When we study prophecy, we must study it correctly. Prophecy has knowns and unknowns. I put the discussion about prophecy into four categories:
- Things we know for certain
- Things we probably know through exegesis
- Things that are possible but may not be true
- Things totally far fetched
People spend a great deal of time on 3 & 4. We should concentrate our studies on 1 & 2. Make sure if you believe something that the Bible actually says that or are you reading something into the verse(s) that it doesn't say (eisegesis).
A large percentage of the books of the Bible contain prophecies, with the vast majority of them already fulfilled. Some people say the predictions are literal, some say they are metaphorical, and some say they are both. I am in the latter camp.
Jesus repeatedly told us to anticipate his return, be ready, and stay alert. The Book of Revelation says that those who study prophecy will be blessed (Revelation 1:3). Jesus told us these things so that we would not focus on the troubles but on his return. The return of Jesus is referred to 329 times in the Bible.
Paul and Silas founded the church in Thessaloniki. Paul and Silas were only there for about three weeks. All the Christians in Thessaloniki were brand new, yet Paul and Silas thought it important to teach them about the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
The fact that Paul and Silas made prophecy part of their core teaching demonstrates how essential the doctrine is to our core beliefs. The modern church, which no longer teaches prophecy, is not teaching critical Christian theology.
The Old Testament contains hundreds of prophecies about the first coming of Jesus, the Messiah. For thousands of years, men dedicated their lives to studying the Scriptures and anticipating the Messiah's arrival. Their scholarly endeavors and deep knowledge of the texts created a widespread sense of anticipation that grew as the years passed.
Despite the extensive preparation, when the Messiah finally arrived, the people who should have recognized him missed the event entirely. Ironically, the ones who had the most knowledge of the prophecies and were considered "in the know" were the ones who played a role in his crucifixion.
Additionally, try to read through all of the prophecies once without forming any conclusions. Then go back and start your study. This process will give you context. It will also give you an exegesis approach to your research.
I recommend that you study with an electronic concordance and a multi-translation source which can be found at Biblehub.com.
Haley's Bible Handbook is also a valuable resource for studying prophecy.
Dr. David Jeremiah is an excellent place to start when it comes to looking at the ideas of others. Dr. Jeremiah has a very sound theology when it comes to the interpretation of the Scriptures.
I would also include Jimmy Evans as another place to start.
As I've already mentioned, the Bible is full of prophecy. Here are the most basic things to read regarding the topic; however, remember there are many more minor references:
- Revelation
- Daniel
- Zechariah
- Isaiah 2:6-22
- Isaiah 65
- Isaiah 66
- Ezekiel 36
- Ezekiel 38 & 39 (Gog and Magog War)
- Ezekiel 40-48 (The 2nd and 3rd temples)
- Matthew 24*
- 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
- 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11
- 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
- 2 Timothy 3:1-9
- 2 Peter 3
See Also:
