Introduction to The End Times Biblestudy

Introduction to the End Times Bible Study

Important in Understanding Scripture:

First, when studying the Scriptures we need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, as He is the only true Teacher, as Jesus said, He would be our Comforter and "He will teach you all things". [John 14:26]
Second, Isaiah 28:7cf,8 declare “The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, ... They err in vision, they stumble in judgment ... Whom will he teach knowledge?" If the teacher fears men and does not walk in obedience and in the fear of the Lord, his message can easily be contaminated or distorted. And even if we try to walk in obedience, how often have we not interpreted Scripture in error? And as we grow in the Lord and become more mature we start to understand more things, and sometimes also have to correct certain ideas that we had in the past.
In any case, the prophet Isaiah continues to teach us how to go about understanding Scripture, "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little ... But the word of the Lord was to them, “Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little." [Isaiah 28:10,13] This entails that we should not only pay attention to what the New Testament teaches, but we need to realize that the Old Testament is also significant and relevant, and can most certainly explain things to come mentioned in New Testament prophecies.
For example, regarding the Feast Days of the Lord, these have been proven to be foreshadows of what was and is to come in Christ Jesus. The Apostle Paul declared, ”For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, ..." [Hebrews 10:1] and "Therefore let no one sit in judgment on you in matters of food and drink, or with regard to a feast day or a New Moon or a Sabbath. Such [things] are only the shadow of things that are to come, and they have only a symbolic value. But the reality (the substance, the solid fact of what is foreshadowed, the body of it) belongs to Christ.” [Colossians 2:16-17, AMPC] In addition, Jesus declared, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled." [Matthew 5:17-18] In another instance, Jesus said, "So men are called gods [by the Law], men to whom God’s message came -and the Scripture cannot be set aside or cancelled or broken or annulled." [John 10:35, AMPC] Thus, the Old Testament certainly helps explain Biblical End Times prophecy.
Third, we need to carefully understand the context and ask our heavenly Father to give us "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him", and that the Holy Spirit enlighten the eyes of our understanding. [Ephesians 1:17-18]
Fourth, we prefer a plain meaning of Scripture, hence we have used a primarily literal explanation of Biblical prophecy, except when Scripture specifically indicates a symbolic meaning. We can safely declare that "The entirety of Your word is truth, ..." [Psalm 119:160a] Amen.