When did you first learn about God’s prophetic Word?
For me it was 1993. I was almost 27 years old. I’d been in church all my life and could not remember any sermons or lessons based on Bible prophecy. Sure, prophecies related to Christ’s First Advent were mentioned at Christmas, but in 26 years I was never encouraged to appreciate the significance of prophecies saturating the Word of God.
When I first learned that God has revealed so many things that have come to pass—and others that await fulfillment still—I felt like the disciples on the road to Emmaus. As the Scriptures were opened to me anew, my heart began to burn within me (Luke 24:32).
That sparked a fervent desire to study the entire Word of God. It put stories that had been presented to me as mere historical anecdotes or morality tales in context, and affirmed that God is still very much at work in the world today. Prophecy gave me tremendous appreciation for the scope and sweep of His plan for mankind and assurance that He will fulfill every promise.
Ironically, in hindsight, I was thankful that I had not been handed a stilted framework of interpretation by some tradition of man. When I began studying Bible prophecy for myself, I was able to read it at face value. I found that I did not need an advanced degree in hermeneutics for the plain sense to make sense.
Bible prophecy also made me realize that in addition to all the promises God has made to me as a follower of Christ, He has also made promises to the Jewish people, to the Creation, to Satan, and especially to Jesus Christ. Just as I can trust that His promises to me are guaranteed, I can be certain that He will keep every promise in the fullness of time.
Take a moment to consider all the promises of God that you can recount from memory. And thank Him that He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Praise Him that in Christ all His promises are “Yes and Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
For me, it was 1988 when Edgar Whisenant published his book, “88 Reasons Why The Rapture Could Be In 1988.” Because I didn’t know better, I got excited about it until the day came and went. Then, a year later, when he published “89 Reasons Why The Rapture Could Be in 1989,” I decided Edgar was a “false prophet” and I needed to seriously study God’s prophetic word, so as not to lead anyone astray. And, while I now believe we will not know “the day or the hour” of the Lord’s return (Mark 13:32,33), I believe it is possible to know the “season of His return,” as we watch the “signs” Jesus gave us in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.
When I became a Christian in my 20s the church I started going to was a Sunday night study they were going over Revelation. The interim pastor was Dr. Norman Geisler. So i
have done some study on end times prophecy. I also got the study in Revelation tapes from From David Reagan. I do believe in pre tribulation rapture and I have since I first became a Christian. I have a net work of friends and we talk about what is going on in the world and all the signs that seem to be coming closer to the Lords return. Praise the Lord.
Hello and thank you for your ministry in the prophetic word. I have been fortunate in that I was taught the whole council of God from my new birth in Messiah in 1978 at age 16. I came from an irreligious background and so like you wasn’t stilted toward any opinion of prophecy or eschatology. I also receive the Word of God at face value and treat it as literal unless the context indicates otherwise. Jesus was to return “soon” in 1978 and 46 years later it remains true. Of course “soon” is relative to one’s perspective. When the scriptures state that with Him “1 day is as a 1000 years and a 1000 years as 1 day”, that provides a viewpoint far removed from our own. This I know: we are 46 years closer to His return than we were in 1978. I think Peter tells it best when he says “In the last days mockers will come saying ‘where is the promise of His coming…’? Unfortunately many mockers count themselves members of the Body of Christ, but then this is prophesied as well. I exclaim with Dr. Reagan “Look up, be watchful, for your redemption is drawing near”.
Via Con Dios my brothers & sisters!
I was 14 when I first heard of the Second Coming of Christ and the Rapture. it was also the first I heard of the gospel of salvation. All this scared me and I thought I could hide from God, but, of course, I couldn’t and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior on October 8, 1963. I started in a Bible study where the teacher was very knowledgeable about prophecy. I’ve been interested in prophecy ever since, but really got interested when all the world seemed to be falling apart. I love talking about prophecy with one of my daughters. I had all of the “Left Behind” series and read them over and over. I couldn’t get enough.
I learned about Bible prophecy in jr. high reading my parents book by Hal Lyndsey- The Late Great Planet Earth. So glad he’s still around to continue teaching.
I was a latecomer to the study of Bible prophecy. I was new to Spring Creek Nevada and new to listening to Christian Satellite Network. I was especially new to listening to David Reagan on Christ in Prophecy program.
I first heard of Bible prophecy from my Pastor in a Southern Baptist church who believed in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church. It is often mentioned in both scriptures and in hymns and gospel songs.
For me I would say it was somewhere in the mid 1970’s my Dad had given me a bunch of the Jack Chick pamphlets and two of them was entitled “The Beast” and the other was ” the Last Generation”.
I was raised Catholic. By 15 I was an atheist and continued down that path for about 30 years. After seeing my three kids being born became an agnostic but went through a divorce. After a devastating year took up line dancing and eventually met a lady who told me about the Lord. Took it seriously and within six months believed that I had overlooked an important aspect of my life. The unfortunate part was I had no idea of what was in the Bible so this girl told me about a church she went to in Las Vegas called Calvary Chapel. So in 1992 I started going to Calvary Chapel/Philadelphia with Pastor Joe Focht who did expository teaching and loved it. Within months became a believer and stayed there for about 11 years learning about everything scriptural which included prophecy. Donna started me on a journey but Joe finished me off!
Wow, Joe, I attended Calvary Chapel Philly in the early 90s! We probably were church-goers there together. Thank you for sharing your testimony!
Many years ago I began reading Mark Hitchcock’s books, as well as Barry Stanger, Jan Markel, Jimmy De Young, Warren Wiersby, Hal Lindsey, and Bill Salus updates. They all stressed the importance of Bible Prophecy and how it is part of the teaching of the Bible. I was so impressed with the accuracy of the prophecies I became more and more involved in bible studies and real knowledge of things past, present, and the future that is to come. The Lord has provided in all ways to those who believe in him and love him, and do his will until he comes for His church. As we watch the events and changes of today’s world, we see more and more prophecies being fulfilled, just as Jesus said they would be.
Well, I was attending a SS Class at the First Baptist Church in Lake Jackson, TX about 19 73 and a class member commented that he didn’t go to sleep until about 4 A.M. because he was reading a book called the late Great Planet Earth. I got a copy and my wife and I both read it and have been hooked on Bible Prophecy ever since. We have noted that most of what we know about the Bible is from attending conferences and not from church and Sunday School. I later was driving into work one day listening to a radio station out of Gilmer, TX and was listening to a gentleman who spoke rapidly and said that their ministry, Lamb and Lion Ministry was having a prophecy conference at a hotel close to Love Field Airport in Dallas. That was the start of going to Prophecy Conferences and we haven’t stopped yet. We are still listening for the Sound of the Trumpet. Soon and Very Soon We Are Going to See the King!!
We’re so glad that Bible prophecy brought you to us, Ronnie and Glynda!