1. Great Doctrines

2. Lesson 13

3. Lesson Text—Matthew 25:1-5 Matthew 25:1-7 1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

4. Lesson Text—Matthew 25:1-5 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

5. Lesson Text—Matthew 25:6-9 Matthew 25:8-9 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

6. Lesson Text—Matthew 25:10-13 Matthew 25:10-13 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

7. Lesson Text—Matthew 25:10-13 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

8. Focus Verse—Matthew 24:44 Matthew 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

9. Focus Thought We are moving toward a grand finale. The Bible speaks specifically about end-time events because God wants us to recognize the signs of the times.

10. I. Prophecy in the Bible Introduction The prophetic events of the future are intricately interwoven with many historical events of the past. The history of God’s dealings with mankind sets the stage for what will shortly come to pass. Since one out of every four verses of the Bible deals with prophecy, it is apparent God has chosen to reveal Himself and His plan to those who will diligently search His Word.

11. I. Prophecy in the Bible By examining the more than three thousand fulfilled prophecies of the Bible, believers can become confident of the certainty and reliability of God’s Word. Furthermore, the literal fulfillment of these prophecies, in opposition to the preterist or the allegorical views, helps us to clearly see the relevance of prophecy in regard to future events, especially those events directly related to the second coming of Jesus Christ.

12. I. Prophecy in the Bible The prophecies of the Bible did not come about through human intellect, and one cannot interpret them privately or solely through personal intelligence. (See II Peter 1:20.) Rather, understanding prophecies is possible only through the diligent comparison of contrasting and complementary Scriptures and the illuminating guidance of the Holy Spirit.

13. I. Prophecy in the Bible By carefully examining the literal manner in which the Bible was fulfilled in regard to the first coming of Christ, we gain understanding about the prophecies of the second coming of Christ. Further, we may expect the futuristic prophecies to be fulfilled in a normal and literal sense with very specific and distinct details.

14. I. Prophecy in the Bible Many of the symbols of Bible prophecy may be understood as representing a person or kingdom in a literal sense; however, the exact details of each prophecy may not be fully understood until a future point in time nearer its fulfillment.

15. Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29).

16. I. Prophecy in the Bible We may not clearly understand many prophecies until God unveils them in His own time. God said to Daniel, “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end” (Daniel 12:9). Interestingly, almost half of the prophecies of the Bible remain unfulfilled. As we rapidly accelerate toward the end of this present age, knowledge of God’s Word will increase in proportion to our nearness to Christ’s coming and our keen awareness of Bible prophecy and its fulfillment.

17. Daniel 12:3-4, 10 “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.... Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand” (Daniel 12:3-4, 10).

18. I. Prophecy in the Bible As we purify our hearts and minds to fulfill God’s purpose of spreading the gospel, God will open our understanding so that we may rightly divide the word of truth. God will continue to bless those who are born of Him and who abide in His truth, and He will give them a clear understanding of end-time events and how they relate to the church.

19. I. Prophecy in the Bible Prophecy in the Bible With exact precision God foretold the events surrounding the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the scattering and regathering of the nation of Israel, and the outpouring of the Holy Ghost. In addition to these fulfilled prophecies, He has given us future prophecies to prepare us for the things shortly to come to pass.

20. I. Prophecy in the Bible God has never abandoned His purpose of redeeming mankind or His covenant promises to the nation of Israel, and He will faithfully fulfill all His prophecies. Just as Israel has an appointment with destiny, the church soon will see the culmination of the events that will usher in the Day of the Lord and our gathering together unto Him.

21. Matthew 24:30-31 “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:30-31).

22. Matthew 24:32-35 “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:32-35).

23. II. The Sequence of Empires The Sequence of Empires God raises up and casts down empires and kingdoms according to His will and purpose. The prophet Daniel revealed a sequence of four world empires followed by a fifth empire that would arise out of the fourth. This fifth empire corresponds to the eighth “beast empire” in the Book of Revelation.

24. I. Prophecy in the Bible Each of the empires revealed in the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation brought chastisement and judgment upon the nation of Israel or its people. Since Daniel’s prophecy predicted and preceded the Babylonian captivity, and since most of these prophecies have been fulfilled through history, one can identify Babylon and the empires that followed it in the conquest of Israel. After Babylon came Media- Persia, Greco-Macedonia, and Rome.

25. I. Prophecy in the Bible All four of these empires fulfilled history as the Scriptures predicted. However, there is yet another future empire that the same Scriptures prophesied, which will arise out of the Roman empire to fulfill end-time prophecy. Prior to the four empires that have already arisen to fulfill God’s purposes concerning the people of Israel, there were two other empires, Egypt and Assyria, that God used to perform His will involving Israel.

26. I. Prophecy in the Bible The Book of Revelation also mentions an empire (“continue a short space,” Revelation 17:10) that would appear after the fall of the Roman empire but before the emergence of the final “beast empire.” After the fall of Jerusalem in ad 70, Israel ceased to exist as a nation or kingdom until May 14, 1948.

27. I. Prophecy in the Bible In that intervening period, Israel faced the apex of its struggle to maintain its national identity under the severe persecution of Nazi Germany, also known as the Third Reich of the Holy Roman Empire (1933-1945). Consequently, seven of the eight predicted world empires that have directly impacted Israel or its people have followed the exact sequence of events foretold by the prophets. By examining the fulfillment of history in accordance with biblical prophecy, we know we can rely on the accuracy and fulfillment of future end-time events.

28. III. The Nation of Israel The Nation of Israel When God established Israel in the land of promise, He promised to bless them above all the nations of the earth if they kept His covenant. However, if they rebelled against His covenant they would suffer famine and ruin, and ultimately God would cast them out of their inheritance. Throughout Israel’s history they were blessed with peace and prosperity when they walked in His statutes, but they experienced oppression by heathen nations whenever they dishonored God.

29. I. Prophecy in the Bible True to the faithfulness of God’s Word, they eventually scattered from the land and they endured unimaginably severe afflictions. During the siege of Samaria by the king of Syria, the famine became so severe that the women of Israel ate their own children for want of food, just like God had said in His Word (Deuteronomy 28:53-57). Seven times Israel has suffered the affliction of God’s judgment by means of the empires of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Media-Persia, Greco-Macedonia, Rome, and Nazi Germany.

30. I. Prophecy in the Bible And yet, an eighth and final judgment will come upon the nation to spiritually cleanse and renew it in the last days. In that day, 144,000 people from the twelve tribes of Israel will receive the seal of the Lord in their foreheads that they might be a kind of firstfruits unto God among those who are redeemed from the earth (Revelation 7; 14:1- 4).

31. I. Prophecy in the Bible Since God has ordained that there will be a harvest of firstfruits, we can rejoice in that there will be a harvest at the end of this age, for all who obtain a part in the first resurrection shall rule and reign with Christ as kings and priests for one thousand years (Revelation 20:6).

32. I. Prophecy in the Bible Although we do not know the day or the hour of the coming of the Lord, we must remain vigilant lest that day should overtake us like a thief in the night. Jesus prophesied a harvest at the end of the world when the Lord would separate the wheat from the tares. The “end of the world” or “end of the age” is synonymous with “the harvest” of Matthew 13, when God will separate the righteous from the unrighteous.

33. Matthew 24:6, 13 “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.... But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:6, 13).

34. A. Most Prophecies Are Very Specific Messianic Prophecies A. Most Prophecies Are Very Specific Jesus Christ fulfilled over three hundred verses related to the coming of the Messiah during His earthly lifetime and ministry. Most of these prophecies contain details providing such undeniable evidence that only one man could have fulfilled all of them exactly.

35. I. Prophecy in the Bible Jesus Christ was that man, and He alone met all the requirements of the law and prophets. The Messiah was to be born of the seed of a woman, thus making Him a fleshly human being who could identify with the trials and temptations of the flesh (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 53). The prophets did not specifically foretell the time of His birth, but they did identify his birthplace.

36. Micah 5:2 “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

37. B. Minute Probability of One Man Fulfilling Only Eight of the Messianic Prophecies The law of large numbers overwhelmingly supports the authenticity of Jesus Christ as the Messiah for which Israel was waiting. If the odds of one man fulfilling only eight of the messianic prophecies is 2 x 1023 to 1, how awesome it is that Jesus Christ fulfilled over three hundred prophetic verses of Scripture in minute detail!

38. I. Prophecy in the Bible To find a quarter lying in the street could happen by mere chance; to find eight quarters lying in close proximity to one another is less likely, but not unimaginable. However, to find eight quarters all touching one another in a triangular pattern suggests deliberate arrangement and not mere chance. The Old Testament was written over a period of about twelve hundred years by at least twenty- nine different writers, but its phenomenal accuracy, unity, and inspiration form the basis for our faith.

39. I. Prophecy in the Bible Still, with all the characteristics of its numerous writers and the hundreds of years taken to record it, the Old Testament exists without contradiction and with innumerable prophecies fulfilled, testifying to its divine authorship. We can rely on the witness of God’s unfailing Word!

40. C. The Prophetic Details of the Messiah Required the Work of the Sovereign Creator The Scriptures prophesied that the birth of the Messiah would be no ordinary birth; He was to be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14). Yet, He would come from the genealogical ancestry of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Specifically, He would come from the tribe of Judah, and more specifically from the house of David (Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 9:7).

41. I. Prophecy in the Bible The prophecy of His birth narrowed even further because of a curse God had pronounced on the lineage of Jeconiah (Coniah), a descendant of King David and his son Solomon. Although this was the Davidic line, which had a legal right to the throne of Israel, God decreed that none of Jeconiah’s descendants would sit on David’s throne (Jeremiah 22:30; 36:30). Mary, the mother of Jesus, was of the house of David and a distant relative of Joseph, who held a legal right to the throne as a descendant of Solomon and Jeconiah.

42. I. Prophecy in the Bible However, Mary’s bloodline proceeded not from Solomon and Jeconiah, but from David’s son, Nathan. Since Jesus was born of Mary and not Joseph, He could lay claim to the throne as the legal son of Joseph while at the same time fulfilling the prophecies of being a son of David. As the son of David, He was to be born in Bethlehem, the city of David, as prophesied by the prophet Micah (Micah 5:2).

43. I. Prophecy in the Bible Even the price of His betrayal, thirty pieces of silver, and the fact that He would be betrayed by a familiar friend were fulfilled to the letter (Psalm 41:9; Zechariah 11:12). All of the detailed situations, places, and events associated with prophecies of the birth, life, and death of the Messiah could have been ordained only by a sovereign Creator.

44. I. Prophecy in the Bible Even the details of His death—the rending of His side; the plucking of His beard; none of His bones being broken; being led before His accusers as a sheep before the slaughter; being given gall and vinegar to drink; the casting of lots for His garment; and many other details—plainly show we can rely on the accuracy of the Bible in its final fulfillment at the end of the age. Only a sovereign God could have orchestrated the prophetic details of Jesus’ birth, life, death, burial, and resurrection.

45. A. The Rapture End-Time Prophecies A. The Rapture The idea of the Rapture is rooted in Paul’s letter to the church at Thessalonica. It appears from the text that these believers were fearful about the state of the righteous dead. (See I Thessalonians 4:13-15.)

46. I. Prophecy in the Bible Paul wrote, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:16-17). This “catching away” is the idea behind the term “the Rapture.”

47. I. Prophecy in the Bible Paul clarified this mystery in his first letter to the Corinthians when he declared, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (I Corinthians 15:51- 52).

48. I. Prophecy in the Bible Jesus gave three of His disciples a preview of His second coming on the top of a high mountain, revealing the brightness of His glory while appearing with both the dead (Moses) and the living (Elijah, who was translated without seeing death). When Jesus returns to earth again, both the righteous dead and the righteous believers who are alive will join Him in the first resurrection. The hope of every true believer is the rapture of the church when we will be translated like Enoch and Elijah into the kingdom of heaven.

49. I. Prophecy in the Bible No one knows the day or the hour of Christ’s return to earth, but we should be aware of the nearness of His appearing, especially as that day approaches. The Scriptures plainly state that believers are not appointed unto wrath (I Thessalonians 5:9), but Christians will experience severe testing and trials as never before that they may be refined like gold tried in the fire.

50. I. Prophecy in the Bible Jesus gave clear warning to His disciples that before the time of His coming, they would be delivered up to be afflicted, some would die for their faith, and they would be hated of all nations for His name’s sake (Matthew 24).

51. I. Prophecy in the Bible Reoccurring themes appear in each of the letters written to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation—the need for patience, perseverance, endurance, watchfulness, faithfulness in tribulation and suffering, the chastening of the Lord, and the promise of reward to those who endure to the end. (See Matthew 24:9-14; Revelation 2; 3.) Peter warned believers of how they ought to live as they see the Day of the Lord approaching (II Peter 3:10-14).

52. II Peter 3:10-11 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (II Peter 3:10-11).

53. II Peter 3:12-14 “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless” (II Peter 3:12-14).

54. I. Prophecy in the Bible We are the children of light; the Day of the Lord should not overtake us like a thief in the night. (See I Thessalonians 5:1- 11.) All believers should faithfully prepare and anticipate the return of the Lord for His church. It is an event no believer will want to miss. Wrath and destruction will follow the catching away of the church.

55. B. The Tribulation There will come a time of great tribulation, which will come upon all the world. There are differing opinions as to when the Rapture will occur. Some believe the church will not suffer any of the Tribulation; others believe the church will endure a portion or all of the Tribulation. There also is disagreement as to what constitutes tribulation and what constitutes wrath or judgment.

56. I. Prophecy in the Bible Clearly, Jesus warned His followers they would suffer tribulation in this world (John 16:33), but He was not addressing the larger context of the Tribulation, a prophetical period of seven years of tribulation in the end times. The Scriptures also are clear that believers are not appointed to wrath, apparently referring to the final judgments of the Tribulation.

57. I. Prophecy in the Bible We may not know exactly when the Rapture will occur, but regardless of whether believers encounter the Tribulation period or not, one thing remains indisputable: Christians must “endure hardness” as soldiers of the cross of Jesus Christ (II Timothy 2:3). Further, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (II Timothy 2:4).

58. I. Prophecy in the Bible The Lord either warned or encouraged each of the seven churches of Revelation to hold fast in faithfulness that they might obtain their just reward through patient endurance and perseverance. The Lord also warned the seven churches in Revelation about numerous things that would test their experience with Jesus Christ to the limits.

59. I. Prophecy in the Bible Being cast into prison Suffering tribulation Being slain as martyrs Being cast into great tribulation Suffering the murder of their children Being overtaken as if by a thief in the night Not knowing the hour Being kept from the hour of temptation Enduring the chastening of the Lord

60. I. Prophecy in the Bible None of the things mentioned would constitute enduring the wrath of God because the Lord chastens those whom He loves. As the church of Jesus Christ, we must be willing to endure all things for Christ’s sake knowing He will not put on us more than we are able to bear (I Corinthians 10:12-13). Thanks be to God that we shall escape the wrath of His judgment when He judges the earth in righteousness.

61. I. Prophecy in the Bible The Lord has reserved all of the judgments and plagues of Daniel’s Seventieth Week for those who miss the Rapture, those who have rejected the gospel message of salvation.

62. C. The Judgment Seat of Christ All individuals will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Since Jesus Christ possesses all power and authority in heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18), He will be the judge of all mankind. “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him” (John 5:22-23).

63. I. Prophecy in the Bible The righteous will stand before the judgment seat of Christ immediately following the first resurrection that they may receive their eternal rewards, for judgment begins at the house of God (I Peter 4:17). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (II Corinthians 5:10).

64. I. Prophecy in the Bible All who attain unto the first resurrection shall inherit eternal life by God’s grace and mercy; however, they shall receive rewards based on their works, whether good or bad.

65. I Corinthians 3:13-15 “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (I Corinthians 3:13-15).

66. I. Prophecy in the Bible As Christians we must labor together to build up the kingdom of God through diligent prayer, fasting, and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.

67. D. The Millennium Immediately following the battle of Armageddon, Jesus Christ shall begin ruling all nations from His throne in Jerusalem. This period of direct rule over the nations of the earth will last one thousand years, a millennium, thus prompting the term millennial reign, or the Millennium. John mentioned this period of one thousand years of peace six times in Revelation 20; however, the Scriptures also describe the time in the Old Testament Book of Isaiah and the Book of Ezekiel.

68. I. Prophecy in the Bible Following the complete destruction of the earth by means of God’s judgments, it will become necessary for God to restore all things just as He revealed them to the Old Testament prophets. Christ will heal the waters of the Dead Sea, and the mountains and valleys will flourish with an abundance of fruits and grains.

69. Ezekiel 47:10 “And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from En-gedi even unto En-eglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many” (Ezekiel 47:10).

70. Ezekiel 47:12 “And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine” (Ezekiel 47:12).

71. I. Prophecy in the Bible These and many other prophecies shall be literally fulfilled, and the saints will rule and reign with Christ for one thousand years.

72. E. The White Throne Judgment At the end of Christ’s millennial reign the rest of the dead, those who were not judged worthy to participate in the first resurrection, will be raised to stand before the Lord in judgment. Those who are raised up in the second resurrection will have no part in the kingdom of God, but will be judged according to their works. All of the unrighteous, whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, will be cast in the lake of fire, which burns forever and ever.

73. E. The White Throne Judgment Conclusion We must ever remain vigilant and be aware of the times in which we live, for the Son of man will soon return in an hour that we think not. By giving ourselves to prayer and patient study of God’s Word, we will not be caught unaware of the time and seasons in which we live. We must not be as others who have no hope, but with patience and godly fear we must eagerly anticipate the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

74. I. Prophecy in the Bible Ultimately, our love and devotion to the truth of the Scriptures will keep us from being deceived by the spirits of this world. We must resist every spirit that would entice us to abandon holiness and our strong adherence to the apostolic faith.