12 events the Bible says are still to happen

Transcript of “12 events the Bible says are still to happen”

The Bible predicts the future. Many prophesies have been fulfilled. For example: God warned Israel, if they did not obey all the Law of Moses, He would scatter them throughout the world.(Dt 4:25-27; Dt 28:58-64).

The Bible says the Jewish people did fail to obey all the Law. History shows they were scattered.

But, when God warned Israel, He followed by promising to regather them to the Promised Land. To restore them in the land. (Dt 4:30-31; Dt 30:1-5). That promise is being fulfilled in our time.

In a list of major events prophesied in the Bible ... things that have yet to be fulfilled ... we start with God's stated intention to regather all Jews to the Promised Land. God says, He will not leave even one behind.

(event 1) Israel regathered (Ezek 39:28; Ezek 36:10; Mic 2:12).

It's a prophesy being fulfilled but, at this time, is far from complete. What God will do to get millions of Jews out of the USA and Europe, and out of places of safety, where they have thrived, is going to be interesting, to say the least. BUT... if God could tear down the system of communist Russia, as He did in 1989, and bring one million Jews, from there to the land of Israel, then He can certainly do the unexpected again.

“As I live, declares the LORD God, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be King over you. I will bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out.” (Ez 20:33-34).

The phrase “a mighty hand and outstretched arm and wrath poured out” is repeated. That's interesting, to say the least. And He goes on to say “... I will purge the rebels from among you ...” (Ez 20:38). It seems that Jews will either return to the land or, those who resist, will perish.

It comes down to a matter of faith. Not religious practices, not rules and rituals, but faith. Do people believe God, when His Word declares the Jews to be “chosen people”, and the land of Israel to be their “promised land”.

Here are other major events that will happen ... things that haven't happened before.

(2) Damascus will be destroyed (Isa 17:1). Damascus, the capital city of Syria, will become a heap of ruins. Damascus has been a city through the ages ... the oldest capital city of any land of the Bible. It has never been destroyed but, the Bible says, it will happen.

(3) The Nile will dry up (Isa 19:5-7). The River Nile in Egypt will dry up. That's hard to imagine. It has never happened before. The River Nile is the longest river in Africa, almost as long as the Amazon River in south America. But, the Bible says: the Nile will run dry. The prophesy is in the context of God making judgments against Egypt. (Isa 19:1-4)

(4) Euphrates dries up. (Isa 11:15-16). The Euphrates River will also dry up ... so there will be a highway from Assyria for His people “... and He will lead them across.” The Euphrates River is the longest river in west Asia, but it will run dry. And the context of the prophesy, in verses 12 to 18 of Isaiah chapter 11 is that this desolation ... of the rivers of Egypt and Assyria ... will happen when God regathers the Jews.

Babylon will be made desolate. There is spiritual symbolism in this prophecy ... but it certainly describes a literal, geographic area ... the area of Iraq and Iran today.

(5) Iran desolated (Jer 25:13-14; Jer 50:1, 12-13, 31-32, 38-39)

The Bible says: “...she will never again have people ... never be inhabited ...” (Jer 50:39). In other words, Iran will be made desolate, forever ... and that hasn't happened up to now.

(6) Spirit poured out (Joel 2:28-31). God will pour out the Spirit “... before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” The Holy Spirit will move over all the world. That will change things. For those willing to receive more of the Holy Spirit, God will empower them and, in light of what likely follows, it will be good to have as much of His Spiritual power as we might receive.

(7) A great tribulation (Revelation 5-18; Zephaniah; Isa 13 and 24; Matthew 24).

There is plenty in the Bible that could keep a person awake at night. The book of Revelation has 14 middle chapters that describe waves of judgment. The book of Zephaniah ends with restoration and salvation, but it starts with judgments. Isaiah chapter 2 ends with a picture of mankind being humbled. Chapter 13 says that God will make people “more scarce than fine gold”. Chapter 24 says that God will desolate the whole earth.

Jesus said there will be a great tribulation such that, unless God shortens the time ... no one would survive, but God will cut the time short ... “for the sake of His chosen people.”

And, it should be noted that it is only after the tribulation that Jesus will return (Mt 24:29).

(8) Satan is bound (Rev 20:2). He will be unable to influence what happens on earth. In chapter 20 of Revelation, after the chapters about waves of judgments ... there are six successive verses where each verse has the phrase “one thousand years”. One thousand years is what we call a millennium. And there are two main aspects to this millennium. The first is that Satan will be bound. Before anything else in the millennium, Satan will be prevented from causing havoc. In other words, no more demonic activity. That is certainly not the case now.

Then, after the devil is bound, Jesus will reign over the earth but, not necessarily right away on the earth.

There is a passage in Isaiah that describes Satan cut down (Isa 14:12-19), and this passage follows verses that describe the restoration of Israel. (Isa 14:1-2).

(9) Elijah restores (Mt 17:11). Jesus said that John the Baptist was a “type” of Elijah. But Jesus went on to say that when the Elijah comes “... he will restore all things.” John the Baptist didn't “restore all things”. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus' first coming. The Elijah who is to come will prepare for Jesus' second coming ... in a work of restoration.

You, as a Christian, may not have heard much about the coming of Elijah, but Jews expect him. At the Passover meal every year, Jewish families keep a chair vacant ... in readiness for Elijah.

(10) Ezekiel’s temple (Ezek 40 to 46). There are seven chapters of the Bible ... (toward the end of the book of Ezekiel) ... describing a huge temple that is to be built in Jerusalem. The building is vast. It won't fit in the area of today's temple mount. It will require massive changes to the landscape. The Kidron valley will have to be filled in. That's not going to happen any time soon. The building cannot be a spiritual temple. The measurements and dimensions are specific.

In the temple there will be animal sacrifices, and a “prince” in charge who, because of the nature of the animal sacrifices, cannot possibly be Jesus. This is a huge mystery. It is almost totally overlooked in Christian teaching.

(11) The Rapture (1 Thess 4:16-17). The Bible says Jesus will descend from heaven with a loud cry and trumpet blast ... and the dead in Christ will rise first, and then those who are alive in the Lord will be caught up to meet Him in the air.

The word “rapture” isn't in the original Greek text. It's a word that came in to English from Latin translations of the New Testament ... but the Greek word, in the original text, indicates a rapid catching up. And that's what Paul says is going to happen. It really can't be understood any other way. Believers in Jesus will be “raptured” ... they will be caught up suddenly to meet Jesus.

When will this happen ? When Jesus returns, and only on His return. So, when we know when Jesus will return, then we will know when the rapture will take place. And since no one knows that date, not even Jesus, only the Father ... best to just “be ready”.

By the way, the text doesn't say, Jesus will come part way down from heaven, meet believers, and then turn around and go back to heaven. He will be coming to reign on the earth. Those meeting Him in the air will be a greeting party. They won't disappear. They will arrive with Him, in glory.

(12) Return of Jesus (Acts 1:9-11 The second coming. When? When will Jesus return? I don't know. But Jesus said He will come suddenly, unexpectedly ... “like a thief in the night”. Any time.

As to ideas about the “end times” there are many serious scholars of the Bible ... people who specialize fall into different theological camps. Regarding the millennium: preterists, idealists, historicists, futurists. Regarding the return of Jesus: those who hold to a pre-millennial return, others to a post-millennial return, and others to the so-called amillennial position. Many hold to the thinking of a Great Tribulation lasting seven years ... and among them some hold to a pre-tribulation rapture, others to a mid-tribulation rapture and others to a post-tribulation rapture.

These are sincere people ... their faith in Jesus ... but they don't all agree.

Try to stick to the Bible, and avoid traditions. I have yet to hear a satisfactory theory of Ezekiel's temple that fits in to their ideas. We can't simply ignore that part of the Bible, especially since, in the middle chapter of the seven chapters, the shekinah glory of God returns to that temple!

There is a lot still to happen. Best to be ready at all times. God says He will reward those who are strong in faith in Jesus when He comes ... even if we have the sequence of events worked out wrong.