Revelation 11:1-14

July 19, 2020

Lord’s Day Worship

Sean Higgins

The sermon starts around 19:55 in the audio file.

Or, Being on the Wrong Side of Prophecy

Maybe you’ve run into the buzzword argument which threatens that you don’t want to be on the wrong side of history. It sounds bad. It also assumes a number of things in order to have its emotional effect (which, it is entirely an emotional appeal, and possibly includes a number of logical fallacies).

To be on the wrong side of history means that you have not progressed enough to see how our fathers, and many of our neighbors, are not just old and outdated but obviously wrong, as in ignorant or prejudiced or worse. The assumption is that modern viewpoints must necessarily be more accurate. We moderns see better, we have more information, we are smarter everyday.

When it comes to certain products, there may be something to this. Only once you’ve made a thing can you test it and then improve it. It requires not only developing materials and production methods, but also knowing the purpose of the thing. Does that work with persons? Cultures?

The sin of hatred and prejudice toward men based on outward appearance and having a different skin color is a real sin, and in the middle of the last century there were numerous effects. But that sin has always been sin, and it still is sin, regardless of the colors of the hater and the hated. The answer to that sin is not progressing in our mindset, it is repentance and forgiveness and sanctification in Christ. We are not on the right side of history because we preach against hatred, we are living according to God’s Word.

The right side of history argument is often used today by those who see the ethnic conflict as a playbook for embracing homosexuality (a denial of natural relationships) and transgenderism (a denial of natural identity). We’re told that disagreement with those lifestyles/sins is equal to discrimination, to hatred, and we don’t want to end up on the wrong side of history again. Who wants future generations writing about how mean and stupid we were? The more evolved are the more accepting are the more virtuous.

In reality virtue might be being in the minority; it definitely isn’t defined by the majority. (That’s the fallacy of ad populum, arguing because of the popularity). Virtue likewise isn’t defined by one’s position on a timeline, though there are different ways to demonstrate virtue depending on when you’re living. Being right depends on a standard, and that standard is not based on percentage or by historical perspective.

I bring it up to riff off it in two more ways, two considerations of being on the wrong side of prophecy.

As Christians gathered to hear God’s Word we want both to understand prophecy for the sake of our faith and hope and obedience and blessing, and we want to understand prophecy for sake of our witness and warning to the world that they might also come to the Lord and Savior. We can be on the wrong side of prophecy by not accepting it as believers (which is not a great place to be) or by not accepting it as unbelievers (which is an even worse place, with eternal consequences).

For believers, the book of Revelation is work. I can’t remember exactly, and I didn’t do a search, but it seems like commentators regularly say “this is one of the toughest passages to interpret.” Of the commentaries I’m reading, many of them said it again about chapter 11 with the temple and the two witnesses: difficult and debated. I’d like to propose that some of those challenges arise from tying their faith behind their backs. Their faith is on the wrong side of prophecy.

I’ve said from the start of our study that everyone’s problem with the Apocalypse is that it hasn’t happened like it said, or like it seemed to us it would, or even “soon.” But most of the alternatives[...]