Guide to Apocalyptic Scriptures

After years of study, I put together this timeline that I have used to understand biblical prophecy related to the end times.  I have intentionally put aside the many teachings I have had on this subject and mainly used the Bible as my guideline, checking what I learn from the Bible and the Spirit against those teachings when necessary and fruitful.  I once again must thank the publishers of the Biblehub website for the enormous benefit of having so much information easily available online.

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I would just add a few notes.  One is my mapping of the "Great Tribulation" to the entire time period from the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 until the Day of the Lord at the final trumpet.  I did not set out to take such an unconventional view of this term (the "thlipsis megale" in Greek), however after cross-referencing the synoptic accounts in Matthew, Mark and Luke, I came to the conclusion that the "Olivet Discourse" is mostly referring to the end of the Jewish kingdom and the desecration of the temple by the Roman Emperor. After all, this is what the disciples asked about (the destruction of the temple) and what they would be most concerned about in their lifetimes.  This drove me to review the prophecies of Daniel regarding the abomination of desolation and the cessation of the regular sacrifice which were fulfilled at that time and are not mentioned in Revelation.  The tribulation in my view, is great not only in intensity, but also in its breadth (worldwide) and duration over the centuries.  This trying of our souls involves not only endurance through persecution, but also endurance through false prophecy and the mocking wisdom of man.

Of course, Jesus also talks about His second coming after the great tribulation so we cannot take a "post millennial" viewpoint; the balance of scripture still indicates much to come before the great day of judgment.

If you study end time teachings over the years, you will discover that commonly accepted teachings come and go, and change greatly over time.  This is natural, because nobody really knows when the things yet to come will happen, or exactly how.  That part is up to God.  I may change my own view of some of these events, but I have tried diligently to respect the entire teaching of the Bible and only use the tools available to consolidate wisdom and knowledge from the Bible and present it here in a very broad summary.

I hope you enjoy using this for reference, and consider it prayerfully before commenting below!

The River That Flows From God's Throne

I was reading the Gospel of John the last few days and came across something that made me seek a little more understanding.

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'" But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” Others were saying, “This is the Christ.”
John 7:37-41

If you're just reading along, you might miss the context.  This is Hoshana Rabbah, a most joyous day of the year in Israel.  The people have just celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles, which is a week-long praise service to remember their wandering in the wilderness, and God's provision of food and water for the children of Israel.

Jesus stands up and cries in a loud voice that HE is the source of the life-giving water that comes from the throne of God.  And He prophesies that believers in Him will be conduits of this life-giving water (the Holy Spirit) for the world's refreshment.  He relates Old Testament prophecy (Isaiah 55, Ezekiel 47) to the New Testament church that is yet to be born.

When the people hear this prophecy, their reaction is startling.  Some become convinced Jesus is the greatest prophet; others that He is indeed their Messiah.  Those few brief words are so exquisitely spoken and timed, they strike a resonant chord in the heart of the faithful.  But some are infuriated that Jesus would bind Himself to the words of Isaiah in such a setting, and they seek to kill Him.

This inspired me to learn more about this river of life, and what I learned was truly wonderful.  Let me start with Ezekiel.

Then he brought me back to the door of the house; and behold, water was flowing from under the threshold of the house toward the east, for the house faced east. And the water was flowing down from under, from the right side of the house, from south of the altar. He brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate by way of the gate that faces east. And behold, water was trickling from the south side.
      When the man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, he measured a thousand cubits, and he led me through the water, water reaching the ankles. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the knees. Again he measured a thousand and led me through the water, water reaching the loins. Again he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not ford, for the water had risen, enough water to swim in, a river that could not be forded. He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me back to the bank of the river.
Ezekiel 47:1-6

The water that was trickling from the east side of the Temple soon became an ankle-deep stream, and less than a mile downstream the life-giving water became a mighty river.  What would cause the waters to grow from a trickle to a mighty river?  What causes the Spirit of God to enter a person as a drink, and to leave a person as a river of life?  It is as if the faith of the believer greatly magnifies the flow of the Spirit.  The picture in my mind is the throne of God, established in the heart of every believer, that causes him or her to become a tributary of the river of life.

Not only does the river of living water nourish the body, but it satisfies the soul and gives eternal life.

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4:13-14

God Himself calls us to come to the river and drink freely.  (You might want to listen to this beautiful John Foley song sung by Matt Maher while you read the rest of this...)

“Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;
And you who have no money come, buy and eat.
Come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without cost.
Isaiah 55:1


What does the river of life look like?  It starts at the foot of the cross where the blood of the Lamb was spilled.  It pours over the apostles in the upper room.  It bubbles from their tongues and spreads like wildfire over the believers of the early church.  It is fed by the blood, sweat and tears of martyrs  under persecution from their Jewish and Roman rulers.  It sweeps through the dark ages of post-Roman Europe and bubbles out of the Protestant reformers and Methodist revivalists at the dawn of the industrial revolution.  It bursts forth new branches in home churches throughout Africa, underground churches in Asia, and newly awakened churches in the West.  If you can hear it, it probably sounds like a mighty rushing wind.  If you listen closely you may hear the prayers and worship of the saints.

Every believer adds testimony, tears and travails to this vast and unending river of life that continues to flow from the throne of God.  In a manner of speaking, every believer becomes a tree of life planted by the river, each bearing fruit in its time.

“By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing.”
Ezekiel 47:12

 On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Revelation 22:2

Oh that I might drink anew from that beautiful stream, that I might be immersed in its flow and refreshed in my innermost being!  That I might plant my life firmly by its banks and bring forth everlasting fruit!  Lord Jesus, every day I will come to the river.  I will bow down and water the seeds that I have sewn with tears, and soon I will return with joyful shouting bringing bountiful fruit and healing leaves!

So let it be Lord, so let it be.