I am God, and there is no other… I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come… My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. (Isaiah 46:9-11 NIV)

The Bible has foretold many events with amazing accuracy, although often we only understand a prophecy after the event happens.

Interpreting prophecy

The Bible gives us rules for interpreting prophecy, including time scales and symbols for nations, events, religious and political systems.

If we apply these rules consistently, Bible prophecy is not as mysterious as you might think.

Fulfilled prophecy

We can see in history, many prophecies that have already been fulfilled:

• the birth, life and death of Jesus¹
• the gift of the Holy Spirit for men and women²
• the rise and fall of world empires such as Babylon, Greece and Rome³
• the return of the Jews to Palestine⁴
• the Arab-Israeli conflict⁵

Prophecy still to be fulfilled

The Bible gives us details about other prophecies still to be fulfilled, and we can determine specific things about the times in which we live and the future. We believe:

• the troubled times we live in are the ‘end times’⁶
• Jesus is returning to the earth⁷
• current events signal his coming soon – although no one knows exactly when⁸
• people who ‘died in Christ’ will be resurrected when Jesus returns⁹
• people who are alive and walking with Jesus will be transformed when he returns⁹

The Book of Revelation

Blessed is the one that reads the word of this prophecy, and blessed are those that hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near (Revelation 1:3 NIV)

Many people know that Revelation is a book of prophecy, even if they don’t understand its meaning. It was transcribed by the Apostle John directly from Christ. It describes world events from the time of Jesus, to his return and beyond.

Other subjects in this series:

• What must I do to be saved
• Water baptism
• The Holy Spirit
• Speaking in tongues
• Healing
• Bible prophecy
• The return of Jesus Christ

Read the references in your Bible

1. Psalm 22, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 24
2. Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:14-18
3. Daniel 2 and 5
4. Leviticus 26:28-33, Deuteronomy 30:1-5, Daniel 12:7-12, Luke 21:24
5. Genesis 16:1-6 and 10-12, 35:10-12, 2 Samuel 7:10, Zechariah 12:2-3
6. Joel 2:30-31, Zechariah 12:2-3, Matthew 24:29-30, Luke 21:20-22, 2 Peter 3:10
7. Matthew 24:30-31, Mark 13:26-29
8. Matthew 24:23-30, Luke 21:8-28
9. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
10. Revelation 1:1, 22:8-11