Understanding
the Future
The Importance of Studying
Bible Prophecy
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Because it is part of God's Word
Because nearly one third of Scripture was
prophetic when it was originally written
Because fulfilled prophecy demonstrates
God's sovereignty over the events of
history
Because it gives incentive to holy living
Because it gives hope of Christ's return
Because it reminds us of the temporal
nature of this world and the eternal nature
of heaven
The Dangers of Studying
Bible Prophecy
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Preoccupation with current events
Jumping to conclusions about the meaning
of current events
Thinking that we can know the
unknowable, i.e. the date of Christ's
return
Pride that we have uncovered the hidden
mysteries of God
Pride that we are better than other
believers
Ignoring present responsibilities because
we think that Christ is about to return
3 Primary Views of Future
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View of Rev. 20:4-6 is key:
• Amillennial
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1000 years not literal but symbolic. Reign of
Christ in hearts of believers.
• Postmillennial
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1000 years not literal. But Christ returns
only after world is Christianized.
• Premillennial
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1000 years are literal. Christ will personally
return to establish a literal, earthly
kingdom.
Amillennial View
Second Coming
Israel & Church =
One people of God
Duration
unknown
Messianic Kingdom
General resurrection
General judgement
Eternal
Postmillennial View
Second Coming
Israel & Church =
One people of God
Church will
establish Christ’s
Kingdom through
spread of gospel
Duration
unknown
Messianic Kingdom
General resurrection
General judgement
Eternal
Premillennial View
Rapture
Church Age
Duration
unknown
Second Coming
Tribulation
Messianic Kingdom
Duration
7 years
Duration
1000 years
Principles of Interpretation
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Literal (historical-grammatical)
interpretation
• Understand the historical, cultural
situation of the original recipients
• Understand the language of the original
writer
• Understand the purpose of the original
writer
• Understand the figures of speech
Determine Single Meaning
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“A passage of Scripture has only one basic
interpretation. Those who would handle
the Word of truth honestly must seek to
find that before making any other use of
the passage. The application of a passage
of Scripture must be governed by the
same rules of interpretation that apply in
all handling of the Scriptures.”
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John Phillips, Bible Explorer’s Guide
Distinguish Israel & the Church
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If we follow a literal interpretation of
Scripture, and follow the progress of
revelation in Scripture, we naturally arrive
at the clear distinction of Israel and the
Church.
The nation of Israel rejected the Messiah
and so a “blindness in part has happened
to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles
has come in.”
God has now begun a new work with the
Church, a mystery not revealed in the OT.
The Promises of God
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Noahic Covenant, Genesis 9:1-18
• An unconditional covenant where God
promised never to destroy the world again
with a flood. The rainbow was given as the
sign of the covenant.
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Abrahamic Covenant, Genesis 12:1-15:17
• An unconditional covenant where God
promised blessing to Abraham and through
him and his seed, to the entire world.
Circumcision was given as the sign of the
covenant.
The Promises of God
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Mosaic Covenant, Ex. 20:1-31:18
• A conditional covenant made with the nation
of Israel, promising blessing for obedience and
judgement on disobedience.
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Palestinian Covenant, Gen. 15:18-21; cp.
Deut. 30:1-10
• An unconditional covenant made with the
nation of Israel, promising that Israel will
possess the Promised Land forever.
The Promises of God
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Davidic Covenant, 2 Sam. 7:4-16
• An unconditional covenant where God
promised David that his throne, lineage, and
kingdom will be eternal.
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New Covenant, Jeremiah 31:31-33
• An unconditional covenant where God
promised Israel regeneration, forgiveness, and
the indwelling Holy Spirit.
The Messianic Kingdom
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The message of John the Baptist and of
the Lord Jesus
• No explanation is given by them,
indicating that they should have known
what this kingdom was
• Therefore, we should go back to the OT
to understand what the kingdom is
The Messianic Kingdom
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Definition — “The Kingdom of God may be
defined broadly as the rule of God over
His creation.” (Alva McClain)
Distinction between:
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God’s eternal kingdom
The mediatorial kingdom
The mystery form of the kingdom
The manifestation of the kingdom
Daniel’s Visions
A Great Image
2:31-45
4 Great Beasts
7:3-27
Ram & Goat
8:3-26
Symbolizes
Head of gold
Lion with
eagle’s wings
Chest & arms
of silver
Bear w/ 3 ribs
in its mouth
Ram with 2
horns
Medo-Persian
Empire
Belly & thighs
of bronze
Leopard 4 wings
& 4 heads
Male goat w/
large horn
Greek Empire
Legs of iron
Dreadful &
terrible beast
Roman Empire
Feet part iron,
part clay
Another horn,
a little one
Revived
Roman Empire
Stone cut
without hands
One like the
Son of Man
Messianic
Kingdom
Babylonian
Empire
Daniel’s 70 sevens
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Daniel 9:20-27
• The context, vv. 20-23
• The content, vv. 24-27
 70 sevens are determined
•For your people and your holy city
 Six purposes are stated
 Three periods outlined
Daniel’s 70 sevens
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Six purposes stated
• To finish the transgression
• To make an end of sins
• To make reconciliation for iniquity
• To bring in everlasting righteousness
• To seal up vision and prophecy
• And to anoint the Most Holy
Daniel’s 70 sevens
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Three periods outlined
• 7 sevens (7x7=49 years)
• 62 sevens (62x7=434 years)
• 1 seven (1x7=7 years)
• Total of 490 years
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483 years have passed
7 years remain
Daniel’s 70 sevens
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Begins with command to rebuild
Jerusalem
• Four decrees were made by Persian
rulers, but only the fourth had to do
with the city:
 538 B.C. — by Cyrus regarding
rebuilding the temple (Ezra 1)
 520 B.C. — by Darius I confirming the
first decree (Ezra 6)
 457 B.C. — by Artaxerxes concerning
financial backing for animal sacrifices
(Ezra 7)
 444 B.C. — by Artaxerxes concerning
the city walls (Neh. 2)
Daniel’s 70 sevens
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From the command to rebuild in 444 B.C.
until Messiah the Prince will be 69 weeks.
If each “seven” represents seven years,
then 69 x 7 = 483 years
483 years from the command to rebuild
Jerusalem in 444 B.C., Christ entered
Jerusalem on Palm Sunday!
Daniel’s 70 sevens
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After the 69 sevens (but before the start
of the 70th seven), Messiah will be cut off,
but not for Himself
Then the city will be destroyed by the
people of the coming prince
The Romans, under General Titus,
destroyed Jerusalem in AD. 70
Daniel’s 70 sevens
• Then he (the Roman prince) will confirm
a covenant with many (the Jews) for
one seven (7 years)
• After 3 ½ years, the covenant is broken
by the Prince through a desecration of
the Temple offerings.
• Note that the Temple must be
reconstructed and functioning during
this time.
Daniel’s 70 sevens
• The second half of Daniel’s 70th week is
spoken of elsewhere as:
 42 months, Rev. 11:2
 1260 days, Rev. 11:3
 time, times, and half a time, Rev.
12:14; Dan. 7:25
• Therefore it is clearly a precise period of
3 ½ years, and therefore, the 70th week
is 7 years long.
Daniel’s 70 sevens
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Daniel’s 70th week also described as:
• The time of Jacob’s trouble, Jer. 30:7
• The tribulation, Matt. 24:29
• The Great Tribulation, Rev. 7:14
But remember, that Daniel’s 70 sevens
have to do with the nation of Israel
Daniel’s 70 Weeks – Daniel 9:24-27
70 weeks (Heb. heptads) = 490 years
Six purposes are stated
(v. 24)
Note: The focus of the
prophecy is the nation of Israel
& the city of Jerusalem (v. 24).
Three fulfilled at
Christ’s first advent
1. To finish the transgression
2. To make an end of sins
3. To make reconciliation for
iniquity
Three to be fulfilled at
Christ’s second advent
1. To bring in everlasting
righteousness
2. To seal up vision &
prophecy
3. To anoint the Most Holy
The Timing & Sequence of Daniel’s 70 weeks
The 70 weeks begins with the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem.
7 weeks =
49 years
62 weeks =
434 years
Rebuilding the
city, 444 BC
until 395 BC
Ended with
Christ’s
triumphal
entry
After the 69 weeks,
But not during the 70th
1 week = 7 years
Messiah cut off, but not for
Himself. He suffers for sins of
others
Final week begins with 7-year
covenant signed by Prince
People of Prince shall destroy
Jerusalem. Fulfilled in AD 70
In the middle of week, Prince
causes sacrifices to cease
Gap between 69th & 70th weeks
has now extended nearly 2000
years.
There will then be much
suffering until consummation
An Outline of Future Events
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The beginning of sorrows, Matt. 24:4-14
The rapture of the Church, 1 Thes. 4:1318; John 14:1-2
The tribulation, Matt. 24:15-29; Rev. 6-7
Battle of Gog & Magog, Ezekiel 38-39
Signing of peace treaty, Dan. 9
Great Tribulation, Rev. 8-18
Battle of Armageddon, Rev. 16
The return of Christ in glory, Matt. 24:3031; Rev. 19:11-16
Judgement of nations, Matt. 25:31-46
An Outline of Future Events
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The Millennial Kingdom of Christ, Rev.
20:1-6; Isa. 11:1-10
Satan will be loosed for a period again,
Rev. 20:7-8
Final Great Battle, Rev. 20:8-9
Satan cast into lake of fire, Rev. 20:10
Great White Throne judgement of
unbelievers, Rev. 20:11-15
New heavens and earth created – eternal
state, Rev. 21-22
The Day of the Lord
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The Old Testament prophets spoke much
of the Day of the Lord.
The Day of the Lord was a time of
judgement, but also includes promises to
Israel that God will restore them
Sometimes it referred to events near at
hand, but often it was looking forward to
God’s final victory
The future Day of the Lord will include the
Tribulation, Return of the King, Millennial
Kingdom of Christ, and the establishment
of new heavens and earth
The Day of Christ
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The day of Christ is distinct from the day
of the Lord.
The day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:10; 2:16)
is the time at which the Lord Jesus
evaluates the works of believers.
This is also known as the Judgement Seat
of Christ (Bema), Rom. 14:10; 2 Cor.
5:10; 1 Cor. 3:13
Believers are judged at the Bema.
Unbelievers are judged at the Great White
Throne
The Day of God
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The day of God refers to the eternal state.
It follows the final phase of the Day of the
Lord when the heavens and earth will be
destroyed. The day of God is the Day of
His complete and final triumph. For this
reason it is a day we should wait for and
earnestly desire...The day of God is not
the time in which the final destruction
takes place. Instead, this ultimate
judgment must occur before the Day of
God can be ushered in. (Wm. MacDonald)
3 Days
Rapture
Church Age
Christ
Second Coming
Tribulation
Millennium
The Day of the Lord
Judgement
Restoration
God
3 Resurrections
Rapture
Church Age
Church age
Saints
1 Thes. 4
Second Coming
Tribulation
Trib saints &
OT saints
Dan 12:2; Rev 20:4
Millennium
The “rest of the dead”
i.e. Unbelievers
Rev 20:5
3 Judgements
1
Rapture
Church Age
Second Coming
Tribulation
2
1 = Judgement seat of Christ
– rewards for believers
2 = Judgement of sheep & goats
– entrance to earthly kingdom
3 = Great White Throne judgement
– punishment of unbelievers
Millennium
3
3 Battles
Rapture
Church Age
Second Coming
Tribulation
1 = Battle of Gog & Magog, Ezekiel 38-39
2 = Battle of Armageddon, Rev 16:12-16
3 = Final battle, Rev 20:7-10
Millennium
Conclusion
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Titus 2:13
• ...looking for the blessed hope and
glorious appearing of our great God and
Saviour Jesus Christ
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Revelation 22:7
• “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is
he who keeps the words of the prophecy
of this book.”