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You are here: Home / Prophecy / Understanding Old and New Testament Prophecy
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Understanding Old and New Testament Prophecy

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Prophecy fascinates us because it points to something beyond our physical world and reminds us of God’s hand at work in creation. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has “set eternity in the human heart” (NIV). We yearn to discover eternity because we were created for it (John 3:16). Everything that can be known about the future is revealed through Old and New Testament prophecy.

Meme: We year to discover eternity because we were created for it

Jesus warned that false prophets would be prevalent during earth’s final days (Matthew 24:11). In 1997, Michael Drosnin published The Bible Code, which described a hidden message he claimed to have found in the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible). According to Drosnin, this message predicted a comet would annihilate all life in 2012. In the same year, the ancient Mayan calendar inspired some to believe the world would end near 2012’s winter solstice. Well, the fact that we are still here proves the inaccuracy of these—and many other—extrabiblical prophecies. By studying Scripture, we can avoid the deception of such imposters.

Marks of Prophecy

There are three hallmarks that define Old Testament prophecy: authenticity, absolute specificity, and accuracy.

Authenticity of Prophecy

For prophecy to be authentic, the prophet must not exert any influence upon the event that he is prophesying. He cannot be able to manipulate the circumstances so that the event will come true. When a teacher announces to her class there will be a test tomorrow, she is not prophesying. She is stating a fact based on her authority to issue a test at a future time. Prophecy must be given in advance of its fulfillment and by someone who does not have control over the prophesied events.

Absolute Specificity of Prophecy

Biblical prophecy must be specific. God’s prophecies are usually very detailed, eliminating any chance of coincidence. In Micah 5:2, the prophet predicted the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem Ephrathah in Judah. At the time of Christ, there was at least one other town named Bethlehem, but Micah accurately and specifically anticipated the Messiah’s arrival in Bethlehem Ephrathah seven hundred years beforehand.

Accuracy of Prophecy

Any prophet who claims to have a word from God must be one hundred percent accurate. God describes this measurement of prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:20-22. He concludes, “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.” If someone speaks a prophecy that does not come to pass, the Lord says you can know for sure that his message is not from Him. By the authority of Almighty God, we know that anyone claiming to be His prophet must be spot on.

Old Testament Prophecy

Circumstances

The true sense of a prophet is being one who proclaims truth on behalf of another. Within that framework, the ways God revealed truth to Old Testament prophets varied. They received information from God through dreams, visions, angels, and verbal communication. The method does not matter nearly as much as the message. Whenever Israel’s king began to fail, God provided prophets to correct him. After Israel and Judah were conquered and there was no longer an earthly king, God provided prophets to guide the exiles. God spoke to His ancient prophets in a variety of ways; regardless of the method, the prophets were responsible to faithfully communicate His message to the people.

Prophetic Limitations

While the prophets held the distinction of being hand-selected messengers from God, they were still confined by their human perspective. As they peered into the future, events often converged for them because they didn’t understand the timeline of their prophecies. When we watch the sun set, it appears to melt into the earth. Now, we know the two do not touch, but from our limited vantage point, it appears as if they do. When the prophets received a vision, they didn’t realize the events in their visions were sometimes separated by vast spans of time. For instance, the coming of the Messiah and the Day of the Lord were often seen in succession. These prophecies were event oriented, not time oriented. God gave the prophets supernatural revelation, but He didn’t explain all the specifics to them.

How Does Old Testament Prophecy Relate to New Testament Prophecy?

The fundamental role of a prophet did not change from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Prophets continued to be God’s spokesmen. They communicated His plans, purposes, and power. Before Israel and Judah’s exile, prophets addressed the king’s failures and called him to repentance. During the exile, prophets pointed to a future King who would ransom His people and rule in perfect holiness. In the New Testament, prophets illustrated Christ’s kingship through the events of His life and prophesied His triumphant return. Old Testament prophets anticipated the King of kings while New Testament prophets affirmed the King of kings.

Meme: Old Testament prophets anticipated the King of Kings while New testament prophets affirmed the King of kings.

Awaiting the Messiah

There are over three hundred specific promises about the coming Savior in the Old Testament. In Acts 3:24, Peter stated, “All the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days.” Here are just a few of the messianic prophecies Jesus fulfilled.

  • Micah predicted Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem Ephrathah (Micah 5:2).
  • Zechariah foreshadowed a future when the Davidic monarch and the priesthood would meet in the Messiah (Zechariah 6:11-15; Hebrews 3:1; Revelation 5:5).
  • Jeremiah foretold the slaughter of the innocents that was carried out by Herod (Jeremiah 31:15).
  • Hosea revealed that Mary and Joseph would have to flee to Egypt to save Jesus’s life (Hosea 11:1).

All these prophecies occurred more than four hundred years before Jesus was born in Bethlehem!

Prophecy has always pointed to Almighty God’s magnificent plan of redemption through Jesus Christ our Lord.

New Testament Prophecy

Who Are the New Testament Prophets?

There are several prophets named in the New Testament. Of those, John the Baptist, John the apostle, and Jesus Christ are the most prominent.

John the Baptist: The One Who Prepares the Way

John the Baptist fulfilled the prophecies of Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 3:1 by preparing the way for Israel’s Messiah. In the ancient world, road conditions were unpredictable, particularly outside of Rome. When a king conquered new territory, he would dispatch people to prepare a smooth roadway through the unfamiliar land so that the king could survey his spoils. This was the essence of John the Baptist’s ministry: he was the one sent ahead, into the wilderness, to prepare a path for the Messiah by calling God’s people to repentance and urging them to prepare their hearts.

Total Devotion

In the tradition of Elijah, this unusual man was totally devoted to his ministry. John the Baptist was one of only three life-long Nazarites identified in the Bible. (Samson and Samuel are the other two.) This means he was consecrated, or set apart, by his parents before birth to serve the Lord and to uphold specific requirements of the Nazarite vow. During John’s ministry, people flocked to the desert to hear his preaching and to receive his baptism. At one point, a dispute arose between John’s disciples and some Jews, but John was never distracted from his mission. He kept an eternal perspective and yielded to Jesus’s ministry:

John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:27-30)

John understood his role and maintained his priorities. He was just as comfortable being the voice in the wilderness as he was baptizing thousands in the desert because the only thing that mattered to him was to be God’s person, in God’s place, doing God’s will, at God’s time.

Meme: The only thing that mattered to him was to be God's person, in God's place, doing God's will, at God's time.

The Greatest Prophet

Jesus described John the Baptist as “more than a prophet” and went on to say, “there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist” (Luke 7:26, 28). In every sense of the word, John the Baptist fulfilled his calling . . . even though he performed no miracles and was martyred (John 10:41; Mark 6:27-28). He paved the way for the Savior, and he modeled discipleship for the Savior’s followers. John’s passion, preaching, and prophecy persuaded many to follow God (Luke 7:29).

John the Baptist’s legacy leaves no room for arrogance or apathy. Dietrich Bonhoeffer has said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”1 John the Baptist was born as a forerunner who prepared the way for the Messiah. He was respected as a prophet who earned the people’s trust (Matthew 14:5). He died as a martyr who proclaimed God’s Truth.

John: The Disciple Jesus Loved

The apostle John held a distinct advantage as he penned his Gospel and prophesied Jesus’s return, for he was one of the Lord’s closest friends. John was present with Jesus at some of the most critical moments in His ministry, and Jesus entrusted him with the care of His mother, Mary (John 19:27). Throughout his Gospel, John modestly refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” waiting until the next-to-last verse to reveal that he was that disciple (21:24). John’s only notable fault seems to be his overly ambitious zeal for the Lord (Mark 10:35-41; Luke 9:54-56). While John the Baptist supported Jesus’s ministry from afar, John the apostle was the Lord’s constant companion and devoted disciple.

John’s Gospel

John’s written works portray the same zealous passion for God’s kingdom that characterized his daily life. In every regard, the Gospel of John reveals Jesus as the authentic way to life, both in heaven and on earth. John recorded seven major miracles of Christ, each focusing on a different dimension of Christ’s deity. His Gospel emphasizes Jesus’s fulfillment of prophecy and concludes with, “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31).

John’s Letters

In his later years, John penned three epistles, or letters, and the mysterious prophecy of Revelation while in exile on the lonely isle of Patmos. These works provide unique insight from the longest living disciple—from one who had opportunity to help found Christ’s Church and then evaluate its progress. Full of fervor, his letters admonish readers to hold fast to the Truth and to stick to the basics. John spoke against false teachers who created divisions in the Church while encouraging his readers toward the same type of intimate, day-by-day, moment-by-moment spiritual walk with Jesus that he had enjoyed.

John’s Prophecy

At some point during John’s exile, the risen, glorified Jesus Christ appeared to His beloved disciple in all His glory, prompting John to write Revelation. This book carried specific messages of encouragement and warning for the churches in Asia, but the letters were also intended to inform the Church of today. After addressing the Asian churches, John describes visions of warfare, judgment, and ultimate victory for Christ the Lamb and King. These visions are difficult to understand; they require having “ears to hear” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22), but God promises a special blessing for those who peer into the future with John (1:3).

Lining up John’s various writings reveals a continuum of faith. His Gospel calls us to obey Jesus, trusting in His promises and deity. His letters call us to walk daily with the Lord, clinging to the Truth. His Revelation calls us to endure for the Lord and to anticipate ultimate victory. In everything John wrote, his goal was to portray Christ as the divine Son of God, clothed in human flesh, having come to save all who believe in Him (John 1:14; 3:16; 20:30-31).

Meme: Revelation calls us to endure for the Lord and to anticipate ultimate victory.

Jesus Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King

It may seem strange to classify the Son of God as a prophet, but the Bible supports this treatment. In the words of Deuteronomy 18:18, “I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him.” On two different occasions, the disciples quoted this verse and explained Christ’s fulfillment of it (Acts 3:22; 7:37).

When we consider the purposes and marks of a prophet, Jesus fulfilled all of them. In John 1:1, He was called “the Word.” Later, He stated that He did not speak His own words but those of the Father (John 7:16; 8:28; 17:6-8). As the Word, Jesus brought glory to God by calling people to repentance and obedience. Finally, He specifically and accurately prophesied about future events, including End Times (Matthew 16:21; 26:34; 24—25; 27—28; Acts 1:8).

Jesus’s Healing and Miracles

During His earthly ministry, Jesus performed the greatest cluster of healing and miracles witnessed by mankind. Several of these are recorded in Scripture, but John tells us, “Truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30-31). These miracles attested to the arrival of the kingdom of God, proved Jesus’s deity, and imparted confidence to those who believed His claims.

Glorifying the Father

As a prophet, Jesus demonstrated His anointing through miracles, healing, and teaching. But His purpose was not to bring glory to Himself; His purpose was to glorify the Father (John 14:13). Just as John the Baptist knew he must decrease so that Jesus may increase, Jesus knew His adoring crowds must ultimately yield to an agonizing crown. His glory had to decrease so that the Father’s glory might increase. Jesus knew His miracles would incite the hatred of powerful Jews. He performed them despite the publicity they would create, not because of it. Jesus came to be the Suffering Servant, prophesied by Isaiah, who would bear our griefs and carry our sorrows (chapter 53). So, in the tradition of the prophets, Jesus’s signs were never erected for their own sake; they always pointed to the Father.

Circumstances of New Testament Prophecy

Once the life, death, and Resurrection of the promised Messiah were complete, an era of prophecy ended. Old Testament prophecy anticipated the Messiah. Then, New Testament prophecy announced the Messiah. Finally, John’s book of Revelation accomplished the completion of God’s written Word. Since this vision, prophets have relied on information from the Bible, together with the Holy Spirit, and applied it to the situation of their day.

Prophecy Fulfilled

Much of New Testament prophecy was fulfilled before the apostle John’s death because it centered around the life of Jesus and His disciples. Some of Jesus’s prophecies dealt with the disciples: He anticipated Judas’s betrayal (Matthew 26:24-25), Peter’s denial (Matthew 26:34), and the manner of Peter’s death (John 21:18-19). However, most of its prophecy foretold events of Jesus’s death, Resurrection, and Second Coming.

After the Resurrection, Jesus sat down with His disciples and showed them how He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. That should be an encouragement to us! Even the men who had lived with Jesus for years and studied the Scriptures with Him needed help understanding all of this. As He concluded His lesson, Jesus said, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (Luke 24:44). Then He “opened their understanding that they might comprehend the Scriptures” (verse 45). Some people want to say Jesus was nothing more than a good teacher. That can’t possibly be true because He repeatedly declared Himself to be the promised Messiah, and He met the requirements of Messiah.

When the disciples’ lesson was over and Jesus ascended to heaven, Luke tells us that they “worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God” Luke 24:52-53). Understanding God’s sovereignty and His faithfulness to fulfill promises prompted joyful worship by the disciples. Our response should be no different! New Testament prophecy builds up the Body of Christ through exhortation, and it provides encouragement in the face of persecution (1 Corinthians 14:4-5).

The Disciples’ Testimony

The disciples’ lives bear testimony to the power of prophecy. They were so confused and frightened in the days immediately following Jesus’s death that they hid behind closed doors (John 20:19). Then, Jesus appeared to them, and everything changed. Once they understood how He had conquered the grave and fulfilled prophecies, they courageously proclaimed that truth to the point of death. The book of Acts records James’s martyrdom in chapter 12, verse 2. Other historical records suggest that at least nine of the other apostles met gruesome deaths as martyrs. If these men had not been thoroughly persuaded by Jesus’s fulfillment of prophecy, these men would not have died for their faith.

Meme: The disciples' lives bear testimony to the power of prophecy.

How Does Biblical Prophecy Relate to Our World Today?

Prophecy has always been spoken by handpicked leaders who deliver God’s message to the people. Biblical prophets engaged in foretelling the future and forthtelling the present. God’s Word, spoken through the prophets, has revealed all the teaching we are meant to know until the Lord returns.

Unfulfilled Prophecy

Many biblical prophecies still await their fulfillment. In Revelation 22:10, John was instructed not to seal the words of the book, “for the time is at hand.” The entire book of Revelation describes events that will not occur until the end of days. Both at its beginning and its end, Revelation promises blessing to those who read it. It is always relevant because it points to God’s plan for the end of history. If we want to understand God’s plans, we do not need to seek hidden knowledge as revealed by a self-proclaimed guru. Rather, we must diligently study the Bible and consider its prophecies.


Sources:

1Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (New York: Macmillan Books, 1959), 7.

For deeper study of Revelation and Prophecy, visit Dr. Jeremiah’s Prophecy Academy where you will find a panorama of prophetic materials to enhance your understanding of God’s Plan for the end of the world.

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The Power of Confession

For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer.
Psalm 32:4

California is a dry state that needs water to be transported over many miles to population and agricultural centers. Snowfall in the winter and melting snow in the spring are critical factors in replenishing shrinking reservoirs. In periods of modern droughts, aerial photographs document the receding water levels in reservoirs around the state—shorelines growing wider and drier as water levels fall.

Such is the picture David paints with his words in Psalm 32—a drought of spiritual vitality brought on by his own sin. When he failed to confess his sin to God, his “bones grew old” and he groaned “all the day long” (verse 3). It was like his soul was being evaporated by the heat of his own guilt and shame. But then the rains of grace came and David confessed his sin and God forgave him (verse 5). And he encouraged his readers not to make the same mistake he had made (verses 9-10).

Confession and repentance reveal the access to restoration. Hiding sin does not remove it from God’s sight; but when we seek God’s forgiveness, the refreshing living water from the Father is poured out on us and we are restored—that is the power of confession.

The way to cover our sin is to uncover it by confession.
Richard Sibbes

Treasure!

I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure.
Psalm 119:162

Earlier this year, a volunteer for a charity in Arizona was going through books donated for a sale. One was an old copy of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The volunteer decided the dilapidated volume wasn’t worth saving and was about to throw it away when she thumbed through it and found a hidden chamber. Someone had used a knife to cut a hole in the middle of the book. Inside was $4,000!

That’s nothing compared to the treasure you’ll find when opening the covers of the Bible. Perhaps it would help to think of it in those terms. Use your imagination to see every word of Scripture turning to gold as you read it. Think of every promise as a precious stone. See the words about Jesus in the Gospels as sparkling like diamonds. Visualize your daily Bible study time like a miser running his hands through a chest of gold.

The treasury of Scripture will enrich your mind, refocus your goals, replace your doubts, and redirect your path—but only if you read it and heed it. Start today!

To get the best use out of [the Bible] for daily life,…Give it the best and freshest, not the most tired and dull, hour of the day.
M. S. Kimber in The Sunday School World, 1893

Hello Heaven!

I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside.
2 Peter 1:13-14, NIV

Peter wrote his final letter shortly before his execution. He wasn’t discouraged; he was looking forward to the future. He spoke of “looking forward to these things.” and “[looking] for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Peter 3:13-14).

Life is full of hardships and heaviness. We have the promises of God to help us in difficult days, and we have the Holy Spirit within us. We have a purpose for being here—to refresh the memory of others regarding the things of the Lord. But we’ll soon put aside the tent of our earthly body, and what a relief! Goodbye hardship and heaviness. Goodbye trials and troubles. Hello Jesus! Hello heaven! Hello golden streets, glorified bodies, endless days, and the fresh air of New Jerusalem!

During difficult times, the hope of eternity gives us strength. If you’re prone to worry yourself to sleep each night, turn your thoughts upward and close your eyes thinking of heaven and its eternal throne.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there.
Harriet Buell, in her hymn “A Child of the King”

Overcoming Temptation

Temptation. Whether we realize it or not, it is part of our past, and it will be part of our future. The moment we resolve to stand strong and walk away is when temptation grows most intense. That is why Scripture is of paramount importance. God’s Word contains the answer to resisting temptation before it’s too late. Consider these verses:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full–grown, brings forth death (James 1:13–15).

Some people wonder about the value of the Old Testament in a Christian’s life. The apostle Paul addressed that question in 1 Corinthians 10:11—”Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition.” To what things was Paul referring? He listed them in verses 7–10. They are idolatry, immorality, infidelity, and disloyalty.

Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is.

With that background, Paul exhorted believers not to make the same choices the Israelites made—not to provoke God’s discipline by willfully sinning. None of us is above God’s discipline if we engage in sin. We must look for and take “the way of escape” God provides in every situation where temptation is found (verse 13). To think our temptation is unique is to believe a lie. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man” (verse 13). There are no “new” temptations in life.

The apostle James argued that if temptation becomes serious, it is because we have allowed it to do so. Our own “desires” entice us away from God and desire “gives birth to sin” (James 1:13–15). God doesn’t tempt us, but He may allow temptation to enter our lives in order to give us opportunities to make obedient and mature choices.

Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, and He took the same means of escape that is available to us—obedience to God’s Word (Matthew 4:1–11; Hebrews 5:8). Temptation is not sin; yielding to temptation is. There is always a righteous choice to be made if we are willing to seek it.

Ready and Willing

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9

A leper approached Jesus and said, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Jesus touched the man, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed”—and he was healed (Mark 1:40-42).

That event is a beautiful example of the willingness of God. In fact, there are no instances of Jesus being asked to help or heal and Him answering, “I am not willing.” There is a place where the Bible says God is “not willing,” and that is 2 Peter 3:9. In writing about the timing of the Day of the Lord (the end of the age), Peter says God is waiting for all who will be saved to come to Him. He is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Said another way, God is willing for any who want to be saved to come to Him (John 6:37; 7:37). The question is never whether God is willing but whether man is willing.

Have you responded to God’s willing invitation to come to Him?

God is far more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.
J. C. Ryle

Steadfast

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58

Paul’s letter to the people at Corinth was an exhortation to remain steadfast. The church in Corinth was an undisciplined church, and he was letting them know that even though the culture around them was in flux, their faith in Jesus Christ needed to remain focused and sure. It is true for us today also. How can we remain steadfast in our faith and avoid the pressures of this ever-changing world? By devoting time each day to the study of God’s Word.

As we read the Bible and immerse ourselves in God’s truth and character, our lives are changed—we become more like Him. God’s Word is a powerful litmus test for our souls and actions. As our lives center on God, giving priority to hearing His voice and reading His Word, we become bolder in sharing our faith.

Joshua had the confidence and courage to lead God’s people into the Promised Land because He believed in God’s promise and presence. We serve the same God who said: “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

You can place your steadfast trust in Him.

When we find a man meditating on the words of God, my friends, that man is full of boldness and is successful.
Dwight L. Moody

Creation Care

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
Genesis 1:28

Marine litter is a huge ecological problem. Many countries’ coastlines are littered with plastic and debris, and there is an “island” of plastic more than the twice the size of Texas in the Pacific Ocean where currents have accumulated the debris. Fish become entangled in discarded fishing nets and lines, with bellies full of plastic debris they have swallowed.

Such images are in stark contrast to the pristine beauty and glory of Eden as presented in Genesis. Though mankind was given the mandate to “have dominion over” (that is, to care for) all of creation, we have not done a good job. When God’s mandates go unfulfilled on earth, God’s glory is diminished. And that mandate extends to our personal life as well. Paul writes that we belong to God and we are to glorify Him with our care and use of our body.

When you see opportunities to care for creation—nature or your own body—do so as a way of glorifying the Creator.

The creation is both a monument of God’s power, and a looking-glass in which we may see his wisdom.
Thomas Watson