Prophecy is telling in advance what is yet to come. The Bible tells us in Isaiah 46:9-10 “Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’”
All true prophecy comes from God, Yehovah. They way He proves that He is God is by being able to declare the end from the beginning.
Prophecy is God’s way of warning His people of what is to come, and give them an understanding of how to prepare to be able to stand at the final judgment so they can take part in the ultimate promises of eternal life in a kingdom more wonderful than we can imagine (2 Corinthians 2:9). God doesn’t want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9).
We are repeatedly assured that God changes not (Malachi 3:6), that there is no variability in Him (James 1:7), that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), and that He will not alter the words that come out of his mouth (Psalm 89:34).
In fact, if God would change – His words, His character, His laws, His promises – then how could we have faith in Him, to trust Him? After all, Scripture also tells us in James 1:8 that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
This solid promise of the eternalness of God applies not just to His annual holy days, but to all of His word.
In a very real sense, the annual holy day festivals are Bible prophecy. An understanding of God’s calendar as found in His annual events reveal His character. They are essential to help you understand His plan of redemption for His people, especially as it relates to timing. In fact, we propose that if you do not understand the meaning of the feast days, you will not be able to understand end times prophecy. We have many videos available that explain the feast days in our Video Library section on the feasts.
The Bible warns that there will be many false teachers and false prophets. In order to not be deceived, every interpretation of Bible prophecy must be in accordance with the words of Christ (Jesus/Yeshua) and the rest of Scripture. If one text seems to be in opposition to another, the problem will not be with the Word, but rather our understanding of the word.
The best way to understand end times prophecy is to start with the words of Yeshua. In Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, the “red letters” (the words of Yeshua, written in red in many versions of the Bible) are the safest starting point. When you read those chapters, it lays out some of the things that will happen before He returns, starting with a warning of deception, then telling of wars and rumors of wars, famine, and pestilence. Then He directs us to the book of Daniel (Matthew 24:15, Mark 13:14). It is interesting that He doesn’t point us to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, or any other Old Testament prophet. It is also interesting that the book of Daniel has three end time prophecies (Daniel chapter 7, Daniel chapter 8, and Daniel chapters 10-12) that all parallel with the book of Revelation, which is also the end time prophecy book. While the other prophets were shown some end time events, we should start with the book that our Saviour points to (Daniel) and the book that is called His Revelation (Revelation 1:1 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John.”)
If you read and study those two books (Daniel and Revelation) you will begin to see patterns, and repetition of events that are prophesied for the end of time. We have put together a book called The Wise Shall Understand: Daniel and Revelation that has the three end time gospel chapters mentioned above, then Daniel, then Revelation. The book gives explanations and connections to help you see how all of these segments of end time prophecy are telling the same story. What you will see unfold is that there are eight major remaining events yet to happen before the Second Coming.
Yes, it is possible to understand prophecy, especially end times events. God would give His people warnings so grave (such as the mark of the beast) without making it possible to understand. In fact, we are told in Amos that God will do nothing without revealing it to His prophets (Amos 3:7). Revelation 1:3 pronounces a blessing on those who read, hear, and keep the words of Revelation. Revelation tells the same events as told in Daniel. Daniel 12:10 also assures us that “the wise shall understand”. So yes, God will do nothing without revealing it to His prophets, He will bless those who read His prophetic words, and He will give us the ability to understand.
The Bible talks about the end of the world primarily in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, Daniel 7, Daniel 8, Daniel 10-12, and the entire book of Revelation. There are also pieces of the puzzle throughout the entire Bible. For example, the holy feast days are essential to understand (Leviticus 23, Numbers 28-29, etc.), as they are time markers in events and timing. Stories like Noah and the Exodus give patterns that help you understand.
At the Second Coming, all the wicked will be destroyed, with none left on earth (Revelation 19). At the end of the millennium, which we call the Third Coming, the righteous will return with Yeshua in the New Jerusalem that comes down from heaven, and the wicked will be resurrected to face their final judgment (Revelation 20-21).
A careful study of the sections mentioned above will put together a story of the eight major remaining events yet to happen before the Second Coming. They also tell about the millennium, and more importantly, the end of the millennium, when sin and evil is finally destroyed and eternity begins. All of these events are foretold, primarily in Daniel and Revelation. Our book The Wise Shall Understand: Daniel and Revelation will help you understand these events, you will see them clearly portrayed in prophecy. We also have videos in our video library that will help you understand.
The events leading to the end are foretold by Jesus (Yeshua) in Matthew 24 as deception, wars and rumors of wars, the gospel will be preached to all the world, an event called abomination of desolation (as told in the book of Daniel) will occur, there will be great tribulation, then immediately after the tribulation He will come to gather His saints.
The word “rapture” doesn’t actually appear in Scripture. The idea comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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 thus we shall always be with the Lord.” This “catching up in the clouds” is what many people term the rapture.
There is much debate about it the rapture is before (pre), during (mid), or after (post) tribulation. However, the answer to that debate is clearly laid out in the red letters of our Saviour Himself. Yeshua tells us when He will gather His elect to be taken with him in Matthew 24:29, “immediately after the tribulation”. Therefore, the “rapture” and the “Second Coming” are a single event, not two separate events at two separate times.
It is important to remember that when there are two totally different ideas about something this important in Scripture, only one can be true, and the other must be a lie of the enemy. Because it is not God’s pattern to take his people supernaturally out of trials (such as the exodus in Egypt, or the flood in Noah’s day), but rather to use those trials to prove His people (such as Deuteronomy 8:2, Judges 2:22, Romans 12:2, etc.), what would be God’s purpose in changing? (We are told repeatedly that God does not change, and how could we trust Him if He did?) But what would be satan’s purpose in letting people believe that there was a rapture of God’s people before the end, and that others not taken in that rapture would have a second chance at salvation before the Second Coming? That encourages you to put off until tomorrow what you should do today. Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).