Chapter 1

The Basics of Bible Prophecy

(1) Interpreting Apocalyptic Symbolism

In order to understand Bible prophecy it is important to properly understand some basic facts and information.  The book of Revelation contains substantial amounts of symbolism. A symbol is an object standing for or representing something else; an emblem, a letter, figure, or character, such as a flag that is the emblem of a nation and represents certain things that the nation stands for or believes. Funk and Wagnell’s Ency. says:

The bases of symbolism is a physical connection, an association, or a chance resemblance between the symbol and the thing symbolized . . . the olive branch has denoted peace; the palm, triumph; and the anchor, faith or hope. (Vol. 22, p. 385)

In the book of Revelation we are actually shown how its symbols are supposed to be interpreted. In the first chapter, John saw seven golden lampstands and seven stars in Christ’s hand; then Jesus said, “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches” (1:20). This shows us that the symbols of the Revelation, and all other Bible prophecies, have a definite literal meaning that God wants us to learn. So the book of Revelation is not allegory with an unknowable meaning, but contains literal, factual information.

We also know from the above verse that God expects us to figure out the meanings of the symbols in Revelation. The beast has a definite meaning, and the seven heads have a definite meaning that we can learn. We will eventually learn that the seven heads of the beast represent seven empires that have ruled within the area of North Africa, Middle East, and Southern Europe.

Therefore, regardless of what you have been told, God is not going to turn the oceans into blood; that is symbolism that must be interpreted. And when Christ returns, he will not have a literal sword sticking out of his mouth! The sword represents words of judgment that will bring death to the wicked.

However, we should not take symbolism too far. For example, the anchor represents faith and hope, but an anchor is also big and heavy and could drop on your foot and crush it. Does that mean that we should be careful not to have too much faith? No, it means the relationship between the symbolism and what is symbolized is only partial, not total. The symbolism of an object does not have to be exact; it only needs to be close.

But not everything is symbolic. For example, some Bible commentaries say that the statement, “the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken” refers to governments falling. The reason must be that they could not imagine these events actually happening in this solar system. Even science did not believe that asteroids have been impacting Earth until the 1980s when evidence was discovered that the dinosaurs were wiped out by an asteroid. I was taught in school that Meteor Crater in Arizona was an extinct volcano, but we now know it was created by an asteroid impact. Therefore, unless there is clear symbolism, like two prophets breathing fire, we must conclude that it refers to the actual objects described, and is not symbolism.

(2) A Word about Quotes

Because of the misuse of source material in other books, from science to religion, some people will suspect that I have taken passages out of context or that I have misrepresented what the prophecy actually says, so I include the actual quotes so you can read for yourself. And it is important that you read the quotes because I do not repeat everything that is needed for a full understanding of each section’s topic in my explanation of the quotes; I assume that you will read the Scripture passages and prophecies.

Sometimes a quote will contain information about more than just the topic at hand; therefore, you will get a more complete picture of the events of the Great Tribulation (GT) by reading the full passage. For example, a quote about World War III also may contain information about famine, plagues, drought, or other things that will be discussed in other sections; yet, when I discuss famine or drought, I may not include those previously quoted passages; otherwise, many of the prophecies would be repeated in several chapters. There is very little repetition. This means, in any section of the book there could be a prophecy about a topic of another chapter or section, but it may not be in that other chapter. So you need to read the Scripture quotes that are included to get the most complete understanding of the end time events presented here.

(3) The Full Net

There are many passages which speak against the doctrine of imminent return of Christ, as well as the pre-tribulation Rapture theory. What follows here is just such a passage.

The large population of many countries is already a problem; when the world becomes full of people the end will come as described in the parable of the fish net:

“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:47-50)

Notice that the net contains both good and bad fish; so this refers to the whole world today, not heaven and not Christianity. Jesus said the net will be pulled in when it is full. This means the end of this world and its destruction by fire will occur when the world is full of people. The fiery furnace does not refer to hell, but to the coming global firestorm that will kill most of the world’s population. Some experts say that this world can hold about 8 billion people, others say 10 or 12 billion; we are currently at 6.5 billion and will have 8 billion between 2030 and 2040.

Our oceans are being depleted of fish, our land is being deforested, our farmland is decreasing, but our population is skyrocketing. Even a fool can see an approaching crisis point when we will no longer be able to sustain the global population. Rather than allow us to starve slowly God will bring it all to a crashing end that will only take a few years of natural disasters and warfare. And most of that will take place in only a few days at the end of the GT, in the total wrath of God upon the world. The natural disasters of the GT will be limited compared to the total wrath of God.

Many commentaries say the net refers to Christianity and the global preaching of the gospel, but the previous parable in Matthew 13 about the wheat and the weeds clearly stated that the field is “the world.” Likewise, this net is also the entire world. Robert’s Word Pictures states this net is a “dragnet . . . Just as the field is the world, so the dragnet catches all the fish that are in the sea.” Only a small percentage of people who hear the Gospel profess Christ. This net pulls in every fish within its area (there are no holes in this net); therefore, for it to represent Christianity every person who hears the Gospel would have to make a profession of faith.

Christ will not return to judge the world until the world is full of people. Time is short, we must continue to preach Christ, but we must also now preach the coming Day of Judgment and end of the world. Though the world is not coming totally to an end, the majority of the world will be destroyed, so the world as we know it is coming to an end.

(4) The Rapture

Most Protestant Christians believe in what they call the Rapture, which is the catching away of all Christians to heaven at the end of this age. Some believe it will happen at the start of a seven-year tribulation, others in the middle, some others at the end, and others about three-quarters of the way in, known as the Pre-Wrath theory. Belief in the Rapture is based on the words of Paul in I Corinthians 15:

50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:50-54)

Christ will return in the sky, at the last trumpet, and those who have died will be resurrected with immortal bodies so they can live forever; the living will be instantly changed to also become immortal, and all will join Christ in the clouds to enter the eternal Kingdom of God. This is the basic doctrine of the Rapture. The correct interpretation of Bible prophecy provides great evidence against the pre-tribulation Rapture theory, as we will see throughout this book.

(5) The Coming Great Signs of Christ’s Return

When Christ came the first time there were signs in the heavens which brought the wise men to worship Jesus as a future king. Likewise, there will be signs in the heavens before his return.

Prophecy teachers have been teaching for over a hundred and fifty years that the end is near, especially the passed fifty years, but there have always been wars, famines, and social turmoil. These things alone, are not signs of the end. Jesus said that before he returns to judge the world there will be signs of his return. Most people are looking at world events for signs of Christ’s return, but the most important signs of which he spoke are not here on Earth but are in the heavens above. Great and momentous events will take place among the planets of this solar system.

In Matthew 24:29 Jesus described the events of the Day of Judgment, “the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.” Most of the world’s population will die from natural events that come upon the whole solar system, which is why the stars will fall and the planets will shake. But before those events of the Day of Judgment, other less catastrophic events will take place that will serve as warning signs of the coming global destruction. In the book of Luke chapter 21 Jesus said:

“There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.” (Luke 21:11)

Fearful events and signs of Christ’s return will be seen in this solar system. Later in the same chapter Jesus tells us about the events in the heavens. Whatever these events are, they will cause many people to be in great fear about what is coming upon the world:

“There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26 Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.” (Luke 21:25-26)

Many prophecy teachers point to upheavals in the world today as a fulfillment of these verses, but this is far from true. The reason the nations will be in anguish and perplexity are the “signs”; strange and unusual things, that take place in among the sun, moon, and planets. The sea does not refer to people or nations being in turmoil! It refers to the oceans of the world. The cosmic events that will affect the sun, moon, and stars also will affect our oceans, causing great swells and tides, because the moon affects the ocean tides.

Cosmic events are the only certain signs of the coming Day of Judgment, because Judgment Day will be caused by events in this solar system. People will die of heart attacks, frightened about the unusual things that will happen in this solar system, “for the heavenly bodies will be shaken”– which are the planets in our solar system, including Earth.

If people will die from fear, they will also likely engage in rioting and looting, because they will fear that the end of the world is coming. Why will they believe this? Because the planets in this solar system will be shaken. But what does “shaken” mean? It cannot mean that they will have quakes, like earthquakes. No, it means they will do strange and unusual things that can be seen from Earth; which means some may speed up or slow down as they orbit the sun, or some may move out of their orbits into a closer or farther orbit. We will be able to see them do things which will cause people on Earth to wonder what will happen to Earth also.

When the worst of these events take place, then Christ will return to judge the world.

27 “At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:27-28)

These verses tell us that we can expect to see these events start to happen several years before the return of Christ, and that they will continue right up to and including the day that Christ returns in the sky.

These verses are more evidence that proves there is no such thing as a surprise secret Rapture followed by the Great Tribulation. All Christians will see the signs in the heavens, they just need to be informed that those events are pointing to Christ’s return. God is not going to bring great destruction upon the world without giving us lots of warning.

The pre-tribulation Rapturists will try to argue that the signs could start right after the Rapture, since they claim there will be seven years between the Rapture and the bodily return of Christ. But Jesus continues on this subject and tells us that it will be more than a few years, but will be decades between the beginning of the signs and when he returns:

He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” (Luke 21:29-32)

When you see leaves begin to appear on a tree, then another and another, you know that Spring is here and that Summer is getting closer and closer. In the same way, when we see more and more strange and unusual things happening in this solar system, we will know that Christ’s return is getting closer and closer. This passage also tells us that it will be 20—50 years from the first of the signs to his return, or he would not have said that the generation who sees the first signs will live to see his return.

Neither will it be hundreds of years between the first signs and his return, but only one generation or less. This passage in Luke 21 tells us that there is no need to look for Christ’s return today; Christ will not return for decades after we see fearful cosmic events in this solar system.

So this destroys the doctrine of Imminent Return of Christ which is the foundation of the pre-tribulation Rapture doctrine. This doctrine says the Rapture could have happened at any time since Christ returned to heaven. But Christ cannot return today because there are not strange and unusual events happening in our solar system. People are not dying from fear caused by strange cosmic events. People are going to be concerned in coming years about the turmoil in the world, but that has happened throughout recorded history. No riots or economic collapse points to the return of Christ, only frightening events in this solar system.

You will not need a Bible teacher to point out the signs for you; you will be able to see them for yourself, like when the whole world watched the comet fragments hit Jupiter in July 1994. Everyone will be aware of the events; if you watch the news on TV or read a newspaper you will know. People just need to be warned that the cosmic events are indeed signs that the end of the world as we know it is approaching, at the return of Christ.

When the signs begin to happen, churches can use it as a tool to make many converts, but as it stands today they will be unable to give an answer to those people who will be seeking answers. People will fill churches but most churches will not have an answer, but some churches will be able to say, “We have been telling you about the coming signs in the heavens and this proves that Jesus is coming soon.”

Why will the signs of Christ’s return be seen in the sky in the form of fearful events? Because when Christ returns the world will receive massive destruction from the sky; that is, from space, as he told us in Luke 17:

But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:29-30)

This passage, and many others, tells us that when Christ returns, fire will rain down from the sky and destroy most of the world’s population. Many Christians get upset when someone says Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by a volcanic eruption or an asteroid impact; “No, they were not, God destroyed them!” Excuse me?! Does God make it rain? Did God send Noah’s Flood? Did God cause an earthquake to open the earth and swallow Korah and all those with him (Num 16:32)? Yes he did. God uses the natural world he created as much as possible, so the fire that will destroy the world will not be God breathing fire out of his mouth; it will be a natural event.

There two events that can cause fire to rain down; one is an asteroid impact, the other will be discussed in chapter 13. When an asteroid impacts earth, it impacts with such force that it literally explodes and sends out pieces of flaming rock in all directions. This is why most scientists believe a very large asteroid destroyed the dinosaurs. Luke 21 continues:

33 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 34 Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:33-36)

Other words for “dissipation” are self-indulgence or gluttony. We should not be so consumed with making money and having fun that we fail to see the signs and take warning. Many people live such busy lives that they do not watch the news or scientific documentaries about the universe and worsening natural disasters and know nothing about the threat of asteroid impacts. Some people will see the events and die from fear, others will pay no attention to them.

Because of the context of this passage, Jesus is not referring to the Rapture when he says, “pray that you may escape.” He means, pray that you will escape being killed in the natural disasters so you can physically “stand” before him at his return. This is why we are told to watch the signs in the sun, moon, and stars so we will not be caught unprepared and end up dead. Other translations give a better sense of what the Greek means:

“But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (ESV)

“praying that you may be strong enough to come safely through all that is going to happen . . . (JBP)

“So be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place. . .“ (GNB)

It will require strength to make it through to the end of the GT and wrath of God, and to be one of the few survivors to enter the Kingdom Age. The reason Jesus spent so much time warning us of the coming Great Tribulation and wrath of God is because 99% of Christians will go through those events. The Rapture will not take every Christian.

Barnabas, who traveled with Paul, said Christ will come to “judge the ungodly, and shall change the sun and the moon and the stars, then he shall gloriously rest in that seventh day” (Barnabas 13:6). If God is going to change the sun, moon, and planets, then this means truly unexpected and incredible things are going to take place in this solar system. The Old Testament also predicts that great and wondrous things will happen in this solar system before Judgment Day, which is the return of Christ:

I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. (Joel 2:30-31)

What might some of these wonders and fearful sights be? We know that the planets will be shaken, let’s suppose, for the sake of argument that the planet Saturn were to leave its present orbit and travel across the solar system. Because of the size of Saturn compared to Earth, it could be seen large in the sky while still far away. You might look up into the sky and see a orange or yellow ball getting larger as it comes closer to Earth, then smaller again as it moves away. It may look like it is about to collide with Earth at some point. Such an event would be truly frightening and cause great fear and anxiety throughout the world.

(6) The Day and Hour Unknown

At the end of the Great Tribulation, there will be a short period of several weeks that will kill more people than the previous 2000 years, which is the wrath of God. In Matthew chapter 24 Jesus describes the Great Tribulation and wrath of God in detail (to be given later), then he gives several parables about being prepared for those events. Jesus said:

32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. . . . 36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  (Matt. 24:32-33, 36)

Notice that Jesus said we will not know the day or the hour, but we will know for a fact that his return is very near, even right at the door. One of the worst beliefs that has been propagated within Christianity is that we cannot know when Christ will return, but we just read that we can and will know, for a fact. If we listen to most prophecy teachers Jesus was soon to come for the past 150 years, but that is not true. We will know when Christ is right at the door, we just won’t know the exact day or hour. Matthew 24 continues:

37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. (24:37-41)

In this passage people are living their lives as usual when the flood came and killed them all. Even though Noah warned people of the coming flood they did not believe him. The reference Jesus makes here does not refer to being spiritually ready, but to being physically ready for the coming destruction. This refers to those who do not go in the Rapture, which is most of Christianity.

Those, above, who are taken do not go in the Rapture, they are killed in the global destruction at the return of Christ. We should be ready like Noah so we will not be killed like the man in the field and the woman grinding grain who are going about their lives as usual. Most people not prepared like Noah, will die. Noah did not know what day it would start to rain, but he did not wait until it started to rain to start building the ark.

Jesus could have worded the above passage like this, “I’m coming with destruction as great as Noah’s Flood, therefore you should watch the signs and be ready like Noah, otherwise, you will die.” People who are watching the signs and the world events will know when to seek shelter.

This shows that even though we will not know the day or the hour in advance, we can know the year well in advance so we can prepare like Noah. And when that year arrives we can know when we must seek shelter for a short time in order to be protected from the natural disasters of God’s wrath. Even though the Bible proves this point, there still will be many people crying and screaming that we cannot know when Christ will return, because they believe what they want to believe rather than what the Bible says.

(7) The Doctrine of Imminent Return Exposed

The pre-tribulation Rapture theory includes the doctrine of the imminent return of Christ, that says the Rapture and return of Christ could happen at any moment and that it could have happened at any time since Christ returned to heaven. Just because we do not know when the end will come does not mean it is imminent. There are in fact many verses of Scripture that prove that Jesus will stay away a long time; some have already been given. Here is another one from Matthew 24. Jesus said:

“6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes …” (Mat. 24:6-7)

These verses describe many years of history, “Nation will rise against nation.” But we are clearly told that the end of the age is still in the future. This statement alone destroys the imminent Rapture/return theory, because it shows that there is a specific end to the Gospel Age, and that it is in the distant future from the time of Christ.

In Matthew 25, in the parable of the ten virgins, it says, “While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept” (v.5). That word, “tarried” means “delayed.” This is another passage that says he will not come right away, but will be some time before he arrives. We have already seen the passage about the servant who beat the other servants:

But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants . . . (Matthew 24:48-49) (NIV)

Clearly, Jesus told us he would stay away a long time. The KJV says, “My Lord delayeth his comming…” So even the KJV says Christ will delay his return. When will people start believing what the Bible says???!!!

Paul actually taught against the imminent Rapture theory. Yes, Paul spoke out in Scripture against the belief in an imminent return of Christ.

That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. (KJV)

About half the translations say the same as the KJV, that the Day of the Lord “is at hand,” which means about to happen right away. Others translate it as, “is come” or “is present.” According the Robert’s Word Pictures, the passage should read, “is imminent.” Robert’s Word Pictures says,

As that the day of the Lord is now present . . . Perfect active indicative . . . intransitive in this tense to stand in or at or near. So “is imminent” (Lightfoot). . . . Certainly it flatly denies that by conversation or by letter he had stated that the second coming was immediately at hand. . . . It is enough to give one pause to note Paul’s indignation over this use of his name by one of the over-zealous advocates of the view that Christ was coming at once. . . . Moreover, Paul’s words should make us hesitate to affirm that Paul definitely proclaimed the early return of Jesus. He hoped for it undoubtedly, but he did not specifically proclaim it as so many today assert and accuse him of misleading the early Christians with a false presentation.

There you have it, not only did Christ speak against it in the parables, but Paul speaks against it also, in this both Roberts and Lightfoot agree.

(8) Arriving at Proper Understanding

Why have the theologians not understood Bible prophecies before now? Because they interpret prophecy through the lens of their previously decided theology that was developed hundreds of years ago. So if the plain sense of a verse does not fit the pre-tribulation Rapture theory, or amillennialism theory, or one of the other theories, they make it fit.

All the above explanation in this chapter was necessary because of faulty doctrines. It is not wrong to question doctrines and to examine the Scriptures to determine if our doctrines are accurate. Albert Schweitzer, the famous writer, missionary, and medical doctor, said:

The highest honor one can show to a system of thought is to test it ruthlessly with a view to discovering how much truth it contains, just as steel is assayed to try its strength. (The Wit and Wisdom of Albert Schweiter, p. 31)

The only reason we no longer believe the sun revolves around Earth is because someone questioned the prevailing belief. Stephen R. Covey, in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, says:

Each of us tends to think we see things as they are, that we are objective. But this is not the case. We see the world, not as it is, but as we are–or, as we are conditioned to see it. . . . clearheaded people see things differently, each looking through the unique lens of [their] experience. (p. 28-29)

So when we study the Bible we are limited in what we can see and understand by the knowledge and understanding we already have. And if that knowledge is not totally accurate, it has a negative effect on our ability to understand any subject we study. We must make a special effort to look at any subject objectively. That is, with an aim to arrive at the truth, regardless of what it is. Once we already have an opinion, objective study becomes very difficult because of our subconscious desire to be right. Stephen Wood and Grant Osborne in the Handbook for Bible Study, speak about this subject:

It is common for a person to prefer confirmation of his ideas to truth; when he studies a particular passage, he reads into it all his old presuppositions instead of looking for the real message. There is a constant temptation to force passages to fit one’s mold rather than allow them to challenge one’s previous conclusions.

Most of us would prefer that “all things continue as they were” than admit we have been wrong. Truth is often very difficult and dangerous, and we have to fight ourselves as well as our opponents in order to arrive at it. . . .

A desire for truth means that each one must allow his presuppositions to be challenged and must be willing to change them if the evidence warrants. (p. 17, 138-139)

Another reason people are not able to arrive at the truth, is, they are unwilling to even listen to or consider alternate opinions because of human pride. But questioning is the only way to arrive at the truth. It is dangerous for the opinions of men to become so powerful that they obscure the truth of the Word of God, but this certainly has happened in Bible prophecy. Marvin Rosenthal, originator of the pre-wrath theory, says:

We who are theological conservatives say that the Bible is our final authority. In reality, however, our positions are often set in concrete, and we will not be budged, even if significant evidence warrants a possible alternative view. Any suggestion of something contrary to what we hold as correct sets in motion an emotional defense barrier that shuts out truth. (The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church, p. 281)

In the process of interpreting Bible prophecy, I originally had some of the problems mentioned above. In order to see the truth I had to overcome previous teaching and preconceived ideas. Eventually I was able to study with a fresh slate, to find the truth, whatever that might be. I discovered that Revelation contains events throughout history, from the beginning of the Church Age to the second coming of Christ and beyond.

Many people within the Church today believe that all truth that can be learned from Scripture is already known, and they are the ones who know it; so they refuse to consider the possibility that even a single doctrine could be wrong. This is especially true concerning Bible prophecy. The end-time doctrines being taught by both evangelical and liberal denominations are only interpretations by mere mortals, merely their opinions. Those views are not the indisputable laws of God. The interpretation presented here makes more sense than any previous interpretation, yet it will be attacked from all sides because it is a new interpretation.

Whenever someone challenges the preferred interpretations, a frequent response is, “no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation” (II Peter 1:20) (KJV). The modern translations go even farther and say no one person can understand Scripture, but the translators are inserting their own interpretation into the verse rather than merely giving the translation; as a result they are doing exactly what we have been speaking against in this section.

This verse in 2 Peter does not mean that no individual can understand prophecy, that is absurd. God has not given the correct interpretation to a committee of theologians or Bible scholars at the same time, because Bible prophecy “experts” are not in agreement. So what does it really mean?

It means that a verse of Scripture does not mean one thing for one person and another thing for another person; no private interpretation. It does not have mystical, hidden meaning, or mysterious meaning when it is a normal, ordinary verse without any obvious symbols. Some people are actually interpreting the Bible this way, they call it a spiritual interpretation and they read into the passage things that have nothing to do with what it actually says in reality. There is actually a theological term for this type of interpretation, anagogical.

The fourth major type of biblical hermeneutics is the anagogical, or mystical, interpretation. This mode of interpretation seeks to explain biblical events as they relate to or prefigure the life to come. Such an approach to the Bible is exemplified by the Jewish Kabbala, which sought to disclose the mystical significance of the numerical values of Hebrew letters and words. . . . Jordan is thus interpreted as the river of death; by crossing it one enters into the heavenly Canaan, the better land . . . (www.britannica.com)

The New Age movement is notorious for presenting their own mystical interpretation of Scripture. Darkness becomes a lack of understanding, the devil becomes the carnal mind, unforgiveness becomes bondage to the past. The Gnostics and Origen interpreted the Old Testament allegorically, but that is nothing but nonsense. All Scripture means the same regardless of who you are, and does not contain any hidden meaning unless it is symbolism or a parable.

Another reason that the truth has not been seen is that people tend to believe what they want to believe. Many Christians in America believe in the pre-tribulation Rapture theory because they don’t want to suffer from drought, famine, and World War III. “Tell me easy things,” they say.

(9) Correct Spelling and Usage

Because many books and 80% of all web sites improperly use the words “prophecy” and “prophesy” I will explain the differences. “Prophecy” is a noun and “prophesy” is a verb. “Prophecy” is pronounced “pro-phe-see,” and “prophesy” is pronounced “pro-phe-sigh.” To prophesy is to speak forth a prophecy. A prophecy is a prediction that a prophet makes when he prophesies. Some examples of proper use are: “The prophet Isaiah wrote down many prophecies.” “Isaiah prophesied about the Great Tribulation.”

(10) Whole World?

We must understand how the Bible uses the terms “all the earth” and “the whole world.” Here are just a few examples:

. . . all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth. (Gen. 41:57) (ESV)

The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart. (1 Kings 10:24)

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. (Luke 2:1) (ESV)

. . . “Look, the world has gone after him.” (John 12:19) (ESV)

All nations on planet Earth did not go to Egypt to buy grain, neither did all nations seek an audience with Solomon, neither was the whole planet taxed by the Romans, neither did the whole planet follow Jesus while he was on Earth. What this shows is that the Bible often speaks of the whole world or the whole Earth, but it really means just a portion of the Middle East, North Africa, and Southern Europe of no certain size.

And Paul said, “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing” (Colossians 1:6). Clearly, Paul did not mean the whole planet, because the Gospel had only reached within the Roman Empire, except two or three locations outside the empire. So when the book of Revelation says the whole world will worship the beast, it does not refer to the entire planet, but the Mediterranean / Middle Eastern world. Nor does it refer to the known world. Even though Rome claimed to rule the world, they knew that the world was big and included large amounts of territory outside their rule, because they traded with far away places like India. So to say that Rome ruled the world was merely a way to say that it ruled all the area within easy reach of Rome. Rome ruled its area of the world.

It says in Rev. 13 that the beast comes up out of the sea, which refers to the Mediterranean Sea, and does not refer to masses of people which is the usual interpretation. All the previous heads of the beast ruled near, or bordered on, the Mediterranean Sea. The seven heads of the beast do not include the empires of Genghis Khan or any other large empires in world history, but only those that ruled around the Mediterranean Sea.

The final head of the beast will not rule the planet, but it will bring war, like all the former heads. The fifth and sixth heads of the beast made literal warfare against Christians throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and southern Europe; first while spreading Islam and later as ruling empires. The final head of the beast will do the same in many countries.

Yet there is a verse that seems to indicate the whole planet, “And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation” (Rev.13:7). But it refers to the Middle Eastern / Mediterranean world where all previous heads of the beast have ruled. The next head of the beast will invade nations that are not in the Mediterranean area, but that is where most of its ten horns, or nations, live. Not every nation that makes up the ten horns will border the Mediterranean, but several of them will.

The idea that the Antichrist will bring world peace or that he will become world dictator, is a total fiction, and will be proven in this book. If the next head of the beast gains control of the globe by bringing peace, as some teachers claim, who does he make war against in World War III and the battle of Armageddon? Little gray men from Mars?

Rev. 9:15 clearly states that WW III will kill one-third of all mankind, so the beast must be engaged in a massive war with many nations; which means it does not rule the whole planet. The same passage, verse 14, says the war will originate at the Euphrates River, which is in Iraq, so it means WW III will be caused by Muslims, not a revived Roman Empire, but a revived Islamic empire. It will attempt to conquer the world in a war that will last for 3.5 years, which is the total time the beast will even exist.

The evidence is clear that there never will be a one-world government that actually has control over all nations. If there is an organization like the Illuminati secretly plotting to takeover the world, how is it that we know so much about them and their supposedly secret plot?

(11) Warning to False Teachers

God pronounced judgment upon the false prophets and teachers of Ezekiel’s day, but the warning is also for us today. The following passage has a double fulfillment; it referred to the time in which it was originally given but it also refers to present-day Christianity because it contains the phrase “the day of the Lord” which is the return of Christ:

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: `Hear the word of the LORD! 3 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins. 5 You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the LORD. . . .

8 “`Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign LORD. . . . 10 “`Because they lead my people astray, saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, 11 therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth. (Ezekiel 13:1-6, 8, 10-11)

The false visions are equal to the false doctrines being taught today. The NIV Bible Commentary says about the above passage:

The prophets were summarized as “foolish.” This word is a broad term that encompasses spiritual and moral insensitivity contrary to the nature of a wise man. . . .Ezekiel described the basic cause of their foolishness as their reliance on their own hearts and their failure to seek God’s revelation.

. . . they failed to prepare the people for the difficult times ahead or for the intense times in which they lived. . . . They were to exhort the people concerning the truths of that covenant in order to repair the breaks and protect the people from judgment. (V.1,p.1292-1293)

Some of the false teachers today teach that Christians have nothing to fear because they will all go to heaven in the Rapture before the Great Tribulation that is coming. This is equal to saying, “‘Peace’ when there is no peace.” As a result, millions of Christians will be unprepared for the GT. The flimsy doctrines are like a flimsy wall; what they teach will not stand and will not protect people during the Time of Trouble.

Perhaps worst of all, the prophecy teachers are continually saying the Rapture and Antichrist are only four or five years away; and when that time passes, they push the time ahead another four or five years. The Antichrist is always just around the corner; the mythical world government is always about to happen “real soon.” Their warnings amount to crying wolf when there is no wolf, as a result many people will not listen to the genuine warnings until it is too late. They end up discrediting themselves and all other prophecy teachers as well.

Matthew 24 tells us what will happen to preachers who do not warn their flocks about the coming Day of Judgment. In the following parable, the servant in charge of other servants represents preachers today:

45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, `My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 24:45-51)

The previous portion of Matthew 24 is about the end of the age and return of Christ, so this parable continues with that subject. God has appointed overseers, shepherds of the flock who are responsible for taking care of God’s people. Because Christ has been away a long time they have become slack in their duty, which means they are not watching for the coming of Christ and are not warning people to be ready for it.

So what should wise servants be doing at the end of the age when Christ is soon to return? They should be watching for the signs of Christ’s return, then do whatever is necessary to prevent the destruction of those under their care. Pastors who do not believe the wrath of God is coming upon the world and do nothing to protect their flocks, will be killed in the wrath of God at the return of Christ.

Many of these pastors are merely teaching what their denomination tells them to teach. Some denominations require their pastors to sign a doctrinal statement agreeing to the pre-tribulation Rapture theory. Upton Sinclair said, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” God warns us not to listen to preachers who say that Christians will not go through the GT:

“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.17 They keep saying to those who despise me, `The LORD says: You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, `No harm will come to you.’18 But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?” (Jeremiah 24: 16-18)

Notice that the prophets are telling these things to people who are guilty of sin; yet, they are God’s people. All Christians sin, to one degree or another. But even if all Christians were to go in the Rapture, which they will not, the Rapture does not take place until the return of Christ, which is at the end of the Great Tribulation.

(12) Judgment Day & Day of the Lord

The prophecies of coming destruction are very specific. When Christ returns, it will be the Day of Judgment when all mankind will be judged. The Bible refers to it as, “the day of the Lord,” “the hour of his judgment,” “the day of judgment,” “the day of God,” “that day,” “the day,” and “the day of vengeance.”

These references do not refer to the end of the universe or the end of the planet, or even the end of human civilization, but merely the end of the world as we know it today. God has a set period of time appointed to bring judgment upon the whole world for its sins. Life on Earth will continue for many thousands of years. About the coming Day, the Bible says:

The day of the Lord is near for all nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own heads. (Obadiah 15)

“For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.” (Matthew 16:27)

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction … (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9)

The Day of Judgment will be a day when the wicked are separated from the righteous as wheat is separated from the chaff, or when ore is refined in a furnace separating the gold from the impurities (Malachi 3:2-3). The prophet Malachi called it the “Great and terrible day of the Lord” (Mal. 4:5). Baker’s Evangelical Dict. of Biblical Theology says:

In the prophetic books the day of the Lord signifies the time when God intervenes in the affairs of nations to judge the wicked and rescue the righteous. In Malachi the judgmental aspect is emphasized, in that the day of the Lord is a “dreadful day” in which evildoers will be set on fire (4:1, 5). Much of the judgment connected with the Messiah will take place at Christ’s second coming, but in 3:2-4 it is the priests and Levites who are refined and purified.

Other prophets said:

14 The great day of the Lord is near. . . 15 That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, . . . a day of clouds and blackness, 16 a day of trumpet and battle cry . . . 18 . . . In the fire of his jealousy the whole world will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live in the earth. (Zephaniah 1:14-16, 18)

“For the day is near, the day of the Lord is near– a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations.” (Ezekiel 30:3)

Most people do not realize that the Bible contains lots of hyperbole, which is an exaggeration to make a point; for example, statements that the Promised Land was flowing with milk and honey. Likewise, the passage above in Zephaniah uses hyperbole, because other passages tell us that God will not kill everyone on Earth, so there will be survivors of his wrath. Notice also, the references to clouds and darkness. This is a reoccurring theme in prophecies about the end of the world as we know it. The whole world will be covered with black clouds from asteroid impacts, nuclear explosions, volcanic eruptions, and burning cities.

The prophets Isaiah and Joel also spoke of this time of God’s wrath:

See, the day of the LORD is coming –a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger– to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. 10 The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. 11 I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. 12 I will make man scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. (Isaiah 13:9-12)

Alas for that day! For the day of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty. (Joel 1:15)

Notice that mankind will become more scarce than pure gold, which means that few people will be left alive after the wrath of God upon the world. They will probably number in the millions, perhaps even the tens of millions. I would be surprised if there are more than one hundred million survivors. Even though all the survivors will be Christians, not all Christians will survive because of the large number of people who will repent during the Great Tribulation. We have already seen that Jesus told us to pray that we escape to stand before him at his return; that statement means that not all believers will survive. More details about this global destruction at the coming of Christ will unfold throughout the book.