Welcome
to the
Little Scroll
The Little
Scroll, a web page devoted to End Times Prophecy as revealed in the Holy Bible
Blessed is the one
who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and
take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. Rev. 1: 1 3
And the voice which I heard
from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book (or
scroll) which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and
upon the earth. And I went unto the
angel, and said unto him, 'Give me the little book'. And he said unto me, 'Take
it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy
mouth sweet as honey'. And I took the
little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth
sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy
again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings. Rev. 10:
8 11
Please note the following:
All verses used to support a position in this web
page should be read within the context of the surrounding scriptures.
Emphasis should be placed on the timing of
events that potentially fulfill Biblical signs over any dates ascribed
herein. Trends should be interpreted
within the context of the relevant signs recorded in the Bible. The dates shown herein are tenuous at
best. Trends, or specific events, may
(or may not) indicate the fulfillment of specific signs. The unfolding of End Times events, God's
will, and prayerful study will ultimately reveal the true nature of all
things.
No suggested interpretations of signs or
events provided herein should be construed as the last word on the subject, but
only my best current interpretation of events and trends in light of my
understanding of scripture. As I
continue to grow in knowledge and in spiritual maturity (as God allows) and as
events unfold, I fully expect to refine these interpretations.
This web page is not intended to be a
predictive road map of the future. It
is intended to be a reminder to believers, and an encouragement to seekers,
that God is at work in the world, that events unfold in accordance with His
will, and that we should therefore examine our lives in the light of His
unfolding purpose and plan.
Some Guidelines for
Studying the Bible, and for Interpreting Bible Prophecy:
Bible study should never be motivated by a
desire to prove a pet theory or promote a preconceived agenda.
Bible study should be motivated only by a
desire to know the will of God, as He is pleased to reveal His will.
Bible study should only be undertaken with the
belief that God will reveal His will to the sincere seeker.
All scripture is the revealed mind of God, as
recorded by men moved by the Holy Spirit.
All scripture should be studied within the
context of the whole Bible, to avoid interpreting any scripture out of
context. Read it and believe it
literally, unless a literal read conflicts with scriptural context (i.e.: In Luke 14: 26, when Jesus told his
followers that they cannot be his disciples unless they hate their parents, a
literal interpretation would conflict with other Bible teachings such as those
exhorting us to honor our parents, love others as we love ourselves, love our
enemies, etc. He was most likely
indulging in hyperbole, to emphasize that our first love must be to him and
above all others, including our parents.)
Avoid creative or speculative interpretations. If a literal read does not conflict with scriptural context,
believe it as written. Adding to or taking
away from scripture, to prove a pet theory or for any other reason, leads down
the slippery path to heresy and apostasy.
The Bible (as it exists today) provides all
the knowledge anyone needs to find salvation, and to develop a proper
relationship with God and others, through His Son, Jesus Christ. We need not (indeed, must not) add to, or
take away, from any of it.
However:
It should be noted that earlier writers (such
as the Old Testament Prophets) were not granted complete knowledge (of salvation,
the End Times, etc.) but only that which they, and God's people, needed to cope
with the times in which they lived. The
full revelation of God (to the extent as He, in His divine wisdom, has chosen
to reveal it) was not given to them.
This should be kept in mind when studying the Old Testament Prophets,
with respect to the meanings of their prophecies. Just as no one can receive a complete understanding of salvation
by grace through Christ by studying the Old Testament alone, so no one can have
a full understanding of End Times events by studying the Old Testament Prophets
alone.
All revelation recorded in the Bible is
progressive, in that knowledge revealed later in history builds upon, and
confirms, that revealed to earlier writers.
While the full revelation of God for salvation
and relationships was completely satisfied at the beginning of the present age
(the Age of Grace) with the completion of the New Testament, I believe that the
full revelation of God in all things future has not yet been given. The Scriptures plainly teach that a fuller
knowledge of the End Times will be poured out as the End Times approach, to
equip His people living at that time to meet the challenges of the end of the
age. That said, a careful study of what
the Bible says about the End Times is absolutely necessary in interpreting any
additional revelations, which must agree with, build upon, and fulfill what is
already recorded in Holy Scripture.
Otherwise they are heresy and can potentially lead to apostasy.
Some Thoughts on the
Purpose of Studying Prophecy:
"When Jesus
said, 'I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe
that I am' (John 13: 19), he indicated the purpose of prophecy is not to
provide a road map to the future but to enable willing listeners to recognize
the working of God in times of danger and uncertainty. He implies his words are predictive yet can
only be understood in hindsight. Seeing
his words come to pass will help people believe when the time comes. Prophetic words turn unfolding dangers into
evidence of truth for those times when hope is most absent." End-Time Prophecies of the Bible By
David Haggith.
I cannot say it
better. I highly recommend Mr.
Haggith's book to anyone who wishes to supplement his or her study of Bible
prophecy.
Some Thoughts on
Ascribing Dates to Prophecy
As already noted, dates
ascribed herein for the End Times are tenuous at best, subject to change based
on unfolding events, and quite possibly wrong.
So why bother with them at all?
Well, its been done before
often and every time it's been done, it's been wrong.
The desire to see these
terrible and blessed events unfolding before our eyes has been part of the
Church's psyche since the beginning of the Church Age. The earliest believers, including the
apostles, hoped that Christ would return soon after his ascension and during
their lifetimes. Of course they, like
the Old Testament prophets, had only partial knowledge of the future. Israel was still a nation occupied by the
Romans, rebellious, threatened within and without, and soon to be scattered
but still a people dwelling in the land the Lord had given them. The coming Diaspora was not anticipated. The Church Age the Mystery of God was
only just beginning to unfold. And
Christ himself had warned his disciples that only the Father in Heaven knew
when he would return. In the years,
decades and centuries the followed, the (perceived) delay of Christ's Second
Coming gave rise to all kinds of doctrine to explain (or explain away) what the
Lord had given the Prophets. The
speculators ignored the basic fact of faith that men's plans must wait upon,
and conform to, God's Plan.
And God's Plan does seem to
be unfolding before our eyes today.
From the breakup of empires at the beginning of the 20th Century, to the
emerging alliances, unions and leagues evolving around the Mediterranean Basin,
and in the Middle East, at the beginning of the 21st. From the increases in knowledge and travel that grow
exponentially from decade to decade, to the global destructiveness of weapons
of mass destruction and possible (indeed, seemingly inevitable) asteroid
strikes. From Israel back within her
ancient borders, to increases in population and industrialization that allow
mobilization of armies of 200,000,000+ warriors.
So much prophecy is
unfolding before our eyes. Many pieces
are already in place or are falling into place and there's good reason to
speculate that, quite possibly, the last pieces could position themselves within
the next couple of decades. Say, by
2033 or 2035? (Give or take a decade or
two, for God reasons time differently than does man.) 2,000 or so years after Pentecost from the birth of the Church
and beginning of the present Age of Grace - seems to me as logical a date as
any other for the terminus of the present age.
But then, the wisdom of men
is foolishness to God - - -
For the present, it's all
speculation. I have no special revelation,
no clever means of calculating prophetic years and sevens. Still, isn't it fascinating to think that
many who read these words might be alive to see Christ coming in the air? And hasn't that been the true desire of
every true believer of every generation since Christ's ascension?
After he said this, he was taken
up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky
as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. Men of Galilee, they said, why do you
stand here looking into the sky? This
same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same
way you have seen him go into heaven.
Acts 1: 9-11
God bless us in our hope,
and lead us not into temptation - - for Thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever and ever.
Even so, Lord, come.
Some Thoughts on the End
of the Age:
I am inclined to subscribe
to the concept of the Millennial Sabbath, in which God's historical involvement
with mankind may span a period of about 7,000 years, to include what might
roughly be termed as four ages:
The Age of Conscience: from about the time of Adam (or possibly from
as late as from the time of Noah) to the time of Abraham (~ 4,000 B.C. to ~
2,000 B.C.)
The Age of Law: from about the time of Abraham to the time
of Christ (~ 2,000 B.C. to ~ 0)
The Age of Grace: from the time of Christ's first coming to
the time of His second coming (~0 to ~2,000 A.D.)
The Sabbath Age: from the second coming of Christ and lasting
1,000 years ~2,000 A.D. to ~3,000 A.D.)
Following is a scriptural
basis for, and graphic representation of, my interpretation of this timeline:
II Peter 3: 1 - 14
This
second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your
pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which
were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles
of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last
days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise
of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they
were from the beginning of the creation.'
For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the
heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
Whereby the world that then
was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth,
which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against
the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is
with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The
Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is
longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come to repentance. 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, 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.
An interesting aside to the
concept of the Millennial Sabbath is that the great time of Old Testament
prophecy fell right in the middle of this timeline (around 500 B.C.).
Also interesting to note is
that the Age of Grace (the Church Age) was not revealed to the Old Testament
Prophets. It helps to keep all this in
mind when trying to understand some of the End Times prophecies recorded in the
books of the Old Testament Prophets, which sometimes seem to leave out
important events that we now know occurred after their times (including all of
history between the time of the Jewish Diaspora to the reestablishment of
Israel as an independent nation after over 2,000 years of subjugation and exile
among the nations).