A Fresh Look at End Times: Volume 1: Beginner and Intermediate Levels

By Stephen F. Shober

A Fresh Look at End Times presents a view of the future from the only true Source.

This book presents biblical prophecy in a non-traditional and enlightening manner, enabling you to gain a clear understanding of the future.

You’ll be amazed to learn that God kept a secret from humans until the first century. Once He revealed that secret, a new age began and it interrupted prophecy. Truths revealed:

· why God kept a secret

· the special ending of our age

· where we are in God's timeline

· the believer's glorious destiny

· purposes of the Tribulation and Day of the Lord

· resurrections and judgments to come

· who the bride of Christ is

· how to interpret biblical visions/dreams

· truth about the Kingdom and New Jerusalem

· religious errors that cause confusion

When our age ends, normal biblical prophecy will resume with heaven and earth shaking events, leading to the greatest era in human history.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 31, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385018703

Stephen F. Shober

Stephen F. Shober is an engineer, naturopathic doctor, Christian author, and director of Grace 4 You Ministries in Wisconsin. He has had a lifelong fascination with biblical end times and has taught and written many articles on this subject. His search for biblical truth led him on a journey of discovery that he now shares in A Fresh Look at End Times.

Book preview

Copyright © 2024 Stephen F. Shober.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Robert C. Pfauth, a good friend, was the photographer of the cover image. Robert captured the image on September 25, 2023, in Middleton, Wisconsin. He and his wife Patti live in Hartford, WI, and love the Lord dearly.

Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1868-0 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1869-7 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1870-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2024902844

WestBow Press rev. date: 5/23/2024

Contents

Acknowledgments

Dedications

Foreword

A Fresh Look at End Times

Beginner Level

Chapter 1 What Prophecy Means to You

Introduction

What is Prophecy

A Synopsis of Prophecy

Defining Basic Terms

Biblical Timelines

Proof Biblical Prophecy is Accurate

Comforting Truths

Chapter 2 Confusion, False Teachings, and What We May See

Why The Bible Seems Confusing

Unlearning False Teachings

What We May Experience

The Signs in Revelation, Chapter 12

Intermediate Level

Chapter 3 Keeping Promises and the End of Our Age

Promises to Be Fulfilled

The Age of Grace Ends

Books of Bible Most Applicable to the Various Ages

Chapter 4 Prophesy Overview

Tribulation

The Two Witnesses

The Beast

Daniel’s Curious 2,300 Days

The Lord’s Prayer

The Delay

The Day of the Lord

Side note on the word LORD

The Gospel in the Tribulation and DOL

Resurrections and Judgments to Come

Questions and Possible Answers

The Millennial Kingdom

The Final Revolt

Eternal State

Final Biblical Timelines and Prophecy Chart

Recommendation

"Prophecy is a fascinating subject which has spawned books ranging from highly sensational date-setting to heavily scholastic works which are difficult for average readers to wade through. Stephen Shober’s latest work, ‘A Fresh Look at End Times,’ gives us a wonderful alternative as he lays a basic foundation to help us understand God’s purposes for prophetic programs. With strong biblical support, helpful diagrams and interesting historical references, Shober lays out God’s unfolding plan for Israel and the world following this Age of Grace. Though there are some non-traditional thoughts which will spark further personal study, the work as a whole is faithful to Scripture and keeps us focused on the One who works all things according to His will."

Traynor Frosty Hansen Jr.

Former pastor, President of Grace Gospel Fellowship, and missionary to Bolivia.

Acknowledgments

Tom Seiger, a good friend and former public health professional from Madison, WI, reviewed the Beginner Level of this book and offered needed advice and direction. He helped make sure the beginning chapters did a proper job of setting the stage for the rest of the book. Tom noted that the Appendix to Chapter 2 is a well-developed case study on how Scripture and human prophecies can be used to promote false biblical claims, something all Bible students must consider as they study.

Riana Weaver and Frances Le Roux, a daughter and mother team (respectively) from Durbanville (Cape Town), South Africa, deserve special acknowledgment. During the Covid pandemic, starting in 2020, they were able to review the Beginner and Intermediate Levels (Volume 1) and the Advanced Level (Volume 2). This was a huge undertaking and they were very detailed in their review. They proved insights of unusual depth and helped ensure that the reader would understand what the author intended. These two ladies clearly understand the gospel of the grace of God and suggested many changes that helped both volumes of this book read correctly. Their efforts helped ensure the desired Scriptural teachings on biblical prophecy were presented.

Ruth Shober (my wife) is given particular thanks for reviewing many sections of this book in order to catch errors, wrong impressions, and misguided comments. She helped make sure the reader would correctly understand what I was trying to say. To my surprise, that was often not the case and Ruth caught the discrepancies.

The members of Steve’s home Bible fellowship are thanked for their considerable influence and recommendations over the years. Oftentimes the simplest comment revealed a whole new perspective for the author

Dedications

This book is dedicated to my family: Ruth, Tamara, Tabitha (Todd), Terah (Jonathan), Christian, Trinity, and Aleah. I am blessed by them and their love for the Lord astounds me.

Foreword

The goal of this book is to present end time events (according to biblical prophecies) in a clear and concise manner. To do this, readers will be guided from the beginner level to the intermediate level in their quest to understand end-time events. The Beginner Level (Chapters 1 and 2) contains definitions of the terms used throughout the book, and presents a brief synopsis of end-time events (prophecy) without a lot of jargon, dates, confusing terminology, or countless controversies so dear to the heart of prophecy gurus. The Intermediate Level (Chapters 3 and 4) explores prophecy in more detail, including the end of our Age, and presents a comprehensive discussion of prophecy. The majority of prophetic events are presented in the Intermediate Level, therefore, this level contains the meat of this subject. Those readers who are familiar with biblical prophecy will gain additional perspectives and insights from the Beginner Level and the Intermediate Level will be instructive for all those interested in what God has to say about the future.

This book is designed to present new and intriguing concepts that often will challenge commonly accepted beliefs. The somewhat iconoclastic nature of this book (non-acceptance of some cherished beliefs), and the way Scripture is presented, will enable readers to understand this topic in a fresh and exciting way. The intended purpose of this book is to present end time issues in a clear manner, to clarify common misperceptions and misunderstandings, and to advance the teachings on biblical prophecy.

The reader will notice that several topics are repeated at different locations within this book. The reasons for this are: 1) repetition is needed for those new to prophetic studies in order to gain a better understanding of the topic; 2) the two levels of this book often require that a topic be addressed at different levels, and 3) sometimes repetition is needed to best show how various topics fit into the overall puzzle of prophecy.

Note: The Advanced Level (Volume 2, a separate volume of this book) considers some of the same topics at a deeper level, enabling discussion of issues not commonly found in prophetic literature. This latter level often provides the strongest evidences for the positions and beliefs presented in this book. The Advanced Level contains some unusual topics, challenges beliefs that are not founded on Scripture, presents information and concepts that delve into Scripture in dept, and expands the scope of biblical prophecy.

A Fresh Look at End Times

BEGINNER LEVEL

A Synopsis of Prophecy

What We May Experience

Chapter 1

WHAT PROPHECY

MEANS TO YOU

If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.

(MICKEY MANTLE)

In the divine Scriptures, there are shallows and there are deeps;

shallows where the lamb may wade, and deeps where the elephant may swim.

(JOHN OWENS)

Introduction

S imilar to the above quote by Mickey Mantle, if biblical prophecy were true, we best listen to it while we can. A day may come in which we wish we had paid attention, and had not squandered the opportunities to do so. Our need to know about biblical prophecy is based upon what seems to be a universal human desire to know what will occur in the future and how we fit into that future. Thus, we have a primal need to know the truth about the future, and that truth is not found in the words of sensationalists or the writings of mere humans. Reliable prophetic truth is the sole domain of God. Fortunately, He has revealed that truth in the Bible.

While biblical prophecy can be an involved and complex topic, the basics can be easily learned and appreciated by almost anyone. We can take consolation in the fact God has written the Bible so the simplest among us can understand what is necessary, while the most intellectual can forever mine the depths, only to discover more and more, with no end in sight.

Biblical prophecy provides the basic answers we seek concerning the future; in fact, it reveals more about the future than we can imagine. Prophecy reveals the end times in a manner that helps us gain insight, not only to what will happen, but who is involved, where it takes place, when events will occur, and why the events take place. However, much of this information is scattered throughout the Bible, a bit here and a bit there; we have to put it all together to discover the complete story. Prophecy is like a divine jig-saw puzzle, in which many parts have to be pieced together to make one complete picture, as designed by the Author. Sometimes, when putting a puzzle together, we can search and search for one piece, but just cannot find it. That is biblical prophecy; it sometimes takes a lifetime to find that one piece, and it oftentimes takes centuries for humanity to put enough pieces together to see progress on the puzzle’s completion.

Bible scholars and students have worked tirelessly, putting prophetic information together so that we can have the knowledge we have today. The puzzle is not anywhere near done, but enough has been put together that we can see an emerging picture: a picture more beautiful than we imagined and worth every century of effort. As the puzzle gets closer to completion, there are fewer unfitted pieces, and the pace toward completion quickens. Some of the last pieces will not be put into place until the very end: Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, ‘My lord, what shall be the end of these things?’ And he said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end’ (Dan. 12:8-9). Of course, the desire of most of us is to know where we fit into the larger picture, even if it is not completed.

While biblical prophecy is the passionate study of many people, our present understanding has only scratched the surface of all God has revealed. What lies beneath? The depth of biblical prophecy is limitless, based upon the limitless mind of the Author. Though limitless, we should never think prophecy is only understandable by scholars and the highly trained. God had humans of all ages and of all capabilities in mind when He inspired the Bible. His desire was to speak to all those who seek the truth with an honest heart. The divine nature underlying the Holy Scripture results in a book understandable by a child, while at the same time captivating the mind of the brightest among us. Only one Book can teach spiritual truth to a child, while at the same time presenting wisdom and realities beyond human comprehension. As we delve into this study, we will see the profundity (profoundness) of the Word, as it presents concepts that can be understood without knowing much about world history, Mid-Eastern cultures, religion, present-day world events, or the Bible itself.

An important issue, when dealing with biblical prophecy, is differentiating between true biblical prophecies, and what some people claim the Bible says. Thousands of irrational and unfounded prophetic claims have been made over the centuries, with the pretext of being scripturally based. While some claims are made with the hope of bringing unbelievers to Christ, when those claims are proven wrong, the net result can only be a movement away from Christ. False claims (even though firmly believed by the claimant) are clearly the enemy of Christianity, a weak evangelistic ideology. This book endeavors to avoid and expose false claims and unscriptural predictions; with the intent of teaching the Word in a reverent manner, so that others can make up their own minds as to what to believe.

The Forward for this book noted that the goal of this book is to help readers progress from the beginner level to the intermediate level in their quest to understand prophecy. The Beginner Level starts with the definition of basic terms and then presents a synopsis of prophecy in a way that those new to the topic can understand, and in a way the more advanced reader can become familiar with the way certain words and terms are used by the author. As we proceed through this book, the reader will be exposed to timelines, which are very helpful visual devices that enable the reader to put events into the proper perspective and time frame. The Intermediate Level explores prophecy in more detail, including the end of our Age, which is the Age of Grace. The end of our Age is the most important thing the reader should be aware of, since it may occur in our lifetime. Then, an overview of prophecy is presented, discussing what will occur after our Age and into eternity. The overview of prophecy is a very long chapter, as well it should be, since it includes the majority of prophetic events of the future. Volume 2 is a separate book, containing the Advanced Level. Volume 2 contains detailed information and concepts, sometimes presenting biblical truth or concepts not commonly known. All three parts avoid speculation, predictions, and fantastic claims. The author believes God’s word is what we all need, not wild-eyed, human-derived predictions. Both Volumes 1 and 2 present new and intriguing concepts that challenge commonly accepted beliefs.

The reader will see the presentation closely follows Scripture. Any honest author has to admit that, even though Scripture is closely followed, our different theological positions cause differing interpretations. Thus, some interpret the Bible very literally, while some see it more figuratively; some see Scripture as mostly historic, while others see the same passages as prophetic. This book tries to explain the biblical text in a way the reader can verify, to see if what this book says is consistent with common sense, validated by reasonable use of biblical language, and aligned with the general teaching of the Word. The hope is that this book encourages discussion and fosters a heuristic approach to Bible study, that is, stimulating the reader to further investigate and study the Word of God.

The goal of gaining insight into prophecy is curtailed quickly when the teaching is encumbered by all sorts of dates, charts, terminology, and unfamiliar concepts—all of which discourage discovery. Most people trying to learn about prophecy want an overview so they can get the general idea, without all the jargon, controversies, and speculation. That is the precise goal of the Beginner Level; however, some biblical terminology had to be used, but it was kept to a minimum. The reader may be exposed to some new concepts in the Beginner Level; the reasons why these concepts are believed are found in the Intermediate and Advanced Levels.

Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous mind.

(Samuel Johnson, 1709-1784, The Rambler)

We humans seem hardwired, programmed by the Creator, to want to know about the future. We have an inherent desire, a yearning in our inner core, to know what lies ahead. The desire to know what lies beyond the present seems universal, as witnessed by most cultures that have expressed the need to know if there is an eternal plan guided by the Almighty. Knowing something about the future seems to be part of our DNA. The desire to know can be quelled only for a short time (e.g., by catastrophic events), but not for long. History has shown that discovery and exploration of the unknown are qualities of the human soul, qualities that are so powerful that governments, laws, persecution, even religion, cannot prevent their expression. Gaining knowledge of the future is a yearning that is part of our very nature, an inescapable desire the Lord has placed in our hearts to know if He has an eternal plan for us, and, if so, what it is.

There is an overwhelming satisfaction, some might say something akin to an adrenal rush, from gaining insight into what the future holds. If God has an eternal plan for the world and if He has revealed that plan, then we are driven internally to know it. Knowing the future is an especially captivating concept, especially if a person can gain insight into where he or she fits into the eternal scheme. The position of this book is that God has an eternal plan for all mankind (and each individual), from creation to the end, and that information is revealed exclusively in the Bible. We cannot depend on human visions, revelations, dreams, ancient texts, or any other source: only the Word of God. Thankfully, He gives us the Word for free, which is consistent with His very nature of freely giving us His grace, love, and Salvation. His desire to make Himself known gives us the Bible; the Bible gives us knowledge of the future, both are of inestimable worth.

One of the main problems with biblical prophecy is that there are so many different interpretations and opinions of the Word. For most of us, understanding prophecy is not so much an issue of believing the Bible; we want to do that. Our problem is we do not want to be led astray by those who proclaim what they say is biblical, but whose words are nothing more than human thoughts cleverly clothed in the fleece of human scripture. The bane of biblical prophecy is the chorus of countless voices screaming at us: God says this…, and If you do not believe this, then…. When there is so much disagreement on this topic, how are we to know the truth?

What is Prophecy

Biblical prophecy is a statement from God about what will happen in the future. If the statement from God were given long ago, and then was fulfilled before our time, that is fulfilled prophecy. As an example, the Old Testament prophets of the Bible were told that after the first Jewish Temple was destroyed in the sixth century BC, a second Jewish Temple would be built, and all the articles taken from the original Temple would be returned within the lifetime of those who saw the first Temple. That indeed happened. These words of God were prophetic (futuristic) when given, and became part of fulfilled prophecy once the events described occurred. However, there are many utterances by God, relative to future events, which have not occurred; these are unfulfilled prophecies. We will consider some fulfilled prophecies in order to show the incredible accuracy of biblical prophecy, and to show biblical prophecy stands in the unique and unassailable position of absolute reliability. However, this book is mostly about prophetic utterances that lie in our future.

The word prediction comes into mind when we consider unfulfilled statements by God concerning the future. We may say, God predicted this would occur, and it did. This is a perfectly fine statement, as long as we remember, when speaking about God, the word prediction does not carry the concept of possibility, as though there were some chance the event may not happen as stated. With God, there is absolute certainty; chance and probability are not involved. Thus, the word prediction has to be understood in light of absolute certainty, when we are speaking of the Word of God.

Very often the following passage is used for the purpose of saying we cannot know much about God’s plans. But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him’ (1 Cor. 2:9). If this verse is read by itself, without regard to the context, then perhaps we could conclude we can know little of His plans or the future. However, when we read this verse in context, the very next verse teaches the exact opposite, "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God" (1 Cor. 2:10). These two verses teach that mankind, in the past, had a reason to be ignorant of many of the things God has prepared for the believer; however, that is not true today. Notice, verse 10 says, "But God has revealed them to us (the Apostle Paul and his associates) through His Spirit." God has revealed an incredible amount of information about the deeper things of God, and those things include information about the future.

Since prophecy is a statement by God of what will occur in the future, very often God gives specific times, events, and participants. A specific starting and/or ending point is often given in a prophecy, or at least some information as to the general time of the event’s occurrence. As an example, a prophetic statement by God is that an evil man will arise, called the Beast, who will go into the Jewish Temple during a time of great tribulation and proclaim that he is God. Notice that events, place, timeframe, and a person are mentioned. Prophecy is not based upon statements that are general in nature; prophecy is specific. For example, it is not prophetic to say, Hard times will come in the future. Such a statement is so general in nature that it could be nothing more than the natural, ongoing saga of mankind. In contrast, notice the specificity of a true prophecy given by Jesus Christ as He discussed a period when there will be much tribulation on the Earth: "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places" (Matt. 24:7). This single verse does not reveal all that Christ said, but the rest of this chapter in Matthew gives further specifics on who is involved, why this period exists, how long it will last, and reveals the general timeframe of the events He mentioned. What He says, stands in stark contrast to the general, normal, progression of life.

Prophecy is a statement about the future from the only One with such knowledge. Thankfully, God has chosen to share some of that knowledge in the Bible. The future cannot be determined by human erudition (scholarship) or perception. Seers, mediums, prognosticators, and self-proclaimed prophets have no clue what will occur in the future; they can only guess. In the Old Testament, the prophets wrote about what God told them or showed them; without doubt, their information was not a result of their own insight.

In the New Testament, there was the spiritual gift of prophecy, which was given to certain individuals by the Holy Spirit. These prophets did not foretell the future, as is our topic; their prophecies were related to telling forth what God was doing in our Age, the Age of Grace. The Age of Grace was new (explained shortly), so prophets were needed to explain what God was doing at the present time. That explanation was needed because the information humans sought was not yet recorded in the Bible. As the truth of our Age was recorded and the Bible became complete, the gift of prophecy passed away. There was no longer a need for prophets once all He wanted made known was divinely recorded, so that spiritual gift passed out of existence (1 Cor. 13:8). Thus, the Lord has revealed all He wants us to know in the completed Word of God. True prophecy can only come from the Word of God today; any human source is not legitimate. Any person who claims to have a new word from God concerning the future is sadly mistaken. In the future—and the Bible makes this clear—it is the workers of Satan who will be the supposed miracle workers and prophets. Satan will be the one empowering his followers to perform great signs and wonders, and many people on Earth will be deceived.

Computer programs can predict some future events based upon past observations, but that is not even close to being prophetic. To be prophetic, the future has to be known apart from past observations; thus, prophecy is not the projection of the past into the future or an extension of what has been true for a thousand years. Prophecy is a stand-alone statement of what will occur, regardless of the past. In fact, prophecy is often in sharp contrast, a great departure, from that which would be predicted or extrapolated from past events. God is the sole Author; no other source or authority is involved. Again, only the Alpha and Omega knows what will happen in the future. He is our one and only source for such information.

Prophecy is not based upon common, everyday occurrences; prophecy contains events that show divine insight into the future. Thus, it is not prophetic to say communication and knowledge will increase near the end of time; they always have proceeded in that direction as part of normal human advancement. Prophecy is not based upon predictions based upon general, common trends, but upon uncommon understanding of the future. Only God has that knowledge, so only He can make prophetic statements—and the Bible is full of them.

Prophecy is not a statement of what He will do in the present, as an ongoing process as part of the human experience. God told Noah He would never destroy the Earth again with a flood. This is an unconditional promise that extends into the future; however, since this promise began immediately when given and will continue uninterrupted, it will not be considered part of prophecy in this book. Continuous or ongoing events, resulting from God’s past actions, will be considered as fulfilled prophecy, not as something that has yet to happen. However, there are grey areas in this discussion, so we must be careful. Consider this well-known verse: And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel (Gen. 3:15). God is speaking to the serpent (Satan) in the Garden of Eden, and the enmity He mentions is the struggle, the mutual antagonism, between good and evil. There will be enmity between Satan and the woman; this applies to the animosity between Satan and godly believers. However, the primarily reference is to the severe antagonism between Satan’s seed and the woman’s Seed, that is, between Satan (and his followers) and Christ. The first part of this verse describes ongoing events that have been part of all human history; thus, it is not considered part of future prophecy. This same verse jumps into a prophetic utterance of extreme importance: the foundation of all biblical prophecy. The prophetic declaration, which could only be known by God, is that Satan will bruise Christ’s heel, that is, cause Him pain and anguish throughout history, but Christ will ultimately bruise Satan’s head. The bruise to Satan’s head implies a terrible head-blow, which was initiated at the Cross, and the final fulfillment, which is seen when Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:10).

In this book, I attempted to differentiate between prophecy and the normal progression of humanity. The differentiation is needed because true prophecy can only point to one Source, whereas predictable events can be the result of normal human activity. Thus, to say there will be a large human population in the last days is not prophetic, but merely part of normal human development. It is not prophetic to proclaim Israel will be a hotbed of political unrest in the future; that is a general statement that has been true for millennia. A prophetic statement would be specific, such as half of Jerusalem will be taken into captivity, the houses burned, and the women ravished before the Second Coming of Christ (which is in Scripture). Notice true prophecy has specific statements that will be clearly identifiable (as not part of normal human life) at the time of their occurrence and provides a timeframe.

A non-prophetic statement would say there will be an increase in the means of transportation near the end. This may be true, since, at least in part, it is stated in the Bible. However, such a statement of fact is part of the normal progression of civilization and has been true for hundreds of years. There is nothing that is specific as to when such a statement will be fulfilled; it is an ongoing truth, but hardly prophetic. By comparison, a biblical prophetic utterance would be: Immediately after the tribulation of those days the Sun will be darkened, and the Moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven… (Matt. 24:29). Note the specific, anything-but-normal, nature of a true prophetic passage. The reader can observe that specific events, a timeframe, and participants are noted (in this case, the heavenly bodies). No person by their own intellect knows this information about the Sun, Moon and stars. Computer programs cannot predict such an occurrence before the Second Coming of Christ because they are totally blind to the Second Coming.

A Synopsis of Prophecy

A simplified presentation of what prophecy is about is given in this section. The goal is to provide the reader with the gist of biblical prophecy very early in this book. Being exposed to this information at the onset will help the reader see the general content of prophecy, which will help make clear the thrust and direction of this book. This synopsis is needed even before the definition of terms, which follows.

This simple synopsis will not include many Scripture verses. That will come later. The synopsis is based upon Scripture; in fact, it is based upon merely one chapter in the Bible. This chapter is rife with information and presents the basic elements of prophecy in both a memorable and intriguing form, in ways we can all relate and understand. The purpose of this synopsis is to help the reader grasp the overall intent of prophecy, reveal what some of the pertinent events will be, give insight into who is involved, explain why God had to predestine certain prophetic events, and establish the relative when of events (e.g., the chronologic order).

Ezekiel Chapter 16 is used for the synopsis. This chapter is allegorical, meaning one thing represents or symbolizes another. The story in an allegory may, or may not, be true; however, the representation/symbolism is real and true. An allegory allows for some well understood thing(s) to represent something else, generally, something much deeper in the spiritual realm.

Ezekiel Chapter 16 is a long chapter and mostly historic, but that history establishes why there must be drastic changes in the future to accomplish the Lord’s will. Those drastic changes are the main components of prophecy. No one could have predicted what will happen in the future based upon the historical facts; thus, the Lord provides us the needed information in a most memorable chapter of the Bible.

Ezekiel 16 begins with a story of a man who saw a baby that had just been born and then cast into an open field and left to die. In the day the baby was born, no one cut the navel cord, the baby was not washed to clean it, nor was it wrapped in swaddling clothes. As for your nativity, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water to cleanse you; you were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in swaddling cloths. No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you, to have compassion on you; but you were thrown out into the open field, when you yourself were loathed on the day you were born (Ezek. 16:4-5). This baby was loathed by its parents in the day it was born. Because the baby was loathed, no one pitied it, and no one had compassion; instead, the baby was thrown into a field, like refuse. The man passed by the baby and saw it lying in its own blood, struggling to live. ’And when I passed by you and saw you struggling in your own blood, I said to you in your blood, ‘Live!’ Yes, I said to you in your blood. ‘Live!’ (Ezek. 16:6). The man of this story was a kind man, so he took pity and helped the baby live.

Notice, the allegory draws us in and creates strong feelings; we cannot help but empathize for this baby, for this is the most horrible thing a person can imagine. Before we continue with the story, we need to know what this allegory symbolizes, and that information will reveal the deeper spiritual meaning. The baby and man are meant to be understood literally as just that; however, they symbolize/represent something deeper. The baby symbolizes the nation of Israel and the birth refers to the birth of the nation of Israel. We know this symbolism is correct from the general context of Ezekiel and the information in Chapter 16. The Bible says the baby’s father was an Amorite and her mother a Hittite, indicating the countries in that region of the world that should have cared for and nurtured the baby, Israel. The time period of the baby’s ordeal is when Israel came out of Egyptian slavery in the fifteenth century BC. Instead of helping the baby (the newly born nation), those countries hated Israel and did all they could to destroy the new nation. Israel’s birth and nativity were in the land of Canaan, and those countries, who could have helped her in the early years, did nothing. No one cared for her, no one wanted her, no one had pity on her, and no one helped her in any way. They all loathed the new nation, so much so, they wanted the new nation to die in her own blood. Because of their extreme animosity towards God’s chosen nation, the Lord has an old score to settle with those nations for their lack of normal decency and compassion. That score is seen in many future prophetic statements, which will be considered later.

The man in the story said to the baby, Live. He nurtured the baby, a girl, and made her thrive. The baby grew and became a woman, not just an ordinary woman, but one of great beauty. Eventually, the man passed by her again and now he looked and saw that she loved him, so they entered into an oath and made a covenant of marriage. ’When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love … I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,’ says the Lord GOD (Ezek. 16:8). The man clothed her in the finest cloths and covered her with silk. He adorned her with bracelets, chains, jewels, and a crown. Her fame went out to the nations because of her beauty, for it was perfect.

The man in the story represents God. The relationship between the baby, the man, and the nations is what is important to understand. God saw the struggling newly born nation and had compassion on her. God nurtured the new nation, and she thrived like no other nation. God and Israel then entered into a marriage covenant, and He said, You became Mine; she became the chosen nation. The new prospering nation was adorned with all precious items, that is, it had a vast treasury of gold and silver, a special place of worship, prophets, the written Word of God, outstanding leaders, and citizens who honored the Lord Almighty. Israel flourished and became known among the nations for her wealth, the wisdom of her leaders, and the fact she followed God. Thus, the beauty of the new nation of Israel was perfect, but it was perfect because the splendor of God was bestowed upon her: ’Your fame went out among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through My splendor which I had bestowed on you,’ says the Lord GOD. (Ezek. 16:14).

So far, the story has been of the girl’s birth, growth, and rise to fame. That part of the story is extremely heartwarming, and a person cannot help but fondly think of her. Then the story takes an unexpected and tragic turn. Because of her fame and beauty, she had no end of opportunities to be unfaithful to her husband. And she did just that. She committed adultery and forgot her husband. She slid even further into debauchery and began to play the role of a harlot. She was not selective or secretive with her lovers; she would have anyone who passed by. Then she took some of her choice garments, given to her by her husband, and adorned high places—places for pagan worship. She also took the gold, silver, and jewels given to her by her husband and made male images and played the harlot with them. The woman even took her sons and daughters, whom she bore with her husband, and killed them and offered them as sacrifices. In all her evil actions, the man says, …You did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, struggling in your blood (Ezek. 16:22b). She went even further. She hired strange men and committed adultery with them. She became more vile and sinful than Sodom. An innocent spouse can take only so much before it is time to take action. Eventually the man was compelled to put her away, that is, he divorced her for despising the oath and breaking the marriage covenant.

The glory of Israel grew from her birth until the time of David and Solomon (around 1000 BC). At that time, Israel was at the pinnacle of her fame and glory. After Solomon, Israel began to trust in herself and her own fame; she began to turn away from the Lord. She did not remember the days of her youth, when she was born and struggling to live. Nor did she recall the tender compassion of the Lord and all He had done for her. Instead, she began to worship other gods, which is spiritual adultery. Just as physical adultery in a marriage can break the marriage, so, too, spiritual adultery caused a divorce between Israel and God. In fact, it was the innocent party, God, Who initiated the divorce. First, He divorced the northern ten tribes, then centuries later, the southern two tribes of Judah. Thus, all twelve original tribes were set aside, divorced, by God.

What has just been described is historic; today, Israel is divorced from God. In Ezekiel’s day, when a man divorced a woman, he was instructed to give her a bill of divorcement and send her out of the house. Thus, the Lord divorced Israel (all twelve tribes) and sent her out of the promised land. This resulted in the dispersed of Israel around the world. That is the biblical view of Israel: dispersed, without God, unmarried, unfaithful, a divorcee, hated of all/most nations, spiritually dead, and with no hope. Today, many have returned to Israel, but the divorce, hatred, lack of hope, and spiritual deadness still exist. However, the story is not over, thankfully, for now Ezekiel’s passage enters into the prophetic realm, in which we see a complete reversal of the past. This reversal could not be predicted by the best computers or the most visionary of humans; this is information only God knows. He has ordained, and predetermined what will happen next. Regarding His former unfaithful wife, the Lord says, Nevertheless, I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed … And I will establish My covenant with you. Then you shall know that I am the Lord (Ezek. 16:60-62).

Ezekiel 16 provides us with an answer as to why the Lord has to do all the things mentioned in biblical prophecy. Israel has been a stiff-necked (stubborn) nation for most of her existence. He has to do the things we find in prophecy in order to get Israel from where the nation is today, to understanding that He is the Lord, their Savior. Making this monumental leap, and the results of it, are the main thrusts of biblical prophecy. From what we have learned so far, we see that the main earthly character in biblical prophecy is Israel. Somehow, that Christ-rejecting nation—actually, the people within the nation—must come to believe in Him. Some sort of unprecedented action and events are needed to completely change the mind and heart of the Christ-rejecting nation.

God will remember His covenant with Israel, in the days of her youth. He then will ensure a series of events that will bring her back to Him. The people of Israel will have to come to Him in faith, which is accomplished through a great trial in the last days. Biblical prophecy explains how this change will all come about, and in a relatively short period of time. In a nutshell, this reversal will be accomplished when God subjects the nation to two terrible times of adversity: the Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. The Tribulation is essentially a furnace of affliction to make Israel realize she has turned her back on her own Messiah. The furnace of affliction will purify her, as gold is purified in a refiner’s fire, and bring her back to Him. The Day of the Lord further purifies the nation and shows the Lord’s mighty hand in Israel’s deliverance. Once purified, she will become a newly born nation, and her spiritual adultery will be forgiven; as such, she will become a pure virgin. Then Christ will return during the Day of the Lord, to take her (Israel) to be His new bride, the bride of Christ. During the Day of the Lord, He also will destroy those nations and people allied against Him. After this, Christ will establish a Kingdom on this Earth that will last for one thousand years. In that Kingdom, He will reign as King of Kings and Lord or Lords. Thus, the former wife will be born again, recreated, restored, and blessed; she and Christ will live in perfect love in the Kingdom.

As a brief note related to Ezekiel 16, consider the Old Testament book of the Song of Solomon. This book also portrays a love story between a man and a woman; in this case, the man is Solomon and the young woman is called the Shulamite. The love story is entwined in poetic language, and jumps around in time, making the story hard to understand. However, through study, the plot does reveal itself. And what a wonderful book it is; for it not only presents a love story, but that love story is used as a vehicle to explain God’s relationship with Israel.¹ Solomon and the Shulamite had a relationship with seven stages, starting with First Love and ending with Perfect Love.² The seven stages correspond with the seven stages in the relationship between God and Israel. Thus, the intent of the Song of Solomon is not merely to present a love story between humans, but to use that story in a portrayal of the deeper, spiritual relationship between God and Israel. Basically, the seven stages follow what we have just learned in Ezekiel, with Israel today being in a state of indifference and separation from God. However, the final two stages relate to the reconciliation of God and Israel and then living in perfect love. Thus, one of the final stages, as told in Ezekiel, refers to events and actions (Tribulation and Day of the Lord) that will bring Israel back to Him. Once they come to Him in faith, the final stage takes place, when they are reunited in marriage and live in perfect love (Kingdom).

From Ezekiel and the Song of Solomon, we have two love stories that are symbolic of God and Israel. This is all fine and dandy, but where are we now? Where is the Church, the body of believers, today? Our role in prophecy will be explained in the definitions below.

Defining Basic Terms

There are some basic terms that should be defined before we continue. Again, the goal is not to overload you with terms and jargon in the Beginner Level of this book. If terms are not defined now, there may be confusion later. Even if you disagree with the definitions here, at least you know how they are used in this book. There is always an intimidation factor with the introduction of new terms and concepts, especially when little context is provided to help a person know how the terms relate to the topic. Hopefully, the synopsis of prophecy above will help reduce any intimidation for beginners. As you continue to read, you will see how the various terms relate to prophecy and why they are presented here.

After a few basic definitions, a simple timeline is presented to help you learn how to use timelines, and for you to see their incredible value in showing when certain events will occur. One of the main problems with biblical prophetic teachings is that people do not know the relative time periods for the various events, that is, which comes first, second, and so on. Timelines help solve that problem in a visual manner. However, timelines can become so complicated and bewildering that only the creator of them can appreciate the content. The timelines presented here begin relatively simply and grow more complicated as we proceed. As you read through the definitions, the timing of certain events (when they will occur) may get confusing; to prevent this confusion, please refer to Figure 1.2, Biblical Timeline 1.

The terms defined below are listed chronologically, that is, in the general order in which they will occur. At first, I tried to list the items alphabetically, then in the order the reader will be exposed to them in this book, then finally, in chronologic order. The definitions also include a short description. The definitions here will help orient the reader, and help ensure a common understanding of various terms.

At this point, the reader is introduced to the terminology used in this book; greater detail will be provided later. Some repetition is purposely employed to help those new to biblical prophecy better gasp the topics. Scriptural references are kept to a minimum in the definitions of basic terms, and the needed references are provided in future sections/chapters. Do not be concerned if the definitions seem a bit complex or beyond the beginner level; as this book unfolds, the various items will be explained in ways that bring clarity and understanding.

Biblical Age(s)

The Bible often refers to ages, and Ephesians 3:9 shows us that many ages have existed "…which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God…" A biblical age is an identifiable period of time used in the Bible, with a recognizable beginning and ending. An age refers to a specific period of time in which God operates with mankind in a certain, characteristic manner. For example, the characteristic trait of the Age in which we live is that of God’s grace, so our Age is often referred to as the Age of Grace. While grace is characteristic of our Age, we must recognize God always has been, and always will be, gracious. You will see how God operates during each age in the definitions below. Since our focus will be on the future, the ages of most concern are those connected with prophesied future events. The focus will not be about past ages or their characteristics unless they bear upon prophecy. Some people use the word dispensation to refer to a period of time. However, a dispensation refers to how God dispenses His favor to mankind; thus, a dispensation is not a period of time. As a corollary, marriage should not be defined as a period of time during which a man and woman are united as one; this puts the emphasis on the period of time. Instead, marriage is the union of a man and woman, this puts the emphasis on union. Of course, that marriage occupies a time period, but time is not an essential part of the definition.

Since creation, there have been a number of periods of time that have had identifiable characteristics, but we will consider four: Law, Grace, Tribulation and Day of the Lord, and Kingdom. The Eternal State is not considered an age because it has no identifiable ending. Later in this chapter, you will be presented with a timeline. For the timeline to make sense, we must know how the word age is used in this book. The four ages mentioned are defined below.

Age of the Law. The Law began with Moses, second millennium BC, and continued through the life of Christ. The Law was composed of commandments, sacrificial worship, ceremonies, rituals, and symbols, all of which constantly reminded people of their duties and responsibilities to God. Those living in that Age had to be obedient to many strict rules and regulations; when they did not obey them perfectly, they had to offer a sacrifice to atone (cover) their sins. When Jesus Christ came as a man, He had to keep the Law in order to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin. Thus, Christ lived under the Law, which was God’s designated way of interacting with mankind during the life of Christ.

The idea that a new age did not begin at the start of the New Testament is hard for many to grasp. Certainly, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, but that did not constitute an age. A new age did not begin with the first advent of Christ. He was born under the Law and had to fulfill the Law for us: But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law (Gal 4:4). Clearly, the most important event in history was the Crucifixion, and that occurred in this time period; however, that event specifically fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law, but it did not initiate a new age.

The Age of Grace. The Age of Grace, the Age in which we live, followed the Age of the Law. The Age of Grace (AOG) is the period of time from the first century until the time God finishes His work with the Body of Christ (Church). The Body of Christ is a spiritual body composed of all the believers in our Age, as defined below. This body is often called the true Church; accordingly, the AOG can be called the Church Age.³ The end of our Age occurs when He comes to take us to Heaven, in an event called the Rapture (defined below).

In the AOG, God offers Salvation by His grace (His favor toward us), based solely upon faith in Jesus Christ, without the works of the Law. Christ kept the righteous demands of the Law, and then the Innocent One died for the many guilty. In plain terms, He took our place, took our death sentence, and made it His. He was our substitute on the Cross; He suffered and died for our sins. God recognizes Christ’s death in a marvelous way; He gives (imputes) Christ’s righteousness to anyone who believes in Him. Thus, whoever believes in Him has his or her sin-debt paid by His sacrifice. Christ’s sacrificial death saves any person who believes in Him, regardless if they lived in the past, today, or in the future. Regarding Salvation in the Age of Grace, God specifically wants our faith, not works of righteousness (under the Law faith plus works were required). We see, therefore, that Christ’s death saves every believer who ever has lived or ever will live.

In past ages, the Age of Grace was a mystery (secret) hidden in God’s heart, and not revealed in any way: not to humans, angels, Satan, or even in the Bible. We learned nothing about the AOG in the passages we considered in Ezekiel and Song of Solomon because it had not been revealed at that time. God had to keep the AOG a secret in order to ensure the death of Christ. Christ’s death was the most important event in human history. It had to occur at all costs. Only after Christ’s death could the secret be revealed. The secret aspect of our Age will be discussed below, see Mystery, the Secret.

When the secret aspect of our Age is not recognized, problems arise with how to interpret Scripture. The flow of history was interrupted by our Age; accordingly, many biblical prophecies that should have occurred by now, have not occurred because our Age interrupted history. When the secret aspect of our Age is understood, we can see what God is doing through the various ages, why He had to keep a secret, and how unfulfilled prophetic events will yet come to pass. When God finishes His work with the Body