February 22, 2026 · 10:00

End-Times Overview: The Big Picture

Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. (Revelation 1:3)

The Bible is filled with promises about the future, and understanding end-times prophecy isn’t just an academic exercise—it’s a source of hope, motivation, and direction for daily life. As David Jeremiah notes in The Book of Signs, “God in His providence has placed a number of critical signs along the highway we call human history. We often think of these signs as prophecies, and we have been made aware of them through the prophetic vehicle of Gods’ Word, the Bibles … [T]he Bible dedicates more space to the subject of prophecy than almost any other. There are over eighteen hundred prophecies in God’s Word concerning the first and second coming of Jesus Christ alone!”[1] with far more space dedicated to prophecy than almost any other topic.

Why dive into this? Let’s explore the reasons and get the big picture.

Why Study End-Time Prophecy?

Bible prophecy, especially unfulfilled portions, remains incredibly relevant today. As 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us, all Scripture—including future-oriented parts—is God-breathed and useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. Unfulfilled prophecy equips us to stand against false teachings about the end times and prepares believers for what lies ahead.

More than that, it instills hope. Romans 15:4 tells us that everything written in the past was for our learning, so we might have hope through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures. “When we understand God’s plan for our future, we can live with hope even during our most difficult days. Prophecy is not intended to frighten those of us who believe but to encourage us.”[2] Paul urges in 1 Thessalonians 4:18 to comfort one another with these words about Christ’s return.

It also promotes holy living. Knowing Christ could return at any moment shapes our priorities. 2 Peter 3:11-12 asks what kind of people we ought to be in light of the coming day of God—living lives of holiness and godliness as we anticipate it. Jesus Himself emphasized readiness in Matthew 24:44-46, blessing those found faithful when the master returns.

Prophecy further compels evangelism. The imminence of the rapture (described in 1 Corinthians 15:52 as happening “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”) stirs urgency to share the Gospel. As 1 Peter 3:15 instructs, we’re always ready to give a reason for the hope within us.

Finally, studying prophecy brings blessing. Revelation 1:3 promises blessing to those who read, hear, and keep its words. Yet Revelation 22:18-19 warns against adding to or taking away from these prophecies—a solemn reminder of their importance.

Christians have strong reasons to engage with prophecy: God devoted significant portions to it (about one-fourth of Scripture’s verses), including major sections in Old Testament prophetic books and New Testament works like Revelation, 1-2 Thessalonians, and Jude. Ignoring it means overlooking a huge part of God’s Word.

Prophecy reveals God’s nature and Christ’s exalted status—He will return with power and great glory (Matthew 24:30), as King of kings (1 Timothy 6:15), visible to every eye (Revelation 1:7), with every tongue confessing Him as Lord (Philippians 2:10-11).

It motivates evangelism and holy living—as 1 John 3:3 says, everyone with this hope purifies themselves. In a world full of evil and despair, prophecy offers hope, echoing Jesus’ words in John 14:1-3: “Let not your hearts be troubled… I go to prepare a place for you… I will come again and will take you to myself.”

Dispensational Theology: The Big Picture of World History

To understand end-times events, many turn to dispensationalism, a framework popularized in the 20th century North America, especially through the Scofield Reference Bible. “The dispensationalism delineated by Scofield suggested that God works with humans in distinct ways (dispensations) through history; that God has a distinct plan for Israel over against the church; that the Bible, especially predictive prophecy, needs to be interpreted literally; that the church will be secretly raptured from earth seven years prior to Christ’s second coming; and that Christ will rule with Israel during a literal thousand-year earthy reign. Contemporary, or progressive, dispensationalism remains thoroughly premillennial but rejects the ontological distinction between Israel and the church as two peoples of God, seeing them instead as two salvation-historical embodiments of a single people.”[3]

The dispensations include:

  • Edenic (Genesis 1-3): Innocence in the Garden.
  • Antediluvian (Genesis 4-8): Conscience after the Fall, leading to the Flood.
  • Post-Diluvian (Genesis 9-11): Human Government post-Flood.
  • Patriarchal (Genesis 12-50): Promise through Abraham and the patriarchs.
  • Legal (Exodus onward): Law given to Israel.
  • Ecclesiastical (Matthew to Revelation 18): The Church Age of grace.
  • Messianic (Revelation 19-20): The millennial kingdom.
  • Fullness of Time (Revelation 21-22): Eternal state in the new heavens and earth.

This structure helps see God’s overarching plan unfolding progressively.

Old Testament View of End Times

Old Testament end-times prophecy centers on Israel. Passages like Isaiah 66:22 and Jeremiah 33:16 highlight God’s enduring commitment to the Jewish people.

The diaspora—scattering of Jews—fulfilled prophecies in Deuteronomy 4:27, 28:63-65, Jeremiah 9:16, and others, as judgment for disobedience.

Yet God promised re-gathering and rebirth. Deuteronomy 30:3-5 foretells restoration from dispersion. Isaiah 66:8 speaks of a nation born in a day (many see this fulfilled in Israel’s 1948 establishment). Ezekiel 37:1-14, the valley of dry bones vividly pictures national revival.

The Tribulation for Israel, called the time of “Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), involves intense suffering but ultimate deliverance (Zechariah 13:8-9; 14:2-4).

In the **Kingdom**, Israel enjoys peace, prominence, and blessing—nations stream to Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-4), the desert blooms (Isaiah 35:1-2), and God reigns (Zechariah 14:9).

The Millennium and End Times – Three Main Views

The “thousand years” in Revelation 20:1-7 sparks debate. Here are the primary interpretations:

  • Amillennialism (“no millennium”) sees no literal earthly 1,000-year reign. Millennial prophecies are fulfilled spiritually in eternity or the current church age, with prophecies about Israel applied to the church.
  • Postmillennialism views the millennium symbolically as the church age, where the Gospel gradually triumphs, Christianizing society and bringing peace. Christ returns after this “golden age” (sometimes linked to Kingdom Now theology).
  • Premillennialism holds that Christ returns before a literal 1,000-year earthly kingdom. Most evangelicals favor this, expecting a tribulation beforehand.
  • Variants of Premillennialism include:
    • Post-Tribulation Rapture: Church endures the full Tribulation, raptured at Christ’s return.
    • Mid-Tribulation Rapture: Rapture at the midpoint (3½ years).
    • Pre-Tribulation Rapture: (common in dispensationalism): Church removed before the Tribulation begins, ending the church age and ushering in judgment on earth.

These views differ on timing and nature, but all affirm Christ’s bodily return, final judgment, and eternal kingdom.

Studying end-times prophecy isn’t about fear—it’s about hope, holiness, and readiness. As we see signs aligning, may it draw us closer to Christ, living expectantly for His return. What aspect of prophecy encourages you most? Share in the comments below!

For more on this topic, see my page on Revelation.

Notes:

[1]  David Jeremiah, The Book of Signs, (W. Publishing, Nashville, 2019), pp.9-10.

[2]  Ed Hindson and Tim LaHaye, Essential Guide to Bible Prophecy, (Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR, 2012), p.18.

[3]  Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzke, Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, (InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, 1999), pp. 39-40.

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September 21, 2025 · 10:00

Unfounded Assumptions

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17)

Recently, I watched a podcast that I follow. The podcaster (I’ll call him “Primate,” similar to his actual handle) is a Christian whom I respect for his knowledge of Scripture and end-times prophecy. He is also on top of current events taking place all around the world. In the podcast I watched, he discussed Noah’s Ark, suggesting that Noah could not have built the Ark without a lot of assistance. He correctly pointed out that we are not given precise details in the Bible on what was going in the world when God commissioned Noah to build the Ark. We are only given this: “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose … There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown” (Genesis 6:1-2, 4). Biblical scholars have struggled with that over the years attempting to puzzle out what it really means instead of what it actually says, i.e., “the sons of God” (angelic beings) were messing around with human women and producing some kind of hybrids. However, the lack of detail leaves a lot of room for speculation, which is not usually the best way to study or interpret Scripture. Primate concluded that missing details like that were purposefully left out of the Bible by the compilers of our canon for our benefit, so as not to confuse us or perhaps to keep us from the temptation of experimentation in angelic arts.

Primate proposes that in order to fill in the blanks, we have other extrabiblical sources to clear things up for us, like the books of Enoch, Jubilees, Jasher, etc. I have read some of those books, and while some of their content may be true to some extent (and there is no way for us to know that for certain), I believe the Holy Spirit (the Author of our Bible) gave us all that we need to know in order to have a real and personal relationship with the Creator. The extrabiblical books are certainly interesting; however, they may or may not be factual. In any case, they are superfluous to the Bible alone.

However, that was not my main issue with the podcast. My main objection was to Primate’s comments on Noah, so I offered some alternative thoughts based on my several years of research on this particular topic. One of Primate’s arguments was that there were no trees in the place, supposedly the Middle East, where Noah built the Ark. Of course, he has no basis for that assumption. One must consider that the climate in Noah’s day was not like it is today. Genesis 2:5-6 tells us that it did not rain in those days, “But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.” The fossil record confirms that the pre-flood Earth was tropical everywhere. There is fossil evidence that Antarctica had tropical forests growing.[1] Lush vegetation was everywhere, including in the area of Mesopotamia. Evidence for this are the rich oil fields in the Middle East, which result from the decomposition of plants. That means that Noah did not have to go far to find “gofer wood” to build the Ark. (No one really knows what gofer wood is. It could be some kind of extinct tree, or some think that it could have been a method of cross-laminating timbers to strengthen the hull.)

Primate also suggested that Noah and his sons could not have built the Ark by themselves. He based that idea on the current degraded physical condition of modern humans. We should consider this: God made Adam and Eve perfect human specimens – no physical defects – their DNA was perfect – no mutations, which is why Cain could marry his sister.[2] Even as far as Abraham, the DNA had not degraded enough so that Abraham could marry his half-sister, Sarah. Prohibitions against marriages between close relatives did not come around until Moses and the Law. That suggests that pre-flood people were superhuman, unlike modern mankind. In support of that, consider what Scripture says about Noah. “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9, emphasis mine). “Perfect” translates the Hebrew word “tâmı̂ym” which means “complete, whole, entire, sound.” “Generations” translates the Hebrew “dôr,” which can mean “generation (characterized by quality, condition, class of men).”[3] That suggests that Noah’s lineage had not been contaminated by the activities of the “sons of God.”[4] Primate suggested that because Noah was middle-aged at 500 years+, he could not have done the heavy work required to build the Ark. We should remember that Abraham was still fathering children at 145 years old[5] and Caleb was strong enough at 85 to conquer the hill country of Judah.[6] Primate’s assessment is based on the frailties of modern humans, but that does not apply to pre-flood humans.

Noah was 500 years old when is three sons were born[7] and 600 years old when the flood came[8]. He built the Ark in less than 100 years. John D. Morris, Ph.D., calculated that Noah and his sons could have built the Ark in just 65 years, without any help from angels.[9]

Another mistake people often make is thinking that the Middle East (all the Earth, for that matter) has always looked the same as it does now. Hence, they assume that the Euphrates River described in Genesis 2[10] is the same Euphrates River that we know today. Nothing could be further from the truth when one considers (and most geologists agree) that there used to be one supercontinent, Pangia, that broke up into the seven continents we have today. The Flood changed all of that! So, Earth’s topography was much different pre-flood than post-flood. We cannot assume that things then looked the same as they do today.

I completed the build of a 1:60 scale model of Noah’s Ark in December 2014 and delivered it to the Institute for Creation Research, where it now resides in the Discovery Center. The build took almost five years to complete, which gave me a lot of time to research and think about all that Noah might have included in the Ark. I wrote about that in an article entitled “Building the Ark.” That article covers more detail than what I covered here. It would do good if Christians would be more careful in their reading Scripture and not rely on baseless speculation. “Thy word is truth,” and that is all we need to rely on. Primate and others need to be more careful in how they handle the Word of God. It is sufficient – no need to speculate.

Notes:

[1] “Fossil Trees in Antarctica Preserve Ancient Proteins:” https://www.icr.org/article/fossil-trees-antarctica-preserve-ancient

[2]  Genesis 4:17

[3]  Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Definitions (Published in 1906; public domain).

[4]  Genesis 6:2

[5]  Genesis 25:1-3

[6]  Joshua 14:10-12

[7]  Genesis 5:32

[8]  Genesis 7:6

[9]   “How Could Noah Have Built the Ark All By Himself?” https://www.icr.org/article/how-could-noah-have-built-ark-all-by-himself

[10]  Genesis 2:14

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September 14, 2025 · 10:00

Charlie Promoted

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. (Psalm 116:15)

I did not know Charlie Kirk outside of his public persona. But one thing I knew about him is that his faith in Christ was real; it was genuine, and it was strong. How could I know that? We both have the same Holy Spirit dwelling in us that enables us to recognize those who are genuinely members of God’s family. Charlie Kirk was my brother.

This past Wednesday, September 10, 2025, I received a post on my Telegram app from Amir Tsarfati (Behold Israel) informing us that Charlie had been shot. That post was quickly followed by a graphic video showing Charlie’s neck being struck by the assassin’s bullet. A crimson fountain burst forth. Charlie slumped back in his chair and fell to the floor. I knew instantly that he would not survive in spite of the following reports saying that he was in critical condition. I knew that despite all the heroic efforts to save his life, he would not survive that shot. The bullet severed his carotid artery and probably his spinal cord. There was no way he could survive that shot. Sadly, I was right.

As I said, I did not know Charlie Kirk personally. He was a distant public figure that I admired for all the things for which he stood. So, I cannot explain the pain in my heart at the loss of this stranger’s life. As I continued to watch news reports (on the Fox News Channel), my throat tightened, my tears flowed, and my heart ached for the loss of this wonderful human being. “Why?” I asked myself. He is nothing to me. But that’s not true. He means a lot to me. He is my brother. He is part of my family – the family of God. That’s why I hurt.

Then the question that comes to all of us at one time or another: why did God allow this to happen to a young man who is arguably a mighty tool in God’s hand for the cause of Christ? Why didn’t God deflect the bullet? He could have. Why did God allow this deranged gunman, Tyler Robinson, to take the life of this young, godly man and leave his beautiful young bride, Erika Kirk, a widow and his two young children fatherless? Why? In times like these, I always lean on my anchor verse: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Erika cited that verse also.

What good can come of this senseless murder? Perhaps God is giving us a preview of things to come. Will we go forward with boldness or cower back and deny Christ? Perhaps God gave us an example of a courageous Christian for us to follow. Can we say with the Apostle Paul and with Saint Charlie Kirk, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth …” (Romans 1:16). We may never know this side of Glory. One thing we can know for certain is that God knows exactly what He is doing, and He has a purpose in all that He does and all that He allows. Nothing catches Him by surprise. We just need to trust Him, as Erika does.

It is Friday night as I write this, and I just finished watching a brokenhearted but courageous young widow give a wonderful tribute to the love of her life, who is in the arms of his Savior, Jesus. You can watch her remarks here.

Reader, if you don’t know Charlie’s Savior, please read my page on Securing Eternal Life.

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May 11, 2025 · 10:00

Phobos

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

Phobos is the Greek word from which we get the English word “phobia.” It means “fear, dread, terror; that which strikes terror.” One who fears enclosed spaces suffers from “claustrophobia.” One who fears spiders experiences “arachnophobia.” There are countless phobias which are “intense, persistent, irrational fear of a specific object, activity, situation, or person that manifests in physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, or shortness of breath, and that motivates avoidance behavior.”[1] A more current definition of phobia includes “an aversion toward, dislike of, or disrespect for a thing, idea, person, or group.”[2] The latter definition arose from the “woke” need to condemn and shame anyone who finds sinful actions offensive. For example, if one opposes homosexuality on biblical grounds, that person is a “homophobe” even though no irrational fear is involved. If one opposes the illegal invasion of our nation’s southern border by migrants from all over the world, especially those from countries that hate America, that person is deemed a “xenophobe.” Such labels are meant to shame and silence any rational opposition.

Some of these newer phobias will lead to the demise of our nation. However, there is one that is currently spreading like a cancer, and that is the invasion of Islamists from all over the Middle East. At the risk of being labeled an “Islamophobe,” I want to address the very real danger of Muslims and the Islamic invasion. I do not have an “irrational fear” of Muslims; however, I understand the “religion” and its demand that its adherents convert the world to Islam (which means “submission”). Those who will not convert must be put to death. Our news media do not cover it, but when Muslims invade, they kill Jews and Christians by the most horrific methods. I do not fear death (I know what awaits me on the other side), but I am not ignorant of their methods.

Why our media keep silent about these barbaric killings, I do not understand. In Europe – Germany, Great Britain, France, Spain, etc. – Muslims have overtaken large parts of those countries and have instituted Sharia Law in the areas they occupy, demanding that the citizens of those nations submit to their laws. That is coming to America. Dearborn, MI serves as a perfect example where Muslims have taken over to the exclusion of “infidels” – non-Muslims. Now, even in Texas, Muslims are gaining a foothold. In North Texas, just north of Dallas, Muslims plan to build an EPIC (East Plano Islamic Center) City[3] for Muslims only.

So, what is the big deal? Islam is a religion of peace. Right? Yes, it is peaceful if you subjugate yourself to Islam. However, even that is questionable. Right now, in Syria, the Shiite sect of Islam has taken control of that country and is slaughtering Alawites (an offshoot of Sunni Islam), Sunnis, and Druze along with Christians and Jews. In other words, even other sects of Muslims are killed if they do not conform to the dominant sect. This is the mentality of Islamists, and do not think that just because they are here in America, that they will behave differently. Take Europe, for example. Those countries thought the same, and they are living to regret it with rapes and murders perpetrated by Muslims.

I have written several articles on Islam[4] that I would encourage the reader to read. There, I expose the fallacy of the religion. However, I wrote those when I considered Islam just another religion. It is not. Rather, it is an ideology and governmental system disguised as a religion, and its aim is world domination. To achieve their goal, they infiltrate countries and reproduce like rabbits. They keep to themselves and refuse to assimilate into their host country. Once they have established a strong foothold, they become active in government. As they continue to increase in number, they begin demanding “Halal” diets and accommodations to their customs, which include demanding “respect” for their holy days. This is followed by acts of terrorism against the infidels, like driving cars into crowds of innocent people. They have the idea that such acts please their god.

Here is where I will get in trouble for expressing my strong opinion. In America, Islam must be declared a terrorist organization, and all Muslims should be deported back to their countries of origin. “But,” you say, “that violates the First Amendment of the Constitution that guarantees the freedom of religion.” As I have already stated, Islam is an ideology and governmental system in the guise of religion. Furthermore, the law of Islam, “Sharia,” violates the supreme law of our land, the Constitution. For example, Sharia law permits “honor killings.” It also permits polygamy. It allows marriage of grown men with minor girls. It encourages lying in order to gain an advantage over an infidel, therefore, their testimony in a court of law cannot be trusted. These are just some examples. As for the First Amendment, when our founding fathers included freedom of religion as our first right, they were thinking of the Christian religion with all its variants; they were not thinking of pagan religions. However, we do allow pagans to worship freely in our country, but Buddhists, Hare Krishnas, Hindus, Sikhs, etc., will not kill you for not converting to their religion.

So, call me Islamophobic if you want, but I do not have an irrational fear of Muslims. But I do understand their religion, and I know of what they are capable. Islam is demonic and we need to stand firmly against it or it will destroy our nation.

Notes:

[1]  https://www.dictionary.com/browse/phobia

[2]  Ibid.

[3]  EPIC City: What to know about the North Texas Muslim community Gov. Greg Abbott opposes | KERA News

[4]  Islam | Search Results | Ernie’s Musings

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March 23, 2025 · 10:00

Shiloh

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. (Genesis 49:10)

My daily Bible readings brought me to the Book of Joshua this week. Joshua is the first of the “historical” books of the Bible. It records the entry of the Israelites into the Promised Land and the conquest of the lands promised to them by God.[1] Once the Israelites conquered most of the land – because they never completely conquered all of the land God promised them – they permanently set up the Tabernacle – the portable dwelling place of God – in Shiloh.[2]

The name, Shiloh, rang a bell. I remembered that the first mention of the name appeared back in Genesis where Jacob (Israel) blessed his sons. To Judah, he said, “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee. Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up? The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Genesis 49:8-10, emphasis mine). Here we understand that “Shiloh” is a person, specifically the coming Messiah – “and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” “Shiloh” (שִׁילֹה), Strong’s H7886, is defined as “he whose it is, that which belongs to him, tranquillity [sic].”[3]

However, Shiloh in the Book of Joshua, is a place, not a person. Here, Strong’s assigns a different number and definition. “Shiloh” (שִׁילֹה), Strong’s H7887, is defined as “a place of rest.” Notice that both Hebrew spellings are exactly the same. So, why the difference in definitions?

The third definition in H7886 is “tranquility,” and the first definition in H7887 is “a place of rest.” It seems clear to me that “tranquility” and “rest” ultimately define the word.

In Genesis, Shiloh is He to Whom it belongs, unto Whom the gathering of the people shall be – the Messiah, Jesus the Christ. The Prophet Isaiah predicted, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isaiah 9:6-7, emphasis mine).

Prince of Peace fits the idea of “tranquility” and “a place of rest” – Shiloh. Those of us who have placed our faith in the finished work of Christ (a.k.a. Messiah) find our “peace” and “rest” in the assurance that soon, either by death or by Rapture, we will enter that eternal place of rest in His presence forever. I am ready. Are you?

Reader, if you want to know that kind of peace, I encourage you to read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Joshua 1:1-3; 21:43

[2]  Joshua 18:1

[3]  Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions, (Published in 1906; public domain).

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