Introduction
Here is how we introduced our original article, The ‘Black Sheep’ of Bible Prophecy:
During the first 15 years or so of intensive Bible study, I devoured many excellent books, articles, and videos from well-respected and qualified prophecy and Bible teachers. I am very grateful to all of them, as they were very foundational in my understanding of Scripture and future Bible prophecy.
Yet, during my later years of surveying the Scriptures – and especially when I began writing on Bible prophecy – I always attempted to go into my studies with as clean a slate as possible, for I wanted the Scriptures to speak to my mind and spirit without the influence of the teachings I had been absorbing throughout the years. What I found was that many of the popular, traditional prophecy teachings of many of my favorite teachers did not stand up to scrutiny with what I was learning through my own studies.
It appears to me, from observation, that many prophecy teachers and writers will read or hear their favorite Bible teacher of the past teach a prophetic interpretation or doctrine that has been handed down to them from past teachers, and they seem to accept the teaching without ever investigating the claims for themselves. Lest one think I am being too judgmental, I am no exception to this observation and have been guilty of the same. I have even expressed this truth in a few of my articles.
In The ‘Black Sheep’ of Bible Prophecy 2, I would like to share with the reader another 20 topical teachings I have encountered on my journey that are opposed – or found to be in the minority consensus – to most of the popular, traditional teachings found within the prophetic community.
Here are the topics we will be discussing in numerical order for easy reference:
>#1 – Daniel 8: Antiochus or Antichrist?
>#2 – 2 Peter 3 – Tribulation or Something Else?
>#3 – What is Daniel 8’s 2,300 Days?
>#4 – How Are God’s Kingdoms in Scripture Defined?
>#5 – Observations of the Feasts of the LORD
>#6 – Can We Really Know the General Timeframe and Season of the Lord’s Return for His Bride?
>#7 – Enoch and Elijah: Mysterious Bodies
>#8 – The Miraculous Body of Messiah Jesus
>#9 – John 15: The Divine Vine
>#10 –The Parable of the 10 Virgins
>#11 – Is The Gap Theory Viable or Imaginary?
>#12 –Hebrews 6:4-6
>#13 – ‘If So Be That the Spirit of God Dwell in You’
>#14 – When Was ‘The Fall’?
>#15 – Does Kingdom Foreshadow Kingdom?
>#16 – Isaiah’s Allusions to the Eternal Kingdom
>#17 – Ezekiel 38 and 39: Nuances
>#18 – Signs, Times, and Seasons
>#19 – When Were the Angels Created?
>#20 – What is the Spoil Gog is Coming For?
What follows is a brief synopsis of the above 20 topics we have studied in the past – with links to the articles I have written – that reflect why I have either come to radically different conclusions than the popular, traditional views, or at least have found myself in the minority opinion as The ‘Black Sheep’ of Bible Prophecy.
In our study article, Daniel 8: Antiochus or Antichrist?, we take on the much-debated subject matter of who Daniel’s vision is prophesying of in Daniel 8.
There is no doubt that the material in Daniel 8:1-8 is dealing with history – that of the Medo-Persian and Greek empires – but the rest of the passage, Daniel 8:9-12, has been hotly debated in the prophetic community for centuries. The angel Gabriel’s interpretation to Daniel concerning his vision, however, is essential to understanding who this “little horn” in Daniel 8:9-12 truly is.
Is the “little horn” Antiochus – who was without doubt a pre-figure of the coming man of sin in the Tribulation – or is it Antichrist himself?
[For our study on Daniel 8:13-14, please see #3 – What is Daniel’s 2,300 Days? below.]
Many Bible teachers teach that 2 Peter 3’s main context, including The Day of God, is speaking exclusively of the end of the Tribulation. Is this true, or is there another Biblically sound interpretation available to us?
In our study article, 2 Peter 3:12 – ‘The Day of God’, we tackle this subject matter head on, and in 2 Peter 3 – Peter’s ‘Revelation’, we evaluate the entire chapter, verse by verse, of 2 Peter 3, which also includes our Scriptural convictions regarding the true context of The Day of God and the subject matter that Peter is attempting to communicate to the believer in Jesus Christ.
Daniel’s 2,300 days prophecy is believed by many to be history that occurred in the days of Antiochus. Others, such as myself, believe the 2,300 days are yet future.
In Daniel 8:10-14, 12:11-12 – 2,300 Days, we analyzed a few different numerical topics found in the book of Daniel and offer several possibilities of how these numbers can align prophetically.
The Bible student may not have heard our findings and conclusions regarding this passage of Daniel’s 2,300 Days and its relationship to the identity of the “little horn” of Daniel 8 because of the popular traditional interpretations within the prophetic community.
- #4 – How Are God’s Kingdoms in Scripture Defined?
Most Bible commentators and teachers believe that the subject matter in most of the instances that speak of the kingdom, or kingdom of heaven/kingdom of God, in the Brit Chadashah are directly tied to the Messianic Millennial Kingdom.
Alternatively, is there another way to understand the kingdom or kingdoms that Christ and the Apostles often spoke of? Should we immediately assume that most, if not all, passages of Scripture in the New Testament speak directly or indirectly to the Messianic Millennial Kingdom, or are there other kingdoms we should be considering contextually when evaluating these many passages?
The following links are to our five-part study of God’s Kingdoms that examine each passage in the Brit Chadashah that speaks to a kingdom:
God’s Kingdoms – Part 1 – Mark and John
God’s Kingdoms – Part 2 – Matthew
God’s Kingdoms – Part 3 – Luke
God’s Kingdoms – Part 4 – Acts Through Revelation
God’s Kingdoms – Part 5 – Summary and Conclusion
The Bible student may be surprised by our findings!
In Observations of the Feasts of the LORD, we discussed several unique reflections regarding the Lord’s feasts of The Feast of Passover [Pesach], The Feast of Unleavened Bread [Chag Hamotzi], The Feast of First Fruits [Bikkurim], The Feast of Pentecost [Shavuot], The Feast of Trumpets [Rosh Hashanah or Yom Ter’uah], The Day of Atonement [Yom Ha-Kippurim], and The Feast of Tabernacles [Sukkot].
Among these unique observations we examined are prophetic depictions represented by some of the feasts with their primary fulfillments occurring at our Lord’s First Advent, along with their future prophetic fulfillments, including the rapture and His Second Coming and beyond into the Messianic Millennial and Eternal Kingdoms.
We also came to a different conclusion based solely on the texts of Scripture on how The Feast of First Fruits [Bikkurim] is to be observed and its connection to The Feast of Pentecost [Shavuot], while also stressing that when it came to Messiah Yeshua’s once for all sacrifice for sins on the cross and His death, burial, and resurrection, The Feast of First Fruits [Bikkurim] came together perfectly that year with The Feast of Passover [Pesach] and The Feast of Unleavened Bread [Chag Hamotzi], which we should expect.
- #6 – Can We Really Know the General Timeframe and Season of the Lord’s Return for His Bride?
Most, if not all, Bible prophecy teachers would say yes. Yet Jesus repeatedly said that no one would know the day or the hour (divinely appointed timeframe) of His return for His bride, that that day would come as a thief in the night, and He would come at a time we least expect, among other conflicting statements to this popular claim. Houston, we seem to have a problem!
In our study articles, Watching and Waiting Is Not Knowing and Watching and Waiting Is Not Knowing 2, we dug deep into the subject that many Bible teachers assert, which is that we should know the general timeframe and the season of the Lord’s return for His bride at the rapture of the church, while at the same time observing what Messiah and His Apostles taught concerning our blessed hope.
In Enoch and Elijah: Mysterious Bodies, we briefly examined two of the most popular traditional views on the state of Enoch’s and Elijah’s bodies in heaven after they were translated without dying, and then offered an alternative evaluation on what may have actually taken place and what state their bodies are in ever since their miraculous translations.
Many Bible teachers have taken the position that the body of Jesus Christ was not only a body that was prepared by God, but that the body of Mary was intimately involved in the creation of Messiah’s body, biologically – a teaching that has its foundation in Catholicism. But should we believe that Mary was intimately involved biologically in our Lord and Savior’s uniquely incarnated human body?
In The Miraculous Body of Messiah Jesus, we look into the concept that Jesus Christ’s body was altogether unique compared to every human being born to a woman and evaluate His miraculously created body, Scripturally, with that of the first man, Adam.
Is Messiah Jesus’ parable of The Divine Vine in John 15 directed only to believers, or does His imagery suggest that all people are in view? Most would say that John 15 is speaking exclusively of believers, contrasting those who abide in Christ and those who do not. Is there another interpretation available to us that makes more contextual sense with the parabolic imagery our Lord presents?
Obviously, those who abide in Christ are true Spirit-indwelt believers, and He did speak directly to His disciples; however, the message conveyed in His parable appears to be all-encompassing, as we observed in our study article John 15: The Divine Vine, and demonstrates to the student of the Word of God how we get there.
The Parable of the 10 Virgins is another portion of Scripture that has been fiercely debated for close to 2,000 years. Does this parable speak of Christ’s Second Coming or the rapture, and how can we know for sure?
In Matthew 25:1-13 – The Parable of the 10 Virgins, we break apart Christ’s parable verse by verse, while citing other corroborating Scriptures, and apply common sense and rational thought in making our case for our interpretive conclusions.
The Gap Theory – the belief that there is a “gap” of immense time in between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2, where Satan and the fallen angels destroy an Earth that was created billions of years ago in a rebellion (an original Earth that had animals on it) – has caused quite the stir in Biblical Christianity in the last couple of hundred years. Is the Gap Theory viable and compatible with the revealed Word of God? Does it make sense and have Scriptural support?
Although our title gives our conclusions away, the Bible student should find our study article, Genesis 1:2 – The Gap Theory Is Imaginary, an interesting and thought-provoking read.
- #12 – Hebrews 6:4-6
Hebrews 6:4-6 is another hotly contested portion of Scripture, and its theological implications are profound. How one interprets this passage has huge ramifications for how they view God and salvation. Namely, is salvation by grace through faith eternally secure for those who truly believe or can a true Spirit-indwelt believer lose their salvation?
In Hebrews 6:4-6 – ‘It Is Impossible!’, we offer our thoughts on how one should understand what the writer of Hebrews is attempting to convey to his audience of Hebrew believers in Messiah Yeshua when it comes to their professed salvation.
On the same lines of Hebrews 6:4-6 – ‘It Is Impossible!’, Paul’s statement, “If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you,” has also caused consternation for believers. Is their anxiety warranted? What is the proper way we should be understanding Paul’s statement?
In ‘If So Be That the Spirit of God Dwell in You’, we attempt to alleviate any apprehension for the true Spirit-indwelt believer in Jesus Christ and give warnings to those who may have a deceptive, false faith.
- #14 – When Was ‘The Fall’?
How much time elapsed between creation and the fall of Adam and Eve in The Garden of Eden? Obviously, we do not know for sure, but is there at least a timeframe available to us?
In When Was ‘The Fall’? we dissect the available information provided for us in Genesis’ account of creation and the fall of mankind, and discover that there is indeed a timeframe open to us, though the exact time Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan through the serpent will, this side of heaven, have to remain unknown.
The basic questions we sought to answer in this study are: Does the Messianic Millennial Kingdom foreshadow the Eternal Kingdom? Are there many similarities to these two kingdoms, or are these two kingdoms mutually exclusive with distinct differences when it comes to their presentations in the Bible — or might it be a combination of both?
In Kingdom Foreshadowing Kingdom, we compare the distinct differences and many similarities between these two kingdoms. Our conclusions should help the student of God’s Word better evaluate for themselves in their own Bible studies which kingdom is being presented in any given passage of Scripture. Because of God’s modus operandi of incorporating blended prophecies throughout Scripture, there are even times when both kingdoms are seemingly in view within the same passage!
As Bible prophecy is often presented as blended prophecies, Isaiah’s Allusions to the Eternal Kingdom contains excellent examples of our above statement that there are even times when both the Messianic Millennial Kingdom and the Eternal Kingdom can both be in view within the same passage of Scripture.
In this study article, we examine five passages of Scripture from Isaiah and attempt to rightly divide the Word of God in ascertaining which kingdom or kingdoms may be in view, in an effort to help aid the Bible student in their own studies going forward.
When does the Gog/Magog invasion of Israel take place? Can we know for certain? Are the conditions of the Gog/Magog invasion alive and well today? Are there other prophecies contained within Ezekiel 39 that have nothing to do with the Gog/Magog invasion?
These are just some of the questions we seek to answer in Ezekiel 38 and 39: Nuances, which attempts to explain to the reader how the famous prophecies of Ezekiel 38 and 39 are to be evaluated, for there is much confusion in some prophecy circles regarding these two chapters. Structurally and contextually, there are many clues as to how to rightly divide this important portion of Bible prophecy for the student of the Word of God to consider, and just like many other prophecies, it takes some serious study to get there!
Many people today, like the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, love to seek after signs. We see this especially when it comes to eclipses and celestial events in the heavens.
While we do not dismiss signs entirely, in Signs, Times, and Seasons we take the time to evaluate the many passages of Scripture that address signs, times, and seasons, attempting to better understand what these words, messages, and overall themes are trying to express to us.
Are we taking things too far when it comes to signs, times, and seasons and what man may believe is being projected from these celestial events? As always, let the reader be the judge.
If you were to ask most people this question, you would probably hear the answer that the angels were created millions or billions of years before God’s recorded creation beginning at Genesis 1.
But is this where the evidence leads? Does not Genesis 1:1 say, “In the beginning God created…,” and that this beginning was recorded for us in the Genesis account?
In our article Genesis 1:2 – The Gap Theory Is Imaginary – also mentioned in #11 – Is The Gap Theory Viable or Imaginary? – we cover this topic along with a range of other subjects to better understand God’s revelation of His creation account with a specific focus on Genesis 1:1-5, the First Day of Creation Week.
Many in the prophetic community believe that Gog will be coming into Israel for literal gold, silver, cattle, and goods that Ezekiel recorded for us in Ezekiel 38:10-13. But is there an alternative interpretation of this spoil and prey, represented by the traditional spoils of gold, silver, cattle, and goods, that can be found in today’s economy and is of immense value to the modern world we live in?
We believe there may be, and we discuss what these valuable resources could actually be, represented by the ancient commodities of gold, silver, cattle, and goods in Ezekiel’s day in our study article, Gog and Islam: Spoil, Prey, and Genocide.
Conclusion
As The ‘Black Sheep’ of Bible Prophecy, through my own studies I have found myself coming to different conclusions than many of my contemporaries on a variety of Biblical and prophetic topics. This in no way suggests that they are wrong and I am right – that would be foolish of me to suggest such a thing. It is just that through many years of study, laying aside what I have learned from others (men I have great admiration for), and going into my own studies with as clean a slate as possible, I have found myself with differing views and interpretations. Again, this is never planned; it just happens.
Furthermore, I am deeply appreciative of the tremendous opportunity to share my findings, views, and interpretations on such amazing websites as RaptureReady.com and FaithWriters.com for consideration from the beloved Saints of God and the pre-tribulation prophetic community.
I immensely enjoy studying the Scriptures, sharing my findings with the body of Christ through my writings, and especially having the privileged opportunity to communicate with such wonderful Saints from all over the world. And, Lord willing, our little ministry for our Lord and Savior will continue until my mind no longer functions at the level it needs to, or I die and go to be with our Lord, or, better yet, the rapture takes place and, together with all my family and beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, we go home to be with our Lord forevermore.
Now, that I look forward to! That, we should all look forward to!
So, until then, let us comfort, edify, and encourage one another each and every day in our daily walks with our blessed hope, Jesus Christ!
May the Lord richly bless you all, as you all continue to bless others through Him and for Him, and keep reaching the lost for Christ while we still have time.
***
May we all keep Answering the Call of The Great Commission, and giving an answer to every man and woman who so desperately needs Jesus and asks us, “Why Am I Here and What Is It All About?”
Love, grace, mercy, and shalom in Messiah Yeshua, and Maranatha!
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