Prophecy Position

PROPHETIC PERSPECTIVES & DOCTRINE
an MBIMA position paper on the essentials of faith

The Messianic Jewish movement is a prophetic movement. One of our chief concerns is to communicate the knowledge of Messiah Yeshua. This requires a dependence on interpretation of those Hebrew prophecies which have been fulfilled through His life. For two thousand years the Messianic prophecies of the Holy Scriptures have been studied, and no doubt they accurately predicted the first coming of Messiah Yeshua, which in turn proves the faithfulness of G-d and His Word.

The Messianic Jewish movement also relies, to some degree, on prophecies that were not fulfilled at the first coming of Messiah, and are not yet fully realized. These prophecies are more difficult to interpret, since a totally accurate interpretation of a prophecy can be made only after its completion. We are most probably in the midst of completion of many Hebrew prophecies, for we can see correlations, yet in most cases we are looking through "a glass darkly," as Rabbi Shaul said. Unless we can verify that a certain prophecy has come to fruition, we cannot make a high priority doctrine of that prophecy. We can believe that a certain prophecy will come, but we cannot easily tell when or how that prophecy will come.

As an example, we preach and teach as a sure and primary doctrine that our Messiah will come again for us. This fact we can all rally around and rejoice in hope. It is put forth in the Word as more than a cryptic prophecy: it is a doctrine of promise, because of which we are expected to "love His appearing." However, the exact when and how of Messiah's coming is left open to various interpretations. We can teach the possibilities, but we cannot arrive at many absolutes. The when and how cannot be for us a primary doctrine. To make it so would cause --and has caused-- great division in the Body. Unfulfilled prophecy has the potential of various perspectives and meanings. Elevating a prophetic perspective to the level of absolute doctrine only results in quarreling over non-essentials of faith.

In order to keep the unity of faith, those words which come from the mouth of the L-RD as absolute commandments must remain the highest priorities of doctrine. This does not mean that we should not discuss the possibilities of prophecies in the household of faith, but only to be careful to discern those things which are essential from those that are not essential. If a non-essential perspective is put forth as an essential doctrine, and thus causes a faction to arise, then that non-essential perspective loses its possible value even further.

It seems that the proper path of unity in the faith is to stand together for (or rally around) absolute essentials (commandments), while also allowing for the freedom of non-essentials (non-commandments) to be discussed as secondary considerations, as long as they are not looked upon as necessary rallying points. In other words, belief in a perspective of unfulfilled prophecy is never to be required, while obedience to the commandments is required.

An interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy is never an essential of faith. It can never rise to the level of absolute doctrine. We must differentiate between what the L-RD commands us to do and that which He says is going to happen. The Most High does not command or require us all to interpret the future the exact same way. However, He does expect us all to DO what He has commanded (or not do as the case may be).

Any prophetic perspective which becomes an end goal in itself, and thus moves away the focus from the issues of righteousness as our Messiah Yeshua gave us example, is a false hope and a false faith. The perspective in question may even be proven in time to be correct, but the elevation of it beyond its proper place, makes it the enemy of the Good News of Messiah. Anything which demotes the teaching of faith and unity in Messiah to second place becomes His enemy, and thus our enemy. Witness how severely Rabbi Shaul dealt with the doctrine of circumcision in comparison to the doctrine of Messiah in his letter to the Galatians. If promoters of circumcision, a Torah command, became enemies of Messiah because of their improperly placed emphasis, how much more are those enemies of Messiah who elevate a prophetic opinion to an importance above Him. We know what someone thinks as the most important doctrine: It is that which they promote first!

Our unity in Messiah, and the promotion of Him, is far more important than the various prophetic perspectives or emphasis found all over the Messianic web sites. It is difficult enough for the Body to return to the fullness of Messiah as found in Torah without quarreling over opinions of prophecy. Let us come together primarily on what we should teach as commandments of the Most High, and let even this take its rightful place under the authority and promotion of Yeshua HaMashiach. Perhaps in this way we will properly discern the L-RD's Body, and so preserve ourselves holy and blameless until the coming of our L-RD.

There are some Messianic styled bodies that concentrate their full attention to a prophetic opinion, rather than to Messiah and the commandments. Because MBI must not be confused with other Messianic bodies, we require our ministers to be credentialed with MBI alone as of July 2000. MBI Chartered ministries may be associated with others through special permission.

-- Messianic Rabbi David M. Hargis, General Overseer