The "Coming Glory" portion of Olive Tree Studies presented a way to approach the study of End Times prophecy (Eschatology). In essence, it will serve as the reference and point of departure for the material now presented in The Prophets Speak. Here, we will attempt to take the next steps toward understanding what the Bible says about the End Times, and how it may be applied to the times in which we live. In particular, it will be the object of "The Prophets Speak",

To show how the awesome God of the Bible is exercising total control of this world, and has conceived a Plan to set up a Kingdom under His Son, for all people who put their trust in Him.

To discover where we presently reside in that Plan.

WHy study BIBLE ESCHATOLOGY now?

Israel is now back in the Land after 1900 years!

Israel fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies when they returned to the Land in 1948. Since the very way they returned following World War II was extraordinary, and subsequent events in the Middle East have continued to keep Israel on the front page of world happenings, the last several decades have been a period of special significance with respect to Bible prophecy. This unique time in the history of the world has provided Bible students with an opportunity to study world events in light of Bible prophecy, hoping to detect anything about Israel's recent history that might provide clues as to where the world is in the Lord's countdown toward the time of Israel's redemption and the Millennial Kingdom.

Major world events at least since 1988 have been prophetic!

The Coming Glory portion of Olive Tree Studies shows that major world events began to be timed with a 360 day calendar in November, 1988. Bible students understand that the 360 day calendar is strictly of Biblical origin, being the calendar used by the angel Gabriel, as recorded in the book of Daniel, to forecast the period leading to Israel's final redemption. Consequently, its detection in conjunction with modern-day events should stimulate a renewed sense of interest in Bible eschatology, for it suggests that God's Prophetic Plan is once more at work as He completes the final phases of that Plan leading to Israel's redemption.

WHAT ARE THE Traditional approaches TO BIBLE ESCHATOLOGY?

Postmillennialism:

This interpretation maintains that gospel efforts will one day largely root out evil, so that Messiah can initiate judgement and begin a 1000 year spiritual reign over the earth. This theory, now contested by the progress of history since Biblical times, is no longer very popular although there are still a few adherents. Two major wars in the 20th century, continuing unabated conflicts among nations, progressive degeneracy among societies worldwide, and global plagues have brought this theory into serious question.

Amillennialism:

Advocates of this view maintain that no literal future Millennium is taught in the Bible, and that its provisions have already been fulfilled throughout the Times of the Gentiles. This theology tends to spiritualize the vast number of Kingdom promises in the Old Testament that seem to be intended for Israel. For example, wherever Israel appears to be described back in the Land in a future context, the text is taken to mean the Christian Church. Thus, Amillennialism makes no trenchant differentiation between Israel and the Church. It also contends that Satan has been "bound" throughout the Church Age. However, the Bible indicates that it is God who is in control of the rise and fall of nations, so the rebirth of Israel in the 20th century must have been decreed by God for some purpose, such as the fulfillment of those Old Testament promises. In addition, the Bible teaches that it is Satan who deceives the nations, making it implausible to understand why international conflicts have continued unabated throughout the Church Age if Satan has been chained.

Premillennialism:

This view of eschatology teaches that the Times of the Gentiles is destined to end in judgment at the second coming of Messiah, who will then restore the Kingdom to Israel before reigning for a literal "1000 years". Premillennialists maintain that their view literally embraces all of the Kingdom promises to Israel in the Old Testament, as well as the "Day of the Lord" which is prominent in Scripture, and connects the Kingdom with the Millennium. They contend that Satan has not been "bound" throughout the Church Age, citing the appalling conflicts that have characterized the Times of the Gentiles. They believe the Millennium will be the last of the ordered ages of time, characterized by the binding of Satan which will result in a time of peace on earth and a severe limitation of sin. Since Israel must be reborn in the Land before there can be such a Millennial Kingdom, the fact of Israel's 1948 rebirth in the Land makes this theory most defensible.

WHAT IS the OLIVE TREE STUDIES approach TO ESCHATOLOGY?

As a result of considerable historic and Biblical evidence to be displayed in The Prophets Speak, the premillennial approach to eschatology is found to be one that appears to best fit the evidence, it dictating the following ordered set of events.

The physical return of Israel to their Land during the final years of the Times of the Gentiles, albeit in an unsaved state (Ezekiel 37.8).
The completion of the Times of the Gentiles (Romans 11.25).
The "Rapture" of the Body of Christ to meet the Lord in the air and receive their Heavenly inheritance (I Thessalonians 4.13-18).
The redemption of End Times Israel when they recognize the identity of their Messiah and accept Him (Zechariah 12.10; Romans 11.26).
The physical return of the Lord to earth to certify the setting up of His Millennial Kingdom and execute Judgement on the nations (Daniel 7.9-10; Zechariah 14.3-15; Matthew 25.31-46; Revelation 19.11-21), fulfilling the Kingdom promises given to those Old Testament believers (Genesis 17.1-8; Ezekiel 37.21-28).
The "binding" of Satan (Revelation 20.1-3)
The literal peaceful Millennial reign of the Lord, when sin on earth is severely limited (Daniel 7.14; Revelation 20.4-6).

Although the evidence developed in The Prophets Speak appears to dictate an eschatology following the ordered set of events just given, it will be found at variance with the prevailing pretribulational concept for the End Times, which postulates a very specific scenario for the relative times of occurrence of (a) the Rapture of the Body of Christ, (b) Daniel's 70th Week, (c) the Great Tribulation, and (d) the coming of Antichrist.

These issues will all stem from one fundamental difference between the two approaches. Instead of being driven by any scenario that would require specific knowledge about events still in the future, the approach outlined here in The Prophets Speak will deal only with events that have already occurred in history. Accordingly, this study of Bible eschatology will be driven by historic evidence that can be verified, not by scenarios that must remain speculative because they rest on assumptions concerning future events.

Of course, if nothing had occurred in recent history that could be absolutely connected to specific Bible prophecies for the End Times, the prevailing theory of a "pretribulation rapture", with its doctrine of the "imminent" return of the Lord, would be as good as any. However, one purpose of The Prophets Speak will be to demonstrate that major world events for a period of over 60 years in the 20th century can now be related directly to specific Bible prophecies for the End Times, with even more recent events continuing to appear in the early years of the 21st century.

The material to be offered in The Prophets Speak is in no way intended to castigate the labors of Bible scholars, some of whom have dedicated many years of their life in sincere efforts to uncover truths about the End Times. Indeed, it is perfectly understandable why these recent prophetic events were overlooked, for they could not have been detected without deliberate detailed documentation of the dates and time periods associated with each one, and then only since 1989 by the use of the following techniques to highlight their prophetic properties.

The Jubilee Calendar
The Jubilee calendar developed in Coming Glory was projected forward into the 20th century to reveal that 1945 and 1995 should have been Jubilee years. That discovery initially enabled the identification of time frames in which Biblically prophetic events might be expected to occur. This finding will now be used in The Prophets Speak to examine those time frames in greater detail.

The Levitical and 360 day Calendars
Using both the Levitical and 360 day calendars summarized in Coming Glory, it was possible to detect the existence of several prophetic events during the years 1989-1995. Those same calendars will be further exploited in The Prophets Speak to uncover extraordinary detail about the years following 1989.

Israel's Redemptive Timeline
The repeated patterns in Israel's Biblical history were displayed in Coming Glory, showing how historic events during Biblical times could be related to specific Bible prophecies. The Prophets Speak will employ this same Redemptive Timeline to show how events since World War II also follow prophetic patterns in the Bible for the End Times, even to the extent of showing how it may be employed to unlock the book of Revelation.

In reflection, this approach as just outlined may seem a little pedestrian since it is based only on history. However, it will be discovered as we continue that it leads to results that are really quite exciting, for it will enable us not only to organize the book of Revelation into a format that is quite readable within the context of recorded history, but also to determine just where we presently reside in that book with respect to the End Times.
HERE ARE THE FOUR MAJOR SUBJECTS TO BE ADDRESSED
(should be reviewed in the order shown)

The "Great Tribulation"
The Great Tribulation is an epochal event described in both the Old and New Testaments. It is to occur during the End Times preceding the Lord's return, so it is vital that we understand what the Bible says about its timing and nature.

The "State of Israel"
The nation of Israel is the centerpiece of everything pertinent to Bible eschatology, being God's "timepiece" for the End Times.

Daniel's "70 Weeks"
A study of the timing and nature of the 70 Weeks of Daniel is a major issue with respect to its relationship to the Great Tribulation and the rapture of the Body of Christ.

"The Revelation"
This is the prophetic book that contains the complete chronology of the End Times including the Lord's return and the Millennium that follows, so its study is a must if we are to understand eschatology.