Bible Prophecy Answer Book

Ron Rhodes

Description

Studying Prophecy Can Change Your Life Strengthen your faith and find real hope for the future in this extensive resource that provides concise answers to your most burning questions about Bible prophecy and the end times. Topics include everything from how to interpret prophecy to clarifying the perplexing specifics of the rapture, the antichrist, and the afterlife. Respected Bible scholar Ron Rhodes addresses questions many are asking, such as...Is it important that we be aware of the signs of the times?Do Christians agree about the role of America in Bible prophecy?Is there biblical evidence that the church will escape the tribulation period?Will only believers enter into Christ's millennial kingdom?In what way will the heavens and earth be made "new"? Whether you're looking for quick instruction or you're eager to go deeper, this accessible Q&A-style guide will help you navigate prophetic Scripture passages and better understand matters of eternal significance.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christian theology

Informations

• Publié par: Harvest House Publishers, Inc.
• Date de parution: 28 février 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780736964302
• Langue: English

Extrait

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Verses marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible , New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Verses marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible , 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. ( www.Lockman.org )
Verses marked HCSB are taken from the HCSB , Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. HCSB is a federally registered trademark of Holman Bible Publishers.
Verses marked AMP are taken from The Amplified Bible, Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. ( www.Lockman.org )
Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.
Italicized emphasis in Scripture quotations is added by the author.
Cover by Dugan Design Group
Cover image dell / Fotolia
BIBLE PROPHECY ANSWER BOOK
Copyright 2017 Ron Rhodes
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com
ISBN 978-0-7369-6429-6 (pbk.)
ISBN 978-0-7369-6430-2 (eBook)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Rhodes, Ron.
Title: Bible prophecy answer book / Ron Rhodes.
Description: Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 2017. Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016030265 (print) LCCN 2016037180 (ebook) ISBN 9780736964296 (pbk.) ISBN 9780736964302 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Bible-Prophecies. Bible-Prophecies-End of the world. End of the world-Biblical teaching. Eschatology-Biblical teaching.
Classification: LCC BS647.3 R43 2017 (print) LCC BS647.3 (ebook) DDC 220.1/5-dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016030265
All rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other-without the prior written permission of the publisher. The authorized purchaser has been granted a nontransferable, nonexclusive, and noncommercial right to access and view this electronic publication, and purchaser agrees to do so only in accordance with the terms of use under which it was purchased or transmitted. Participation in or encouragement of piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of author s and publisher s rights is strictly prohibited.
Dedication
To my beloved wife, Kerri
Acknowledgments
A heartfelt thanks goes to the late Dr. John F. Walvoord and the late Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost, both of whom were my mentors in biblical prophecy at Dallas Theological Seminary in the early 1980s. (Seems like yesterday!) Their insights played a significant role in shaping my views on biblical prophecy.
As always, my heart continues to overflow with gratitude for my wife, Kerri. What an awesome gift God has given me in her. From the very beginning, she has faithfully stood by me and my work. I am truly blessed.
Most importantly, I remain ever grateful to the Lord Jesus Christ, not only for His wondrous gift of salvation but also for the opportunity He has given me to serve Him during this short earthly life. Come soon, Lord!
Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Introduction: The Blessing of Biblical Prophecy
1. Understanding Prophecy
2. God and Prophecy
3. Rightly Interpreting Prophecy
4. Understanding the Book of Revelation
5. The Covenants and Biblical Prophecy
6. The Distinction Between the Church and Israel
7. Israel s Rebirth and Rising Anti-Semitism
8. The Signs of the Times
9. America in Prophecy
10. The Ezekiel Invasion
11. The Rapture of the Church
12. The Judgment Seat of Christ
13. The Tribulation Period
14. The Antichrist and the False Prophet
15. God s Servants: The 144,000 Jews and the Two Prophetic Witnesses
16. Religion During the Tribulation Period
17. The Campaign of Armageddon
18. The Second Coming and Subsequent Judgments
19. The Millennial Kingdom
20. The Great White Throne Judgment
21. The Lake of Fire
22. The New Heavens, New Earth, and New Jerusalem
23. Blessings of the Eternal State
24. Death Finally Conquered
Postscript: An Eternal Perspective
Bibliography
Notes
Another Great Resource from Ron Rhodes
Other Great Harvest House Books by Ron Rhodes
About the Publisher
Introduction
The Blessing of Biblical Prophecy
T he study of prophecy can change your life. It has mine. In fact, my exposure to biblical prophecy was a strong contributing factor to my becoming a Christian back in the 1970s.
Fulfilled prophecy demonstrates the following:
God knows the future.
The Bible really is the Word of God.
God is in sovereign control of all that occurs in the world.
God has a plan for humanity-and a plan for you.
God will one day providentially cause good to triumph over evil.
A new world is coming-a new earth and new heavens (and new resurrection bodies).
The Lord is coming soon !
Through the years, as I ve engaged in the work of Christian ministry, I ve discovered that Christians have many questions about biblical prophecy. Some questions relate to the timing of end-time events. Others relate to the proper interpretation of prophetic Bible verses-whether in the Old or the New Testament. Still others relate to prophetic paradigms such as premillennialism, amillennialism, and postmillennialism. Such questions are the reason I wrote this book. I ve compiled the most common questions people ask about prophecy and have provided concise, easy-to-understand answers. My prayer is that you will find this book educational, enriching, and exciting.
The prophetic truths in this book are not just for the head but also for the heart . Theology that does not touch the heart-that does not resonate with your inner spirit so that it changes you-has failed at its task. My prayer is that this book will cause a paradigm shift in the way you view this present world and your place in it . Scripture itself says prophecy ought to have a life-changing effect on us (see, for example, Titus 2:11-14). So, this book-full of scriptural answers to commonly asked prophecy questions-is ultimately engineered to make a difference in the way you live your Christian life.
May it be so!
1
Understanding Prophecy
What is a prophet?
The word prophet -from the Hebrew word nabi -refers to a spokesman for God who either declares God s message to humankind regarding a contemporary situation or foretells the future based on divine revelation. While the predictive role is often stressed, the Bible equally emphasizes the teaching function. Both aspects require communication from God to the prophet (see 2 Samuel 7:27; Jeremiah 23:18).
What is prophecy?
Prophecy can be defined as God s revelation regarding history in advance. The backdrop is that only God-who is omniscient (or all-knowing)-knows the future. In Isaiah 46:9-11, God affirms:
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 not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.
This means that our sovereign God controls human history, and He is the only one who can reveal the future to us.
What does end times mean in the study of prophecy?
End times is a general term that embraces a broad spectrum of events that will take place in the last days. This includes the rapture, the judgment seat of Christ (for Christians), the seven-year tribulation period (and all the events included in that period, such as the emergence of the antichrist and Armageddon), the second coming of Christ, Christ s 1000-year millennial kingdom, the great white throne judgment (for the wicked), a destiny in hell for the wicked, and a destiny in heaven for believers.
Some of these terms may be unfamiliar to you. Don t be concerned. I ll explain them all in this book.
What does last days mean in the study of prophecy?
A number of New Testament passages use last days, last times, and last time to refer to the present church age in which we now live. For example, the writer of Hebrews said, Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). We also see this in 1 Peter 1:20, where we are told that Christ, in the incarnation, was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God. This means that people in New Testament times up to the present day- all who have lived and are now living in the church age-are, in one sense, in the last days.
It is critical to recognize, however, the distinction between how last days is used in the New Testament in reference to the church age and how the term is used in Old Testament prophecies in reference to Israel. The Old Testament use of last days (and similar terms) refers to the time leading up to the second coming of the Messiah to set up His millennial kingdom on earth. Among the many verses that substantiate this is Deuteronomy 4:30, where we read: When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the L ORD your God and obey his voice. Contextually, this verse equates the future tribulation with the latter days. The Old Testament usage of such terms as latter days, last days, latter years, end of time, and end of the age all refer