Standard Broadcast | Tomorrow's World

Standard Broadcast

Apollo 11: 50 Years Later

July 16, 1969 was a day for the history books as three men blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Destination...the moon. How is it that we can explore the moon, but cannot understand WHY we are here on Earth?

Who Changed the Sabbath to Sunday?

What happened to the Fourth Commandment, which states that God’s people should keep the seventh day holy? How did that major change take place? Which day should Christians keep holy? And WHO changed the Sabbath to Sunday?

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Sunday Or Saturday: Who Changed The Lord's Sabbath?

The original Christian followers of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, believed in keeping the Fourth Commandment, “Remember the Sabbath day.” Jesus Himself observed the seventh-day Sabbath in Nazareth where He grew up. As an adult, He preached in the synagogues on the Sabbath, as it tells us in Luke 4:16.

In the first century AD, after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, the Apostle Paul preached on the Sabbath to Gentile congregations.

Now, two thousand years later, most professing Christians keep the first day of the week, Sunday, as the Lord’s Day. What happened to the Fourth Commandment, which states that God’s people should keep the seventh day holy? How did that major change take place? Which day should Christians keep holy? And WHO changed the Sabbath to Sunday?

Your Bible and history give the answer! Don’t go away!

DOES THE SABBATH MATTER?

Warm greetings to all our friends around the world!

Most professing Christians observe Sunday as a day of worship. And yet the Ten Commandments include instructions to observe the seventh day, Saturday. Perhaps you grew up as a young child learning the Ten Commandments. The Fourth Commandment gives us this very plain instruction: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God...” (Exodus 20:8–10) Yet most professing Christians observe Sunday, even though first-century Christians observed the same seventh-day Sabbath that Jesus observed!

So, WHO changed the Sabbath to Sunday? On today’s program, we’ll answer that question. And we’ll be offering you an inspiring free booklet that gives you the biblical answers you need. It’s titled: WHICH DAY IS THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH? Just call the number on your screen, or order it online at TOMORROWSWORLD.ORG. Just ask for the Christian Sabbath booklet.

Various religions set aside holidays or holy days. Muslims gather to worship on Friday. Jews around the world have worshipped for thousands of years on the Sabbath, the day that begins at sunset every Friday evening, and continues through to sunset on Saturday. Professing Christians meet for Sunday church services, proclaiming theirs is the true day for worship. 

My friends, which day should Christians keep holy? The first day of the week? Or the seventh? Throughout world history, various civilizations have recorded their days in weeks of four days or ten days. Yet the seven-day week is ancient. Records going back to ancient Babylon show observance of a seven-day cycle. The Jewish people have preserved a calendar with a seven-day week. History faithfully documents that the day we now call Saturday is the seventh day of the week, and Sunday is the first day of the week. Even when Pope Gregory XIII revised the calendar in 1582, he did not change the seven-day cycle. The seventh-day Sabbath today is the same seventh day observed by Jesus and the first-century Christian Church. 

If you have your Bible, turn to Acts 13:42. In the first century AD, the Apostle Paul preached on the Sabbath in the Antioch synagogue. Notice that his audience included BOTH Jews and Gentiles. After the Jews left, the Gentiles made a request. Now, this was YEARS after Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Surely, if the Christians were to keep Sunday, these Gentiles would have met with Paul the very next day, Sunday. But did they? Acts 13:42, “So when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them….”

WHEN? The next day, Sunday? No! Verse 42: “…the Gentiles [not the Jews] begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.” Read that again in your own Bible. “…the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath.” NOT SUNDAY!

Sure enough, Acts 13:44: “On the NEXT SABBATH almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God.” Paul met with Gentiles, not on Sunday, but on the Sabbath. New Testament Christians observed the seventh-day Sabbath.

But doesn’t the New Testament mention the first day of the week several times? It does. But is there any example of WORSHIPPING on the first day of the week? No! Dr. Roderick Meredith comments on the topic of “Sunday in the New Testament” in the free booklet we’re offering today, WHICH DAY IS THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH?: “The word ‘Sunday’ does not even appear in literal Bible translations. We do find the phrase ‘first day of the week’ in the New Testament, but this occurs just eight times. Five of those references (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1–2; Mark 16:9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1) describe Mary Magdalene and others coming to the tomb AFTER Christ’s resurrection. As we prove elsewhere in this booklet, Jesus was resurrected Saturday evening—NOT Sunday morning. So those references have nothing to do with observing the day of Christ’s resurrection!” (pp. 4–5). Dr. Meredith explains the other three references of the “first day,” and demonstrates that none involved a regular worship service. Be sure to request your free copy of the Christian Sabbath booklet that covers much more information than we have time for on this program.

The New Testament Scriptures and history demonstrate that original Christianity, the Christianity that Jesus Himself established in the first century, observed the seventh-day Sabbath. The Catholic Encyclopedia, on the topic of “Sunday,” agrees. Listen: “Tertullian (202 [AD]) is the first writer who expressly mentions the Sunday rest: ‘We, however (just as tradition has taught us), on the day of the Lord’s Resurrection ought to guard not only against kneeling, but every posture and office of solicitude, deferring even our businesses lest we give any place to the devil.’” (Volume XIV, p. 335). Tertullian did not write this until 202 AD, more than 170 years AFTER the beginning of the New Testament church!

Was Tertullian correct in supposing that Christ was resurrected on Sunday? We’ll answer that question in the next part of the program. But first, I’d like to offer you this exciting, well-documented, free booklet, WHICH DAY IS THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH? This inspiring booklet references the eight places in the New Testament that use the expression “first day of the week.” Were they Sunday worship services? Were they memorials of Jesus’ death? This free booklet will answer those questions, and more. Here are some of the subheads: “Christ and His Disciples—Sabbath-Breakers?” “Was Jesus Resurrected on Sunday?” “Practice of the Original Apostles.” This inspiring free booklet will also give you many biblical references and quotes we haven’t had time to include in this program. Did you know that both Roman Catholic and Protestant authorities ADMIT that the Bible itself does not support a Sunday observance? You need to read those authoritative and historic quotes. You need this free booklet for your personal benefit and Bible study. Just click the link in the description below or call the number on your screen for the booklet “Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath?”

We’ve seen that the Apostle Paul taught Gentiles on the seventh-day Sabbath. We also saw from history that Sunday worship was not affirmed until the third century AD, when the Catholic theologian Tertullian called Sunday the “day of the Lord’s Resurrection.” But, is Sunday the day of the Lord’s Resurrection, as Tertullian said? No! Listen! When Mary Magdalene came to Jesus’ tomb on Sunday morning, she found it empty. Let’s read that in John 20:1–2, “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

She came while it was still dark! The sun had not yet risen. It was still dark and Jesus was NOT THERE Sunday morning! He was buried at sunset Wednesday evening and rose exactly three days and three nights later, just as He said. You can read that in Matthew 12:40. There are not three days and three nights from a traditional “Good Friday” to an Easter Sunday morning! So, the common reason for Sunday worship is based on human tradition, not on the Scriptures. Jesus emphasized the sign of His Messiahship. Matthew 12:39–40, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

You can read more about the three days and three nights in our inspiring free booklet, WHICH DAY IS THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH?

The first century Christian Church worshipped on the seventh-day Sabbath, the day we now call Saturday. But when Roman emperor Constantine, a former pagan sun-worshipper, enforced his own version of Christianity on the Empire, he MANDATED Sunday worship! He gave the following edict in 321 AD, “On the venerable day of the SUN let all magistrates and people … REST” (Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, article “Sunday Legislation,” Volume XI, p. 147).

Just a couple years later, the Roman church also passed a startling decree in the Council of Laodicea. They declared: “Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but the Lord’s day they shall especially honour, and, as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing [or keeping the seventh-day Sabbath], they shall be shut out from Christ.” (A History of the Councils of the Church, Vol. 2, p. 316). In other words, Christian Sabbath-keepers were declared to be heretics.

But on what authority did the Roman Church make this change? The noted Catholic theologian, James Cardinal Gibbons, wrote this bold statement: “But you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. [Listen to this!] The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify.”

What Gibbons and other Catholic authorities state, is that, it is the authority of the Catholic Church that changed observance in the Christian world from Saturday to Sunday, NOT the New Testament scriptures! And that occurred in the Council of Laodicea in the middle of the fourth century!

What an amazing admission! And yet Gibbons is not alone. Order our free booklet, WHICH DAY IS THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH? and you will read similar admissions from Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal and other religious leaders, all admitting that the Bible nowhere authorizes Sunday as a new Sabbath day.

But does this even matter? Can’t we just worship on any day? My friends, Jesus gave a very strong warning about traditions conflicting with the commandments of God. Turn to MARK the SEVENTH CHAPTER: “‘...in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men…. All too well you REJECT THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD, that you may keep YOUR TRADITION.” (Mark 7:7–9)

That’s a warning I hope all of US will heed. Jesus said He is Lord of the Sabbath. He observed the Sabbath regularly and He did NOT break the law as some theologians say. As He said in John 15:10, “...I have kept My Father’s commandments...” My friends, should you follow the example of Jesus Christ and the instructions of your Bible? Or should you oppose them and follow the traditions of men?

You need to prove it for yourself, from your OWN BIBLE, which day is the Christian Sabbath. To help you in your study, I’d like to again offer you this exciting, well documented, free booklet: WHICH DAY IS THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH? This booklet gives you the historical and biblical evidence you need to answer the question. You need this free booklet for your personal benefit and Bible study. So, click the link in the description to read it on our website or call the number on the screen and order your own free copy.

Jesus And The Apostles Kept The Seventh-Day Sabbath, And God Expects Us To Follow Their Example!

On today’s program, we’ve seen that the early New Testament Church observed the seventh-day Sabbath. But WHEN was the seventh-day Sabbath established? Was it established at the time of Moses on Mt. Sinai? No! It was established much earlier, at the foundation of this world. Turn in your Bible to Mark the second chapter. Notice what the Founder of Christianity said in Mark 2:27. Jesus said, “...The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” Yes, the Sabbath was made for man, for ALL humanity, for every human being on earth. Again, WHEN was it made? We find the answer in Genesis 2:1–3! “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” Yes, God established the seventh-day Sabbath at the foundation of this world, long before the time of Moses. As Jesus said, “… The Sabbath was made for man….” Yes, for all human beings around the world. Jesus did not say, “The Sabbath was made for the JEWISH people.”

Now let’s go back to MARK the second chapter. Jesus made an amazing claim. Did He say He was Lord over Sunday—that Sunday was the Lord’s day? MARK 2:27–28, “… The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath.” If Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath, what day is the Lord’s day? Sunday? NO! The Sabbath is the Lord’s Day—Jesus Himself said so! And, as it tells us in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” He is still, right now, Lord of the Sabbath! The Scriptures admonish us to follow His example, and that of the Apostles. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Corinth, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). The Apostle PETER also exhorted us to follow the example of Christ. 1 Peter 2:21, “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps….” My friends, Jesus and the apostles kept the seventh-day Sabbath, and God expects us to follow their example!

Is there even more New Testament evidence regarding Sabbath observance? Turn in your Bible to HEBREWS the fourth chapter. In this chapter, the Sabbath is pictured as a type of the millennial rest, as well as a memorial of God’s rest at creation. HEBREWS 4:9, “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.” The original Greek word for the word “rest” in verse 9 is “sabbatismos” which means “a Sabbath-keeping.” Both the Revised Version and the New International Version translate verse 9 as “a Sabbath rest.” Yes, there remains a SABBATH rest for the people of God, even to this day!

Notice this important statement in VERSE 10 of HEBREWS 4. “For he [the individual Christian] who has entered His rest [that’s God’s rest] has himself also ceased from his works [notice] AS GOD DID FROM HIS.” The context of Hebrews the fourth chapter is both symbolic and literal rest. The Greek word “katapausis” is also translated “rest” in this section. But notice what God says of those who have NOW entered into God’s REST, that is—those who are converted, those who will now follow Christ.

If we, as converted Christians, are to cease from our works just as God did from His, we simply need to ask one question: HOW did God cease from His works? VERSE 4 (of HEBREWS 4) gives us the answer: “For He has spoken in a certain place of THE SEVENTH DAY in this way: ‘And God rested on THE SEVENTH DAY from all His works….’”

The bottom line question is: WHO or WHAT is your authority? Is it the Bible? Or some church and religion APART FROM the Bible?

As we’ve seen, some religious leaders, including Roman Catholic and Protestant, claim tradition or church administration, APART FROM THE BIBLE, as their reason for keeping Sunday, rather than the Sabbath. For example, listen to this statement from Anglican Isaac Williams, DD [doctor of divinity], in his Plain Sermons on the Catechism, “[W]here are we told in Scripture that we are to keep the first day at all? [Listen to this admission!] We are commanded to keep the seventh; but we are nowhere commanded to keep the first day…. The reason why we keep the first day of the week holy instead of the seventh is for the same reason that we observe many other things, NOT because the BIBLE, but because the CHURCH, has enjoined it.

My friends, these are surprising admissions. You can read more in our free, informative booklet, WHICH DAY IS THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH? Here on pages 36 and 37 are shocking admissions, by Protestant and Catholic Church leaders, that the Bible teaches seventh-day Sabbath observance. They admit that the change to Sunday was based on supposed Church authority, not on BIBLICAL authority. This booklet will give you the historical and biblical truth that will explain why most professing Christians keep Sunday, when God’s Fourth Commandment tells us to keep the SEVENTH day of the week. You need this free booklet for your personal benefit and Bible study. So, click the link in this description to read it for yourself on our website or call the number on the screen and order your own free copy of “Which Day Is the Christian Sabbath?”
 

All Nations Will Observe The Weekly Sabbath And The Biblical Holy Days!

On today’s program, we’ve seen that the original Christian Church observed the seventh-day Sabbath, following the example of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. It was Emperor Constantine in AD 321 who proclaimed the day of the sun as THE day of worship for the Roman Empire. The fourth century AD Catholic Council of Laodicea affirmed Sunday worship and declared Christian Sabbath-keepers heretics. Even to this day, Christian Sabbath-keepers are persecuted in many countries around the world.

So, who changed the Sabbath to Sunday? The real answer is: “No one!” God Almighty established the Sabbath at the foundation of the world for ALL human beings through Jesus Christ. As it tells us in Ephesians 3:9, God “...created all things through Jesus Christ….” And Christ, to this day, is Lord of the Sabbath, as it tells us in Mark 2:28. Remember, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” That’s in Hebrews 13:8. Yes, even today, New Testament Christians follow the example of Christ and the Apostles in observing the seventh-day Sabbath.

If you are a longtime student of Tomorrow’s World, and you would like to worship with other Christian Sabbath-keepers, we invite you to counsel with one of our representatives. Just call the number on your screen, or you can contact us through our Website at TOMORROWSWORLD.ORG.

My friends, we are living in the time of the end prophesied in your Bible. We look forward to the coming Kingdom of God, ruled by the Prince of peace—the Messiah, Jesus Christ. As King of kings and Lord of lords He will teach, govern, guide, and serve all nations. So, one last question: When Christ establishes His world-ruling kingdom on earth, ON what day will all nations worship?

Notice God’s proclamation in Isaiah 66:22–23, “‘For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,’ says the LORD, ‘So shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,’ says the LORD.”

If you are alive at that time, will you obey your Lord and Savior and worship Him on the Sabbath along with all peoples on earth? Do you even now worship the Savior as Lord of the Sabbath? Give these questions some thought, and prayerfully decide to worship God in spirit and in truth as it tells us in John 4:24. We look forward to the day when all peoples and all nations around the world will worship Christ the King. The Messiah will establish world peace, world government, true education, and the biblical way of truth, love, and life. All nations will observe the weekly Sabbath and the biblical Holy Days! What a wonderful, peaceful, and prosperous world it will be! 

You need to study more deeply into this subject for yourself. Be sure to request our free booklet, WHICH DAY IS THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH? This free booklet will give you many biblical references and quotes we haven’t had time to include in this program.

Also, be sure to click the subscribe button and notification bell so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World video. In this world of growing chaos and confusion, you need the solid guidance that comes from your Bible. Gerald Weston, Wallace Smith, and I, along with guest presenter Rod McNair, will continue to share with you the teachings of Jesus Christ, the good news of the coming Kingdom of God, and the exciting end-time prophecies and their meaning. See you next time!


Unlock Bible Prophecy!

Many people study their Bibles faithfully, but there is a large part of the Bible that eludes many: Bible Prophecy. Its symbols and ancient references can seem confusing and bewildering. The good news is that you don’t have to be in the dark. You can understand Bible prophecy for yourself, if you learn some fundamental keys that unlock their meaning.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Three Keys That Unlock Bible Prophecy

Many people study their Bibles faithfully, but there is a large part of the Bible that eludes many: Bible Prophecy. Its symbols and ancient references can seem confusing and bewildering.

Yet, if there were ever a day when Bible prophecy was of life-or-death importance, it’s today! The news around us is packed with prophetic significance, and God has long foretold events that we are seeing unfold around us right now!

The good news is that you don’t have to be in the dark. You can understand Bible prophecy for yourself, if you learn some fundamental keys that unlock their meaning. On today’s program, we’ll explain three of those fundamental keys that unlock Bible prophecy—you won’t want to miss it!

Between One-Fourth to One-Third of Your Bible Contains Prophecy!

Greetings, and welcome to another Tomorrow’s World—the program that makes sense of today’s world using the pages of your own Bible.

Today, we’re going to give you three tools you need to understand Bible prophecy for yourself. We’re also going to make available one of our most popular resources—a free DVD titled “The Power of Prophecy.” Keep an eye on your screen during the program for the information you’ll need to get your own free copy.

Now as we get started, we should acknowledge that some students of the Bible out there believe that prophecy isn’t important. Perhaps, even, that it’s a distraction from what God would want you to understand from His word.

And I do want to be clear: If you’re focusing on understanding what prophecy has to say about the future while your family is being neglected and you’re mired in a lifestyle of sin and disregard of the laws of God, then your priorities are upside down! In fact, given that God’s help is a vital necessity for anyone seeking to understand prophecy, then your efforts are self-defeating. As we’re told plainly by King David in Psalm 111 and verse 10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments.”You won’t come to understand what God has to tell you in His word unless you are willing to truly obey what you read, and to respond to His guidance and commands.

But as for prophecy being unimportant, that claim should be utterly dismissed as a devilish lie.

Jesus Christ tells us plainly in Matthew 4 and verse 4, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH OF GOD.”

Do you believe Jesus when He says, “every word”? If so, then you have to accept that prophecy is important! Estimates vary, but between one-fourth to one-third of your Bible contains prophecy! And ignoring prophecy is like ignoring one out of every four, or even one out of every three words God inspired.

Consider the book of Revelation. Many say that they ignore the book of Revelation because it’s confusing and hard to understand. It speaks of beasts with multiple heads and horns, riders on horses bringing war and famine, angels and plagues and mountains being thrown into the sea—the symbols can seem a confusing and meaningless collection to many. Yet read the very first verse of how the Savior describes the PURPOSE for the entire book of Revelation: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place.”

Notice that Jesus did not inspire the book of Revelation to hide from us what is to come, but to reveal what is to come!

If we simply allow ourselves to dismiss prophecy or ignore it because we find it uncomfortable, or too mysterious—perhaps because we don’t see it is playing an important role in our spiritual lives—then we are telling Jesus Christ that He doesn’t understand what is important to Christians!

Will YOU tell Jesus that He doesn’t understand what’s really important in God’s word? Can any of us tell God that a quarter or more of His inspired word is, somehow, just “not for us”?

In fact, the Apostle Paul admonishes all of us today, just as he did those of ancient Thessalonica—writing in 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 20, “Do not despise prophecies.”

That said, we must also be careful with prophecy. The Apostle Peter warns us plainly in 2 Peter 1, beginning in verse 20: “…knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation [or origin], for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

While prophecy is often filled with symbols and sayings that must be interpreted, those interpretations are not up to us to decide. God inspired the prophecies of the Bible, and God must provide the keys to understanding them!

And He does provide just such keys.

In the remainder of our program, today, we are going to discuss THREE KEYS that will help you begin to UNLOCK the meaning of the prophecies in your Bible.

But before we continue, I want to encourage you to request one of our most popular free DVDs, “The Power of Prophecy.”

This power-packed free DVD contains four Tomorrow’s World programs that will take you into areas of prophecy that we only have time to barely begin discussing today. “The Power of Prophecy” answers some of the most-asked questions about Bible prophecy and what lies ahead. Including:

  • What is the mysterious Beast of Revelation?
  • What are the Five Keys to understanding prophecy? 
  • What are the Six Greatest Perils facing the United States?
  • What dramatic role will Europe play before Jesus Christ returns?

The answers to these questions will affect you personally and directly. Don’t wait until it’s too late: Request your own free copy today. There’s no cost, no obligation, and we do not give your information to others—we make this information available as a public service. Just click the link in the description or call the number below to order your free DVD, “The Power of Prophecy,” right now. And remember to click the “like” button if you don’t want to miss another Tomorrow’s Worldvideo. Be sure to subscribe to our channel, and click the notification bell.

How Can You Understand Prophecy When It Is Often Filled With Symbols and Mysterious Images

We noted in our previous segment that around 25 to 30 percent of your Bible is prophecy, and to ignore prophecy is to ignore Jesus’ teaching that we should live by EVERY word of God. Prophecy was a vital part of Jesus’ ministry, and it continues to be a vital part of His work on earth, today. In fact, the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God could be called a prophetic message, itself, concerning itself with the return of Jesus Christ and what He will do upon the earth, both before and after that return! It’s no wonder that we’re told in Revelation 19 and verse 10, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”

Yes, Jesus Christ cares very much about prophecy—and so should anyone who claims to follow Him and bear the name “Christian.”

But how can we understand prophecy? It’s often filled with so many symbols and mysterious images—plus, it was written so long ago!

Truly, many do make mistakes in their attempts to interpret prophecy.

I was told once at a local diner by a gentleman I was eating with that the iron claws and iron teeth of the Beast in Daniel 7 indicated that the animal referred to the nation of Russia, since it was at the heart of the Soviet Union, which brought down upon the whole world the “Iron Curtain.”

My dining partner was mistaken, though his interpretation seemed to make sense to him! He made the mistake of trying to read current events into prophecy. That’s the reverse of what God expects us to do! We need to understand Bible prophecy first, then we’ll have a better understanding of world events!

Others look to the moon and the stars and mistakenly seek to match up astronomical events, such as the so-called “blood moons,” to the timing of prophesied biblical events. Such individuals forget the Bible’s admonition, recorded in Jeremiah 10:2 (KJV), “…Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.”

God may use heavenly signs to display His power and majesty during prophesied calamities—and, in fact, the Bible says He will. But to seek the stars, the sun, and moon in an effort to divine the timing of the things to come is also not the approach God tells us to take.

How can we unlock Bible prophecies to our understanding, so we can know the times ahead of us? If Jesus wants to reveal such things to us, how can we understand what He wants us to know?

Let’s examine how you can avoid the mistakes of prophetic “wannabes” and, instead, understand what God truly has to say about the future ahead of you. You can learn to unlock Bible prophecy, and I’ll give you three keys to help get you started!

The first key to unlocking Bible prophecy is to TRUST SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.

A great deal of Bible prophecy is communicated through symbols, and I have heard many people give detailed and complicated interpretations of Bible prophecy that were rooted in nothing more than their own EDUCATED GUESSES as to what those symbols mean.

But if we trust the Bible to interpret its own symbols, we find that much of the mystery is dissolved by God’s own word!

For instance, consider the prophecy of Revelation 13 and verse 11, where we read of the coming False Prophet. The Apostle John writes, “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.”

Some have interpreted this to be a prophecy of America, since the American Bison has two horns and might look, to some, similar to a giant lamb. But such interpretations are not backed by the Bible! When we trust Scripture to interpret Scripture, the meaning communicated by this symbolism is made plain!

In the vision, the beast looks like a lamb. In the book of Revelation ALONE, a lamb is used to symbolize Jesus Christ in 26 different verses! The same apostle, writing in the gospel of John, notes John the Baptist’s words in chapter 1 and verse 29, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” The book of Acts and both the Apostles Peter and Paul all attest to the identity of CHRIST as the Lamb of God! So, if this beast of Revelation 13:11 looks like a lamb, then it is someone who will appear to be Christ-like!

Yet, the prophecy said this person will also speak like a dragon. Again, if we trust Scripture to interpret Scripture, then this meaning is clear! Revelation 12 and verse 9 identifies the meaning of the dragon: “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

So this individual, the coming Antichrist and False Prophet is someone who looks Christ-like (like the lamb), but who speaks the subtle lies of Satan the Devil (the dragon).

In instance after instance, you will find that if you use this key, trusting Scripture to interpret Scripture, then the meaning of the Bible’s prophecies will begin to be unlocked for you!

We’ll look at two more keys in a moment, but first I want to remind you again to request our free DVD, “The Power of Prophecy.” If you have ever felt that Bible prophecy was somehow “beyond” you or inaccessible, this free DVD will show you that you CAN understand it—both what it says about the days in which we are now living, AND what it says about the days just ahead of us. “The Power of Prophecy” gives you specific answers to prophetic questions, and also contains the vital message, “Five Keys to Understanding Prophecy”—including two crucial keys we don’t have time for on today’s program.

Don’t let one-fourth to one-third of your Bible stay a mystery to you. Unlock Bible prophecy with this free DVD, “The Power of Prophecy.” It really is absolutely free. Either click the link in the description or call the number on the screen to order your own copy, right now.

Using God's Prophectic Framework to Understand Bible Prophecy

So far, we revealed one of the three keys we’ll discuss today that will help you unlock Bible prophecy. That key was TRUST SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.

The second key we’ll discuss today is this: FIND MODERN NATIONS IN SCRIPTURE.

I’ve read more than one supposed teacher of prophecy declare publicly that the Bible does not mention modern nations such as America, England, Germany, etc.

But those individuals are wrong! They make that mistake for a number of reasons, but among them is the fact that the names of peoples and nations have changed over time.

For some nations, their names have remained remarkably consistent. For example, if you crack open your Bible, you will find the names “Egypt,” “Libya,” and “Ethiopia.” All three of those nations exist today, and they bear the same names they did then.

However, what few realize is that many other modern nations can be identified in the pages of Bible prophecy, as well. Those nations include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. You can also find Russia, Iran, China, Germany, Spain, France, and so many more! And, lest we forget, the modern nation of Israel is in there, too.

This news may seem odd, given that some countries didn’t exist as nations in bible times. For instance, the United States came into existence in 1776, centuries after the last word of the Bible was written. However, the resources we have available at TomorrowsWorld.org prove that the peoples of these nations are, indeed, identifiable in the pages of Scripture.

And when you understand how to read prophecy and identify today’s modern nations, you will see prophetic understanding unlocked right before your eyes as today’s headlines come to life in the pages of God’s word.

The second of today’s keys to unlocking Bible prophecy was to FIND MODERN NATIONS IN SCRIPTURE.

The third of the keys that we’ll cover today is this: USE GOD’S PROPHETIC FRAMEWORK.

Bible prophecy is not just a random collection of “predictions”—each telling what is going to happen in the future in a way that’s unrelated to the others.

Rather, God is working out a plan here on earth! Look at Isaiah 46, beginning in verse 9. There God says, “Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure…’”

God has declared the end of things from the beginning, and He is working out an organized PLAN here on earth. When you understand the prophetic framework of events within that plan, it gives you a structure in which to place additional details.

For instance, in the Book of Daniel, chapter 2, the ancient prophet explains a dream that God gave to ancient King Nebuchadnezzar: a dream of a tall statue with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, and legs of iron, ending in feet that were a mixture of iron and clay. In the dream, the feet of iron and clay were struck by a divine stone that crushed the entire image completely and ground it to dust before growing to fill the whole earth.

God inspires Daniel to understand the meaning of the dream, which was meant to show Nebuchadnezzar—and all of us—the sequence of world empires that would reign from his time (the head of gold) all the way until Christ’s second coming and the establishment of the Kingdom of God (that is, the stone that crushed the statue and filled the earth).

This vision provides one of the Bible’s great prophetic frameworks, since all of the events of history between the Babylonian Empire and the second coming of Jesus Christ fit somewhere within that time frame. Knowing this, we’re able to connect other biblical prophecies, as we examine where they fit within this framework.

Another great framework is given in the book of Revelation, which explains prophecies that discuss the last portion of human history, from the time of the first century Church, all the way to the return of Jesus Christ and beyond, into eternity.

And while that scope is grand, Revelation also includes details at a very small level, as well. This book of prophecy outlines in detail the last three-and-a-half years of human history leading up to Christ’s return and the establishment of the Kingdom, including two-and-one-half years of the Great Tribulation, followed by miraculous heavenly signs, and then the one-year period of the Day of the Lord.

With this clear prophetic framework of the end times in place, other prophecies relating to that time—such as those in the books of Daniel, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel—can be understood more clearly.

The third key to unlocking prophecy that we’ve covered today is to USE GOD’S PROPHETIC FRAMEWORK.

Before we conclude our program, let me give you one more opportunity to request today’s free DVD, “The Power of Prophecy.” The four Tomorrow’s World programs on this DVD will answer some of the most-asked questions about Bible prophecy and what lies ahead. Including:

  • What does the Bible say about the future of Russia, China, Iran, and other nations?
  • What will ultimately come out of the current strife in the Middle East?
  • How can I personally prepare for what is to come and protect my family?
  • How can I escape the Great Tribulation?

This DVD will NOT ONLY lay out for you multiple prophetic truths about what is happening in the world RIGHT NOW from the pages of your own Bible, it will also take the time to explain HOW YOU CAN PERSONALLY UNDERSTAND BIBLE PROPHECY IN THE FIRST PLACE. For those who have ever been confused by prophecy—be prepared to understand more clearly than you ever have before. And if you’ve ever told anyone that you just don’t know what’s going on in the world—after watching this free DVD, you’ll never be able to say that again. Don’t miss out—get your free copy of “The Power of Prophecy,” today.

Prophecy Shows Us Exactly What God Has in Store for the World

Beginning in the book of Genesis and running all the way through the book of Revelation, from cover to cover the Bible is filled with prophecy. It makes up fully one-fourth to one-third of your Bible—and for many, it’s locked away, beyond their understanding! But God WANTS you to understand it. And you can!

Today, we’ve covered three keys that can help you unlock Bible prophecy:

  • TRUST SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE
  • FIND MODERN NATIONS IN SCRIPTURE (and)
  • USE GOD’S PROPHETIC FRAMEWORK

These keys are only the beginning. The free DVD that we are sending to those request it provides two more vital keys to understanding prophecy—and it dives deeply and directly into those prophecies, unlocking their meaning and showing you exactly what God has in store for the world—and for you.

While many would dismiss prophecy as unimportant to your salvation, the Bible paints a very different picture! Bible prophecy stirs us to action, as we see the times ahead more clearly. It empowers God’s divine warning to the world—providing witness of the judgment to come and explaining how to avoid the days of wrath ahead! And prophecies fill us with hope, as we see the Kingdom of God drawing nearer and nearer, with every prophetic milestone that is passed.

In fact, Jesus Christ pointed to this benefit of prophecy when He encouraged His disciples, as recorded in the book of Luke. After prophesying of coming distress between nations and cataclysmic events in the heavens and on the earth, Jesus sounded a note of hope for those who have prophetic understanding concerning events that will take place. For they will be able to obey His admonition in Luke 21 and verse 28: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

Please don’t forget to get your own copy of today’s free DVD, and make room in your life for the power of prophecy to bring you the hope, encouragement, and guidance you need for the times that lie just ahead.

And if you haven’t already, click the like button and subscribe to our channel, so you don’t miss another Tomorrow’s World program!

Gerald Weston, Richard Ames, and I, as well as our guest presenter Rod McNair and everyone here on the Tomorrow’s World crew will be here, ready to teach you more about the prophecies of your Bible, the good news of Jesus Christ’s coming reign in the Kingdom of God, and the way to enter that Kingdom. Until then, take care!


Will America Be Great Again?

President Donald Trump ran on the slogan “Make America Great Again.” But will he succeed?  Will anyone succeed?  And what about Britain?  What happened to the word Great that once preceded the name?  Will Britain and the British descended peoples be great again?  You can know the answers to these questions with absolute certainty, and the answers may surprise you.

The Real Armageddon

World War II ended in 1945, more than 70 years ago. To many at the time, the devastating conflict between nations appeared as if the end of the world was near. Is Armageddon again knocking at our door? Will we in this generation experience “the end of the world”? What does your Bible reveal about our future and World War III? Will you be prepared for Armageddon?

Pages