Sample Chapters

Chapter One: Why should I be interested in Bible Prophecy?

Why should a Christian who has already given his or her life over to Jesus Christ be interested in end-time prophecy? The answer is given in the book of Matthew.

Jesus reprimanded the Pharisees and Sadducees for being able to see the signs and patterns of the weather but not being able to see the signs of His first coming.

“He answered them, ‘When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and overcast.’ O you hypocrites, you can discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.’” (Matthew 16:2-3).

On the contrary, the disciples of Jesus wanted to know the signs to be able to recognize the time of His second coming. In the Olivet discourse, four of those disciples: Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him the following questions:

“As He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age.’” (Matthew 24:3).

Jesus answered those questions in Matthew 24:4-50 and 25:1-46 with parallel passages in Mark 13:1-37 and Luke 21:5-36. He revealed things that will be taking place just before the end of the age that the disciples should be watching for. Jesus told them:

“‘Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord will come.’” (Matthew 24:42).

God’s Word is timeless! Jesus was not only talking to the disciples then, but also to His disciples today. Jesus says, “keep watch.” His followers can and should know what will take place before His return.

Think of how a ball of yarn is made. The core is rolled and then layers of yarn are added one on top of another until a large ball of yarn is complete. This book will be the same. It will start with the core knowledge necessary to comprehend end-time biblical prophecy. Then each chapter will add another layer of information. Each layer will build upon itself to help understand the next.

Starting at the core of the end-time ball of yarn, there are several basic principles that must be addressed when studying passages in the Bible. Careful consideration of these principles ensures a more accurate interpretation and helps believers know the significance of prophetic passages.

The original languages used in both the Old and New Testaments play a crucial role when studying prophecy. English translations do not always convey the full meaning contained in the original Hebrew or Greek. Therefore, examining the original language is a key practice for proper interpretation of prophetic passages.

The customs, traditions, and historical context of the Jewish people during biblical times are vital to grasping the deeper meaning of prophecy. Since Jesus was Jewish, insights from Jewish culture and history greatly enhance the understanding and fulfillment of prophecy. Seeing prophecy through a Jewish lens is essential.

There are prophetic messages from Genesis to Revelation. Bible prophecy is linked throughout scripture and must be connected to bring a complete understanding about each prophetic event. Referring to related passages in order to discern properly requires effort and diligent study. With out considering all of God’s prophetic messages throughout the entire Bible, a total picture of the end times cannot be complete.

When taking scripture out of context, it can oftentimes result in incorrect interpretation. This can also lead to false teaching or man-made doctrines. God’s Word gives instruction on using one’s own interpretation.

“But know this first of all, that no prophecy of the Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation. For no prophecy at any time was produced by the will of man, but holy men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (2 Peter 1:20-21).

Another significant challenge arises when passages are not read as the author intended. An example of how a scripture passage can be taken out of context is presented in the following example:

“Concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that I write to you. For you know perfectly that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say ‘Peace and Safety!’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3).

This passage was originally a letter from Paul to the church in Thessalonica. Therefore, it should be read as intended; a letter. Chapters and verses were not present in God’s Word until 1227 AD (Anno Domini) and subsequently when reading these verses all by themselves, it appears that there is no way to know when the Day of the Lord is going to occur. However, when the two verses before 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 and the two verses that follow it are added and read without stopping at a chapter break, the meaning changes.

“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall be forever with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. Concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need that I write to you. For you know perfectly that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in a night. When they say ‘Peace and Safety!’ then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all the sons of light and the sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness.” (1 Thessalonians 4:17 to 5:5).

As shown, these added verses change the message drastically. When read as one continuous thought from the previous passage in 1 Thessalonians, it becomes clear that there will be people who will not realize what is happening. The word “night” in this context refers to unbelievers in Jesus or those in the dark. The word “day” refers to the believers in Jesus or sons of light. Children of the day or Christ followers will not be caught off guard.

To illustrate the concept further, suppose a pastor of a church really wanted to take a trip to visit the Holy Land but did not tell his wife. She would be in the dark. If he told her that he really would love to plan a vacation there sometime in the next decade, she would still be a bit in the dark. But if he told her to go ahead and plan the trip to the Holy Land when the home remodel was finished, the sermons were handled, and the worship music was arranged for the missed Sundays, she would have a better idea of when she could start planning. If he told her that it would be great to visit during the upcoming fall holiday of the Jewish feast, she would no longer be in the dark. She would know what things must happen first and could plan the vacation around the week of that Jewish feast.

In the same way, Christians can educate themselves to understand what things must happen first and can recognize the time of the end. Christians do not have to be in the dark about end-time prophecy. Revelation reiterates this concept.

“Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.” (Revelation 3:3).

Almost twenty-seven percent of God’s word contains prophetic messages. There would not be so much information in the Bible available to read and study if God did not intend for His children to watch and know.

In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes that wisdom can be hidden by God for a reason.

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age knew it. For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:7-8).

Had the authorities in the first century known biblical prophecy, they would not have crucified Jesus. The Apostle Paul says prophecy is a mystery, but it is only mysterious because it is hidden until God allows it to be revealed at the proper time.

“But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born from a woman, born under the law,” (Galatians 4:4).

End-time biblical prophecy is the same and remains hidden for a time.

“‘But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.’” (Daniel 12:4).

God gave a prophetic vision to Daniel about the time of the end, but he was told to not reveal it. It would remain sealed until its proper time and that time would not be until the end of days.

Bible scholars in the past did not have enough modern-day information available to them to properly interpret the phrase “and knowledge shall increase” in the previous verse. The interpretation in the year 1950 compared to the year 2026 is completely different. In the year 1950, a person might think the invention of television and telephones is the “increased knowledge.” Whereas in modern times, the invention of artificial intelligence and quantum computing is the “increased knowledge.” End-time prophecy becomes clearer as end-time events happen and modern technology advances.

As prophecy is fulfilled, it confirms that the God-breathed scriptures are infallible. Genuine believers in Jesus should be encouraged that what is prophesied to take place in the future, WILL. Even more encouraging is that Christians who study God’s Word under the guidance of the Holy Spirit are capable of knowing the timeframe of when all the biblical prophecies will happen.

Chapter Nineteen: The Day of the Lord

To continue rolling up the end-time ball of prophecy, this chapter will analyze the phrase “Day of the Lord”. The Day of the Lord is used in both the Old Testament and New Testament and carries the same meaning.

“Day of the Lord” in the original Hebrew language; יֹום יְהוָה (Yom Yehovah)

“Day of the Lord” in the original Greek language, is ἡμέραν Κυρίου (hēmeran Kyriou

As often seen throughout Scripture, the word “day” is not necessarily a literal day as in a twenty-four-hour period. A day can be several different spans of time depending on the context. A “day” can represent less than a twenty-four-hour period or a “day” can be much longer than a twenty-four-hour period. Some examples in scripture are:

One day of creation– 24-hours.

Jesus rising on the third day– sunrise to sunset.

Day of the Lord- an age or epoch– a day of months or years.

The “Day of the Lord” is an epoch marked by major occurrences. In this application, the word “day” can be compared to someone older in years saying, “In my day, I played professional football.” In the same way, the word “day” used in “Day of the Lord” represents a span of time rather than a single calendar date.

Scripture describes the Day of the Lord as a time of judgment upon the wicked. The following passage presents a dual prophecy concerning this day. Its first fulfillment took place in Judah during Old Testament times, while its ultimate fulfillment will be the judgment of the wicked in the end times.

“The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening quickly. The sound of the day of the Lord is bitter; the mighty man shall cry out there. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of ruin and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of trumpet and alarms against the fortified cities and against the high towers.” (Zephaniah 1:14-16).

Isaiah also explains what the Day of the Lord will be like:

“See, the day of the LORD comes, cruel, both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate, and He shall destroy its sinners out of it.” (Isaiah 13:9).

Amos describes the Day of the Lord as dark:

“Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? Will it not be deep darkness, with no brightness in it?” (Amos 5:20).

Ezekial gives a warning about the Day of the Lord:

“The word of the LORD came to me again, saying: Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord God: Howl, ‘Woe to the day!’ For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near, a cloudy day, it shall be the time of doom for the nations.” (Ezekiel 30:1-3).

According to the prophetic passages, the Day of the Lord is described as a time of darkness, a day of clouds and gloom, a day of blackness filled with doom, distress, and desolation. It is a cruel day of wrath, when bitter cries will be heard as God, in His righteous anger, brings judgment and destroys the sinners among the nations.

Just before Jesus initiates the Day of The Lord, He opens the sixth seal on the scroll.

“I watched as He opened the sixth seal. And suddenly there was a great earthquake. The sun became black, like sackcloth made from goat hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to earth, as a fig tree drops its unripe figs when it is shaken by a strong wind. Then the heavens receded like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the rich men and the commanding officers and the strong and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains. They said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of His wrath has come. Who is able to withstand it?’” (Revelation 6:12-17).

Joel talks about the Day of the Lord as shown in the following verse:

“The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awe-inspiring day of the Lord comes. And it will be that everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors whom the LORD calls.” (Joel 2:31-32).

Luke describes this day in Acts:

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and glorious day of the Lord comes. And whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” (Acts 2:20-21).

Notice the language used in Joel, Acts, and Revelation. The depictions are identical when portraying the darkened sun and the blood-red moon. The verses in Joel and Acts both tell how to escape God’s wrath; call on the name of the Lord.

All people will witness the commencement of this cosmic event. Genuine followers of Jesus will be saved from experiencing God’s wrath on this day. Instead, they will experience joy on this great and glorious day as they will be delivered into the hands of Jesus to live with Him forever.

“For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we should live together with Him.” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10).

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days, ‘the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.’ “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:29-31).

The passage in Matthew illuminates what will be happening at the time of the rapture. Darkness and falling stars will be occurring when Jesus appears in the clouds for all people to see; including the unsaved sinners. Scripture confirms this in Revelation.

“Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:7).

This time will be mourned by the unsaved sinners remaining on the earth as they will anticipate God’s righteous anger. The Day of the Lord will continue for those who have rejected Jesus and conclude when He steps down on the Mount of Olives at His second coming.

The “Day of the Lord” can be envisioned as two bookends. The rapture is the first bookend, and the second coming is the last bookend. God’s wrath is between the two.