Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 14 Gary discusses the history of failed “end times” and “last days” predictions. When we study the history of prophetic speculation, we soon realize that we’ve heard all of this before. For nearly 2000 years uninformed but assured Christians have predicted, in words similar to those of Hal Lindsey, that “they were the [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 13 Gary discusses a popular interpretation by modern prophecy writers and pastors about Israel being the “fig tree” spoken of by Jesus in the NT. If Israel is the fig tree in Matthew 24:32, then Israel is the fig tree in 21:18–20 where Jesus says, “‘No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.’ And at once the fig tree withered.” The fi [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 12 Gary does a short Bible study with his granddaughter, who had a few questions about Mark 13 and Jesus’ coming. In terms of audience relevance related to a study of the Olivet Discourse, students of Scripture need to begin with Matthew 21:1 where we read that Jesus and some of His disciples had come “to the Mount of Olives.” By the time we get t [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 11 Gary gives a quick lesson on how to do biblical hermeneutics, which simply means how to interpret the text. Many people grow up thinking the Bible says one thing when it actually says something else. For example, when asked who cut off Samson’s hair, a high percentage of people will say “Delilah!” By reading Judges 16:19, we quickly learn that she “c [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 10 Many modern preachers and authors are schizophrenic. They don’t seem to understand that their messages are contradictory and often cause their hearers to become paralyzed with indecision. Thousands of tracts, magazine articles, sermons and radio messages tell the people, “Jesus is coming soon!” “These are the last days of this dispensation” and [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 9 Gary puts the popular claim of dividing Matthew 24 into past and future events under the exegetical microscope to see if it stands up under scrutiny. Matthew 24:33 tells us what audience Jesus had in view: “so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.” It’s obvious, and without any need for debate, that the [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 8 Gary discusses the idea put forth by nearly all modern pop prophecy writers that Israel becoming a nation again in 1948 is a “major prophetic sign” of the “end times.” A very popular argument for modern-day Israel being the fulfillment of Bible prophecy uses the fig tree illustration found in Matthew 24:32: “Now learn the [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 7 Gary discusses Max Lucado’s new book, What Happens Next: A Traveler’s Guide Through the End of This Age. While referring to Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 weeks of years (9:24-27), Lucado writes, “This gloomy prophecy was fulfilled on August 6, AD 70. Titus of Rome destroyed Jerusalem, killed a million Jews, and tore the temple apart stone by [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 6 Gary responds to a clip on Facebook that claims to “prove” the Rapture with two Bible verses. If Revelation 3:10 is the passage that teaches that Christians won’t go through a future seven-year tribulation period, then it needs to be studied carefully. Can it be shown that John being told to “Come up here…” (4:1) is a type of rapture that [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 5 Gary responds to recent comments made by Glenn Beck on Tucker Carlson’s national tour. The literal meaning of Scripture “embraces the normal, everyday, common understanding of the terms of the Bible. Words are given the meaning they normally have in common communication.” The interpreter should be mindful of the “historical setting.” Sentences o [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 4 Gary puts Matthew 24, or what is commonly called Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, under the microscope. The question before us is simple: Does the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24; Mark 13; and Luke 21) describe signs that were fulfilled in (1) events leading up to and including the destruction of the temple in AD 70, (2) a future generation, (3) a past gener [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 3 On this third episode of Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope, Gary continues his study of 2 Thessalonians 2 and the “man of lawlessness.” II. The temple A. The temple was still standing when Paul wrote his letters to the Thessalonians. “[T]he hearer would naturally think of the Jerusalem temple, which would stand for two decades more.” B. [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 2 Gary responds to comments on Facebook about the man of lawlessness (or sin) from 2 Thessalonians 2. Is “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” a reference to the Second Coming, that is, an event that is still in our future, or is it a coming in judgment upon first-century Jerusalem that would be the event to bring the “last days” to a close (2 Thess. [...]
Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope: Episode 1 Gary begins his new Friday series called “Bible Prophecy Under the Microscope.” A Christian should never fear having his “system” scrutinized by the plain teaching of the Bible. The rallying cry of the Reformation was ecclesia reformata quia semper reformanda est, “the church reformed because it must always be reforming.” This should be ev [...]
