An overview of Bible prophecy

GENTLE BREEZE

By NELLY FAVIS VILLAFUERTE

Nelly Favis Villafuerte

More and more people are getting seriously interested and inquisitive about the subject of Bible prophecy. Many questions are being asked by people of various races like: What are the verses that are the basic teachings on bible prophecy? What is the role of the Jewish people in bible prophecy? What is God’s prophetic clock for the happening of the various Biblical prophecies? How many prophecies are mentioned in the Holy Bible? How many of these prophecies have already been fulfilled? How many are not yet fulfilled? How many are unfolding before our eyes in this generation? Is it true that the first unfulfilled prophecy in the Holy Bible relate to the Jewish people? What is the so-called War of Gog and Magog that is described in detail in the Holy Bible? Are the so-called Rapture, Tribulation, Resurrection, and Second Coming of Christ included in the Bible prophecies mentioned in the Holy Bible? How about the so-called anti-Christ? Is it part of Bible prophecy? Why is it that today not many churches/spiritual denominations are preaching about Bible prophecy? What is Jerusalem’s role in Bible prophecy?

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What is Biblical prophecy? One Bible-believing Christian answered this question this way: “Prophecy is history written in advance. When the Word of God states that an event will take place, it is as sure to happen as if it has already happened. God is the author of all true prophecy. For example: Jesus prophesied His resurrection in Matthew 20:19. Speaking of Himself. He said, “…and the third day, he shall rise again.” When Jesus made this prophecy, He looked forward to the resurrection as if it had already happened. The person who speaks God’s will, or who foretells future events, is called a prophet. A prophet, then, is a man who has a message from

God. Because he is speaking God’s message, the true prophet is one hundred percent accurate. His prophecy is absolutely without error, down to the minutest detail.

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No sacred writing can duplicate the amazingly perfect predictions in the Bible which have come to pass with 100% accuracy. The predictions are God’s messages spoken through men who are called prophets.

At least one-fourth of the Bible deals with prophecy – 8,352 of the 31,124 verses in the Bible refer to prophecies. And out of about 590 significant events predicted to happen, all expect 20 have already been fulfilled.

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The basic blueprint for the “end times” is in Matthew 24, Mark 13; and Luke 21. These verses in the three books give us a clear comprehensive overview of what’s going to happen tomorrow – what’s going to happen at the end of the ages. Sometimes the “end times” are referred to as the “last days,” “latter days,” “last times,” or -- to use prophet Daniel’s favorite term, “the time of the end.” Based on the Bible signs, we are living in the “end times.”

(To be continued)

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This column continues to give out copies of the Holy Bible for free to those who cannot afford to buy their own copies. If interested, please send your letter-request to Ms. Nelly Favis Villafuerte, 5233 Fahrenheit St., Palanan, Makati City. Kindly mention if it is the Tagalog, English, Cebuano, or Ilocano Bible that is preferred.

Be joyful and forgiving!

(Comments may be sent to Ms. Villafuerte’s email: [email protected].)