Page 8 - Eschatology - Student Ebook

Biblical Covenants of God

The Study of Eschatology: Some Basic Ground Rules.

1. We want to be sure to place every prophetic passage in the context of what is being talked
about. One of the greatest mistakes which many studying prophecy is to take passages out of
the Bible and predict future events without acknowledging the context of the conversation or
teaching. For example, many time “end time prophets” take Matthew 24 and 25 as the
conditions for Christ coming in the clouds, often referred to as the rapture, when in context, this
passage refers to the second coming of Christ when He will come to rule in Jerusalem.

2. It is clear in Scripture that NO MAN KNOWS the hour or day when any prophetic event will
occur. (2 Peter 3:1-18, I Thess. 5:2) and that people are going to be taken by surprise. In this
class we cannot predict when future events will happen. We will be looking at current events
that seem to point to the fulfillment of promises made in Scripture, but as to when, we have no
idea.

3. History is HIS Story. Modern education teaches that history is cyclic. According to this
philosophy of historical studies, history continually repeats itself. People never seem to learn
from history and tend to make the same mistakes repeatedly. Just as past events are
uncontrollable, future events are also.

However, contrary to this false presentation of history, the Bible presents history in a linear
fashion…with a start (Genesis) and an end (Revelation). According to the Bible, history is
directional, and God is moving through history to accomplish His will in its unveiling. It has a
plan and it has a conclusion. And God is sovereign in its course and direction.

4. God uses individuals to direct the course and flow of history. All are under His control, good or
bad. He places kings on the thrown and removes them just as easily. At the same time, God
hears our prayers and they move God to reveal Himself to us in our daily lives (our personal

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