THE BIBLE IS A BOOK OF PROPHECY

It has been estimated that between one fifth and one third of the Bible contains prophecy. In essence, the Bible can be described in its entirety as a Book of Prophecy as it declares God’s will and purpose for mankind in written form, right from the beginning – well in advance of its fulfilment. The Bible also describes the nature of God, with one of His principal attributes being that of OMNISCIENCE – i.e. He is ALL KNOWLEDGEABLE – He knows everything. Therefore, it should come as no surprise to us that God KNOWS and DECLARES the END FROM THE BEGINNING (Isaiah 46:9-10). No other entity can do this! It is one of the most powerful, compelling and unique proofs that the Bible truly is the inspired Word of God. No other claimed holy book has such profound information and exerts such a powerful influence on the lives of men and women of all nations.

The Bible provides us with light in these last days 2 Peter 1:19-20. Nature teaches us that physical light is essential to see where we are and where we are going. Spiritual light is even more essential to provide vital awareness and guidance on how we stand with regard to God’s plan and purpose and importantly, to give us total confidence in the knowledge of our future.

The Word of God is PREDESTINED to achieve what God set out to accomplish from the beginning. We have the freewill to choose whether to believe and follow that Word or not. In that context, our destiny is in our hands. However, one thing is certain, and that is, whether we believe in Bible prophecy or not is irrelevant in relation to its ultimate fulfilment. God’s Word will be done, regardless of our belief or unbelief. Nevertheless, God invites us to be written into the positive side of His prophetic Word. If we choose to follow His master plan, we will reap the rewards of the predestined Kingdom of God.

JESUS CHRIST – THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY

The principal, central figure of all prophecy in the Bible is the Lord Jesus Christ – The Son of God and Word of God made flesh. The Bible teaches that all things were created by Him and for Him. He is the head of all principalities and powers…

John 1:1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Colossians 1:16-18
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

The book of Revelation states that the testimony of Jesus is THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY (i.e. the very epitome and object of prophecy).

Revelation 19:10
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Read More …)

However, there are many other subjects covered by prophetic statements in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament.

One very important subject of prophecy is the approaching end of the current Gospel age, and the signs of the times we now live in. This will culminate in the return of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:20-21) to take up His rightful position as King of Kings and Lord of Lords – the Government shall be on His shoulder (Isaiah 9:6-7).

 Kings, Leaders and Empires

Bible Prophecy also identifies Kings, Leaders and describes the course of their respective empires. Examples include King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Cyrus the Great of Persia, Alexander the Great of Macedonia, the Emperors of Rome and the rise of the Papacy in the wake of the fallen Imperial Roman Empire.

The primary geographic focus of Bible Prophecy is on the nation and land of Israel, but there are also many prophetic statements concerning other nations like Egypt, Persia, Ethiopia etc. Ultimately, Bible Prophecy is being fulfilled on a universal scale, affecting all nations…

Psalm 24:1
A Psalm of David. The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

Isaiah 40:15 
Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.

The prophet Daniel was used by God to declare the major Gentile nations and empires that would rise and fall in succession during the course of man’s history. These are recorded in Daniel, chapters 2 and 7. The last remnants of this succession of empires is still in evidence today, and is destined to be superceded by the Kingdom of God, governed by the Lord  Jesus Christ.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

To interpret means to extract the meaning of something. In the context of prophecy, interpretation is the extraction of the true meaning of a prophetic statement or statements. The Bible is very clear that the true meaning of prophetic statements is not to be understood on an individual basis (one’s own opinion) – we have all heard the complaint .. “That’s your interpretation”.

We can each read a book and each have our own perspectives on the story – our own interpretation. However, the real intent and purpose is only known by THE AUTHOR of the book. In the case of Bible Prophecy, only the author, i.e. God the Holy Spirit, can reveal the true meaning.

REVELATION THROUGH THE SPIRIT OF GOD

The Spirit of Christ (i.e. the Holy Spirit – there is only ONE SPIRIT) was the agent of prophecy in the Old Testament …

1 Peter 1:10-12
Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

The Prophets proclaimed their message as they were PROMPTED, MOTIVATED, INSPIRED by the HOLY SPIRIT…

2 Peter 1:20-21
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

JESUS PROMISED THE SAME SPIRIT

Nearing the pinnacle of His earthly ministry, Jesus promised that His true followers would receive the HOLY SPIRIT, and that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all the truth …

John 16:12-15
I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

THE HOLY SPIRIT REVEALES THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD

1 Corinthians 2:9-13
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

TIME

Time is fundamental to Bible Prophecy. Many prophetic statements relate to a specific time for fulfilment.

A prime example is the first coming of the Messiah; the fulfilment being referred to in Galatians 4:4 …

But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

The fulfilment of this prophecy refers back to the garden of Eden and Genesis 3:15. This was God’s original promise of a future redeemer, who was to come through the seed of thee woman., and eventually crush the head of the serpent (Satan).

Speaking to Satan, God declared the following in Genesis 3:15…

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Another example is what Jesus referred to as “The Times of the Gentiles“.

GOD-APPOINTED TIME MEASURES

The Bible incorporates its own unique chronological scale based on the “Day for a Year” principle as established in Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6 …

Numbers 14:34 
After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.

Ezekiel 4:4-6
Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.

The Bible also contains a wider measure of time, based on God’s viewpoint in His dealings with mankind being likened to a day being as a thousand years and a thousand years as a day …

 2 Peter 3:8
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

If we regard God’s prophetic timetable as a 7,000 year plan (based on 7 1000-day years) for man’s redemption, we are fast approaching the 7th day. Christ came to earth, ministered to us, died on the cross, rose again, ascended to heaven and poured out the Holy Spirit 4000 years from the fall (i.e. after 4 days on God’s timetable). This currently places us in the 6th 1000-year day period, which is the Gospel age with the pouring out of God’s Spirit, about to enter the 7th day. The 7th day is God’s rest – the ultimate Sabbath for mankind. We refer to this as the millennial reign of Christ. This will be 1000 years of peace under the government of Jesus Christ – the Lord of the Sabbath.