Introduction

The Blessing of Biblical Prophecy

The 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!