Prophecies Yet To Be Fulfilled
Pastor Dale Morgan
by Dr. N. W. Hutchings
Scholars have concluded that one-third of the Bible is
prophecy-foretelling events that will come to pass in the
future. The Bible is the only book in all the world that has dared to
prophesy of events that will occur hundreds or
thousands of years in the future. The prophet Ezekiel was called to
prophesy "of the times that are far off" (Ezek.
12:27).
Fulfilled prophecies of the Bible are proof beyond dispute of the Living
God Who knows all things from the
beginning to the end. There are hundreds and possibly thousands of
prophecies in the Bible that have been fulfilled.
Dr. Harold Willmington of Liberty University has listed 416 Bible
prophecies that have been fulfilled in accordance
with their projected time table. Every prophecy of the Bible that should
have been fulfilled to this date has been
fulfilled. To cite just one example, Moses prophesied that because of
spiritual apostasy Israel would be scattered
into all nations (not just Assyria or Babylon, Deut. 28). Moses also
prophesied that in the end of the age Israel
would be regathered out of all nations (Deut. 30). After Moses, prophet
after prophet to Jesus Christ foretold the
dispersion of Israel into all the world, and then their return.
There are many other prophecies relating to the triumphant return of
Jesus Christ, His millennial reign, and His
eternal Kingdom. Therefore, we can be sure that if all the prophecies
concerning Jesus Christ at His first coming
were fulfilled to the letter, that all the prophecies relating to His
second coming will be fulfilled to the letter.
The present roster of all the prophecies of the 66 books of the Bible
would require a time of considerable length and
size. To capture the meaning of the prophetic Word for today, we refer
to a listing of those that relate to a
contemporary eschatological setting.
o Increase of wars and rumors of wars (Joel 3:9-10; Matt. 24:6-7)
o Extreme materialism (2 Tim. 3:1-2; Rev. 3:14-19)
o Lawlessness (Prov. 30:11-14; 2 Tim. 3:1-3)
o Population explosion (Gen. 6:1; Luke 17:26)
o Increasing speed and knowledge (Dan. 12:4)
o Departure from the Christian faith (2 Thess. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1, 3-4; 2
Tim. 3:5; 4:3-4; 2 Pet. 3:3-4)
o Unification of the world's religious, political, and economic systems
(Rev. 13:4-8, 16-17; 17:1-18; 18:1-24)
o The absence of gifted leadership among the nations, thus making it
easy for the Antichrist to take over
o Universal drug usage ("sorceries" here can also refer to drugs) (Rev.
9:21)
o Abnormal sexual activity (Rom. 1:17-32; 2 Pet. 2:10, 14; 3:3; Jude 18)
o Intense demonic activity (Gen. 6:1-4; 1 Tim. 4:1-3)
o Mass slaughter of innocents by unconcerned mothers (abortion) (Rom.
1:31; 2 Tim. 3:3)
o Widespread violence (Gen. 6:11, 13; 2 Tim. 3:1; Rev. 9:21)
o Rejection of God's Word (2 Tim. 4:3-4; 2 Pet. 3:3-4, 16)
o Rejection of God Himself (Ps. 2:1-3)
o Blasphemy (2 Tim. 3:2; 2 Pet. 3:3; Jude 18)
o Self-seeking and pleasure-seeking (2 Tim. 3:2, 4)
o Men minus a conscience (1 Tim. 4:2)
o Religious hucksters (2 Pet. 2:3)
o Outright devil worshippers (Rev. 9:20; 13:11-14)
o Rise of false prophets and antichrists (Matt. 24:5, 11; 2 Pet. 2:1-2)
o False claims of peace (1 Thess. 5:1-3)
o Rapid advances in technology (Gen. 4:22; Luke 17:26)
o Great political and religious upheavals in the Holy Land (Matt. 24:32-34)
To these we would add the development of weapons of mass destruction;
space travel; star wars; increase of
deceivers and lying wonders; depreciation of nationalism; and a
back-to-Babel world government movement.
As we consider that over 90 percent of all the prophecies in the Bible
have been fulfilled exactly as foretold, the less
than 10 percent that apply to the future will also be fulfilled exactly
as foretold. In our 2001 Prophecy Calendar, a
roster of thirteen of the most important unfulfilled prophecies are
considered. In this brief article these prophecies
are presented in much less detail due to space.
Middle East Peace Treaty
We are instructed by Zechariah and other prophets that Jerusalem will be
a matter of controversy to all nations in
the last days. The only peace that Israel has ever known was in the days
of Solomon, and since it became a nation
in 1948 there has been no peace, even though there have been more than
fifty peace treaties or agreements
negotiated and signed, the latest being the Wye River Memorandum and the
Sharem El-Sheik Agreement of
October 2000. According to Daniel 9:27, the Antichrist will confirm or
guarantee a peace agreement or treaty
between Israel and its enemies. However, there will be no peace. In
fact, this false peace treaty initiates the Great
Tribulation period. >From current news reports, this treaty could be
signed by Antichrist at any time.
The Tribulation
In the chronological order of eschatology, the Tribulation is a
seven-year period of war, pandemic plagues,
earthquakes, astral catastrophes, and other judgments that will kill
approximately three-fourths of the population of
the world. Daniel said of this period, ". . . and there shall be a time
of trouble, such as never was since there was a
nation even to that same time . . ." (Dan. 12:1). Jesus said, "For there
shall be great tribulation, such as was not
since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be"
(Matt. 24:22). The Tribulation period will end
with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ at Armageddon.
The Rapture
Unfulfilled prophecy No. 3 is the Rapture. Rapture is an inclusive word
used to describe the resurrection of
Christians who have died in the past, along with the changing of
Christians who are alive from mortal bodies to
immortal bodies, all rising to meet Jesus Christ in the air, or the
heavens (outerspace). This event occurs
immediately after the Antichrist confirms the peace treaty and the
Tribulation begins (Dan. 9:27; 1 Thess. 4-5). We
believe there is prophetic evidence that the church will not go through
the Tribulation.
Antichrist's Appearance
Unfulfilled prophecy No. 4 is the revealing of Antichrist's identity.
For the first half of the Tribulation, the Antichrist
solidifies his leadership and advantage. He will be a great orator (Dan.
11:36); a political and commercial genius
(Dan. 11:41; Rev. 13:16-17); he may be a homosexual (Dan. 11:37); and a
clever liar and deceiver (2 Thess.
2:9-10). At the middle of the Tribulation (after three and a half
years), he gains political and economic control over
all the world (Rev. 13:7, 16-17), and then demands on penalty of death
that everyone worship him as God (Rev.
13:8; 2 Thess. 2:3-4). The last half of the Tribulation, the Antichrist
will be the most cruel dictator the world has
ever known. Although Christians may never know who the Antichrist is, he
may be in the world today.
Abomination of Desolation
Unfulfilled prophecy No. 5 is the Abomination of Desolation. The
Abomination of Desolation is referenced many
places in scripture, four times in the book of Daniel alone. The
"abomination" is when the Antichrist stands in the
Temple Mount in Jerusalem on worldwide television and declares himself
to be God. This will be ultimate
abomination committed in the Temple (Dan. 12:11; Matt. 24:15; 2 Thess.
2:3-4). The "desolation" will be atomic
wars which follow in which all grass will be burned up; one-third of the
trees will be burned up; oceans and rivers
will be contaminated; cities will be burned; and nations like Egypt will
be so wasted and poisoned that no one can
live in the country for forty years (Ezek. 29:9-11; Matt. 24; Luke 21;
Rev. 5-19).
Mark of the Beast
Unfulfilled prophecy No. 6 is the mark of the beast. After the
Antichrist becomes the dictator of the world and is
worshipped as God, he will demand that every person be assigned a number
and a (code) mark. Only those who are
assigned a number will be able to work, buy, or sell. Only those who
acknowledge Antichrist as God will get the
mark, and an attempt will be made to kill everyone who does not have the
mark (Rev. 13:16-17). Only in our day
does the technology exist to employ and enforce the mark of the beast.
Coming of Elijah and the Two Witnesses
Unfulfilled prophecy No. 7 is the coming of Elijah. Elijah and Enoch are
the only two men who escaped physical
death by being taken up to Heaven alive. According to the prophet
Malachi, Elijah must come back to precede the
Messiah when He comes in power and glory to bring in the Kingdom (Mal.
4:4-6). Malachi mentioned Moses also
in conjunction with the coming of Elijah, and both Moses and Elijah were
with Jesus onThe Mount of
Transfiguration when He revealed to James, John, and Peter His glory
when He would come again. According to
Revelation 11, God will send two witnesses to bring judgments against
the Antichrist. It appears that the two
witnesses will be Moses and Elijah.
Israel's Hiding Place
Unfulfilled prophecy No. 8 is the flight of Israel at the middle of the
Tribulation to a place of safety. Jesus foretold
that after the Antichrist commits the Abomination of Desolation, he will
make a final attempt to kill every Jew. To
escape, the Jews in Jerusalem must immediately run for the mountains. As
we bring out in my book, Petra in
History and Prophecy, this large cave city (Mt. Seir; Mt. Hor) is the
only place that fits the biblical description of
Israel's hiding place in the last half of the Tribulation. Petra
is in ancient Edom, the city of Esau, the ancient home of modern
Palestinians. "Who will bring me into the strong
city? who will lead me into Edom? Wilt not thou, 0 God ..."
(Ps.60:l,9-12;Ezek.35).
Battle of Armageddon
The ninth unfulfilled prophecy is the Battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16:16).
The Battle of Armageddon will terminate
the Tribulation period. This last battle will include armies from all
nations. Millions of men will be involved, as we
read in Revelation 9:13-21 that the nations of the East will send an
army of 200 million men. There are scores of
prophecies in both the Old and New Testaments that describe the coming
conflict (Zech. 14:2-3; Zeph. 3:8; Isa. 65;
Rev. 19, etc.). This battle will continue from Megiddo near modern Haifa
to Bozrah (modern Beseira) in Jordan, a
distance of 1,600 furlongs, or 176 miles. The evident purpose of this
battle is to destroy Jerusalem and prevent the
return of Jesus Christ. However, the entire army is destroyed by Jesus
Christ and the armies from heaven. The
Antichrist and the False Prophet will be cast alive, without being
judged, into the Lake of Fire.
The Second Coming
The tenth unfulfilled prophecy is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said, "If I go away, I will come again."
Angels on the Mt. of Olives at His ascension to Heaven said that He
would come back to the Mt. of Olives (Acts
1:9-12). Zechariah said at that time the mountian would split (Zech.
14:1-5; Ez. 44:1-3), and the Eastern Gate that
had been shut would open. At the Rapture, Jesus will not come to the
Earth. At the Second Coming at the Battle of
Armageddon, He will come down to Earth, and every eye of every person
who survives the Tribulation, including
the Jews, will see Him (Rev. 1:7; Mt. 24:27). During the Tribulation two
thirds of the Jews in Israel will have been
killed, but after the Battle of Armageddon, Jesus will go to Bozrah
north of Petra, and lead the remnant back to
Israel (Isa. 65). Then Jesus will establish His Throne upon Mt. Zion in
Jerusalem and Judge (rule) the nations with a
"rod of iron" (Rev. 2:27; 12:5; 19:15; Mt. 25:31,32).
The Millennium
The eleventh unfulfilled prophecy is the Millennium. Six times in
Revelation 20 the thousand year reign of Jesus
Christ on Earth over the nations is mentioned. This will be the seventh
millennium since Adam. During this
thousand year reign, all nation will destroy their armaments and there
will be no war (Isa. 2:4). Leaders of the
nations will be required to go to Jerusalem and worship the Lord and
leam of His laws. If any go not up as
commanded, that nation will be judged (Zech. 15:16-21); Matt. 25:31-32;
Rev. 12:5). Solar changes in the
Tribulation will revert Earth's ecology back to pre-flood and people
during the Millennium will live to be hundreds
of years old (Isa. 65:25). The Devil will be bound and God's curse upon
the Earth for sin will be removed, and the
ground will again yield everything that man will need {Ezek. 34:27; Isa.
65:25; Rom. 8:18-23). The law will be
enforced and criminals swiftly executed (Isa. 65:20). The Millennium
ends with another rebellion of the nations, the
Earth and everything in it will be burned up (II Pet. 3:10; Rev. 20:9,11).
The Great White Throne Judgment
The twelveth unfulfilled prophecy, the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev.
20:11). The chronology of resurrection
for those who inherit eternal life is given in 1 Corinthians 15:23: ". .
. Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are
Christ's at his coming." However, Paul preceded this revelation with a
qualifying phrase: "BUT EVERY MAN IN
HIS OWN ORDER." The resurrection of the "saved" is: Jesus Christ... all
members of the church of the
dispensation of grace . . . Old Testament saints ... martyrs of the
Tribulation period. "This is the first resurrection"
(Rev. 20:5). The saved of the Millennium will live to be almost 1,000
years old (no man has yet to live 1,000 years
in the flesh), then they will go into the New Heaven and New Earth
without experiencing death. All the unsaved
dead of all ages will be raised to be judged according to their works.
All of those raised at the Great White Throne
Judgement without Jesus will go into the eternal Lake of Fire because
their names are not written in the Lamb's
Book of Life (Rev. 20:12-15; Mt. 25:41).
New Heaven and New Earth
The final, unfulfilled major prophecy of the Bible is a New Heaven and a
New Earth (Rev. 21:1). Neither the
heavens nor the Earth are clean in God's sight (Isa. 34:4; Job 15:15,16;
Rev. 6:14). At the beginning of the eighth
millennium, God who created the first heavens and the first Earth with
the Words of His mouth will create new
heavens and a new Earth where the redeemed, who had chosen Him because
they wanted to, not because they had
to, will love and worship Him forever.
John, in Revelation 21-22, describes in earthly language the New Heavens
and the New Earth where the redeemed
will live forever (see also Eph. 1:1-14). But no language is sufficient
to describe, or our minds visualize, the
unfathomable beauty and glory of God's new creation.
"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say.
Come. And let him that is athirst come .. ."
(Rev. 22:17). Every reader can come to the New Heaven and New Earth by
receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and
Lord. Jesus said, "... I go to prepare a place for you . . . that where
I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:2-3).