• Traditional Futurist View
• Importance of Prophecy

As we enter the twenty-first century, there will be great expectations and many misguided, predictions of what is coming on the earth. Most are not in the Bible.

• Do we really know what the Bible says about these things?
• Is it even possible to understand them?
• Must we live our lives in such uncertainty, expecting the "great tribulation" to overwhelm us at any moment, yet never understanding what it is?
• Some folks tell us not to worry, we will be "raptured" out before the "great tribulation," but what does the Bible have to say about it?
• Shouldn't Christians believers, of all people, have more than a superficial knowledge of what God is doing?
• Or should we just continue to propagate what we have heard, and not study for ourselves to see if these things be true, refusing to receive any new input, confident that our beliefs are founded on the Word of God?
• Shouldn't we be willing to investigate every available source of information, to try to determine if those things that Jesus predicted are actually happening, or if they have already occurred or will come in the future?
• What did the early church believe concerning these things?
• Did they have knowledge that has somehow slipped away from us? That certainly appears to be the case.

It is relatively consistent, whether found in a Fundamental church or a Pentecostal one, or almost anywhere in-between. It basically goes like this:

Since the time that Jesus lived on the earth, almost two thousand years have passed in which few of His predictions have come true. But, one of these days, the Jews in Israel will rebuild the temple and reinstitute animal sacrifices. Then there is all this talk of a red heifer, and reinstituting the Sacrifice.

At some point after that time, there will be great earthquakes, famine, pestilence and distress all over the earth, as never before in the history of the world.
Then one called "the Antichrist" will appear on the scene, causing many to believe that he is the Christ. But before this "antichrist" shows up, the true believers in Jesus are said to be "secretly" raptured away to heaven, en masse, and the only ones left on the earth are the sinners (those who never accepted Jesus), and of course, the Jews.

Then the "Antichrist" performs great signs and wonders and continues to deceive everyone for three-and-one-half years, then he shows his true colors.
He causes the animal sacrifice to cease, and tries to force everyone to take the mark of the beast in order to buy and sell. Then a more severe tribulation occurs over all the earth.
This continues until Jesus returns from heaven three-and-one-half years later, with his saints, and sets up His millenial kingdom on the earth. Then, for a thousand years, the saints rule and reign with Christ, over some other people (no one seems to know just who).

Such teaching does not usually go beyond this point, as to what occurs after the thousand years, although many teach that when the thousand years is up, we will all go to heaven and remain there for eternity.

Some teach that 144,000 converted Jews will go around evangelizing the world during the "great tribulation." And of course, somewhere in there is the "Battle of Armagedon."
Since there are many variations on all this, and we are interested in true facts, instead of traditions, we have not covered every scenario, just enough to show basically what we are talking about.
Various versions of these doctrines are espoused by many fine, honest and sincere people, who love the Lord with all their hearts. This is not written to hurt or discourage anyone, but to uplift and encourage those who love Christ.

If we are open enough to search for the truth with our whole heart, we will surely find it, and Jesus said the truth would "make us free." John 8:32. Are we really hearing the truth from those sensationalist preachers on TV?
There are many ambiguities to most of these end-time doctrines; as to when the saints are gathered unto the Lord, whether pre-trib, mid-trib, or post-trib, all referring to its relationship with the "great tribulation," where the "Antichrist" will come from and where he will reign. Most say Jerusalem, seating himself in the rebuilt temple, purporting to be God.

• Is this what the Bible predicts concerning the end-time and the "great tribulation?"
• Is the "great tribulation" to be on a worldwide scale? Or could it be for only one area of the earth?
• Is it yet future, or are we in it right now? Or is it possible that it came a long time ago?
• What are the signs which identify it, so that we may know?
• Have we so busied ourselves with thoughts about the "rapture" that we have overlooked some most important details?
• Just what is the "great tribulation," which Jesus foretold in Matthew 24?
• In light of the truth, can there be a Pre-trib rapture?
• Why is it so difficult to understand all these things?
• Could it be that we are trying to fit the events prophesied by Jesus into the wrong time period? Building on a wrong premise?
• Why is prophecy so important anyway?
• Can't we just ignore it and wait and see what happens?

Prophecy is given to us so that we may see the fulfillments and give glory to God. In the Old Testament, many times it is stated by God, Himself, through His prophets, these things will occur "that they may know that I am the Lord your God."

The Bible teaches us that the proof of a prophet is that what he predicts comes to pass. The Scripture says: "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." Deuteronomy 18:22.
So, the sign of a true prophet of God is that all of his predictions take place, just as he said they would.

Jesus, besides all else that He was, was also God's greatest Prophet. He prophesied certain events which, He said, would take place in that generation. If those things did not occur, in that generation, He would have to be labeled a false prophet. Therefore, it is vitally important for those fulfillments to be clearly understood as a testimony to Jesus.

Realize, that any Bible prophecy which was fulfilled after the writing of the Scriptures, is not recorded in those Scriptures. How, then, would we know of its occurrence? We must observe it first hand, hear about it, or read about it.

Now doesn't it stand to reason that, in the almost two thousand years since the time of Christ, at least some of His prophecies would have had their fulfillment?
Here, from the pages of history and early church writings, we will show that the predictions of Jesus were all true, and that many of them have already come to pass. Everything, of course, must be in harmony with the Word of God.

Continue with:  "Olivet Discourse."

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