Bible prophecy preserves and strengthens a believer’s hope for the Second Advent. It identifies religious, social, and political trends and events, including the rebirth of the nation of Israel, which point to the imminent return of Christ and the eventual establishment of God’s eternal kingdom on earth.
Approximately 25% of the entire Bible is prophetic or relates to prophecy. This is a massive amount of future telling from God for us to read and understand. Many of the prophecies have already been fulfilled and many more, such as the Second Advent of Jesus are still to come. From Genesis to Revelation we are filled with awe and inspiration by the accuracy of God’s prophecies.
The very first prophecy in the Bible is found in Gen. 3:15 and it sets the tone for ALL future prophecies in God’s word to fulfill His plan of salvation for all mankind. “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise his head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” After the original sin of Adam and Eve, the God of the Old Testament (Jesus) tells Satan that he will bruise His heel (Jesus would be crucified and be resurrected to eternal life thus saving mankind from the evils of Satan) and thou shalt bruise thy head (Satan will be destroyed forever). This theme of the very first prophecy (Satan destroyed and Jesus bruised but resurrected to save mankind) is played out throughout all history. It is the outline of the plan of God for salvation of man through the death and resurrection of Jesus. All prophecy from Genesis through Revelation is related to this one central topic of prophecy: the return (Advent) of Jesus to this world where he destroys Satan and ushers in His wonderful glorious Kingdom of God. Acts 19:8, 20:25, 28:23, 30-31 and Rev. 11:15 for some examples.
Duality of prophecy: Prophesy is often dual, it repeats itself. Daniel prophesied the temple sacrifices would cease (Dan. 8:9-11). The sacrifices ceased first under Antiochus Epiphanes IV in 168 B.C. We know it as the abomination of Desolation. It happened a second time in 70 A.D. when General (soon to be Caesar) Titus destroyed the temple and the sacrifices again (Matt. 24:15 and Heb. 8:13 “vanish away”). A second example of dual prophecy is the first and second coming of Jesus (Isa.9:6-7, Matt. 1:23 1st Coming, Zech. 14: 4, Matt. 24:29-30 2nd coming. Note: There are hundreds of prophetic scriptures concerning these two events.).
There are four areas one can group prophecies into. 1) Messianic. 2) Forth telling, present warnings to a back sliding nation of Israel (See all Major and Minor Prophets). 3) Foretelling, if you don’t repent X is going to happen (See Jonah) and 4) Apocalyptic, end time prophecies (See Matt 24, Luke 21, Mark 13 and Revelation for examples).
We know prophecy is sure and understandable. II Pet.1:19, “we have a sure word of prophecy.” Dan. 2:28 God in heaven makes known the future. Dan. 12:10 the Wise will understand. Luke 1:31-33 No end to His kingdom.
Of the coming Second Advent of Jesus no man knows the day or the time. It is of no private interpretation (II Pet. 1:20, Matt. 24:36 and Mark 13:32). Only God the Father knows the day and time.
What should we as Christians be doing? Mark 13:33 Jesus says to “watch and pray; for ye know not when the time is”. We must watch, pray and proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15) to this crumbling sin filled world.
The final Biblical prophecy is found in Rev. 22:20b, “Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” The very first prophecy in Gen. 3:15 and the very last Bible prophecy of Rev. 22:20b are both about Jesus and His coming to reign over the earth and become King of Kings and Lord of Lords, ruler of His Kingdom of God on this earth. God’s prophetic emphasis should be our prophetic emphasis.
