Does the Bible tell the future?
Question: Does the Bible tell the future?
Answer: We take in a lot of information each day, thanks to the Internet. We access topics and news faster than has ever been possible, in fact, at nearly lightning speeds! Did you know that the Bible told us this would happen?
“But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal this record, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” Daniel 12:4
“And in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever…” Daniel 2:44
God inspired Daniel to write about the immediate future and the amazing events still to come in the last days of the earth. God knew our hunger for knowledge and experiences would grow. He wants us to have the right reasons for desiring to know more, or else our learning and advances won’t help us or anyone else.
“…always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 3:7
Do we want to know more about God to help ourselves and others grow spiritually, or do we desire to know more just to impress others? In other words, is the information we are seeking helping us and others to reach our final, most important, destination? Learning more and more is worthless unless it’s helping us bring more people into heaven. What a great day it will be when we stand in the paradise of heaven and see all those we helped to grow in their faith!
“What does it profit someone to gain the whole world yet lose his own soul?” Jesus in Matthew 16:26
The Bible has a LOT to say about the future, and there’s too much about it to quote here. To summarize, society will make what men and women call “progress” but will continue to deteriorate in morality, crime, and widespread deception. Civilization is on a downward spiral. Jesus and His disciples taught that there will be more and more difficulties, especially for Christians. We can see for ourselves by studying the scriptures that much of what Jesus and the prophets He said and inspired men to write has already come to pass. Approximately 2,000 of the more than 2,500 events predicted in the Bible have already been fulfilled! That should be proof for anyone of the inerrancy and reliability of this miraculous book which continues to be maintained as accurate by the Holy Spirit of God.
“As Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when will these things take place, and what will be the sign of your coming and the close of this age?’” Jesus in Matthew 24:3
Jesus’ own words to His followers are among the most quoted about the final days of the earth. We are certainly seeing the signs of the future He foretold now.
“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end will still be yet to come. Nation will rise us against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of the birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time, many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:6-13
The most exciting to read is definitely what the last living disciple, John, recorded while living on the prison island of Patmos. Jesus surprised him one day and took him into heaven to reveal a panorama of the history of mankind and what will eventually take place. We know John’s record of this brief, incredible experience as the book of Revelation, or “The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ”, the final part of the Bible. There are many studies available today that explain Revelation and are quite intriguing to examine.
Despite the terrible times that will come to the people of the earth in the future, our comfort is that Jesus will return to save those who follow Him and to usher in a new era in which His people will dwell forever! We know the ending, and for followers of Jesus, it’s all good! We may not understand the eternal significance of every upcoming event, but we do know that, whatever happens, God will keep caring and providing for us has He has done in the past, present, and future.
“Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please… what I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do.’ “ Isaiah 46:9-11
“And, when the Son of Man comes in His glory, all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.” Jesus in Matthew 25:31
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then He said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End…’” Revelation 21:1-6
Are you certain that Jesus counts you as one of His own people, His followers, those who will live with him forever? If not, talk to Him and say something like this. There are no magic words! Just speak to God, from your heart:
Heavenly Father, I want to turn my life around and go in a new direction towards you, but I can’t do this on my own because I’ve tried and failed. I confess to you that I have committed many wrongs during my life and am very sorry for these sins. I need you and the salvation you offer so that I can be with you through eternity. Please forgive me and allow me to have a loving parent-child relationship with you from now on. I accept Jesus as my Savior who died on a cross to give His own blood to pay the penalty due to God for my sins. I trust what Jesus said on my behalf as He died, “It is finished!” I am so thankful He was resurrected from the dead and lives today. Thank you for saving me and accepting me! I long to follow your guidance every single day for the rest of my life and then enter heaven when I die. Amen!
If you chose to say this prayer sincerely to God, your future is now secure with Jesus. God promised He will be found by you when you look for Him “with all of your heart.” He ALWAYS keeps every promise!
“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to hurt you, plans to give you a future and a hope. Then, you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13