreters', be then manifested thereby to the world. For the event of things predicted many ages before will then be a convincing argument that the world is governed by Providence."
When we look to those before us we can see there is nothing new under the sun. There has certainly been no shortage of false future predictors in our day, motivated by bible prophecy. Like "88 reasons Jesus is Coming in 1988"
Early church fathers offer a lot of valuable information, particularly in regard to prior history of the church, as well as the times during which they lived. But unless we are given specific solid reason to believe that an individual ECF was an actual prophet -
through fulfilled prophecy in the absence of false prophecy - it would seem there would be no more compelling reason to believe any future predicting they did than that of any other men throughout the Christian era. Let's consider the example of Hippolytus:
"Thus, then, does the prophet set forth these things concerning
the Antichrist, who shall be shameless, a war-maker, and despot, who, exalting himself above all kings and above every god,
shall build the city of Jerusalem, and restore the sanctuary. Him the impious will worship as God, and will bend to him the knee, thinking him to be the Christ. He shall cut off the two witnesses and forerunners of Christ, who proclaim His glorious kingdom from heaven, as it is said: 'And I will give (power) unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.' As also it was announced to Daniel: 'And one week shall confirm a covenant with many; and in the midst of the week it shall be that the sacrifice and oblation shall be removed'—that the one week might be shown to be divided into two. The two witnesses, then, shall preach three years and a half; and Antichrist shall make war upon the saints during the rest of the week, and desolate the world, that what is written may be fulfilled: 'And they shall make the abomination of desolation for a thousand two hundred and ninety days.'" - Hippolytus, On Daniel, section 39
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf0...iv.i.x.ii.htmlNow I doubt there are any in this forum that believe that "the Antichrist" is going to "build the city of Jerusalem", since Jews have already accomplished that over the last 200 years, upon their return to Jerusalem after 1200 years of Islam had rendered Jerusalem to a state of near total desolation. How many believe "the Antichrist will "restore the sanctuary"? The reason for Hippolytus' error is because bible prophecy wasn't given to us, through which to predict the future, as if to make us all prophets. Perhaps part of the reason for Hippolytus' suggestion is because of the way it seems he viewed Jews:
"5.
Listen with understanding, O Jew, to what the Christ says: “They gave me gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.†And these things He did indeed endure from you. Hear the Holy Ghost tell you also what return He made to you for that little portion of vinegar. For the prophet says, as in the person of God, “Let their table become a snare and retribution.†Of what retribution does He speak? Manifestly, of the misery which has now got hold of thee.
6.
And then hear what follows: “Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not.†And surely ye have been darkened in the eyes of your soul with a darkness utter and everlasting. For now that the true light has arisen, ye wander as in the night, and stumble on places with no roads, and fall headlong, as having forsaken the way that saith, “I am the way.â€1570
Furthermore, hear this yet more serious word: “And their back do thou bend always;†that means, in order that they may be slaves to the nations, not four hundred and thirty years as in Egypt, nor seventy as in Babylon, but bend them to servitude, he says, “always.†In fine, then, how dost thou indulge vain hopes, expecting to be delivered from the misery which holdeth thee? For that is somewhat strange. And not unjustly has he imprecated this blindness of eyes upon thee. But because thou didst cover the eyes of Christ, (and1571) thus thou didst beat Him, for this reason, too, bend thou thy back for servitude always. And whereas thou didst pour out His blood in indignation, hear what thy recompense shall be:
“Pour out Thine indignation upon them, and let Thy wrathful anger take hold of them;†and, “Let their habitation be desolate,†to wit, their celebrated temple."No shortage of Popes embraced his suggestion.
Pope Innocent III: “The Jews, by their own guilt, are consigned to perpetual servitude because they crucified the Lord.†(To the Archbishops of Sens and Paris)
Pope Benedict XIV: “It is fitting for Jews to serve Christians, but not for Christians to serve Jews. On the contrary, the Jews, as slaves rejected by that Saviour Whose death they wickedly contrived, should recognize themselves in fact and in creed the slaves of those whom the death of Christ has set free, even as it has rendered them bondmen.†(
Quoting Pope Innocent III, “Etsi Judaeosâ€)
Unless we are going to make our own future prediction that Jerusalem will be destroyed, in order to be rebuilt again by "the Antichrist" so Hippolytus prediction can come true, we can see that his attempt at future predicting was, as our own would be, described by the quotes at the beginning of the OP and specifically for that reason.
So unless an early church father, or anybody else, is specifically identifiable as being a prophet
through fulfillment of his future predicting and in the absence of false future predicting (or through fulfilled genuine inspired prophecy, as in the examples of the prophets of our scriptures), of what greater value is their future predicting than any other speculator whether 2nd century or 21st century? Shouldn't the steady stream of false prophets, abusing prophecy as if it were given to us to predict the future, serve as enough warning against paying heed to them or their speculating?
How does it make the church look to those outside of a life in Christ? How many of the lost have been attracted toward seeking a life in Christ, through witnessing the blizzard of false prophets, and false prophecy? How many are won to Christ through stories about a "the Antichrist", implanting microchips, or any of the rest of the future predicting, by pseudo-prophets found on millions of web sites that are available for the searching? Are Christians really called to create fantasy to attract people to the Gospel? Or does the Gospel instruct us to specifically do the opposite:
1Th 5:21
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.Where is it to be found other than in the minds of men, that have deceived themselves into believing that God granted them the ability and authority, to predict the future?
Even modern future predictors who's predictions can be positively identified as being patently false through the passage of time, barely loose any of their followers as a result, but instead simply spin the falsehood and march right ahead into their next failed predictions. Perhaps it's in part, because ever since childhood, we have all enjoyed a good story. Unfortunately, predicting the future through prophecy has become a massively profitable industry, so the odds of our seeing a reduction of it any time soon - short of the return of Christ - isn't too likely. But it does however seem to demonstrate a perfect
fulfillment of prophecy:
2 Timothy 4:3-4
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
