Sabbath Meditation #32 – The Sabbath and Prophecy

By Kelly McDonald, Jr.

“Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.” (Matthew 24:20)

In general, prophecy has to do with promises God has made about future events. Some of the books of the Bible with a prophetic emphasis include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation. A survey of the book of Revelation, which is a culmination of many other prophecies, reveals significant repetitions of the number seven. In this book alone, 31 verses mention some subject with the number seven included. I have summarized some of these below:

– Seven Churches represented by seven stars and seven lampstands (Rev. 1:20).

– The Seven lamps which represents the seven-fold Spirit of God (Rev. 4:5).

– A book written sealed with seven seals (Rev. 5:1).

– The Lamb has seven eyes and seven horns with represent the seven-fold Spirit of God (Rev. 5:6).

– Seven angels with Seven Trumpets (Rev. 8:2).

– Seven thunders (Rev. 10:3-4).

– The dragon has seven heads with seven crowns (Rev. 12:3).

– A beast with seven heads (Rev. 13:1).

– Seven Angels with Seven golden bowls which represent Seven plagues (Rev. 15:6-7-8).

– A beast with seven heads which represents seven heads and seven kings (Rev. 17:3, 9-10).

Sevens can be found in other prophetic books as well. In Isaiah 11:15, we learn that the Euphrates will be broken up into seven streams. In Daniel chapter 9, there is a prophecy about the seventy weeks or seventy seven-year periods. The seventieth week is connected to events just before Christ’s return.

These prophetic sevens may have inspired some Christians, such as the Anabaptists in 16^th century Germany, to literally obey the Sabbath (click here to learn more about this subject).

It would be difficult for us to review all the references to the number seven as it relates to end-time events and overlook any connection to the seventh-day Sabbath. The Sabbath is mentioned in Matthew 24:20 in a broader discussion about the last days before Christ’s return. It is implied in Rev. 14:12.

But what other implications might there be for the Sabbath in prophecy. Does the Sabbath help open our minds to deeper truths about prophecy? Does the Sabbath help us to connect these prophecies together? Meditate for a moment on how the Sabbath might apply to prophecy. How do you think it applies to prophecy?

Selah.

Kelly McDonald, Jr.BSA President – www.biblesabbath.org