A
timeline of
prophetic
events-things to
watch for...
By
Pete Rose
The following is
a listing of
events assembled
from various
books of the
Bible, things we
can expect to
happen starting
probably in the
near future, or
in coming years.
My knowledge of
Bible prophecy
is at best
incomplete, and
things may not
happen in the
exact order
listed here. It
also is not
all-inclusive,
and I may have
missed some
events. But this
should give you
a pretty good
idea of what's
coming, and the
general order of
things.
Lest we forget
and lose sight
of the accuracy
of God's
prophecies, let
us consider past
prophecies that
have been
fulfilled to the
letter, first
those concerning
Jesus Christ. To
name a few...
[Event
(Prophecy—Fulfillment)]
-
He would be born
of a virgin
(Isaiah
7:14—Matthew
1:18, Luke
1:25-38)
-
He would not be
of any
extraordinary
appearance.
(Isaiah 53:2)
-
He would be of
the lineage of
David (Isaiah
11:1 [Jesse was
the father of
David]—Matthew
1:1-16, Luke
3:23-37)
-
He would be
despised and
rejected by men
(Psalm 22:6-7,
Isaiah 53:3—John
1:10-11)
-
He would be
silent before
His accusers
(Isaiah
53:7—Mark 14:61)
-
He would be
crucified, His
hands and feet
pierced (Psalm
22:16, Isiah
53:5--)
-
He would be
executed as
though a
criminal, with
criminals
(Isaiah 53:9)
-
though he did
nothing to
deserve it
(53:9b)
-
He died for the
sins of
others—our
sins—He had no
sin (Isaiah
53:5-6—Romans
4:25, 2
Corinthians
5:21)
-
By His wounds we
would be healed
(Isaiah 53:5—1
Peter 2:24-25)
-
He would be spat
upon and his
beard pulled out
(Isaiah
50:6—Matthew
26:67)
-
The soldiers who
crucified Him
gambled for His
clothes (Psalm
2:18—John
19:23-24)
-
Not a bone of
His body would
be broken (Psalm
34:20—John
20:36)
-
His body would
not see
corruption
(Psalm
16:10—Acts 2:27,
31)
-
He would rise
again from the
dead (Psalm
16:10—Matthew
28:5, Mark 16:6,
Luke 24:1-6,
John 20:1-19,
Acts 1:3, 1
Corinthians
15:3-8)
There
were over 100 such
details of prophecy
such as the above
given concerning the
first coming of
Christ, and each one
was fulfilled to the
letter. The odds
against even a few
of these being
fulfilled by chance
are enormous; the
odds against all of
them being literally
fulfilled are
astronomical. But
they were, every one
to the letter.
Now
let's consider
another prophecy,
that of the
destruction of the
city of Tyre, a
wealthy seaport. The
prophet Ezekiel
prophesied that Tyre
would be destroyed,
that the timbers and
the rock of the city
would be dumped into
the water and that
the city would be
scraped bare like
the top of a rock,
and would become a
place for fishermen
to dry their nets
(Ezekiel 26). It was
also prophesied that
Nebuchadnezzar would
come against the
city and destroy it,
which he did not too
many years after
Ezekiel made this
prophecy. But it was
only the mainland
city that was
destroyed, the
remaining
inhabitants moved to
an island somewhere
around a mile out in
the Mediterranean
Sea. Since
Nebuchadnezzar
didn't have a navy
and the island city
was heavily
fortified, it was
left alone and
continued to exist
for perhaps another
400 years. But then
Alexander the Great
came along,
determined to
conquer the world,
and he didn't have a
navy either. But he
wasn't going to let
that stop him. So he
had an army of
workers tear down
the remains of the
mainland, dump the
rubble in the water,
and build a broad
causeway out to the
island. From there
he eventually
overpowered the
city's defenses and
ravaged it,
slaughtering a great
many of its
inhabitants and
enslaving others.
The site of the
mainland city had
been literally
scraped to bare
rock, and came to be
used by fishermen as
a place to dry their
nets, thus
fulfilling this
prophecy to the
letter in a very
literal sense.
With
so many Bible
prophecies having
been so accurately
and literally
fulfilled, what
would make us think
that prophecies of
events yet future
will not be
fulfilled just as
literally as those
which have already
been fulfilled? With
that in mind, let's
take a look at some
of these prophecies
of events soon to
come.
-
Happening
now- World
financial
markets in
turmoil. This
very well could
be setting the
stage for one
world government
and the Beast
financial system
prophesied in
Revelation.
-
Likely—Syria
attacks Israel.
Could happen any
time.
-
Damascus is
destroyed
(Isaiah 17:1),
most likely by a
nuclear attack
by Israel.
-
Israel will
fight a war in
which they will
take control of
much of the
middle East
(Psalm 83).
-
Israel
becomes richest
nation in the
world, dwells in
peace in
villages without
walls (Psalm 83,
Ezekiel 38).
-
Russia along
with certain
Islamic nations
invades Israel
(Ezekiel 38).
Other nations
only offer a
feeble protest
(Ezekiel 38:13),
none come to
Israel's aid.
-
The invaders
are destroyed by
supernatural
events,
earthquakes,
fire, great
hailstones,
floods etc.
(Ezekiel
38:17-23)
-
Israel spends
seven months
burying the
dead, seven
years burning
weapons of war
(Ezekiel 39).
-
Somewhere in
all of this, the
rapture occurs.
The dead saints
are resurrected
and every living
born again
Christian is
changed and
given an
immortal body,
and all are
caught up
together to meet
Jesus in the air
(1 Thessalonians
4:13-18, 1
Corinthians 15).
The exact time
is known only to
God the Father,
but Jesus said
we will know
when the time is
near (Matthew
24:32-36). All
who are unsaved,
dead and alive,
will be left
behind on Earth.
-
The
antichrist rises
from a minor
political figure
to world leader,
asserts himself
(Daniel 8:9-12).
-
Israel signs
a seven year
peace treaty
with antichrist,
signaling start
of the Great
Tribulation
(Daniel 11-12).
There could be
period of peace
and prosperity
following, for a
time.
-
Seal
judgments begin
(Revelation
6-7).
-
After three
and a half years
the antichrist
breaks his
covenant with
Israel, places
abomination of
desolation in
the rebuilt
temple, stops
sacrifices and
offerings and
declares himself
to be God
(Daniel 9:27,
Revelation 13).
-
The
antichrist
requires all to
receive his mark
on their
forehead or
their hand, and
anyone who
refuses will be
killed. Without
this mark no one
will be able to
buy or sell.
Anyone who
receives this
mark dooms his
soul eternally,
to be tormented
day and night
forever
(Revelation
13:16-18,
14:9-10). This
mark will embody
the number 666
in some manner.
-
The wrath of
God is poured
out-trumpet
judgments, bowl
judgments
(Revelation 8-9,
16).
-
Babylon the
Great is
destroyed, never
to rise again
(Revelation 18).
-
Somewhere
during this
time, in
whatever
location
raptured saints
have been taken
to, their works
will be tested
at the Judgment
Seat of Christ,
and the saints
rewarded
according to the
outcome (1
Corinthians 3,
Romans 14:10).
-
Marriage
supper of the
Lamb takes
place. All the
saints become
collectively the
bride of Christ
(Revelation 19).
-
All the
armies of the
world gather
together to
fight against
Christ at the
battle of
Armageddon
(Zechariah 12,
Revelation
19:19).
-
Jesus returns
to Earth along
with all the
saints, all
riding on white
horses
(Revelation
19:11-18).
-
The armies
gathered at
Megiddo are
destroyed by
sword from
Jesus' mouth, He
speaks the word
and they all are
destroyed right
where they stand
(Revelation
19:15-17, 21,
Zechariah
14:12-15).
-
The beast
(antichrist) and
the false
prophet are
thrown alive
into the lake of
fire (Revelation
19:19-20).
-
Satan is
bound and
imprisoned in
the bottomless
pit for 1000
years
(Revelation
20:1-3).
-
Killed
tribulation
saints are
resurrected to
reign with Jesus
for 1000 years
(Revelation 20).
-
Sheep and
Goats judgment
takes place on
Earth for
tribulation
survivors. The
righteous are
separated from
the wicked and
ushered into the
Kingdom, while
the wicked are
banished into
everlasting fire
reserved for the
devil and his
angels (Matthew
25:31-46).
-
Jesus rules
the earth for
1000 years in
perfect
righteousness.
Satan is
imprisoned in
the bottomless
pit for the
entire 1000
years, unable to
deceive the
nations any
more. Sin and
wickedness are
no longer
tolerated. Even
wild and
domestic animals
are at peace
with one another
(Isaiah 11,
Revelation
20:4).
-
At the end of
1000 years Satan
is released for
a short time and
gathers an army
as the sands of
the sea. Satan
brings his army
against the camp
of the saints
(Jerusalem?) and
surrounds it.
Fire from heaven
destroys the
rebels, and
Satan is cast
into the lake of
fire (Revelation
20:7-9).
-
The great
white throne
judgment takes
place for the
unsaved of all
ages. All are
judged according
to their works
and cast into
the lake of fire
(Revelation
20:10). Only the
unsaved are
judged here, all
believers
(saints) have
already had
their sins
judged and paid
for on the cross
by Jesus.
Location:
Somewhere away
from the current
Heavens and
Earth.
-
New
Jerusalem, the
eternal home of
all the saints,
descends to the
new Earth,
illuminated by
Jesus Himself.
Cubical in
shape, it is
huge, some 1400
miles on a side
(Revelation
21-22).
One of the
greatest prophecies
of all times has
been fulfilled in
recent years, the
restoration of the
nation Israel to its
land. Never before
in the history of
the world has a
nation been
dispersed to the
ends of the Earth as
Israel was and
retained its
identity. Its people
have been
assimilated into the
nations to which
they were scattered.
But the Jews have
not only maintained
their identity, in
this end of days
they have once again
been regathered into
the sovereign nation
of Israel.
In His Olivet
discourse Jesus gave
his disciples some
signs whereby they
could know when the
time was at hand. He
gave the sign of the
fig tree, a symbol
of the nation
Israel. He said when
the fig tree buds
and puts forth
leaves, you know
summer time is
nearing. Likewise
when you see all
these things begin
to come to pass,
know that it is
near, even at the
doors. Then Jesus
stated, the
generation which
sees these things
begin to come to
pass will not pass
away until all is
fulfilled that He
prophesied in that
discourse. Israel
became a nation
again in 1947. It is
now 2009, over 60
years since this
beginning sign came
to pass. Surely the
return of Jesus must
be very, very near.
Keep in mind
through all of this,
that none of us are
saved by our own
righteousness. The
prophet Isaiah says
we are all as an
unclean thing, and
all our
righteousnesses are
as filthy rags in
the sight of God
(Isaiah 64:6). None
of us in our natural
state are fit to
stand before God. It
is only the shed
blood of Jesus
Christ that makes
any of us worthy to
stand in God's
presence, and Jesus
voluntarily let his
blood be shed on the
cross that we might
be saved and made
worthy to stand in
His presence.
God is not
willing that any
should perish, but
would have all
people to turn to
Him and receive His
salvation. But god
will not force
anyone to receive
Christ, you must
make that decision
for yourself. God
cannot allow sin in
His presence. When
Jesus died on the
cross, God placed
all our sins on Him
and He died in our
place, to make full
payment for our
sins, indeed the
sins of the whole
world, and to buy
our pardon. But like
a prisoner offered a
pardon, we must
receive it before it
will be effective.
Jesus offers all of
us pardon for our
sins today, but we
still must
voluntarily receive
it by receiving Him
into our lives and
our hearts. When we
do this, God sees
all our sins paid
for by Jesus, and
sees the
righteousness of
Christ in us, and it
is by Christ's
righteousness in us
we are saved and
made worthy to stand
in the presence of
God.
For all who
refuse or neglect to
receive this pardon,
it is a whole
different story.
While all who
receive Christ now
will be ushered into
the very presence of
God at the rapture,
those who didn't
will be left behind
to experience the
horrors of the Great
Tribulation. Most
likely most of these
will be killed and
end up in the flames
of Hades, reserved
for the judgment of
the Great White
Throne where they
will hear their doom
pronounced before
being cast into the
lake of fire for all
of eternity. And all
who receive the mark
of the beast to try
to buy some time on
Earth will seal
their doom
eternally.
Yes it will be
possible to be saved
during the
Tribulation, but it
will be much more
difficult then than
now, and will
probably be at the
cost of your life.
Even so, better to
receive Jesus and
get your head
chopped off, and to
stand in His
presence after that,
than to die without
Him and go to an
eternal hell. Still
better, receive
Jesus now, and you
will go into His
presence immediately
when you die, or
when you go in the
rapture.
Why not do it
now, before you find
yourself left behind
to go through the
horrors of the great
tribulation, or to
die in your sins and
go into eternal
torment?
|