Prophetic Studies

The Trumpet Judgments Revelation 8:1–9:21

When John “opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour” (v. 1). This seventh seal contains the seven trumpet and seven bowl judgments.

There Is Hope!

In case you haven’t noticed, there seems to be a great many things to be depressed about these days. The assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin sent the nation into a state of national…

The Imminency of Christ’s Return

The expression the imminency of Christ’s return means that Christ could return at any moment. Nothing else has to happen before His return.

The Tribulation Saints Revelation 7:1–17

Revelation chapter 7 opens with the phrase, “And after these things” (v. 1), indicating that John was about to receive a new vision. This vision is an interlude between the sixth and seventh seals and

The God Makers

Titillating words, these. Mankind, in the infancy of its innocence, was led to believe that being liberated from obedience to the Creator could be equated with becoming God-like. The delusion was but an extension…

Messianic Trends in Israel

In his essay, “The Messianic Idea in Israel,” the renowned scholar, Gershom Scholem, contrasted the Jewish and Christian concepts of the Messianic redemption. While Christianity conceives of redemption as an event in the spiritual…

The Scroll With Seven Seals Revelation 5:1–4

In Revelation 4, John presented a description of what he saw and heard in his heavenly vision. He saw God the Father seated on His throne and heard the host of heaven offering Him continual…

Ezekiel’s Strange Signs

Was Ezekiel a paranoid schizophrenic? If not, he must, according to some writers, at least have had an abnormal personality. To lovers of the Bible, such a diagnosis of a biblical prophet is nothing short…

Gog And Magog

Ezekiel 38–39 foretells a massive future invasion “of Israel by the armed forces of six nations. Five of those nations are identified in 38:5–6 with the names they bore in Ezekiel’s time.

A Likely Scenario

Dr. Showers’ article confirms the identification of a number of military contingents who will join Russia in the invasion of Israel described in Ezekiel 33 and 39.

The Millennial Temple

Soon after the Lord delivered the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, He gave Moses instructions to build the Tabernacle. The work was done according to God’s plan, and when it was completed…

God’s Throne Revealed Revelation 4:1–11

Questions about heaven are always at the center of a believer’s thinking, especially questions dealing with the appearance of and activities in heaven. Through the eyes of John, believers are permitted a gaze…

The Complacent Church Revelation 3:14–22

The city of Laodicea was located in a fertile valley overlooking the Lycus River about 40 miles southeast of Philadelphia and 11 miles from Colosse. Laodicea was established by Antiochus II (264–261 B.C.). Named in honor of his wife Laodice, it was destined to become the capital of ancient Phrygia.

The Restrainer, the Rebel, the Rejecters

The beginning of 2 Thessalonians 2 makes it clear that at least two events will precede the advent of the Day of the Lord: the arrival of the great apostasy and the unveiling of the…

“Of Whom Speaketh the Prophet This?”

In August of each year, the synagogue Scripture reading from the prophets is taken from the Book of Isaiah. Around the third Sabbath in August, the reading ends at Isaiah 52:12…

Silhouette of man speaking.

Come September

One of my treasured childhood memories is of trips taken to the farm home of my grandparents in upper Michigan. Old barns smelling of leather harnesses and farm animals are a great source of fascination…

From Babylon To Bethlehem

Lord Byron, in “The Destruction of Sennacherib,” caught in vivid poetic form not only the essence of a battle long gone, but the final convulsions of the “times of the Gentiles.” Thus, human observation confirms…

Babylon and Medo-Persia

In Luke 21:24 Jesus Christ referred to “the times of the Gentiles,” when the Gentiles would be the dominant power in the world and Israel would be at the mercy of or dependent upon…

Ancient Rome: The Pathology of Political Power

The solace of blissful sleep was violently shattered with dreadful visions of hideous creatures. So disturbing was the dream that the usually composed Prophet Daniel was greatly troubled in mind and body.

The Revived Roman Empire

To understand the end-times revival of the Roman Empire, we must first understand the term the times of the Gentiles. Jesus said, “And they [the Jewish people] shall fall by the edge of the sword…

The Glorified Christ Revelation 1:9–20

What did Jesus look like in the flesh? Artists have tried to paint Him and authors have tried to describe Him. Nowhere does Scripture relate the physical appearance of Jesus during His earthly life.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Futurists are inundating the country with articles, books and videos on what to expect by the year 2000 and beyond. This has rekindled an interest in the study of biblical prophecy.

The Great Tribulation: Matthew 24:9–26

Torrents of tribulation have been part and parcel of the human experience since Adam decided to take a bite out of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Until this day, with increasing frequency…

The Second Coming of Christ: Matthew 24:27–31

Towering over the efforts of mankind, the marvelous inventions that have made life comfortable, the grandiose plans of politicians, and any dreams we may have is the fact that Jesus Christ will come to the…

The Day of Accountability: Matthew 25:1–46

Christ’s Second Coming is one of the dominant themes in the Olivet Discourse. His coming will be sudden, unexpected, visible, personal, powerful, glorious, and triumphant. When the Lord comes, He will judge the nations…

Jesus Is Better Than the Prophets

Something within human beings compels them to look for something new—a better way, better quality, better fashion. “Build a better mousetrap,” youngsters of another generation were told…

Jesus Is Better Than the Angels

When writing to his Jewish readers of the apostolic age, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews wanted to demonstrate the superiority of the divine revelation that gave birth to Christianity over the divine…

Jesus Is Better Than Moses

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to read your newspaper at night without the convenience of a light bulb? Hard to imagine, isn’t it? Yet this luxury is only 100 years old.

Jesus Is Better Than Melchizedek

“Now consider how great this man was … ” Such was the high opinion of the inspired penman regarding Melchizedek in Hebrews 7:4. The greatness of this unique individual is matched only by the mystery…

The Palestinian Covenant

A brief look at world conditions clearly indicates that many international disputes concern land ownership, particularly in the Middle East. The so-called occupied territories—the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Golan Heights—are familiar to anyone who…

The Davidic Covenant

Second Samuel 7:8–16 records a covenant established by God with David, wherein God made three major promises to David. First, God promised that David’s “house” (his physical line of descent) would endure forever (v. 16;

The New Covenant

In the Scriptures, a covenant is a legally binding obligation of God for man’s redemption. It is God’s solemn pledge to fulfill His promises to those included in the covenant.

Babylon: Mother of Harlots

The world is careening toward a new order that does not bode well for the inhabitants of this planet. Quarrelsome nations are attempting to stem the tide of deterioration by creating a patchwork of alliances…

The Gentiles in the Kingdom

When the average Christian studies the millennial reign of Christ, it is usually from the perspective of the literal person of the Messiah ruling over the earth from Jerusalem for one thousand years.

The Nations at Armageddon

Although the Bible deals primarily with Israel and the Messiah, it is surprising to realize how much the Scriptures teach about the Gentile nations and their future role in God’s prophetic plan.

A Portrait of the Messiah

With the shadow of the cross shading their minds, two of Christ’s disciples left Jerusalem. They were headed for Emmaus, a village seven miles from the city.

Messiah in the Law

The Law is known in Hebrew as the Torah, the first of the three traditional divisions of the Hebrew Bible. The other two divisions are the Prophets and the Writings.

Messiah in the Psalms

In the Hebrew Scriptures, the 150 Psalms are divided into five books. These poems of prayer and praise cover many themes and are often stated in terms of human experience.

Messiah in the Old Testament Prophets

Messiah would come to crush all the Gentile nations gathered against Israel and Jerusalem, save the repentant remnant of Israel, and provide security for Israel (Isa. 59:18–21; 63:1–6; Joel 3; Mic. 5:4–9; Zech. 14:12).

The Judgment Phase of the Broad Day of the Lord

A previous article demonstrated that the broad Day of the Lord will begin with a phase of divine judgment. What will be the duration of this judgment phase? What time span will it cover?

The Future of Jerusalem

The future of the city of Jerusalem is of vital concern to the three main monotheistic religions of the world—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Each has an historical claim to and a compelling interest in this city.

God’s Plan for the Jews

Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from their birth, who are carried from the womb;

The Biblical Concept of the Day of the Lord

In the Scriptures, the expression the Day of the Lord (together with other synonymous expressions, such as that day and the day of God) is strongly related to God’s rule of the earth and therefore…

In Search of Hearing Ears

No portion of the Word of God speaks to contemporary churches with more clarity than the messages Jesus Christ gave to the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3. Comfort, advice, exhortation, warning and threatening…

Smyrna, the Suffering Church, Revelation 2:8–11

Smyrna was a major commercial center in the first century, giving it fame as the pride of all Asia. Although it was a free city, it gave total allegiance to the Roman Empire as supreme.

Pergamum, the Worldly Church Revelation 2:12–17

Pergamum was noted for its pagan religions and many heathen temples. Among others, they worshiped Dionysus, the god of vegetation, and Aesculapius, the god of healing. A medical school was attached to this pagan cult…

Thyatira, the Idolatrous Church Revelation 2:18–29

Church discipline is almost unknown in our day. If and when a church does decide to exercise discipline over backsliding members, the individuals involved often leave the church and go to another one nearby.

Sardis, Alive But Dead Revelation 3:1–6

We have all attended funeral services at one time or another. In many cases, beautiful flowers are banked along an entire wall or occasionally cover all the walls of the room.

Laodicea, the Lukewarm Church Revelation 3:14–22

Christ addressed His final letter to the church of Laodicea, which was located in the Lycus Valley of southern Phrygia, midway between Philadelphia and Colosse. It was a significant commercial and banking center and was…

The Comfort Of His Coming 1 Thessalonians 1

Comfort is the operative word Paul gave to the suffering saints at Thessalonica. As was often true for first-century Christians, this church was born in affliction and immediately immersed in the caldron of persecution.

The Day of the Lord 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

The major subject of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 is the future Day of the Lord, which refers to God’s future intervention into world events to accomplish His purpose in history—to glorify Himself by demonstrating the fact…

A Trumpet in Zion

Israel’s great fall feasts were celebrations that witnessed a pendulum swing of national emotions sweeping from trepidation to exhilaration. These spectacular festivals, around which all national life revolved, were seasons of intense personal interaction…

Hallelujah Revelation 19:1–6

Revelation 19–21 moves history into its glorious Hallelujah phase. In the first six verses of chapter 19, four resounding Hallelujahs (praise the Lord) are raised—the only place in the New Testament where this word…

Silhouette of man speaking.

Do You Need Heaven?

We don’t hear much about Heaven these days. The reason is quite simple. For a generation now, we have been occupied with being well-adjusted people in the here and now and enjoying our affluence…

The New World Order Revelation 20:4–6

President Bush has coined the phrase a new world order. It is being used to describe the abrupt changes taking place internationally brought about, in part, by perestroika in the Soviet Union and the new…

Heaven: What Is It Really Like? Revelation 21

Have you ever taken an extended trip? While you may have enjoyed every moment of your adventure, it eventually became tiring. The food was not to your liking, the monotonous miles took their toll physically…

The Regathering of Israel

One of the most debated questions of our day is whether or not present-day Israel is the Israel of the Bible. Menachem Begin, when he was Prime Minister of Israel, ran his government…

An Evaluation of Christian Reconstructionism

Christian Reconstructionism (the teaching of which has been examined in survey fashion in two previous articles) has some commendable features. For example, it has done excellent work in evaluating the devastating effects of secular humanism…

No Middle Wall

With His talk of crucifixion at Jerusalem, Jesus’ disciples were struck dumb with consternation. Their anticipation and preparation had been geared for the coming Kingdom—a literal, one-thousand-year era during which the Messiah/King Himself would take…

Judgment on Jerusalem Zephaniah 3:1–8

Perhaps no city on earth is more loved than Jerusalem. The psalmist has well written, “Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion … the city of the great King”…

Interpretations and Beliefs of Christian Reconstructionism

Our previous article noted that the heart of Christian Reconstructionism (also known as Dominion Theology and Theonomy) is a postmillennial view of history. According to this view, at the time of creation God gave man…

Abraham: The Man Blessed by God

A promise is only as good as the one who makes it. We have all had promises made to us that we knew would never be fulfilled. Conversely, other promises have been made…

“O Come, O Come, Immanuel”

Whether he understood the proper context of his words or not, the 12th-century hymn writer captured the mood of a remnant of Jewry who were longing for the appearance of the Christ.

Abraham: The Man Who Couldn’t Wait

Abraham was a man who couldn’t wait! The result of his impatience has been a conflict that has spanned the millennia and, even at the present moment of history, is far from being resolved.

Judgment in the Middle East Zephaniah 2:4–15

When Iraq’s Saddam Hussein invaded neighboring Kuwait, world tensions were ignited. Hussein is a proven despot who envisions himself as a modern-day Nebuchadnezzar and aspires to become the leader of the Arab world.

Christian Reconstructionism

During the 1960s a new movement began within the sphere of Reformed or Covenant Theology. That movement has been called by three different names: Reconstructionism (because it advocates the reconstruction of society)…

Muhammad Versus the Messiah

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s recent exercise in aggression against “brother” nation Kuwait shook a largely passive global population with the facts of the perilous realities of life in the Middle East.

Silhouette of man speaking.

Staging for Armageddon

When Saddam Hussein violated the borders of another Arab nation, he set an ominous precedent and caused alarms to go off in practically every Arab capital in the region. Analysts interpreted the intrusion correctly as…

The Seed of Abraham

Abraham—the very mention of his name stirs the hearts of multitudes of people the world over. Three religions, each spanning the globe, trace their origins back to him.

The Day of the Lord Zephaniah 1:7–2:3

On June 22, 1990, a massive earthquake rocked northern Iran just after midnight. Iranian radio estimated the death toll to be approximately 45,000, with as many as 130,000 injured. Entire villages were either reduced…

Judgment Ahead Zephaniah 1:1–16

The 1990s will be a decade of unprecedented changes worldwide. Eastern Europe is swiftly evolving into a Western-style society. Western Europe will be sporting a new look known as the European Economic Community by 1992.

The Tribulation and Millennial Temples

Since the early days of the Davidic kingdom, when David first had a desire to build a permanent dwelling place for the Lord, most Jewish people have longed for such a central place of worship.

Israel: The Nation of Destiny Amos 9

Israel is an enigma to the world. She was miraculously created from the loins of a couple long past the age of childbearing. She was endowed with divine privileges and covenant promises…

Who Is the True Messiah?

We nearly fell out of our cushioned synagogue seats when we heard the rabbi’s answer! I had accompanied a group of believers from a suburban Detroit church to a conservative synagogue to learn more about…

The Rapture of the Church

We believe in the premillennial and pretribulational return of Jesus Christ. This means that Christ’s return for His bride (the Church) is imminent and therefore can happen at any moment (1 Th. 4:13–17; 5:6).

Israel: A Dying Dynasty Amos 8

In winter it is trendy to give friends a large basket of fresh fruit wrapped in cellophane and tied at the top with a red bow. The fruit is beautiful to behold…

Europe and 1992

Over 2,500 years ago God gave the Prophet Daniel a significant prophetic dream or vision. It is recorded in Daniel 7. In this prophecy God revealed the future course of Gentile world dominion from Daniel’s…

The Fatal Vision Amos 7:1–17

Welcome to the decade of the 90s! Countdown to the year 2000 has already begun. The futurist is busy forecasting sweeping global changes, precipitated by perestroika and glasnost, which he believes will bring worldwide peace…

The Restoration of Israel Part Two

A number of years ago the late David Ben-Gurion, first Prime Minister of Israel, received a letter from Dr. William Culbertson of Moody Bible Institute. After thanking Mr. Ben-Gurion for meeting with him during his stay in Israel…

Israel, Seek God and Live

Israel looked like the picture of health. Religious zeal was at an all-time high. Israelis were enjoying unprecedented prosperity. Political order ruled the day. Peace permeated the nation’s borders.

The Restoration of Israel Part One

Every Gentile Christian should have a keen interest in the future of the Jewish people. Without a firm conviction in a future plan for Israel, Gentiles can open themselves up to pride and arrogance toward the Jew.

Israel, Prepare to Meet Thy God

Israel had expanded her borders, taken control of major trade routes, and grown extremely prosperous during the reign of Jeroboam II. An upper-class society had emerged and clothed itself in opulence at the expense of the poor.

God’s Judgment: Inevitable, Irrevocable Amos 1:1-2:16

Buzz words concerning political and social justice fill the air. The Soviets are talking about “glasnost” (openness) and “perestroika” (reconstruction) in hope of producing greater understanding and defusing tensions with the west.

The Antichrist Is Coming

One day soon, a man is going to gallop onto the stage of human history. He will be a political leader. In the beginning, he will expand his empire through diplomatic ventures and subtle “peace” diplomacy.

The Sons of Noah

The ark had been parked. The deluge was passed, and it was now time for Noah and his family to enter into the post­ diluvian brave new world that awaited them.