5 Compelling Reasons to Study End-Times Prophecy (and Why It Matters Today)
Many believers avoid studying end-times prophecy, thinking it’s too complex, frightening, or irrelevant. But did you know that nearly 27% of the Bible is prophetic? God gave us prophecy to reveal His plans, strengthen our faith, and prepare us for Christ’s return. In this post, we’ll explore five compelling reasons why studying biblical prophecy matters today—helping us recognize the signs of the times, stay anchored in hope, and grow in our understanding of Jesus as King. Don’t miss this powerful study on why prophecy is essential for every believer!
Jesus’ Return!
Satan knows his fate; he won’t give up easily. But nothing will stop Christ the King’s return to earth. In this installment in our Back to the Future series, we will explore Armageddon in more detail, including Christ’s victory over the Antichrist. We will also look at what is happening in Heaven during the final part of the Tribulation. We will see God’s final fulfillment of His New Covenant to Israel: their national salvation. And finally, we will explore what happens after Christ’s victory but before His setting up of the Millennial Kingdom. Armageddon Through the Antichrist and the False Prophet, he gathers his allies for war against Israel at a place we now call Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16). Armageddon is in the valley of Megiddo, about 60 miles north of Jerusalem. The valley of Megiddo has not been a stranger to battles. “Over 200 battles have been fought in the region, from 1468 b.c. (with Pharaoh Tuthmosis III) to 1917 (with Lord Allenby of the British)”. (Enduring Word) Satan’s posturing doesn’t concern God. He has expected it and even planned it. He supernaturally cleared the Antichrist’s way to Israel by drying up the river Euphrates to gather the nations for judgment (Joel 3:2, 12). God will not be mocked. The Psalmist describes God’s reaction to an attempt to defeat God like this: “The Lord “laughs, the Lord scoffs at them. Then He will speak to them in His anger and terrify them in His fury, saying, “But as for me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain (Psalm 2:4-6). As the Antichrist gathers his troops at Armageddon, Babylon is attacked and destroyed by the Antichrist’s enemies (Revelation 18:21). At this point, the Antichrist begins to move south towards Jerusalem, intent on destroying the Jews once and for all. Jerusalem falls again under Gentile control (Zechariah 12:1-3, 14:1-2; Micah 4:11-13), but not for long, as Jesus is not far behind. Celebration in Heaven As the Tribulation’s end is near, a great celebration in Heaven occurs (Revelation 19:1-10). The heavenly hosts rejoice over the righteous judgment of Babylon and the avenging of those saints who have died at her hands. A voice from Heaven urges those in Heaven to rejoice and be glad for the marriage supper of the Lamb to His bride. The Bible applies the symbolism of marriage to Christ and the Church. Christ is the bridegroom, and the Church is the bride. God, the Father, initiated the betrothal of the Church to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2). There was a betrothal period in Jewish marriage, during which the bride and groom remained apart until the wedding ceremony. The Father decided when the son would go get his bride for her presentation and the wedding ceremony. Similarly, the Church and Christ remain apart during the Church Age. God alone decides when He will send Jesus for His Bride. This sending and Christ’s return for the Church is what we call the Rapture. This is when the Church will be presented to Jesus (John 14:3). The wedding will occur after the Rapture, probably at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The final supper is a symbolic meal that signifies the end of the ceremony. John sees Heaven celebrating the Church’s eternal wedding to Christ in Revelation 19:7-9. National Salvation of Israel John the Baptist’s message to the Israelites at Christ’s First Coming was repentance and of the coming Kingdom (Matthew 3:2); however, the Nation of Israel rejected their Messiah and the Kingdom He offered (Acts 2:22-23). Because of this rejection, God partially hardened until all the Gentiles who will be saved are saved ( Romans 11:15, 25). Jesus was heartbroken over His rejection by His own people, and in Matthew 23:37-39, he lamented that Jerusalem will not see Him again until they accept Him as their Christ. The Old Testament also points to this eventual reconciliation but says that before Christ goes to them, they must first confess their sins, humble their hearts, and seek God’s face (Leviticus 26:39-42, Jeremiah 3:11-18, Hosea 5:15). They cry out for Messiah. At that time, forgiveness for sin and impurity will flow through the land like a fountain (Zechariah 13:1-2). God will give them a new heart and a new spirit, and they will be God’s people, and He will be their God (Ezekiel 36:24-28). At last, they will call on His name and be saved! (Zechariah 13:9). Christ’s Glorious Appearing and Return to Earth Israel sees their prayers answered with Christ’s return. When they see Him, they will mourn and weep bitterly over their rejection of Him (Zechariah 12:10-14, Zechariah 13). But just as God promised, He saves Israel supernaturally from its enemies and its sin (Jeremiah 31:34-35). The New Covenant is finally fulfilled for Israel! Jesus’s Second Coming will be spectacular. He will come back to earth in the same way He ascended to Heaven, but unlike His ascension, every eye will see His return. Jesus describes His return in Matthew 24:29-31. He says: “But immediately after the Tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 31 And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Jesus’ return is also described by John in Revelation 19:11-16. “And I saw Heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe
Bowl Judgments of Revelation
We have seen God’s wrath unleashed on earth in a series of two sets of judgments, each set progressively worse and more devastating as time goes on. Here, we will explore the third set of judgments, the bowl judgments, and their worldwide effects. Finally, we will take a look at the fall of commercial and political Babylon. Three Angels and a Voice from Heaven In Revelation 14:6-13, John sees three angels, each bringing a different message from Heaven relating to what is in store for the earth’s inhabitants. The first angel’s message is one of Good News; this angel preaches “an eternal gospel to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people” (Revelation 14:6). This message is another attempt by God to convince those left behind to repent and accept His Son. It also fulfills Jesus’ prophecy of Matthew 24:14 that “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” The second angel announces the fall of Babylon. Babylon, generally, represents man’s rebellion against God stemming from the incident at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9). “Prophetically, ‘Babylon’ sometimes refers to a literal city, sometimes to a religious system, sometimes to a political system, all stemming from the evil character of historic Babylon.” (Walvoord) We saw in Revelation 17 that Babylon referred in that chapter to a one-world apostate religious system and also to a city. The third angel’s message concerns those who are following the beast (the Antichrist). This angel warns that if anyone “worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or hand” he will drink the cup of God’s wrath for eternity. It is evident that there is a connection between worshiping the beast and receiving a mark. No one will casually take the mark. If someone gets the mark, they have rejected God and chosen to follow Satan. The mark will be an eternal choice. Revelation 14:10-11 leaves no doubt that there will be suffering in hell, and it will be eternal. John then contrasts those who worship the beast and take his mark with those saints who persevered during this time through keeping the commandments and their faith in Jesus Christ. A voice from Heaven says of these Tribulation saints who are martyred, “they may rest from their labors, for the deeds follow with them.” (Revelation 14:13). This eternal rest is very different from Satan’s followers, who receive eternal torment. Final Reaping on Earth; Three More Angels God’s final wrath is pictured through a grain harvest and then a grape harvest. The grain harvest represents the bowl judgments, and the grape harvest represents the Battle of Armageddon. In the parable of the tares, Jesus also uses the idea of a harvest to explain His Second Coming and the final wrath of God (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43). In Revelation 14:14, John sees someone like a son of man sitting on a white cloud. This is a picture of Jesus that we first saw in Daniel 7:13-14. In John’s vision, he has a victor’s crown on his head and carries a sharp sickle representing quick judgment. God gave Jesus authority to execute all judgment (John 5:22, 27) because He is the Son of Man. An angel then comes out of the temple and appears to Jesus, appealing to Him to reap because the earth’s harvest is ripe. The reaping is of the ungodly people of the world; they will be gathered and judged. Jesus then begins to swing His sickle and reap the earth. John then describes another harvest, but this time an angel swings the sickle, not Jesus (Revelation 14:17-18). A second angel comes from the temple with a sharp sickle and then is joined by another angel from the altar calling to the angel with the sickle, “Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.” (Revelation 14:18). Then the angel swings the sickle, gathers the clusters, and throws them into the great winepress of the wrath of God. The grapes are trodden, causing blood to flow from the winepress all the way up to the horses’ bridle for a distance of 200 miles. This vivid description represents the final Battle of Armageddon outside of Jerusalem. The Seven Bowl Judgments Revelation 14 generally describes the end of all things, but Revelation 16 goes back and describes them in more detail. John sees seven angels with seven plagues which are the last of the judgments. Before we are told the details of these judgments, we are given another description of Heaven in Revelation 15. John sees “something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name” holding harps and singing the song of Moses, the victory song of Israel after their deliverance at the Red Sea from the Egyptian army (Revelation 15:2-4). Here, this song also represents the delivery of the saints by Christ from sin and death. Next, out of the temple come the seven angels with the seven plagues who are given seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God (Revelation 16:2-21). These bowls of judgment are the third woe of Revelation 11:14. See the illustration below. There are similarities between some of these judgments and the judgments on Egypt during the time of Moses. The first bowl is similar to the plague of boils in Exodus 9:8-12; the second bowl to water turning to blood in Exodus 7:14-25, and the fifth bowl to the darkness of Exodus 10:21-29. Also, like the Egyptians in Exodus, the judgments cause the inhabitants of the earth to harden their hearts; they still refuse to repent. We see too that where the second and third trumpet judgments of Revelation 8 cause partial contamination of the seas and freshwater, the second and third bowl judgments
The Seven Signs of Revelation Explained: Prophecy, Symbols, and Meaning
Revelation 12 and 13 unveil seven prophetic signs that reveal the cosmic battle between good and evil. From the woman clothed with the sun to the terrifying beasts of the end times, each sign carries profound meaning for understanding the Tribulation, the Antichrist, and God’s ultimate victory. Who are these figures, and what role do they play in biblical prophecy? Explore the meaning of these seven signs and their significance in the unfolding of God’s divine plan.
Trumpet Judgments of Revelation
The Book of Revelation describes three waves of God’s judgment of earth’s inhabitants, each wave progressively worsening. The judgments begin with the seven seal judgments, continue to the trumpet judgments, and end with the bowl judgments. In a previous post, we discussed the first six judgments: First seal (Rev 6:1-2) white horse, antichrist comes to conquer Second Seal (Rev 6:3-4) red horse, open warfare breaks out Third Seal (Rev 6:5-6) black horse, world famine Fourth Seal (Rev 6:7-8) death to ¼ of earth Fifth Seal (Rev 6:9-11) martyrdom, believer call for vengeance Sixth Seal (Rev 6:12-17) physical disturbances, earthquake, sun blacked out, etc Here we will discuss the seven judgments of Revelation. These trumpets are sounded by seven angels and warn of the Lord’s judgment of earth during the second half of the Tribulation. The first four announce the divine destruction of the earth’s ecosystem, and the final three involve the demonic devastation of the earth’s inhabitants. Let’s take a look. When the Lamb breaks the seventh seal, Heaven is silent for about half an hour. This hushed expectancy is in striking contrast to the loud worship described in Revelation 5:9-14 and 7:9-12. We are not told why Heaven is silent, but with the breaking of the seventh seal, God’s plan for His judgment of the wicked is fully revealed for the first time, which invokes awe and anticipation of what God is about to do. After the seventh seal is broken, John sees that seven trumpets are given to the seven angels who stand before God. In ancient Israel, trumpets were used for many reasons, including to gather God’s people (Numbers 10:2), to announce war (Numbers 10:9), and as a warning of judgment (Ezekiel 33:3). Trumpets are also connected with the Great Day of the Lord, the Great Tribulation (Zephaniah 1:14-16 and Zechariah 9:14). Recall that at Jericho before the walls fell, “seven blasts on seven trumpets by seven priests after a sevenfold march on the seventh day, signaled judgment. Here, seven blasts on seven trumpets by seven angels during the seven-year tribulation signals judgment (MacArthur Sermon Divine Destruction of Earth’s Ecology). Next, John sees another angel standing at the altar, holding a golden censer. This angel was given incense to add to the prayers of all of the saints, including the prayers of the martyrs who cried out in Revelation 6:9-11, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” God was about to answer the martyrs’ prayers: they would have to wait no longer. The angel filled the censer with fire from the altar and threw it to the earth, causing thunder, lightning, and an earthquake on the earth. It was time for the trumpet judgments to begin. First Four Trumpet Judgments The first four trumpets announce the divine destruction of the earth’s ecosystem. Just as God used the pagan gods to judge Egypt during the time of Moses, God will use the earth, sun, moon, and stars, the created things that people have worshiped from the time of Babylon, to judge the unbelieving inhabitants of the earth. With the first trumpet come hail and fire, mixed with blood. As a result, one-third of the earth will be burnt, including one-third of the trees and one-third of the green grass (Revelation 8:7-8). This could describe a devastating volcanic eruption resulting from the earthquake that occurs when the angel throws fire to the earth. Hail and fire would mean losing crops and vegetation, which would cause the loss of food for both people and animals. Also, there will be a shortage of wood for construction. When the second trumpet sounded, “something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea.” One-third of the sea became blood, one-third of the creatures died, and a third of the ships were destroyed (Revelation 8:8-9). Most likely, this will be a meteor or an asteroid. Whatever the natural phenomenon, its plummet into the sea will affect coastal lands, and with the destruction of one-third of the ships, the flow of goods and commerce will be impacted. Also, with the death of one-third of the creatures in the sea, the food chain will be dramatically affected. When the third trumpet sounds, a great star named Wormwood falls from Heaven, burning like a torch and falling on a third of the rivers and on the springs of waters (Revelation 8:10-11). This star may be a comet since it leaves a fiery trail behind it. The waters become wormwood which is a bitter, poisonous substance. In Jeremiah 9:15, speaking of the judgment of Israel, God says, “behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink.” This is a preview of what will happen with the third trumpet blast during the Tribulation. With the second blast, the seas are affected, but this time the freshwater supply is impacted, leaving the water supply undrinkable and poisoned. People cannot survive long without fresh water. When the fourth trumpet sounds, there is some celestial event that leaves a third of the sun, moon, and stars darkened so that there would only be natural light one-third of the day and of the night. (Revelation 8:12). This would result in darkness and extreme cold. Fifth Trumpet Judgment – The First Woe If it seems like things couldn’t get much worse, the eagle quickly dispels that notion when he says, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the three angels who are about to sound.” (Revelation 8:13) With the following three trumpet judgments, which the eagles call “woes,” God was about to release “hell” on earth, literally. When the fifth angel sounds the trumpet, John sees a “star from Heaven which had fallen to earth; and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up out of the pit…” (Revelation 9:1-2). From the use of the pronouns “him” and
The Great Harlot: Fate of Religion During Tribulation
The Church has been raptured, leaving behind all the counterfeit religions, including the apostate church. The religions left behind will culminate into one false religion, which will wield massive power and control over the world. But as we forge ahead to Revelation 13, we discover the fate of false religion during the Tribulation. False Religion Throughout the Book of Revelation, several chapters are considered interludes; they don’t necessarily fit neatly into the Revelation timeline, but they give us valuable information to understand better what is happening. Revelation 17 is one of those interludes, and the events it speaks of occur during the first 3.5 years of the Tribulation. Many think the events of Revelation 17 occur chronologically between Revelation 5 and 6. We will discuss them here. After the Church’s rapture, many who have professed their faith outwardly in Jesus but inwardly are far from Him will be left behind. As a result, an apostate church will emerge and grow in power and influence. Revelation 17 describes this false religious system and its fall. In Chapter 17, we are introduced to a harlot named “Babylon the Great.” By looking at the chapter’s context, we can conclude that the woman is not a literal woman but a symbol of religious idolatry and apostasy. Babylon is mentioned 287 times in Scripture and is associated with idolatry, blasphemy, and the persecution of God’s people. We know that ancient Babylon is the birthplace of false religions, beginning with the Tower of Babel. At Babel, the people of earth substituted their wisdom for God’s wisdom and rebelled against Him, worshiping their own achievements instead of Him. From Babylon emerged all kinds of false religions, ranging from the worship of idols to the worship of systems to the worship of men. Paul in Romans 1 sums up the birth of false religion like this: “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” As we read on, we find out other details about this woman. First, she is described as a great harlot (v.1). Throughout the Bible, prostitution symbolizes spiritual adultery or religious apostasy. We see this use in Jeremiah 3:6-9, where Israel is referred to as a harlot and is accused of committing adultery with stones and trees (idols). We also are told that the harlot sits on many waters, which the angel interprets for us in v. 15 as “peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.” This symbolizes that she has power over many nations and is universal in character. Next, we find out that “the kings of the earth committed acts of adultery with her. (v. 2).” This means that political leaders ally themselves with her, using her to gain power and control. At. In verse 18, we are told by the angel that the woman is the great city that reigns over the kings of the earth. Some believe the “great city” is a literal city, most likely Rome. Others think this is not a reference to a literal city but refers to the religious system established by man, not God. Whether a city or a religious system as a whole, we are told that her influence extends beyond the kings to the masses who are being made drunk on her immorality (v. 2). This religious system will appear attractive and spiritual; it will lure the masses in. Then, we see the harlot sitting on a scarlet beast which is the antichrist (v. 3). “Her position, that of riding the beast, indicates on the one hand that she is supported by the political power of the beast and on the other that she is in a dominant role and at least outwardly controls and directs the beast (Walvoord). She is dressed in purple and scarlet, the colors of royalty, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls (v. 4). All of these adornments are meant to lure the nations into her grasp. She has a name written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and the Abominations of the Earth.” Roman prostitutes often wore headbands with their names imprinted on them. This reminds us that despite her allure, she is not what as she appears. From her title, we can conclude that she embodies all false religions and their evils, lies, and deceits, culminating in a powerful, unified religious system. Next, we see the woman drunk with the blood of the saints and the witnesses of Jesus (v. 6). False religion has killed millions of saints throughout history. “False religion is always the worst enemy of true religion” (Walvoord). Think about the religious persecutions in the early church and the inquisitions that killed hundreds of thousands of protestants during the Middle Ages. Add to this the continuing persecution of Christians today and the persecutions that will happen at the hands of this post-Rapture religious system. The blood on the harlot’s hands will not go unavenged, however. The Fate of the Harlot In Revelation 17 v. 8, we learn more about the beast (the antichrist) the harlot was riding on. We are told that the beast has “seven heads and ten horns (v. 3).” In verses 9 and 10, we find out that the beast’s seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. Some believe that the seven mountains refer to Rome since Rome sits on 7 hills. Interestingly, in 1st Peter 5:13, Peter refers to Rome as Babylon. Still, others conclude that the seven mountains represent the seven kings and their seven kingdoms described in v. 10. They believe that these seven kingdoms are