21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.
26 “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. 27 For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28 For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.
Matthew 24:21-28 NKJV

Introduction

This episode isn't exactly about prophecy—it is however related in the sense that how you use your discernment will effect how you navigate interpreting prophecy and the end times.

The Entry to the Rabbit Hole

I watched a video on YouTube a while back where a woman was talking about people who study the Bible versus people who walk in the Spirit. In the video she clearly believed it was better to walk in the Spirit than study the text. While I can agree that the Spirit has to do any and all interpretation, alarm bells went off with the logic she was expressing because how do you know what spirit you are walking in if you don't know the standard?

Finding the Spirit

The New Testament constantly tells us to be wary because there are false teachers. In the Old Testament they are instructed to read scripture weekly on Sabbath at the Temple. Hosea 4:6 says God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. In short, there are many places we are told to study the Word and expected to know what the previous prophects have said. If you don't know the character and spirit of the Most High, how do you know the spirit approaching you is the Holy Spirit? What are you testing the spirit against?

The catch 22 is that for a large part of history only certain people had access to the text. My grandmother was a black woman born in 1915; she was only afforded so much education. If you go further back, my ancestors were slaves; they weren't allowed to learn to read. Many people who came before me not only didn't have access to the text to read for themselves but also didn't have access to information on the history of how it was put together or Hebrew and Greek or the "holidays" they were celebrating. Take someone like Abraham: Moses didn't come along and write the text we have today in the first five books until well after Abraham's day. How did Abraham know YHWH was The Most High God?

Discernment

Only the Holy Spirit can interpret the Bible, so I agree with the video that you can read and study all you want but if you don't have the Spirit you still won't understand or be able to walk the walk. However, I also think you have to study to show yourself approved.[1] I think for those who didn't have access to the scriptures, God took on the burden of providing more discernment as a gift and/or was more lenient in terms of deception.[2] But today we have access so I He probably expects us to do the work...

References and Footnotes

1. 2 Timothy 2:15
2. Acts 17:30