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Introduction to Apocalyptic Prophecy

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There are 17 prophecies in Daniel and Revelation that are apocalyptic in nature. In other words, these two books contain 17 prophecies that deal with the end of the world. Some of these prophecies have been underway for more than 25 centuries and others have not yet begun to come to pass. However, these 17 prophecies lock together to form a comprehensive matrix so that we can be certain of our chronological position within them. In short, we can clearly determine which events are before us.

 

The word apocalyptic comes from the word apocalypse. According to Webster, an apocalypse is a divine or glorious revelation. For this reason, the last book of the Bible is called The Apocalypse or The Revelation. The title of the book, Revelation, suggests a revealing of something that is otherwise unknown. However, in a larger sense, the other 65 books of the Bible qualify as “revelations” for they reveal wonderful things about God and His works that would otherwise be unknown.

 

The books of Daniel and Revelation are unlike the other books of the Bible. These two books contain a special kind of prophecy not found elsewhere. There are 17 of these special prophecies and they are distinguished from the other prophecies of the Bible by their unusual operation. For this reason, these two books are often separated from the others as the apocalyptic books of the Bible.

 

Five types of predictions

 

The Bible contains a minimum of five distinct types of prediction.

These include:

 

1.   Messianic prophecies: These prophecies specifically relate to the person of Jesus either His first or second coming. There are more than 450 Messianic statements or prophecies. Two excellent examples of first advent prophecies are found in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22.

 

2.   Judaic prophecies: These prophecies relate to promises of prosperity or destruction for the ancient nation of Israel. These prophecies have conditional elements in them most of the time. A good example of this type of prophecy is found in Ezekiel 37 through 48. Judaic prophecies contain important object lessons and principles for all generations of people, for God’s unchanging interest in man is clearly revealed in these prophecies.

 

The prophetic group also presents a special challenge. The problem is that God gave Israel a number of prophecies that were based on the contingency that the people to whom they were given did not meet certain conditions; these prophecies will not be fulfilled. The point is further discussed in Appendix A.

 

3.   Day of the Lord prophecies: These prophecies are numerous and are scattered throughout Scripture. They relate to the vindication of God and/or His people. Elements within these prophecies are often general enough that they can have parallel applications at different times. Ultimately though, these prophecies predict the triumph of God and/or the vindication of His people in a contemporary setting. For example, Isaiah 24 and Ezekiel 7 contain parallels between the final days of Israel and the final days of earth’s history. Sometimes, “Day of the Lord” prophecies have conditional elements embedded in them if they are given as a warning. Matthew 24 is a “Day of the Lord” prophecy. This prophecy applies both to the end of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the end of the world. Calamitous events from each are mingled together in one prophecy because there are ominous parallels.

 

4.   Local prophecies: Local prophecies apply to specific people, places and times. For example, the prophecy concerning Nineveh (Jonah 1) was a local prophecy. Local prophecies require a messenger to explain or proclaim the prophecy. Before the flood, Noah was chosen as such a messenger. At the first advent of Christ, John the Baptist was appointed as a local messenger.

 

Even though the messages of local prophecies are specific to people at certain times, universal principles and/or conditions underlying their messages remain applicable as we approach the end of the age.

 

5.   Apocalyptic prophecies: In this volume, the apocalyptic prophecies of Daniel and Revelation are defined as structural prophecies; that is, prophesies that outline a specific sequence of events. An apocalyptic prophecy is identified by the presence of a beginning and an ending point in time. Both the fulfillment and sequence of apocalyptic prophecy are unconditional. A clear-cut example of this type prophecy can be found in Daniel 2. There, Nebuchadnezzar’s vision outlines a sequence of kingdoms that occur in the order in which they were given.

    

Sometimes, the sequence or structure of apocalyptic prophecy is defined by numeric order. For example, the second trumpet in Revelation 8 occurs after the first trumpet. The critical point here is that chronological order is always maintained in an apocalyptic prophecy, otherwise we could not know which event could be next.

 

Distinctive treatment necessary

 

Each of the five prophecy types deserves distinctive treatment. Mixing the prophecies or merging their respective rules of interpretation makes understanding impossible.

 

Rules of interpretation

 

Rules of interpretation are inseparable from the study of prophecy, for conclusions are directly connected to the methods used for interpretation. If we interpret prophecy using faulty rules, we end up with faulty conclusions. It’s that simple.

 

Rules are not biased toward any religious denomination. We must rely upon consistent rules to help solve the unknown. This is true in every science. For example, the simple equation 2x +3 = 13 can only be solved by using mathematical rules. Since rules of interpretation are not written down in the Bible, they must come from careful research and observation.  

 

This is critical: Rules of interpretation cannot be made up; rather, we can only discover the presence or operation of rules. Rules are detected when we find consistent behavior within prophetic elements. Once consistency is recognized, we can then define the rule. In other words, if we observe certain things to always be true, only then can we identify the presence of a rule.

 

Consider this example: Sir Isaac Newton researched the effects of gravity. He studied the behavior of gravity using different experiments. After observing that gravity behaved in certain consistent ways, he wrote down a formula expressing its operation. Sir Isaac Newton did not make up the rules governing gravity. God did that. But, Sir Isaac Newton was able to discover the rules of gravity in such a way that the effect of gravity could be calculated and understood by others.

 

The study of apocalyptic prophecy is very similar to the study of gravity. We reason from the known to the unknown. Before we can interpret those parts of prophecy that are unknown, we have to discover the rules by which fulfillments occurred in the past. By carefully observing the behavior of apocalyptic prophecies that have been fulfilled, we can then discover the rules by which they work. After we understand how the rules apply to those prophetic elements that have been fulfilled, we can then begin to solve those portions of apocalyptic prophecy that are in the future by using rules of interpretation that are consistent.

 

World of difference between truth and faith

 

One more point. There is a world of difference between prophetic truth and prophetic faith. Prophetic truth refers to those prophecies or portions of prophecy that qualify as fulfillments. Prophetic faith, on the other hand, refers to those prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled. Since no one can prove something that hasn’t happened, our prophetic faith should be carefully built upon the truth that comes from solid principles of interpretation.

 

What is a prophetic fulfillment?

 

So, how can we know if an apocalyptic prophecy has been fulfilled? A fulfillment is full filling of the prophecy. In other words, a fulfillment occurs when all the specifications of a prophecy are met. Every detail of the prophecy must be satisfied before a fulfillment can be declared. This also means that the chronological order of the prophecy must also be satisfied. For example, some people may claim that the fourth trumpet of Revelation 8 has already been fulfilled. If their claim is true, they not only have to demonstrate that all the details of the fourth trumpet have been met; they also have to demonstrate the orderly fulfillment of the first three trumpets.

 

The four rules

 

Four rules have been detected in the operation of apocalyptic prophecy. Keep in mind, there are different types of prophecy and each type has its own rules of interpretation. But, regarding the apocalyptic prophecies of Daniel and Revelation, these four rules appear to operate consistently:

 

  1. Apocalyptic prophecy is defined as prophecy that predicts a chronological sequence of events. Apocalyptic prophecy has a beginning point and ending point in time. Elements within the prophecy mark progression towards fulfillment or completion. Consequently, elements within apocalyptic prophecy do not occur more than once and they chronologically occur as predicted.
  2. Other types of prophecies are subordinate to apocalyptic structures. A fulfillment of an element or a prophecy occurs when both the specifications and the chronological sequence are met.
  3. If a prophecy contains symbolic language, the Bible must explain the meaning of the symbol with relevant scripture.
  4. God measures apocalyptic time in two ways. (a) a day for a year, and (b) as literal time. The presence or absence of the Jubilee calendar determines how God measures time. 


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