Prophecy
The word ‘Prophecy’ is from the Greek words:
- ‘pro’ –meaning ‘prior to’
- ‘phemi’ – meaning ‘to tell’
So, ‘prophecy’ literally means to ‘tell before’ or in other words, prophecy is foretelling things that have not yet occurred.
A very large amount of information in the Bible is prophecy. In the Old Testament, there were many prophecies told about the Incarnation of Jesus as the Christ and the establishment of God’s Kingdom. Additionally, the Old Testament prophets foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and many other events that occurred in the Old and New Testament. In the New Testament, prophecy includes subject matters such as the return of Christ, Judgment Day and the eternal state of existence (e.g., the new heavens / new earth and hell and eternal destruction).
The following 7 fundamental truths are vital to be able to rightly understand prophecy of the Bible. Please Consider visiting the Prophecy Chart for a pictorial summary.
1 – The spiritual study of prophecy is in itself purifying, gives us hope and comfort in Christ and helps us to not be deceived.
How to Study Old Testament Prophecy
Why Studying the End Times is Important
Interpreting the Book of Revelation
Revelation in Parallel – 7 Parallel Passages
The Eschatalogical (End Time) Error Matrix
2 – The endpoint of prophecy is the glorious eternal state of those who are in Christ
Will Christians Receive Differing Eternal Rewards?
3 – The glorious eternal state begins after the General Resurrection of the Dead and Living (a.k.a., Judgment day), when Christians will be raised (a.k.a., the rapture) to everlasting life and the unsaved to everlasting destruction.
Judgment Day in Biblical Pictures
The Last Day – 26 Terms that Describe the Final Day
4 – There is no literal future millennium (1000 year) reign of Christ on earth since the ‘millennium’ symbolizes the ‘church age’.
The Millennium is the Church Age – What you Believe is Important
5 – During the ‘church age’ saved people from all nations, peoples, tribes and tongues are Spiritual Israel (which includes elect Gentiles and Jews), the universal church of Christ. At the end of the ‘church age, there is a time of falling away (the apostasy).
Biblical Proofs that Christians are Spiritual Israel
Jerusalem – Symbol for the Nominal Christian Church
6 – During the ‘church age’ and Great Tribulation time period, organized Christian world religions are symbolized as the Great Whore, Babylon, who demonically causes the world to be drunken with the worship of false gods and abominable idols such as human wisdom, riches, pleasures, might, sports, etc.
7 – Just after the ‘church age’, there is a period of time known as the Great Tribulation which does not involve earthly wars, famines, pestilences or other natural disasters; rather it is characterized by deception and lawlessness and the Antichrist. This period of time includes the establishment of the Abomination of Desolation in the Holy Place (Church).