How to Understand and Approach the Bible Prophecy
Michael I. WalkerJan 28, 2025, 10:14 AM
Understanding Divine Prophecy (1)
God does not do anything without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets: Amos 3:7. He reveals deep and hidden things (Daniel 2:22). God, Who reveals mysteries, has disclosed what will happen at the end of days (see Daniel 2:28,29). He tells us beforehand, so that when it happens, our faith will be strengthened (John 14:29).
Why does God reveal future things?
So that we may know what is to happen.
To safeguard us from deception.
To strengthen our faith in God & confidence in the Bible.
Understanding Divine Prophecy (2)
There is no other God like our God. This is obvious in that He has declared things long ago that have been fulfilled. What God declares is true and never fails. We may rely upon His Word (see Isaiah 46:9,10). In the distant past God declared things that were later fulfilled (Isaiah 48:3).
What 2 basic forecasts does God give us?
God foresees what will happen in the future & discloses this to us.
God introduces His plans & purposes by telling us beforehand.
Whatever men may do or think, ultimately God’s plans and purposes will be fulfilled when God in His knowledge and wisdom chooses to intervene. His purposes know no haste & no delay.
Taking Bible Prophecy Seriously
“So we have the prophetic message more fully confirmed. You will do well to be attentive to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).
What are we counselled to believe?
“Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe his prophets, and you shall prosper” (2 Chronicles 20:20).
Daniel & Revelation Are Prophetic Books
How should we seek to understand them? Prayerfully.
What should we believe? God’s message to us.
Then what should we do? Take heed and follow it.
There are 3 reasons why we should not rebel against what God reveals to us: it is given for our benefit to know what is to happen; to safeguard us from deception; to strengthen our faith & encourage us to remain faithful to God.
The Book of Revelation is Not a Closed Book. It cannot be a closed book as some religionists teach because God pronounces a special blessing on those who study and uphold what it says (see Revelation 1:3). It begins with the words, “A revelation of Jesus Christ”, given to show His servants and to be made known by the attending angel (Revelation 1:1,2).
A revelation is not a secret, something unknown, but something made known! It reveals “what must soon take place”. It not only confirms at the beginning of the book its purpose to reveal what God wants us to know but it also endorses that purpose in the last chapter of the book where it says: “. . . These words are trustworthy and true, for the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place” (Revelation 22:6).
Authorship of the Book of Revelation. It was written c. AD 96 by the apostle John, while incarcerated for his faith on the Isle of Patmos (Revelation 1:1,2, 9-11).
Authorship of the Book of Daniel. The prophet Daniel wrote this book during the time of the Jewish Captivity in Babylon (Daniel 12:4,9; c.f. Matthew 24:15). It is therefore dated from 605 to 535 BC [c.f. Daniel 1:1].
The Key to Understanding the Book of Revelation. The Book of Revelation cannot be properly understood without first interpreting the prophecies in the Book of Daniel because Daniel’s prophecies form the basis of those in the Book of Revelation. The prophecy of Daniel chapter 2 forms the basis for the other prophecies in the Book of Daniel and it is the platform upon which God builds the other prophecies. Daniel 2 is a panoramic prophecy from Daniel’s day to the last days of earth’s history and the Second Coming of Christ. The entire Book of Daniel focuses on “the time of the end” (Daniel 12:9,13).
The Book of Daniel is in two parts:
1. The Historical Section.
The historical events are typologies (i.e. illustrative) of what is prophetically forecasted in successive, future events. Examples of historical typology:
Babylon versus Jerusalem. Historically: Daniel 1, Captivity, subjugation. Daniel 5, Violation, mockery against God, followed by Babylon’s fall. Prophetically: Revelation 14, Babylon’s fall. Revelation 21 Jerusalem’s victory!
Worship Issue. Historically: Daniel 3, Worship the image - false worship or die! Prophetically: Revelation 13, Worship the image - false worship or be killed!
2. The Prophetic Section.
Fascinating though the prophecies of Daniel and revelation may be, if we are to understand them and be guided by the Holy Spirit in what God reveals, then we need to have the courage to recognize some unpleasant facts of history that may even touch closely upon our own religious life!
Three Basic Premises of Bible Prophecy
Both Daniel & Revelation must be interpreted by the Bible itself.
Prophecy can be properly understood only as it centres in and uplifts Jesus Christ.
The focus in both Daniel & Revelation should be on our need and preparation for the Second Coming of Christ & the establishment of His Kingdom at the end of time.
Three Important Ways of Interpreting Bible Prophecy
Prophecy may be interpreted within the same chapter. Example: Daniel 2:31,32 with vs 37,38.
Prophecy may be interpreted within the same book or even other Scriptures. Example: Daniel 2:39 with Daniel 5:26-31.
Prophecy may be interpreted through its fulfilment in history & by confirmation of archaeology. Example: Daniel 2:40 with Daniel 7:23.
Three prophetic viewpoints held today
The Preterist View. It teaches that the prophecies of Daniel & revelation were fulfilled during the first six centuries of the Christian era. The concept was developed by the Spanish Jesuit, Luis de Alcazar who died in 1613.
The Futurist View. It teaches that everything will be fulfilled in the future just before or soon after Christ’s Second Coming. This idea was developed by Ribera, another Jesuit priest, who died in 1591. Those who hold this view usually believe in the secret rapture. They place the fulfilment of the prophecies within a 7-year period just before Christ’s Second Coming.
The Historicist View. This view covers the historical period from the time of the prophet to the establishment of God’s Kingdom on earth. This is the only viewpoint supported by Scripture & that was used by the Early Church. The angel used it when explaining the prophecies to Daniel. Jesus also used this method.
With reference to the Preterist & Futurist viewpoints, it should be noted that the Protestant Reformers used the Historicist method of interpreting the prophecies in Daniel & applied them to the papal apostasy. The Jesuits devised the Preterist & Futurist methods to divert the stigma from Roman Catholicism.
Interpreting the symbols of Bible Prophecy
It should be noted that when in vision, the prophet always had an accompanying angel to direct and explain - e.g. Daniel 7:16; Daniel 8:15,16; Zechariah 6:4,5; Revelation 1:1. The key to unlock the meaning of the following symbols in apocalyptic prophecy is found in the Bible as set out below:
Candlesticks or Lampstands represent the 7 churches: Revelation 1:20
A Prophetic Day represents a literal year: Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4
The Dragon represents Satan, the devil: Revelation 12:9
Water or Sea represents people, multitudes, nations: Revelation 17:15
Wind represents trouble, warfare, strife, commotion: Jeremiah 49:36,37
Beasts represent Kingdoms i.e. Empires: Daniel 7:23
Horns represent kingdoms within an Empire: Daniel 7:24
A Woman represents the church: Jeremiah 6:2; Revelation 19:7,8
The Harvest represents the end of the world & the Reapers are the angels: Matthew 13:39
Trumpets represent warnings of impending judgment: Jeremiah 4:19; Joel 2:1
This article serves as the script for presentation #1 in "The Book of Daniel" series, delivered by Pastor Michael I. Walker. If you're interested in downloading a printable PDF version, just click here.
You can also find the video presentation recorded during the Zoom meeting on January 31, 2025, below.
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