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Great Prophecies of the Bible
While not written in a divisive spirit, this book does challenge some popular present-day views on prophecy, presenting the older, historicist view regarding the abomination of desolation, great tribulation, fleeing to the hills, fig tree, etc. Explains reasons for believing Daniel's 70th week pertains to Christ, not Antichrist; why the reformers linked the prophecies about the "man of sin" or Antichrist with the Papacy. 37 illustrations.
192 pages, Paperback
First published June 7, 1971
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September 8, 2024
THE FAMED EVANGELIST SUMMARIZES BIBLICAL PROPHECY IN FOUR KEY AREAS
Ralph Woodrow is an author who is not afraid to change his mind. He was the author of 'Babylon Mystery Religion: Ancient and Modern,' but he recanted this book in he Babylon Connection?.' He also reconsidered his former rejection of Easter and Christmas in 'Easter: Is It Pagan?' and 'Christmas Reconsidered.' He has written many other thought-provoking books such as 'The Secret Rapture: Is It Scriptural?,' 'His Truth Is Marching On: Advanced Studies on Prophecy in the Light of History,' 'Reckless Rumors, Misinformation and Doomsday Delusions,' '"Three Days And Three Nights" Reconsidered,' 'Noah's Flood,' 'Joshua's Long Day, & Lucifer's Fall: What Really Happened?', 'Daniel's 70th Week Is It Future or Fulfilled?,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1971 book, "There are four major areas of prophecy we will consider in this book: the Second Coming of Christ, the Great Tribulation (of Matthew 24), the Seventy Weeks of Daniel, and the Antichrist... regardless of WHICH side we take, we will have to disagree with someone! ... We want to present what we believe to be the correct interpretation in a way that is strong enough to justify its acceptance; yet in so doing, our motive is not to discredit those who may hold a different interpretation."
He notes, "Christians who hold to... the 'dispensational' interpretation of prophecy, teach that... The RAPTURE... [is] a quiet, invisible, and SECRET coming... to us this is a strange doctrine. The very text on which the catching up [or rapture] is based [1 Thess 4:16-17] implies just the opposite! ... this text indicates anything but a quiet, secret rapture. Amid the sound of the Lord himself descending from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God, there will be the sounds of praise and rejoicing from vast multitudes of saints as they are caught up meet the Lord!" (Pg. 2-3) He suggests, "Sermons have sometimes been preached about 'one shall be TAKEN, and the other LEFT,' as though this meant believers would be TAKEN up in the rapture and the unbelievers would be LEFT to go through the tribulation period. But this can hardly be correct, for in the context is was the unbelievers who were taken away---by the destruction of the flood... it will be unbelievers who will be TAKEN---in death, by the 'sudden destruction' that will accompany the Lord when he comes [1 Thess 5:3]." (Pg. 8)
He argues, "Over and over again the Bible has stressed that the coming of the Lord will suddenly occur, that the time is unknown, that no man knows the day or hour of the end of the age. But if the rapture is an event to take place seven years BEFORE the end, THOUSANDS of people would be able to determine the exact date! All they would have to do is count seven years from the time all babies and Christians suddenly came up 'missing.'" (Pg. 14)
After quoting Mt 24:29 and Lk 21:25-26, he says, "Are we to understand these expressions about the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars literally or figuratively? We believe Jesus used these expressions the same way the Old Testament prophets did: figuratively. They commonly used these expressions to describe various disasters: the ... sun darkened ... no light in the heavens... stars shall fall, stars darkened, darkness at noon day, etc... Wording about falling stars was used to describe the calamities that fell upon the Jews in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes (Daniel 8:10)." (Pg 69)
He points out, "Futurists... teach that the blossoming fig tree refers to Israel becoming a nation in 1948... It is commonly assumed that there are numerous Biblical references about the fig tree being a symbol of Israel. But looking into the Old Testament, there is little---if any---evidence for this. In the New Testament, there are two references about fig trees that are sometimes regarded as symbolizing Israel. In [Luke 13:6-9]... If the fig tree here symbolizes Israel, this would show how Israel lacked the fruits of repentance, even after Christ had come to them and ministered for over three years. The other fig tree reference is Matthew 21:19. But here, again, the reference if NOT to a fruitful tree, but to an unfruitful tree, a tree that Jesus cursed... There are no other verses that indicate the fig tree is a symbol of Israel. On the other hand, there are verses that refer to Israel as an OLIVE tree (Romans 11:17, 24)." (Pg. 75-76)
While Christians may not agree with all of Woodrow's interpretations, his less polemical attitude is a welcome one, and this thoughtful book should be of great value to anyone studying biblical prophecy.
Ralph Woodrow is an author who is not afraid to change his mind. He was the author of 'Babylon Mystery Religion: Ancient and Modern,' but he recanted this book in he Babylon Connection?.' He also reconsidered his former rejection of Easter and Christmas in 'Easter: Is It Pagan?' and 'Christmas Reconsidered.' He has written many other thought-provoking books such as 'The Secret Rapture: Is It Scriptural?,' 'His Truth Is Marching On: Advanced Studies on Prophecy in the Light of History,' 'Reckless Rumors, Misinformation and Doomsday Delusions,' '"Three Days And Three Nights" Reconsidered,' 'Noah's Flood,' 'Joshua's Long Day, & Lucifer's Fall: What Really Happened?', 'Daniel's 70th Week Is It Future or Fulfilled?,' etc.
He wrote in the Introduction to this 1971 book, "There are four major areas of prophecy we will consider in this book: the Second Coming of Christ, the Great Tribulation (of Matthew 24), the Seventy Weeks of Daniel, and the Antichrist... regardless of WHICH side we take, we will have to disagree with someone! ... We want to present what we believe to be the correct interpretation in a way that is strong enough to justify its acceptance; yet in so doing, our motive is not to discredit those who may hold a different interpretation."
He notes, "Christians who hold to... the 'dispensational' interpretation of prophecy, teach that... The RAPTURE... [is] a quiet, invisible, and SECRET coming... to us this is a strange doctrine. The very text on which the catching up [or rapture] is based [1 Thess 4:16-17] implies just the opposite! ... this text indicates anything but a quiet, secret rapture. Amid the sound of the Lord himself descending from heaven with a shout, the voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God, there will be the sounds of praise and rejoicing from vast multitudes of saints as they are caught up meet the Lord!" (Pg. 2-3) He suggests, "Sermons have sometimes been preached about 'one shall be TAKEN, and the other LEFT,' as though this meant believers would be TAKEN up in the rapture and the unbelievers would be LEFT to go through the tribulation period. But this can hardly be correct, for in the context is was the unbelievers who were taken away---by the destruction of the flood... it will be unbelievers who will be TAKEN---in death, by the 'sudden destruction' that will accompany the Lord when he comes [1 Thess 5:3]." (Pg. 8)
He argues, "Over and over again the Bible has stressed that the coming of the Lord will suddenly occur, that the time is unknown, that no man knows the day or hour of the end of the age. But if the rapture is an event to take place seven years BEFORE the end, THOUSANDS of people would be able to determine the exact date! All they would have to do is count seven years from the time all babies and Christians suddenly came up 'missing.'" (Pg. 14)
After quoting Mt 24:29 and Lk 21:25-26, he says, "Are we to understand these expressions about the darkening of the sun, moon, and stars literally or figuratively? We believe Jesus used these expressions the same way the Old Testament prophets did: figuratively. They commonly used these expressions to describe various disasters: the ... sun darkened ... no light in the heavens... stars shall fall, stars darkened, darkness at noon day, etc... Wording about falling stars was used to describe the calamities that fell upon the Jews in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes (Daniel 8:10)." (Pg 69)
He points out, "Futurists... teach that the blossoming fig tree refers to Israel becoming a nation in 1948... It is commonly assumed that there are numerous Biblical references about the fig tree being a symbol of Israel. But looking into the Old Testament, there is little---if any---evidence for this. In the New Testament, there are two references about fig trees that are sometimes regarded as symbolizing Israel. In [Luke 13:6-9]... If the fig tree here symbolizes Israel, this would show how Israel lacked the fruits of repentance, even after Christ had come to them and ministered for over three years. The other fig tree reference is Matthew 21:19. But here, again, the reference if NOT to a fruitful tree, but to an unfruitful tree, a tree that Jesus cursed... There are no other verses that indicate the fig tree is a symbol of Israel. On the other hand, there are verses that refer to Israel as an OLIVE tree (Romans 11:17, 24)." (Pg. 75-76)
While Christians may not agree with all of Woodrow's interpretations, his less polemical attitude is a welcome one, and this thoughtful book should be of great value to anyone studying biblical prophecy.
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