Let us look at some examples from scripture:
ISA 5:1 I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. ISA 5:2 He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well.Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit. ISA 5:3 "Now you dwellers in Jerusalem and men of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. ISA 5:4 What more could have been done for my vineyard than I have done for it? When I looked for good grapes, why did it yield only bad?
God is concerned about the "state" of Israel’s spiritual condition here. Nothing is said about "when" He is going to do these things. It is quite evident though, that He isn’t satisfied with the justice and the condition of Israel seen here through the parable of the vineyard.
However, when we look at Chap. 7 of Isaiah there are some more definite things that are said according to a time frame:
[7] Yet this is what the Sovereign LORD says: " `It will not take place, it will not happen,ISA 7:8 for the head of Aram is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is only Rezin.Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be too shattered to be a people. ISA 7:9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah's son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.'
Or this one from Isaiah 9, where the birth of Christ is prophesied some 700 years or more before He had come upon the scene:
ISA 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
I received a message the other day from someone about a word from a well-known minister. A portion of it is listed below. It concerns some things that the Lord will bring about through His spirit during this summer:
Here below is a portion of a prophetic word from Kenneth Copeland:
"BY THE END OF JUNE YOU WILL BEGIN TO HEAR OF SUPER-MIRACLES, MEGA MOVES OF GOD!"
"The outpouring of the Holy Ghost that is in motion right now is intensifying and will be thrust into a higher level before the end of this summer.
"By the end of June you will see definite, very definite, moves of the Spirit of God in the realm of the miraculous...Before the end of June you will see definite increase. What you're in now, if you will look back, you will see that the entire body of Christ all over the world is involved in more outpouring than it had been in times past. But by the end of June you will begin to hear of super-miracles, mega-moves of God that startle human minds and thinking. ."
I do believe that what is stated above is true and from the Lord. I as well as others, have received some similar-type messages from the Lord as well. Below again, is a word from the Lord given to me on May 18:
May 18, 02
[11] For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jer. 29
JOEL 2:25 "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten--the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm-- my great army that I sent among you.
"Surely, the months of May and June will be good months for my servants. For the things that have held you back will now be released from you. The roadblocks will be taken away. The things that have prevented ministries from being effective will now be taken away. What the cankerworm has stolen and the palmerworm, will now be given back many times over. For the signs are everywhere. The enemy has attempted to steal many things from you. But he will not be effective. I will thwart his plans and bring him down. Surely, my servants will triumph over the head of the enemy. Surely, a new day is dawning. Surely, a new day is coming. Surely, a new day will arrive. It is the day of my victorious church. "
"Promotions are coming for those who have stood their ground in Me. For many of you have waited long for my plans to unfold for you. The bells will ring and a new day will come forth. Out of your dry winters will come the spring of my glorious might. For I know the plans that I have for you, they are plans to prosper you and to give you hope and a future."
"And you will stand in the face of danger, and the Spirit that is in you will prevail. You will rise above the troubles of this present life and you will soar with Me in the heavenlies. You will sup with Me and you will hear what my Spirit has to say to you. Strategies will be given to you to fight against the enemy. The land will be taken back. Surely, the roadblocks will be taken away. "
"Surely, I will hasten these things and bring them to pass, says the Lord."
We must realize though, that when we receive words or messages like those stated above and the one just below here, that these types of messages will be judged more carefully. The only real way of knowing if this type of word is truly from the Lord is to watch and wait and see if it will come to pass. Deut. 13: 1-5
Jan. 3, 2001
"This year, the year 2001, is a year that you will see many things happen to you in the world around you. There will be more signs in the earth and in the heavens above. Earthquakes will be seen in various places around the earth. The sun's heat will fluctuate and will rise and fall. The signs in the heavens will be evident to all. Natural disasters will abound in many places. Storms in the form of tornadoes will hit the mid section of the United States as never before. You will see a rise of floods as well. "
(The Lord showed me a man who was on a ladder. He had a screwdriver in his hand and was working on the ceiling of this house in several places--at each each corner he was using this screwdriver. Then he went up another level and was working on the ceiling there. This continued until he had done this work on each ceiling, through perhaps 5 levels of the building. Then there was an opening at the last level, through a stove pipe one could see the stars and the sky above.)
He then said:
"Fortify, fortify your buildings and get them ready. When all else is crumbling around you, fortify your building. Your habitation is in Me and in Me alone. When the storms blow, and they will this year in great force, then let Me be that great tower for you. In my tower all else may blow around you, but you will find safety there. Look to Me when the sun and moon will change. "
(This time the Lord showed me a scene of objects being dropped to the earth below. I saw several parachutes fall to the earth, but also bombs that were being dropped. They hit the earth, and also some areas of water. )
He then said: "Another war will break out and it will involve the United States. I have said that there will be wars and the rumors of wars. You have always had wars but they will increase until the end of time. Peaceful treaties will not keep this from happening. " "So, mark this year as a year of these things. Remember that I AM a shelter from the storm."
In conclusion then, we need to get a clear understanding about what prophecy is and what it is not. Most of it is "forthtelling" and not "foretelling." Most of it is not predictive. Most of it concerns our spiritual condition and identifies what we need to work on. We will know that we are loved, we will be encouraged, chastened, shown mercy, forgiveness, and yes, even judgment. All of these things and more are within the chambers of God’s throneroom and heart. His speech is being poured out unto His servants in this hour in greater and greater measure. His revelation has and is being multiplied as one word upon another builds a framework of prophetic speech. It is not always "when" something is going to happen, but it is concerned about "us" and our relationship with Him. Much of the world seeks psychics and even the dead for answers to specific questions that they have. I have come to understand that we can’t get all the answers to our questions, and that prophecy is just "part" of the puzzle. I Co. 13[12] Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.