Millennium

The thousand years: Part 3 – When is Jesus coming?

POST OVERVIEW. The third in a series of studies of Revelation 20:1-3 seeking to determine when “the thousand years” occur. This specific study seeks to determine when Jesus binds Satan in the abyss by determining from the Scriptures when Jesus’ coming (παρουσία) occurs. (See also post #668, 9/10/2023, post #669, 9/11/2023.)

REVIEW THE PROGRESS OF OUR STUDY

This article is the third in a series of studies focused on Revelation 20:1-3 whose objective is to determine when, in human history, “the thousand years” (“the MILL”) occurs. In our two previous studies (Post #668, #669), we established the following:

  • “The dragon” represents Satan (20:2).
  • “The angel” (20:1) represents the Lord Jesus.
  • The MILL begins when the Lord Jesus binds Satan and throws him into the abyss.
  • At the end of the MILL, Satan is released from the abyss for a short time.
  • Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand from the time He ascended to heaven (ca. AD 30) until He returns to earth for the Judgment.
  • There are only two times when Jesus could bind Satan in the abyss, either after His coming (παρουσία) or while He is ascending to heaven between Acts 1:9 and Rev. 5:6ff.

The chart below illustrates the progress we have made up to this point in our study.

Our first two studies left us here, knowing that the binding of Satan (B) and the MILL that follows must be located in one of these two places. (See post #669 for how we reached this conclusion.) The question is, “How do we decide between these two possibilities?” Answering that question will be the subject of this study. 

OUR APPROACH. Our approach for deciding between these two options is pretty simple, at least in concept. We have two alternative scenarios, but only one of them is correct. If we can eliminate one of the alternatives or show, by the Scriptures, that one of them is not possible, then we would be left with the correct one. So, we are going to seek to show from Scriptures that one of these two options is not possible.

STEP ONE. Referring to our chart above, we will focus on the coming (“the return”) of Jesus and ask another crucial question: “WHEN does the coming (παρουσία) of Jesus take place?” For this portion of our study, we will once again leave Revelation and explore 1 Thess. 4:15-17.

As we read 1 Thess. 4:15, it is obvious that we are reading a passage about the coming (παρουσία) of the Lord. The next verse, 4:16, removes all ambiguity when Paul writes, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout.” It is certain that these verses describe Jesus coming to earth.

But also notice what is going on at the same time. While Christ is descending from heaven, “the dead in Christ will rise” (4:16) and then “we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air” (4:17). Paul is writing about the resurrection when all those who are in Christ, whether living or dead, will receive their glorified bodies. It is the same topic that Paul teaches in 1 Cor. 15:52: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” Again, we see that all the saints, whether living or dead, will receive their resurrection bodies at the same time. And the resurrection will occur when Christ returns, for 1 Cor. 15:22-23 says, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming.” Thus, the Scriptures declare that all those who are Christ’s will be resurrected (glorified) at the time of His coming.

  • Our conclusion is that the coming (παρουσία) of Jesus and the resurrection of the saints occur at the same time.

We will now add the resurrection (“S”) to our chart. (See below.)

STEP TWO. Now we ask another crucial question: “WHEN does the resurrection of the saints take place?” Because Jesus’ coming and our resurrection occur at the same time, if we can determine from the Scriptures when the resurrection occurs, then we will also know when Christ’s coming takes place.

For this answer, we turn to the gospel of John and listen to the teaching of Jesus. In John 6:39, our Lord says:

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing but raise it up on the last day.”

Here Christ clearly teaches that the resurrection occurs on the last day. But this is not the only time Jesus says this.

John 6:40: “I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:44: “I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:54: “I will raise him up on the last day.”

Four times from the lips of Jesus we are told that the resurrection occurs on the last day. There is another instance of this in John 11:24 when Martha said to Jesus, “I know that he (Lazarus) will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Martha knows that the resurrection will occur on the last day. Also, notice that Jesus does not correct her, but rather affirms her theology with the words. “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies” (11:25). The point is that five times in the gospel of John the Scriptures declare that the resurrection occurs on the last day.

  • Therefore, we must conclude that the resurrection of the saints occurs on the last day.

So now we will add “the last day” to our chart. (See below.) (Note that the last day is followed immediately by the new heaven and the new earth.)

STEP THREE. Previously we demonstrated that the resurrection of the saints and Christ’s coming (παρουσία) occur at the same time, so we must conclude that Christ’s coming also occurs on the last day.

  • Christ’s coming (παρουσία) occurs on the last day.

STEP FOUR. Now we will make a very interesting observation. Since Christ’s coming occurs on the last day, it is not possible for Christ to inaugurate “the thousand years” by binding Satan in the abyss after His coming. In other words, “the thousand years” cannot occur after Jesus’ coming for the simple reason that Jesus’ coming is on the last day. Here, then, is our conclusion:

  • “The thousand years” cannot occur after Jesus’ coming for the simple reason that Jesus’ coming is on the last day.

Thus, by examining the Scriptures carefully, we have shown that this scenario (or any scenario) that includes “the thousand years” occurring after Christ’s return is not possible and must be rejected. Therefore, we will remove that possibility from our chart.

This leads to another conclusion and to the answer to our original question.

  • We conclude that Christ bound Satan in the abyss (Rev. 20:2-3) and thus began “the thousand years” in about AD 30 when He was ascending to heaven (A).
  • Our answer to the original question, “When does the ‘thousand years’ (MILL) occur?” is that “the thousand years” began ca. AD 30 when Jesus bound Satan in the abyss and will continue for a very long time until “the thousand years” are completed. Then Satan “must be released for a short time” (Rev. 20:3).

Our final chart is shown below.

               BASIC TIMELINE: CHRIST TO NEW HEAVENS NEW EARTH                                                                                                                                                                                   

  • R = resurrection of Christ
  • C = Christ commissions His church (Matt. 28:18-20)
  • A = Christ’s ascension from earth (Acts 1:9)
  • B = binding of Satan (the dragon) in the abyss (Rev. 20:2-3)
  • V = Christ’s arrival in heaven (Rev. 5:6)
  • H = Christ’s reign at the Father’s right hand (Psalm 110:1; Heb. 10:12-13)
  • X = Christ’s coming (παρουσία) (1 Thess. 4:15-17; Rev. 19:11-21)
  • S = resurrection of the saints (1 Th. 4:15-17; 1 Cor. 15:23, 52)
  • NHNE = new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21-22)

CONCLUSION

QUESTION: When does “the thousand years” occur?

ANSWER: “The thousand years” began ca. AD 30 when Jesus bound Satan in the abyss and will continue until Satan is released for a short time.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 9/12/2023                   #670

The thousand years: Part 2 – When does Jesus bind Satan?

POST OVERVIEW. The second in a series of studies of Revelation 20:1-3 seeking to determine when “the thousand years” occur. This specific study attempts to determine when Jesus binds Satan in the abyss (Rev. 20:2-3). (See also post #668, 9/10/2023.)

REVIEW

This article is the second in a series of studies focused on Revelation 20:1-3 whose objective is to determine when, in human history, “the thousand years” (“the MILL”) occurs. In our first study (Post #668, 9/10/2023), we discovered the following:

  • “The dragon” represents Satan (20:2). (Thus, whenever we encounter “the dragon” in Revelation, we know that we have encountered Satan.)
  • “The angel” (20:1) represents the Lord Jesus.
  • The MILL begins when the Lord Jesus binds Satan and throws him into the abyss.
  • At the end of the MILL, Satan is released from the abyss for a short time.

This second study is intended to begin to answer the crucial question, “WHEN does Jesus bind Satan in the abyss?”

As we consider this question and review the passage in Revelation 20:1-3, it may at first appear that we have reached a cul-de-sac. It may seem that there is no way to figure out when Jesus binds Satan in the abyss at the beginning of the MILL. Where do we go from here?

JESUS BINDS SATAN. First, there is significance in the fact that it is Jesus who binds Satan in the abyss. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords and He reigns over heaven and earth, but He, as the God-Man, can only be in one place at a time. This fact will help us as we explore the question of when Jesus binds Satan.

Thinking broadly, one thing we can say for certain is that Jesus’ binding of Satan takes place after His resurrection and subsequent ascension to heaven (Acts 1:9) and before the inauguration of the new heaven and the new earth (Rev. 21:1). We also know with certainty that, at some point in time, Jesus is coming from heaven to judge the earth. Those realities are illustrated in the figure below.

  BASIC TIMELINE: CHRIST TO NEW HEAVENS NEW EARTH

  • R = resurrection of Christ
  • C = Christ commissions His church (Matt. 28:18-20)
  • A = Christ’s ascension (Acts 1:9)
  • V = Christ’s arrival in heaven (Revelation 5:6)
  • X = Christ’s coming (παρουσία) (Revelation 19:11-21)
  • NHNE = new heavens and the new earth (Rev. 21-22)

Next, recalling that Jesus as God-Man can only be in one place at a time (see above), we will refine our crucial question and ask, “WHEN could Jesus bind Satan in the abyss?” Our study of the Scriptures will reveal that there are only two times when it is possible for Jesus to bind Satan in the abyss.

As we prepare to expand our study to the books outside of Revelation, it is appropriate to remind ourselves of the nature of this amazing Bible that we hold in our hands.

THE POWER AND BEAUTY OF THE SCRIPTURES

The beauty of the Bible is that each of its 66 books has been inspired by the same Author, the Holy Spirit. Because all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16), the Bible is both interconnected and consistent.

It is interconnected in that each book of the Bible fits together with the other books to form a cohesive whole. Just as each piece of a jigsaw puzzle is necessary to complete the whole puzzle, so the books of the Bible connect with each other to form the whole message of God to man. Because this is the case, we can allow Scripture to interpret Scripture as one portion of the Word illumines and informs another portion.

And the Bible is consistent in that there is no contradiction between the individual books, but instead there is a God-breathed harmony. Despite including writings of poetry and prophecy, narrative history and Mosaic Law, gospels and epistles and apocalypse, the themes and doctrines pictured throughout the Bible do not contradict or conflict with one another but rather reinforce and complement one another. This means that the better we know our Bibles, the more confident we become about its power to guide us into all truth.

In 2 Tim. 2:15, Paul exhorts Timothy, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” Confident of the power of the Scriptures, we are now going to accurately handle the word of truth and go to other Scriptures outside of Revelation to answer these crucial questions.

FROM REVELATION 20 TO PSALM 110

For this part of our study we will leave Revelation 20 and turn to Psalm 110. This psalm is both Messianic and eschatological and will teach us about Christ’s reign after His ascension to heaven. We will focus our attention on Psalm 110:1.

The Lord says to my Lord:
“Sit at My right hand
Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” – Psalm 110:1

Here in Psalm 110:1 we see one Person of the Godhead (the LORD) speaking to another Person of the Godhead (the Lord). The conversation is between God the Father and God the Son, and the nature of the conversation reveals the occasion of this verse. This verse takes place after Jesus has accomplished His work of atonement on the cross (John 19:30, etc.), has been raised from the dead, and has ascended back to heaven. Now (ca. AD 30) the Father welcomes the victorious Son back to heaven and seats Jesus in the place of honor at the Father’s right hand until the time comes for Jesus to return to earth for the Judgment (“make Your enemies a footstool”). So, according to Psalm 110:1, from the time of Jesus’ return to heaven until His coming to earth in judgment, He is seated at the Father’s right hand in heaven.

Other verses in Scripture confirm this reality. In Ephesians 1:20, Paul tells us that “the Father raised Him (Jesus) from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.” Hebrews 1:3 says, “When He had made purification of sins (the cross), He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” The same point is made in Hebrews 8:1 and 12:2, but the clearest expression of this is in Hebrews 10:12-13:

12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.

The time when “His enemies (will) be made a footstool for His feet” refers to the time when Christ will rise from His seat at the Father’s right hand and will come back to earth to judge the unrighteous. These Scriptures teach us that:

  • Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand from the time He ascended to heaven (ca. AD 30) until He returns to earth for the Judgment.

We are going to add this new discovery to our chart. (See below.)

BASIC TIMELINE: CHRIST TO NEW HEAVENS NEW EARTH

  • R = resurrection of Christ
  • C = Christ commissions His church (Matt. 28:18-20)
  • A = Christ’s ascension (Acts 1:9)
  • V = Christ’s arrival in heaven (Revelation 5:6)
  • H = Christ’s reign at Father’s right hand (Ps. 110:1; Heb. 10:12-13)
  • X = Christ’s coming (παρουσία) (Rev. 19:11-21)
  • NHNE = new heavens and the new earth (Rev. 21-22)

Thus we can logically say that, while Jesus is seated at the Father’s right hand (H) in heaven, He cannot at the same time bind Satan in the abyss. In other words, the event of Jesus binding Satan in the abyss cannot take place between the time of Jesus’ arrival in heaven (V – Rev. 5:6) and His coming to earth as Judge (X – Rev. 19:11-21; etc.) because He is seated at the Father’s right hand.

Since that is the case, we can see from our chart that there are only two times when Jesus could bind Satan in the abyss. The first possibility would be after His return (His παρουσία), and the second possibility would be for Him to bind Satan while He is ascending to heaven between Acts 1:9 and Rev. 5:6ff. And this is the answer to the crucial question we asked above about WHEN Jesus could bind Satan in the abyss. These possibilities are illustrated in the figure below. (“B” stands for “binding.”)

The question is, “How do we decide between these two possibilities?” That will be the subject of our next study.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 9/11/2023                   #669

When does “the thousand years” occur? Part 1 – Who is the angel?

POST OVERVIEW. The first in a series of studies of Revelation 20:1-3 seeking to determine when “the thousand years” occur. This specific study seeks to determine the identity of the angel in Revelation 20:1.

INTRODUCTION

Some of the most controversial questions concerning the book of Revelation revolve around the subject of “the thousand years” in Rev. 20:1-7. The purpose of this series of studies is to determine when “the thousand years” occurs in human history. The outcome that we seek is a graphical representation of where “the thousand years” fits on the timeline between the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ (ca. AD 30) on the one end and the inauguration of the new heaven and the new earth (Rev. 21:1) on the other.

PRELIMINARIES

PASSAGE FOR STUDY. Despite the immense attention and emphasis that accrues to “the thousand years,” the only explicit mention of this time period in the Bible is in the six verses of Rev. 20:2-7. But because we are seeking the answer to a very specific question (“When do the thousand years occur?”), we will further limit the focus of these studies to Revelation 20:1-3 when the angel throws the dragon into the abyss for “the thousand years.”

In any of these studies in Revelation 5-20, it is assumed that the reader has previously read my article, “Basic interpretive principles for Rev. 5-20.” [APOLOGIES: As of the publishing of this blog post, this article was still in progress.] This article explains the basis for the two key interpretive principles for Rev. 5-20 and also presents two crucial questions which are very useful for understanding these difficult passages.

TWO KEY PRINCIPLES AND TWO CRUCIAL QUESTIONS. Stated briefly, the two key principles are 1) Rev. 5-20 is not written in chronological order, and 2) our default assumption is that the characters and events of Rev. 5-20 are to be understood figuratively or symbolically, not literally. Since Revelation is not written chronologically, we must persistently ask the crucial question, “WHEN does this event occur?” And because Revelation is characterized by symbolism, we must often ask the crucial question, “WHO OR WHAT does this symbol represent?” As we progress through this study in Revelation 20, we will see the power and the usefulness of skillfully asking and answering these two crucial questions.

DEFINITION OF THE “THOUSAND YEARS.” In these studies, we are treating “the thousand years” as a label for a long period of time rather than as a literal thousand years. In the book of Revelation, certain numbers have symbolic meaning. “One thousand” is one of those symbolic numbers. When John wrote Revelation, “one thousand” simply meant a very large number, and so “a thousand years” should be understood simply as a very long period of time.

SUBSTITUTE “THE MILL” FOR “THE THOUSAND YEARS.” Since we are treating “the thousand years” as a single block of time, I am inventing the singular noun “the MILL” to represent “the thousand years.” This substitution is done to avoid confusion about whether “the thousand years” is singular or plural.

Finally, unless otherwise noted, my text is the New American Standard Bible (1995).

THE STUDY: WHEN DOES ‘THE THOUSAND YEARS’ OCCUR?

Part 1: Who is the angel in Rev. 20:1?

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time. – Revelation 20:1-3

While the overall objective of this series of studies is to determine from the Scriptures when “the MILL” occurs on the timeline of end-times events, this first study is aimed at determining the identity of the angel mentioned in this passage.

We will begin by surveying the text to see what information these verses provide. First, we see two characters, an angel and the dragon. The dragon is clearly identified as Satan (20:2). Then we see the angel “laid hold of the dragon (Satan) and bound him for a MILL; and he threw him into the abyss and shut it and sealed it over him until the MILL was completed; after these things he (Satan) must be released for a short time.” From this we can say that the MILL begins when an angel grabs Satan and throws him into the abyss for the duration of the MILL. We also see that, at the end of the MILL, Satan must be released for a short time. So far, we know that:

  • The dragon represents Satan. (Thus, whenever we encounter “the dragon” in Revelation, we know that we have encountered Satan.)
  • The MILL begins when an angel binds Satan and throws him into the abyss.
  • At the end of the MILL, Satan is released from the abyss for a short time.

So now we know who the dragon represents, but we do not yet know who the angel represents. Therefore, we ask a crucial question. “WHO does this angel represent?”

THE ANGEL. Let’s examine what we know about this angel.

The angel is “coming down from heaven.” This is the identical phrase that we read in Rev. 10:1 (“another angel coming down out of heaven”) and “the angel” of Rev. 10 is certainly the glorious Lord Jesus. Thus, this may be a clue that this angel is also Jesus.

We also read that this “angel” has the key of the abyss in his hand. In Revelation, the one who controls all the keys is Jesus, for we read in Rev. 1:18, “I (Jesus) have the keys of death and Hades.” Just so, Jesus is the one who controls the key of the abyss. And here this “angel” has the key of the abyss. Another clue!

Thirdly, we see that the angel “laid hold of Satan and threw him into the abyss” (20:2-3). This cannot be an ordinary angel, because Satan is “the anointed cherub” of Ezekiel 28:14 and is the most powerful of all the angels. In Jude 9, even Michael the archangel did not dare pronounce a judgment against the devil, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” But if Satan is more powerful than even archangels, we must ask the question, “Who, then, is this ‘angel’ who grabs Satan like a ragdoll and then throws him and shuts him and seals him in the abyss?” The answer is obvious: The “angel” of Rev. 20:1-3 can only be the glorious Lord Jesus Himself. He is the One who descends from heaven to deal with Satan and He is the One who holds the key to the abyss and He is the only one with the authority to completely overwhelm and subdue Satan. We conclude, then, that “the angel” of Rev. 20:1-3 is a symbol for the Lord Jesus.

  • The “angel” of Rev. 20:1-3 is Jesus and the event that begins the MILL is when Jesus binds Satan in the abyss for the duration of the MILL.

CONCLUSION. In this first study of Rev. 20:1-3, we have gathered these facts.

  • “The dragon” represents Satan. (Thus, whenever we encounter “the dragon” in Revelation, we know that we have encountered Satan.)
  • “The angel” in verse 1 represents the Lord Jesus.
  • The MILL begins when the Lord Jesus binds Satan and throws him into the abyss.
  • At the end of the MILL, Satan is released from the abyss for a short time.

Knowing that the MILL begins with Jesus binding Satan in the abyss, our next study will attempt to answer another crucial question, “WHEN does Jesus bind Satan in the abyss?”

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 9/10/2023                   #668

Biblical Prophecies and Eschatology

One of the most distinguishing marks of the Bible is its many prophecies about the future. In this, the Bible is unique among all books ever written. No other book, and certainly no other “religious book,” contains anything like biblical prophecy, but in the Bible, prophecy is common. The Bible makes predictions about things that are going to take place centuries or even millennia in the future, and then those prophecies come to pass.

Another distinctive of the Bible is the God-centered worldview it contains from Genesis to Revelation. Part of this God-centered worldview is the concept that history is linear. “History is linear” means that God has determined the beginning of history and God has also appointed the end of history. God is eternal, but His creation is not, and things will not endlessly go on as they are. Jesus Christ is coming back, and so the creation is hurtling toward the end at the rate of sixty seconds a minute.

Combining the idea of “prophecy about the future” with the concept that “there is an end to history,” we arrive at a working definition for eschatology: The study of the Bible’s prophecies about the end-times (also known as “last things”). This article will consider end-times’ prophecy and some thoughts about how to do that study.

What is the purpose of a prophecy? A prophecy is given in the Scriptures so that, when that prophecy is fulfilled, it will again be demonstrated that God is the one who has planned all things (Romans 4:21) and that He is able to fulfill the prophecies that He makes. “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases (Psalm 115:3).” For this reason, when God makes a prophecy in His Word, He not only guarantees the fulfillment of that prophecy, but He guarantees that the fulfillment of the prophecy will be recognized. For example, in Isaiah 7:14, the LORD made a prophecy that “The virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Then, more than 700 years later, God fulfilled that prophecy in the virgin birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem (Matthew 1:23). The virgin, Mary, was with child and she bore a Son, Jesus, who was Immanuel, “God with us.” Prophecy made. Prophecy fulfilled and prophecy recognized. And this pattern, of “Prophecy made – Prophecy fulfilled and prophecy recognized,” is repeated literally hundreds of times, especially regarding the first advent of Jesus Christ. Prophecies made. Prophecies fulfilled and recognized.

Now, the prophecies about the first advent of Jesus have all been fulfilled, because Jesus Christ appeared in the flesh almost 2,000 years ago. But there are many prophecies in the Bible that are still unfulfilled because those prophecies are concerning Jesus Christ’s Second Coming at the end of the age. Even though these prophecies of Jesus’ return are yet unfulfilled, their purpose is the same as the purpose stated above and their guarantee is the same as the guarantee above. God has written prophecies about the end of the age for the purpose of proving that He has planned all things and that He is able to fulfill the prophecies that He makes. God is glorified by making then fulfilling prophecies. This also means that, since God has made these end-times prophecies about the end of the age and the return of Christ, He has guaranteed their fulfillment and has guaranteed that their fulfillment will be recognized.

These two ideas about prophecy, that end-times prophecy will fulfill God’s purpose and that all end-times prophecies are guaranteed fulfillment and recognition, justify the effort involved in discerning the meaning and the timing of the end-times prophecies in the Scriptures. Since all the prophecies of the end of the age will certainly be fulfilled, then the disciple of Jesus is encouraged to “make careful searches and inquiries seeking to know when we can anticipate the revelation of Jesus Christ (adapted from 1 Peter 1:10-13).”

While making careful searches and inquiries, it must also be acknowledged that the study of eschatology is hard work, and there are special challenges when studying end-times’ prophecy.

  1. The first thing to try to figure out is if this vision or passage is about the end of the age or about Jesus’ return at all, or is it about something else entirely?
  2. What is the nature of the prophecy? Since many of the prophecies about the end of the age and the return of Christ are given in figurative, apocalyptic language, it can be difficult to discern what is being prophesied. Discerning this is critical, for if the nature and meaning of the prophecy are not correctly discerned, then it is impossible to recognize the prophecy’s fulfillment.
  3. Understanding prophecy demands a thorough knowledge of all of Scripture. The more Scripture you have in your head, the more material the Holy Spirit has to use in showing related words and phrases and visions. Also, a deep familiarity with the whole Bible helps you to understand the language and the idiom of Scripture.

All these steps in exegesis require skill, prayer, and patience. Skill means gathering good exegetical tools and learning to use them well. Prayer is needed for the Holy Spirit’s insight. Patience keeps you moving forward in the study and prevents giving up. And all of this is meaningful because prophecy glorifies God. So, we willingly sacrifice ourselves (Romans 12:1) to see what God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor 2:9).

WHAT PROPHECIES ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

We have established that God will certainly fulfil the prophecies He makes in His Word. Guaranteed. Our task is to identify God’s prophecies in the Scriptures and then interpret them such that they form a cohesive picture. So, what are some of the prophecies we need to examine in our study of the end-times? A partial list follows.

Resurrection * (1 Thess. 4)                             The Seventy Weeks (Daniel 9)

The apostasy (2 Thess. 2)                               The man of lawlessness (2 Thess. 2)

The beast (Rev. 13)                                         The false prophet (Rev. 13, 16)

The 144,000 (Rev. 7; 14)                                 Time, times, and half a time **

Forty-two months **                                      1,260 days **

The trumpets (Rev. 8-9)                                  The seals (Rev. 6)

The “four horsemen” (Rev. 6)                        The battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16)

The bowls of wrath (Rev. 16)                          The two witnesses (Rev. 11)

The “thousand years” (Rev. 20)                      The great white throne judgment (Rev. 20)

The little horn (Daniel 7)                                 The small horn (Daniel 8)

The rider on the white horse (Rev. 19)           The lake of fire (Rev. 19; 20)

NOTE “Millennium” = “thousand years”      * Resurrection includes “the rapture”

** These three expressions are what I refer to collectively as the 42 months*.

And there are others, but the main point is this: God has placed these prophecies in His Word for His glory. They will certainly come to pass, and they will be recognized. This is what makes the study of eschatology so exciting and rewarding.

SDG                 rmb                 2/11/2021