Hey, podcast listeners! Thanks for streaming today's podcast, From Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's word through the most effective media available, like this podcast. To support Pathway to Victory, go to ptv.org slash donate or follow the link in our show notes. Now, here's today's podcast, From Pathway to Victory. God's Word with you every day on this Bible teaching program.
On today's edition of Pathway to Victory. You know, the Bible is a book of prophecy. And yet, even though there are all kinds of prophecies in the Bible about the future event of Christ's second coming, it's always amazing to me how few Christians are really interested in the topic of Bible prophecy.
Why is that? Why is it many Christians have such a disdain for the study of prophecy? Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor, Dr. Robert Jeffress. Some people are excited at the proposal of studying Bible prophecy, while others can't imagine how Bible prophecy has any relevance to their lives.
So what does God's plan for the future have to do with how we should live right now? Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress explains why we need to study the end times. Now, here's our Bible teacher to introduce today's message.
Dr. Jeffress. Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. Let me begin with a question. How would you like to wake up every morning for seven days straight with a view of the ocean?
Wouldn't that be marvelous? Well, if you're in a position to make a spontaneous decision, I'm going to give you a little nudge today. You're invited to join Amy and me June 15th through 22nd as we depart Vancouver, British Columbia for a one week cruise to Alaska. You'll never regret this decision. I guarantee that you'll come back spiritually, physically and emotionally refreshed.
Now, space is limited, but if you move quickly, you can reserve your spot right away by going to ptv.org. Just yesterday on Pathway to Victory, we started my teaching series on biblical prophecy called Perfect Ending, and it was my first occasion to offer my best selling book by the same title. It's also called Perfect Ending. Why your eternal future matters today. I want you to own a copy.
And here's why. As you become better acquainted with future events like the rapture, the millennium and the tribulation, you'll begin to feel greater peace about the future. And it draws your relationship with God into the here and now as well. So take down our contact information and request your copy of Perfect Ending. It's yours when you give a generous gift to support Pathway to Victory.
But that's not all. My book will arrive at your home with two additional resources. The end times illustrated book and my Bible prophecy chart as well. More details on these resources later. But right now, I'm eager to get started with today's study on biblical prophecy.
I titled my message. Why your future matters today. As I've talked to laymen and pastors alike, I've discovered that there are four reasons that people object to the study of Bible prophecy. I'd like us to look at that today as we begin the series and see what the Bible says about each of those objections. First of all, some people are apathetic about Bible prophecy because they say, well, the subject is too confusing to understand. Well, the fact is, God has made the end time events very clear in the Bible.
Let me give you an illustration of that. Take your Bibles and turn to Matthew chapter 24. Look at Matthew 24, beginning with verse four. And Jesus answered and said to them, See to it that no one misleads you, for many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ and will mislead many. And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars.
See to it that you are not frightened, for those things must take place. But that is not yet the end. Verse 15. Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, let the reader understand. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Verse 29. But immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of heavens will be shaken. And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. It's not that hard to understand the events that will lead to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus himself made it very clear to us. Secondly, some people object to the study of Bible prophecy because they say no one can know when Christ will return.
Nobody can know that. You may say, well, if I don't know when this is going to happen, why do I need to know the whats of Bible prophecy? Well, the fact is sometimes knowing what is going to happen is important even if you don't know when it's going to occur. Number three, some people object to Bible prophecy because they say, well, there are too many different interpretations of prophecy for it to be that important. After all, so many good Christian scholars disagree on Bible prophecy.
It just can't be that important. But the fact that there are a lot of different interpretations, and by the way, what theological subject do you know of that there aren't a lot of different interpretations for? Just because there are a lot of different opinions about Bible prophecy doesn't mean there's not one correct interpretation. You see, the Bible says there really is only one correct interpretation of God's Word. In 2 Peter 1 verses 20 to 21, look what Peter said, but know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation.
Pretty interesting, isn't it? For no prophecy was ever made by an act of the human will, but men moved literally carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. That's true. Many of the details, secondary details of Bible prophecy are up for debate, but God has clearly stated an outline of the end time events that we need to understand. Fourthly, and perhaps most importantly, a lot of people object to the idea of studying Bible prophecy because they say Bible prophecy has nothing to do with my everyday life. Nothing could be further from the truth. What happens in the future does have a profound impact on how we live today.
Let me illustrate that for you. The Texas Highway Department made an announcement that they were going to build a double deck expressway right through the center of downtown Wichita Falls. As soon as that announcement was made, businesses along the path of the proposed expressway, they started selling their property.
Why? They knew that whenever this construction project began, the value of their property would go down dramatically and it would ensure the demise of their business. The same is true for us, ladies and gentlemen. Did you know the Bible says one day there is a major reconstruction project coming for this entire earth and there's going to be a new heaven and a new earth? And the Bible says knowing that this great cataclysmic event is going to occur sometime in the future, that everything we build our life around is going to be burned up and destroyed, it ought to impact how we live our everyday life. We've talked about some of the objections to studying Bible prophecy.
In closing today, let me give you three positive reasons that you ought to invest your time in this series, Perfect Ending, why your eternal future matters today. Why you and I need to understand the end time events. Number one, Bible prophecy is a major theme in the Bible. Bible prophecy is a major theme in the Bible. In Bible study, we have what we call the law of proportion. And the law of proportion simply says you can know how important the topic is to God by how much space he devotes to it in the Bible. If a topic is important, God spends a lot of ink on it in the Bible.
If it's not important, he doesn't talk that much about it. The law of proportion, how does that apply to Bible prophecy? The Bible is filled with productive prophecy. In fact, one-fourth of the Bible deals with prophecy. Jot this down, in the Old Testament, there are over 1,800 references to the return of Jesus Christ. That's in the Old Testament. In the 260 chapters of the New Testament, there are more than 300 references to the return of Christ.
That's about one out of every 30 verses. Clearly, the prominence and the proportion of the prophetic theme in Bible shows why it's important. Number two, why study Bible prophecy? An understanding of prophecy helps us both interpret and apply the Bible correctly. Understanding Bible prophecy helps us interpret and apply the Bible correctly.
Let me put this real simply for all of you. You can never understand the Bible if you don't understand prophecy. The Bible makes no sense. You will not be able to interpret it correctly. You won't be able to apply it correctly unless you understand the details of Christ's return.
Just think about it. How would you ever understand the Old Testament, Isaiah, Daniel, Ezekiel, all of these major prophetic books in the Old Testament, not just about the first coming but about the return of Christ? How do you make sense of that? Or when you turn to the New Testament, how do you understand the words of Jesus, the Sermon on the Mount, the Olivet Discourse, the parables? They make no sense unless you understand about the second coming of Christ. Or think about the last book of the Bible, the Revelation. Did you know Revelation is the only book of the Bible for which God promises a special blessing to everyone who reads and understands it? But how can you make sense of the book of Revelation if you don't understand the truth of Bible prophecy?
Now, I could give you multiple examples of that. Let me give you two examples of where understanding prophecy helps you both interpret and apply the Bible correctly. Turn in your Bibles over to Isaiah 65. Isaiah 65. This is one of the best known prophecies in the Old Testament in the book of Isaiah.
Let's look at it together. Isaiah 65, verse 20. Isaiah says, No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his days. For the youth will die at the age of 100, and the one who does not reach the age of 100 shall be thought accursed. Now, he's talking about a time in which there'll be no infant mortality. Babies will not die, and people will live at least to 100 years of age. They won't die until they're at least 100 years of age.
Now, the question is, what period of time is Isaiah talking about? Obviously, he wasn't talking about his day or even today. We see infant mortality all the time. Very few people live long enough to have their birthdays announced on the Today Show.
They don't make it to 100, okay? Most people don't. So it's obvious Isaiah's not talking about today. Somebody says, well, he's talking about heaven. He's talking about when Christ returns. He's talking about heaven. Well, think about it.
Is that true? He's saying here people will die after the age of 100, but we know in Revelation 21, 4, it says in heaven, there'll be no longer any death, mourning, or crying, or pain. So he's not talking about heaven. There is no death in heaven.
So what period of time is it in history when infants don't die and people live until age 100 before they die? You can't understand this unless you understand Bible prophecy. When you understand Bible prophecy, you'll understand that what Isaiah is talking about is a special time in history we call the millennium, the thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth. It's after the tribulation, after the second coming, when Christ will set up his kingdom on earth for a thousand years, the earth won't be recreated at that time.
That's later on, but it will be partially restored. Satan will be bound for a thousand years, and much of the curse that infected the earth will be temporarily lifted. We'll also learn in the weeks to come that it's during that time that only Christians will exist, but they'll be in two different states. Some Christians enter this thousand-year kingdom in their natural bodies, and they'll be able to procreate and have children, and that's where the death comes from. You and I will be in our resurrection bodies during this time. We don't procreate.
We don't die. And it's that period of time that Isaiah is prophesying about. What I'm saying is without scripture, understanding prophecy, the scripture makes no sense whatsoever. Let me give you an example of the New Testament, where understanding prophecy not only is the key to interpreting the Bible correctly, but applying it correctly. Turn over to Matthew 25. Matthew 25, verses 35 to 40. Now, these are Jesus' words.
Look at what he said. For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. And I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. And I was a stranger, and you invited me in, naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me.
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you, or thirsty, and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger, and invite you in? Or when did we see you naked, and clothe you? And when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?
And the king will answer and say to them, truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these my brothers, even the least of them, you did it to me. Now, how many times have you heard people say, this is the purpose of the church. We're supposed to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in prison. We are never more like Jesus than when we do these things. Haven't you heard that before? There are many churches that build their whole mission around these verses right here.
Now, listen to me carefully before you fire off the email to me. Yes, we are to show concern for the poor, no doubt about that. But that is not the primary mission of the church. The church is not a sanctified relief agency, okay? When you think about it, every other organization in the world, first and foremost being government itself, is concerned with meeting the physical needs of people. Only the church of Jesus Christ has been charged with the responsibility of meeting the spiritual needs of people. We are called to care for people's spirits, not to be a sanctified relief agency. You say, well, then how do you interpret these words of Jesus?
How do we apply them if that's not the correct application? You'll never understand what Jesus was talking about unless you understand Bible prophecy. Instead of ripping these verses out of context to make them say what they don't say, understand the context. Jesus is talking about the end times.
He's prophesying about what's going to happen. The tribulation has just occurred when anybody who follows Christ will have been persecuted, many of them will have been martyred. The Son of God has come back to earth at his second coming. He's about to inaugurate his millennial kingdom on earth, and this comes in the context of he has just judged the righteous and the unrighteous.
The unrighteous have been sent to hell. The righteous are invited to come and be a part of God's kingdom on earth. And so as he separates the unrighteous from the righteous, he says to the righteous, come and enter my kingdom, for I was naked and you clothed me, I was hungry and you fed me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. And the righteous who are getting ready to enter into the kingdom, God will scratch their heads and they will say, wait a minute, Lord, when did we see you naked, hungry, thirsty, imprisoned? And Jesus will say to these who are about to enter the millennial kingdom, when you ministered to these brothers of mine, who are the brothers of Christ? It's talking about his followers during the tribulation, those who were persecuted by the Antichrist, both Jews and Gentiles alike. When you saw these brothers of mine being persecuted and ministered to them, it was as if you were doing it to me. See, during the tribulation time, the way people will demonstrate their salvation, not earn their salvation, how they demonstrate their salvation is by coming to the aid of Christ followers during that time who are under the Antichrist persecution. They don't earn their salvation by meeting the physical needs, they prove that they are a Christ follower by ministering to Christ's servants, his brothers.
And that's what he's talking about here. You can never understand that until you understand the context of Bible prophecy. Bible prophecy is the key to interpreting the Bible correctly. Thirdly, and most importantly, an understanding of Bible prophecy motivates us toward godly living. An understanding of Bible prophecy motivates us toward godly living.
Listen to this. God never divorces Bible prophecy from practical application. Nowhere in the Bible is there that divorce between Bible prophecy and practical application. Turn over to 2 Peter chapter 3 for a moment. Peter is describing the end of the world, the destruction of the present heaven and earth before the creation of the new heaven and earth in Revelation 21 and 22. Look at what Peter describes in 2 Peter 3.10. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up. But then notice the application in verses 11 and 12.
Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, here's the application. What sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God? The fact that the end is coming, whether it's the end of the world or the end of your life, the fact that the end is coming soon ought to be in the forefront of your mind day and night. The fact that you and I are soon going to meet God. Do you know it's going to come very soon? When we meet God, either when he comes or we go, but sooner or later we're going to face him. The fact that we're all going to face God to give an account of our lives ought to be a powerful incentive for living an obedient and consistent life now.
Bible prophecy, when properly understood, is a powerful motivation to holy conduct and godliness. Billy Graham, in his book World Aflain, tells a true story from the life of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. President Eisenhower, one August, was vacationing in Denver. One morning the president opened up the local newspaper, the Denver newspaper, and there was an open letter to him that was published from a six-year-old boy named Paul Haley, who was dying of cancer. And Paul Haley expressed in that letter a desire for President Eisenhower to visit with him while he was in Denver. So in one of those acts of kindness of a president long remembered after his speeches have been forgotten, President Eisenhower decided he was going to go visit Paul Haley. They arrived in front of the home.
President Eisenhower bounded out of the motorcade. He went up to the front door, knocked on it. The door opened and there was Paul Haley's father, Donald Haley, standing there. Can you imagine the surprise of opening the front door and seeing the President of the United States? Donald Haley wasn't dressed for the occasion, though.
He hadn't shaved for a day. He wore some old jeans, a faded t-shirt. Little Paul Haley was standing behind him and kind of peeked around. The president looked at him and said, Paul, I'm President Eisenhower. I understand you wanted to visit with me. So he put out his hand and Paul Haley shook his hand and they went outside for a walk up and down the sidewalk. They talked together. When Eisenhower was finished, he said goodbye, got in his limousine, and off he went. For years afterwards, Haley talked about that unique act of kindness of President Eisenhower. They were all thrilled about the day's events.
Well, almost all of them. There was one member of the Haley family who wasn't that thrilled about the presidential visit. It was the father, Don Haley. In a newspaper interview, Don Haley lamented about that day's events. He said, just think about it.
An unshaven face, faded blue jeans, a soiled t-shirt. What a way to meet the President of the United States. I can tell you something that's going to be even more embarrassing. One day the Bible says suddenly, unexpectedly, the trumpet is going to sound. The clouds are going to part and we're going to see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And yet many Christians are going to be embarrassed by their spiritual appearance on that day. Many Christians, when the Lord returns, are going to find that they have clothed themselves in the faded and soiled garments of immorality, materialism, personal ambition, rather than having clothed themselves in the pure linen garments of righteousness described in Revelation 19-8.
Let me ask you a very, very personal question. If the Lord were to return today or if you were to meet Him in death, would you be ashamed of your spiritual appearance, of the appearance of your life right now? If so, I pray these next weeks as we study Bible prophecy, that this series will be a motivation for you to start clothing yourselves in holy conduct and godliness as we prepare for the soon and certain return of Christ. This is one of the many reasons why your eternal future matters to you today. And it's the overarching purpose of this new study on biblical prophecy called Perfect Ending.
That is to help you see your place on God's timeline. I'm looking forward to a full month of growing together as we devote each study in May to learning more about God's plan for the future. And now let me encourage you to take your next steps in this journey. You can learn more by requesting the three resources I've prepared for you. The first is the best-selling book that parallels this series.
It's called Perfect Ending, Why Your Eternal Future Matters Today. And the second resource is The End Times Illustrated. This is a 72-page book that includes 18 illustrations and infographics.
Each one includes a page number that ties back to the correlated teaching in my book Perfect Ending. And then the third resource I'm going to include is the very popular Bible Prophecy Chart I've Prepared for You. This multi-folded chart is designed to make the complex timeline of Bible prophecy simple for you to understand. This is a muscle that every Christian needs to stretch and strengthen. By that, I mean it's important that we truly understand our place in God's plan for the future because it makes us stronger today.
It gives us stronger resolve and courage. This collection of resources will help you get acquainted with God's promises for your future and how they influence your life today. And the entire collection will be delivered to your home right away when you give a generous gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory. Thanks in advance of receiving your generous gift because we couldn't provide this daily program without the support of friends like you.
David? Thanks, Dr. Jeffress. Today, when you support the ministry of Pathway to Victory by giving a generous gift, you're invited to request a copy of The End Times Illustrated. It's the perfect companion guide to Dr. Jeffress' best-selling book titled Perfect Ending, which, by the way, is also included as a thank you for your gift. To make your request, call 866-999-2965. Or even easier, just visit our website at ptv.org.
Now, when your gift to Pathway to Victory is $75 or more, in addition to the two books, we'll also send you the complete unabridged Perfect Ending teaching series on CD and DVD. Again, call 866-999-2965 or go to ptv.org. If you'd like to write to us, jot down this mailing address, P.O. Box 223-609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. One more time, that's P.O. Box 223-609, Dallas, Texas, 75222.
I'm David J. Mullins. From the beginning, it's been clear that God has a special plan for the nation of Israel. So, what does the future of this ancient nation have to do with the future of the world? Find out Wednesday on Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. One of the most impactful ways you can give is by becoming a Pathway partner. Your monthly gift will empower Pathway to Victory to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and help others become rooted more firmly in His Word. To become a Pathway partner, go to ptv.org slash donate or follow the link in our show notes. We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.
