Why Bible Prophecy is Important

on Thursday, July 2, 2026 by

This article will explain what Bible prophecy is and why it’s critically important for everyone to learn. It was actually a prophecy that saved humankind from extinction.

As the story is told in Genesis 6:13-22, Noah was given a prophecy that heavy rains were forthcoming. These waters were destined to flood the earth and all peoples and animals alive at the time would drown. At the time the prophecy was issued, Noah was given a means for survival. He was instructed to build an ark that measured approximately five hundred feet long. Considering that the length of a typical football field is one-hundred yards, which is only three hundred feet, this was an enormous undertaking.

Noah built the Ark and according to Genesis 7:7, he and his wife and their three sons and three daughters-in-law were the only people that entered it. Genesis 7:17-23 informs that the flood lasted forty days and that Noah and his family were the only humans to survive.

Genesis 9:1 says, “ So God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.”” Genesis 10 gives the identities of the ancient nations that descended from Noah’s loins. Several millennia later we all were born through these ancestors.

This historical account provides a perfect example of why Bible prophecy is important. If Noah had not foreknown about the flood and made the necessary preparations to survive it, you and I wouldn’t exist!

How Important is Bible Prophecy?

According to “The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy” by J. Barton Payne, there are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament for a total of 1,817. These prophecies are contained in 8,352 of the Bible’s verses. Since there are 31,124 verses in the Bible, the 8,352 verses that contain prophecy constitute 26.8% of the Bible’s volume.[i]

Some higher estimates suggest that about one-third, approximately 10,000 verses, are devoted to prophecy. With so many passages of prophecy penned on the holy parchments, obviously the God of the Bible considers this topic to be deemed as important. Here’s why.

Bible prophecy is invaluable predictive information outsourced from a loving God with 100% accuracy that is intended to:

Authenticate the sovereignty of God – Isaiah 46:9-10, which was quoted in the introduction, declares that only God can predict the future with 100% accuracy. The Lord’s ability to declare the end from the beginning is one of His signature trademarks that sets Him apart from all of the false gods. When an ancient biblical prediction finds a future fulfillment, the Lord can justifiably say, “I told you in advance.” 

Equip the followers of God for the days in which they live – The Lord wants to inform us of the future because He wants to equip us for the pitfalls that await us. To equip someone is to prepare them for a particular activity or problem. It also means to provide them with necessary materials or supplies that they need to deal with that activity or problem.[ii]

Spare lives – The Lord informs us of the future to protect us. God wishes that none would perish, but that all would have abundant life on the earth and eternal life afterward. Below are a few passages that support this statement.

 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, (Jesus Christ), that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16; emphasis added)

“I, (Jesus Christ), have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10b; emphasis added)

“And now I, (Jesus Christ). have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.” (John 14:29; emphasis added)

Noah’s story is a prime example of how prophecy can spare lives. Another prime example is inscribed in Genesis chapter 41 dealing with Joseph. He was given advance warning by God that Egypt was going to experience a devastating famine.

“Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt;but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land.” (Gen. 41:29-30)

Genesis 41:47-49 informs that Joseph wisely gathered and stored up sufficient supplies during the seven years of great plenty for the Egyptians to survive the seven years of severe famine.

Save souls – The fact that the Lord shares, rather than keeps secret, His foreknowledge of the future through biblical prophecies, can make someone grow fond of Him. I did! I became a believer through learning about Bible prophecies.

This happened in 1990 while I was attending a Bible study on the book of Revelation that was taught by the late Dr. Chuck Missler, (May 28, 1934 – May 1, 2018). His lessons incorporated many past fulfilled biblical prophecies. I researched the historical accounts and discovered that they aligned perfectly with their related prophecies. This impressed me and increased my yearning to know the one and only God Who could accurately foretell the future.

Revelation 19:10 says, “Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Bible prophecy can and has led people to the Lord because it testifies of Jesus Christ, Who is the exclusive means of salvation. Alluding to the name of Jesus Christ, Acts 4:12 says, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Prophecy can be preached alongside the gospel as an evangelical tool.

“All Scripture (including the Bible prophecies) is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17; emphasis added)

Conclusion

The prophetic “proof is in the pudding,” to coin an old adage, is that the Bible is packed with predictive information, which means that at least the Lord considers prophecy to be important. But why would God be enamored with His ability to foretell the future? Is the Lord trying to impress Himself with this exclusive capability? I hardly think so.

The Lord’s ability to know the future evidences that He is not someone with too much time on His hands, but He holds all time in His hands. Moreover, God does not give us prophecy to impress us, but rather to inform us. This is because He cares for us. When the Lord included prophecies with the Bible, He wasn’t SHOWING OFF, He was SHOWING UP in a unique and undeniable way.

Bible prophecy is the Lord’s way of letting us know how much He loves us.


[i] Equip is defined this way in the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at this web link: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/equip

[ii] J. Barton Payne’s information was taken on 2/4/22 from this website: http://cityofpraisechurch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/LR-AUG-2021.pdf

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