Beginning with the assumption that we can understand prophecy, or God would not have put it in the Bible, author and prophecy expert Tim LaHaye shows how every believer can understand biblical prophecy, particularly those prophecies pertaining to the end times. But, you may be asking, why is it so important to understand the end times prophecies in books like Daniel and Revelation? Aren't they confusing at best?
To answer those objections, LaHaye offers six reasons why Christians should study and understand prophecy. They are as follows: One, hermeneutics--almost one third of the Bible consists of prophecy or prophetic utterances; Two, prophecy helps us understand who Christ really is--by combining prophetic descriptions of the reigning Christ with the gospel accounts of the suffering servant, we see a fuller picture; Three, understanding prophecy can help believers fight against cults and other false teachers; Four, prophecy, particularly prophecy about the imminent return of Jesus, is an effective motivator for evangelistic outreaches; Five, prophecy often leads the believer to greater purity and holiness; Six, prophecy offers confident hope at a time when so many feel or are hopeless.
Once you are convinced that the study of prophecy is a legitimate and valuable activity for Christians, you are faced with the question of what various prophecies mean. Let LaHaye's expertise guide you through your questions about the second coming, the tribulation, the rapture, the fate of Christians and Jews (Israel), how Jesus viewed prophecy (particularly eschatological prophecy), the resurrection from the dead, the millennial kingdom of Christ, where people go after death, and the great white throne of judgment. LaHaye is convinced that a proper understanding of eschatological prophecies will lead the church into greater evangelistic and missionary endeavours. At the very least, a proper understanding of prophecies will give the believer confidence in the God who holds the future.
Understanding Biblical Prophecy for Yourself will give you LaHaye's insight on various questions, but it will also teach you to develop your own insights, based on your own study of the prophecies themselves. LaHaye offers you the tools that will help you take the steps necessary to become a serious student of prophecy, but assumes that you will take it on yourself to undertake that further study. If you do undertake that study, LaHaye believes that your fears and misgivings about the end times will quickly be replaced with a bold and confident faith.
