Prophecy Re-examined

Prophecy needs to be re-examined. Many of our beliefs about the end times were conjecture and speculation at the time that they originated. Presumed to be true, they became embedded in writings and teachings. And when people believe something long enough, over many generations, of course it is assumed to be true, and the speculative origins are long forgotten. And that is the case with interpretations of prophecy about the last days, particularly in America.

Consider some examples of entrenched beliefs that were re-examined. The earth was believed to be flat by pre-Hellenistic cultures. It took several hundred years, from Pythagoras to Aristotle, before evidence was accepted and the earth was believed to be spherical. Galileo, the father of modern astronomy, discovered that the sun was the center of the universe, not the Earth. He was imprisoned by the Catholic Church and put on trial for heresy. Ignaz Semmelweis came up with the germ theory, about 1847, the idea that doctors carried germs on their hands from handling cadavers and spread them to mothers in obstetrics, because they did not bother to wash or disinfect their hands. The medical institutions mocked him, and opposed his antiseptic procedures. Lastly, consider the practice of slavery. It took years and years, wars and bloodshed, debate and reform on several continents, to change the belief that owning black slaves was acceptable.

I have spent a lifetime re-examining prophecy. Although I was taught the prevailing Baptist view, I have changed my beliefs. I invite you to consider these important changes, for starters.

1)      There is no seven-year Tribulation period. This is a hoax, fabricated, hatched, and promulgated in the 19^th century. The 70th week of Daniel’s Messianic prophecy (Daniel 9) was never intended to be detached from the previous 69 weeks and moved two thousand years later.

2)      The rapture of the saints does not occur before the Tribulation, since there is no Tribulation. It occurs at the time of the second coming of Christ, at the 7^th trumpet.

3)      The beast of Revelation 13 is not a description of Antichrist. The beast with seven heads represents seven world-dominating nations throughout history. And of utmost importance, the seventh nation is America, which will “rule for a little while”, then be destroyed by the eighth beast before Armageddon is launched (Rev 17:16 and Dan 7:11).

4)      The seven trumpets are not judgments of God during the Tribulation, reserved for unbelievers “left behind”. They are warnings to mankind that doom and destruction are imminent. The trumpets have been “sounding” since World War 1, and we now await trumpet #6, the build-up to Armageddon.

And there you have it. Prophecy must be re-examined. History must prevail, and speculative interpretations dispelled.