Frequently Asked Questions
Can We Trust The Bible To Predict The Future?
The main reason we can trust biblical prophecy is that it, like the rest of Scripture, was written—literally “God-breathed”—by the Creator of the universe. It is inerrant, perfect, and true. We must understand that before we can understand the role of biblical prophecy.
Biblical prophecy plays two roles. It foretells the future, and it explains what the positive or negative results of future events will be. Prophecy may announce events that bring joy and pleasure or fear and foreboding. When prophecy is ignored, it is usually because the hearers don’t like what they hear for one reason or another. Biblical prophecy is not usually general in nature. It normally is very specific as to how it will affect someone or something. But it is always dependable and worthy of our complete trust. We can allow prophecy to help shape our lives, giving us direction and guidance in serving our Lord. It should be a source of strength and instruction for us. Unlike what we hear called “prophecy” today, both in the church and outside the church, true biblical prophecy is always accurate and precise. What God prophesies always occurs.
The prophecy of the Flood in Genesis 6 is an example. God explains His reasons for the flood, gives specific instructions for Noah to build the ark to preserve lives, then produces this first great worldwide catastrophe.
God even prophesied that He would never do it again, in Genesis 9:12-16. Joseph’s dreams in Genesis 37:5-10 contain prophecies which came to pass in chapter 39 through the end of the book.
Deuteronomy 18:18 says, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers; I will put my words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him.” This prophecy, pointing to Moses, also foreshadows the Jewish Messiah, our Lord Jesus, and is quoted in Acts 3:22-26. It’s in this same chapter that we’re told (Deuteronomy 18:20) what was done to false prophets in Moses’ time. If their prophecy was false, they were executed.
Isaiah chapter 53 contains a compelling prophecy of Jesus Christ: His youth, His ministry, His sin-bearing and suffering, and His offering of Himself. Psalm 22 gives us another prophecy of our Lord’s suffering, couched in a description of King David, Christ’s foreshadow.
In our Lord’s own prophecies, in Matthew 24, He spoke of wars, famines, earthquakes, persecutions, apostasy and betrayals, and finally of His own return, unexpected and widely rejected today. This and other end-time prophecies are as dependable as Noah’s warning of the Flood. Similar predictions of catastrophic events still to come are found in 2 Peter chapters 2–3, together with a prediction (2 Peter 3:7) of God’s intervention. And in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Christians are promised a rescue or a resurrection appointment, whether we’re alive or dead. Biblical prophecy provides us a roadmap of the future. To fail to understand these prophecies of the rapture is to miss one of the greatest gifts of God.
Finally, since we can trust John 3:16, that God loves us and gave us His Son, surely we can rely on Him as Author of biblical prophecy to predict, to encourage, to direct and provide for our future physical and spiritual needs. Our Lord said, in John 14:2, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.” And that should be a prophecy of assurance and encouragement for all Christians. So place your trust in God’s prophecies, just as you placed your trust in His Son.
Is The USA In Bible Prophecy?
The United States of America is never explicitly mentioned in the Bible. In regard to the end times, the only nation the Bible seems to be concerned with, specifically, is Israel. Revelation does not mention any countries or nations, other than Israel (Revelation 7:4; 21:12). It mentions Babylon (Revelation 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2,10,21), but beyond that, it does not name specific places. Bible scholars debate whether this refers to a literal city of Babylon or whether Babylon is being used symbolically. Again, Israel is the focus of end-times Bible prophecy.
Why is the United States of America never mentioned in Bible prophecy? This could be for several reasons: (1) Perhaps the United States does not play an important role in the end times. (2) Perhaps the United States does not exist any more once the end times begin. (3) Perhaps the United States is included with all the other nations that reject God in the end times (Revelation 10:11; 11:18; 12:5; 14:8; 15:4; 16:19; 17:15; 18:3,23; 19:15). Option (3) is the most likely answer. The United States of America is the biggest supporter of Israel in the world today.
This might not always be the case.
Will Babies & Children Be Taken In The Rapture?
The Bible does not specifically say what will happen to babies, infants, and children when the rapture occurs. This causes many Christians to worry that they will be taken in the rapture, and their young children will be left behind to face the terrible tribulation. Is this possible? No, we do not believe it is. As we explain our viewpoint, please understand that this is, at best, informed speculation. Again, the Bible does not specifically address this issue.
It is our view that children who are under the age of accountability will be taken in the rapture. If a child has not reached the point that he/she can make a decision for or against Christ, we would hold that if he/she dies, he/she will be granted entrance into heaven. We also hold that this principle, based entirely on God’s mercy, applies to the rapture. Some propose that only the children of believers will be raptured. We disagree. If a child’s salvation while under the age of accountability is not based on the faith-status of his/her parents, neither is the child’s participation in the deliverance of the rapture. It is our belief, albeit not explicitly taught in Scripture, that all those under the age of accountability will be taken in the rapture.
Will There Be A Second Chance For Salvation?
Many Bible interpreters believe that there will be absolutely no chance for anyone to achieve salvation after the Rapture. However, there is no place in the Bible which says everyone or even hints to it. There will be many people who come to Christ during the Tribulation. The 144,000 Jewish witnesses (Revelation 7:4) are Jewish believers. If no one can come to Christ during the Tribulation, then why are people being beheaded for their faith (Revelation 20:4)? No passage of Scripture states that no one will have a chance to be saved after the Rapture.
There is scripture that states that those who hear the gospel and reject it before the Rapture cannot be saved. Those saved during the Tribulation, then, are those who had never heard the gospel before the Rapture. The “proof text” for this view is 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11, which says the Antichrist will work miracles to deceive “those who are perishing” and that God Himself will “send them a powerful delusion” to confirm them in their unbelief. The reason given is that “they refused to love the truth and so be saved” (verse 10). Granted, those who are hard-hearted toward the gospel before the Rapture are likely to remain so. And the Antichrist will deceive many (Matthew 24:5). But “those who refused to love the truth” refers to people who heard the gospel before the Rapture. It could be anyone who wholly rejects God’s salvation, at any time.
Revelation 6:9-11 speaks of those martyred during the Tribulation “because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained.” These martyrs will correctly interpret what they see during the Tribulation and will believe the gospel themselves and call on others to repent and believe as well.
The Antichrist and his followers will not tolerate their evangelism and will kill them. All of these martyrs are people who were alive before the Rapture, but who were not believers until afterward. Therefore, there must be opportunity for some to come to Christ in faith after the Rapture.
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