Lesson 7: Foundations of Prophecy
7.6 Questions
When Heaven Touches Earth—God’s Voice in Prophecy
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Introduction
There are moments in life when all masks fall away—when you can no longer hide from yourself, from others, or from God. The Bible describes exactly such a moment: the Judgment. Yet instead of fear, God invites us through the Gospel to face that moment with confidence—not because of our own righteousness, but because of His grace in Christ.
At the same time, in the end times God calls people—as He once called John the Baptist—to be light in the darkness. The church becomes a prophetic people, shining like a burning lamp in the night and calling out, “Prepare the way of the Lord!” Amid a global battle between light and darkness, God’s love is revealed most clearly at the cross.
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Bible Study
1. The Abyss of Pride—Lucifer’s Rebellion
Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 show how Lucifer, once a protective cherub, fell from heaven. His fall began with the thought “I will…”—I will ascend, I will rule, I will be like God. In that self-exaltation the first evil took root—a rebellion against the very nature of God: love, humility, self-sacrifice.
God allowed evil to bear its fruit—not because He desired its existence, but because love cannot compel loyalty. The cosmic conflict became public, and the cross became the center of revelation: there Jesus triumphed—not by force but by sacrifice.
2. Righteousness in Judgment—Romans 3:22
Paul declares:
“This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Rom 3:22).
At the Judgment we stand exposed—every thought, every motive, every action laid bare. What remains? No self-righteousness. Only the Gospel. Christ’s righteousness covers us like a mantle of light. Without it we are lost; with it we will endure.
3. God’s People as Prophetic Light—John 5:35 & Revelation 14:6
Jesus said of John the Baptist:
“He was a burning and shining lamp” (John 5:35).
John was more than a preacher—he was a forerunner, a voice in the wilderness pointing to the nearness of God’s kingdom. In the end times the church has a similar role: Revelation 14:6 speaks of an eternal gospel proclaimed to every nation, tribe, language, and people. We are not spectators; we are messengers.
Questions with Answers
Question 1:
Imagine standing before God with every flaw, every character defect, every wrong deed, every wrong thought, every impure motive fully exposed. What would you rightfully deserve? What is your only hope? Why must we have “the righteousness of God… through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Rom 3:22) both now and at the Judgment—when we most need it? In short: Why do we need the Gospel?
Answer:
If we are honest—truly honest—we know: no one can stand before the all-knowing, holy God. If our hearts, our intentions, our hidden thoughts, and our inner lives were laid bare, we would be utterly exposed and burdened with guilt. Not only our obvious sins count, but also what we failed to do, what we thought but never spoke, hypocrisy, pride, envy, indifference to the weak, and silent neglect of truth.
According to Scripture, what we “deserve” is clear:
“For the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23)—not just physical death, but eternal separation from God, the Source of life.
And our only hope begins here—not in ourselves but in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:22 tells us there is a righteousness outside of us—God’s righteousness, given by faith in Jesus Christ.
This righteousness is no pious abstraction:
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It is perfect.
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It is tested, proven, and sealed by suffering.
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It is free—but costly, purchased by Jesus’ blood.
At the Judgment, when books are opened and every person stands before the throne (Rev 20:12), the question will not be, “Were you good enough?” but, “Are you secure in Christ?”
Thus the Gospel is not an addition to piety—it is life itself. It is God’s answer to Lucifer’s accusation, the guarantee that grace overcomes sin, and the reason heaven will one day sing,
“Behold the Lamb of God, whose blood redeems!” (VSS 615)
We need the Gospel because:
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We are sinners.
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We need a righteousness we cannot produce.
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God loves us and desires our restoration, not our condemnation.
Question 2:
John the Baptist served as a “burning and shining lamp.” In what way does God’s end-time people have a similar prophetic role?
Answer:
John the Baptist was unique in salvation history; Jesus Himself said no greater prophet was born (Matt 11:11). He was a voice in the wilderness, calling,
“Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight” (Luke 3:4).
He was like a seraph on earth—burning, shining, willing to consume himself to bring light, and he proclaimed Christ’s first coming with clarity and humility:
“He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30).
In the end times, God’s people fulfill a similar role—but announcing Christ’s second coming. We live in an age where truth is desperately sought yet elusive. Spiritual relativism, distraction, and fear cry out for a prophetic witness.
Revelation 14:6–12 describes a people proclaiming the eternal gospel to every nation. Like John, we call people to fear God, honor Him, and recognize that the hour of His judgment has come.
Today’s prophetic role of the church involves three key activities:
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Preparation: Calling to repentance and renewal, not by force but by love.
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Proclamation: Taking the Gospel to every corner—every voice matters.
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Resistance to evil: In a world bowing to the beast (Rev 13), God’s people stand with the Lamb—faithful, steadfast, even unto hardship.
We are not just followers; we are path-makers for His return, lights in the night, flames of hope, heralds of heaven. And, like John, we must say,
“I am not the light, but I am sent to bear witness to the light.”
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Spiritual Principles
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Without the Gospel, no one is righteous; in Christ, all who believe are saved.
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God’s love shines most deeply in the face of evil—on the cross.
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God uses ordinary people for prophetic purposes.
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The church is not a building but a movement—a living lamp.
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Application for Daily Life
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Examine your heart: Do you rely on your own righteousness or on Christ’s?
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Stand daily under the cross—your refuge at the Judgment.
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Be a light—through conversations, deeds, and thoughts. You are God’s messenger.
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Learn to speak up—the world needs the Gospel, and you are God’s voice in your sphere of influence.
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Conclusion
Lucifer’s fall began with pride; humanity’s redemption began with humility—in a manger, on a cross, and in an empty tomb. At the center of God’s plan stands the cross, where love triumphed over sin. And in that divine plan stand you and I—redeemed, called, and sent.
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Thought of the Day
At the Judgment, those who endure will not be the flawless, but those who stand beneath the cross.
Illustration – “The Final Voice”: A Story of Judgment, Grace, and the Call to Shine
It was just before midnight when David sat alone in his tiny study. His laptop screen flickered; outside, rain hammered the window. The city below was frantic, loud, indifferent—his heart was just as restless.
He had just finished watching a courtroom drama. The judge coldly sentenced the defendant—no mercy, no excuses. For some reason, the film didn’t leave him. It wasn’t the movie itself but the question burning in him:
“What if I had to stand before God—right now, tonight?”
He closed his eyes. And saw.
Not in a dream, but as an inner vision—a sudden, quiet crack in the wall between this world and eternity.
He stood in a vast hall of light. Not a wooden courtroom but radiant brilliance. No human judge, but a throne—dazzling, majestic, awesomely beautiful. Around it: beings with eyes like fire, faces like lion, eagle, ox, and man. Before the throne lay a book, open—his life story.
David could not flee. The throne was not outside him; it was inside him. And the book was his soul. Page by page, memories surfaced: pride, lies, ignored cries for help, superficiality, self-righteousness, hurtful words, judging glances, hidden thoughts—known only to Him on the throne.
An angel stepped forward—radiant, pure—and calmly asked,
“What do you bring the King, son of man?”
David tried to answer: “I wasn’t so bad… I never stole… I did good…” But his voice failed. Even his good was tainted by pride in that light.
He sank to his knees and whispered,
“I have nothing to offer—only guilt.”
Then another figure appeared—a man with nail-pierced hands, a face full of love. He looked at David—not accusingly but deeply—and said,
“For him, I suffered. For him, I died. That he might be with Me forever.”
David hardly dared believe it. The book’s pages began to change; the writing erased itself. In their place appeared words like:
“Forgiveness.”
“My Blood.”
“Righteousness by Faith.”
And a voice from the throne declared,
“Righteous—not by your own works, but by the Lamb.”
Then the vision vanished.
David gasped and found himself back in his study—but he was never the same. He knew that when he stands before God, it will not be his record that saves him, but the Gospel—grace, the cross.
Two weeks later, David sat in a small Bible study and for the first time spoke aloud about his vision—quietly, humbly. Everyone listened.
“I realized,” he said, “that I’m not only saved, I’m also called—like John the Baptist—to share this light.”
Afterward, a young woman named Elisa—23, an artist, lost, curious—approached him.
“Do you really think God can use someone like me? I have so many questions and so much darkness inside.”
David smiled and replied,
“God doesn’t need perfect people. He needs genuine, honest, courageous hearts. If He could use John, eating locusts in the wilderness, He can use you—and me.”
Elisa began to read the Bible—first hesitantly, then passionately. One evening by a small lakeside she whispered what she had long feared to hope:
“I want to be like a burning lamp—even if I only light the way for one person.”
A year later, David and Elisa traveled through Europe—not on big stages or TV, but in small groups, cafés, university talks. They shared stories of grace, judgment, the Lamb, and the light that came when they lost themselves. They met skeptics, seekers, dissenters—and saw quiet embers ignite in hearts.
One day they stood before an old prison turned museum. David whispered,
“Imagine—we’re all born behind bars of guilt, fear, pride. Then Christ comes, opens the door, and says: ‘Go forth. Be free. Shine for others.’”
