Dr. David Jeremiah - The book of signs: 31 undeniable prophecies of the apocalypse

2019 David Jeremiah

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To four prophetic scholars who have greatly impacted my life:

Dr. J. Dwight Pentecost and Dr. Tim LaHaye

who are living in heaven, and

Dr. Ed Hindson and Dr. Mark Hitchcock who are living on earth.

CONTENTS

Can you remember back to the last time you drove along an interstate or highway? Perhaps it was only a few hours ago, or perhaps significantly longer. Either way, Im certain your driving experience included interacting with signsprobably quite a few signs if you live close to a major city, as I do.

Many of the signs posted along our modern roads are informational; they tell us what we need to know. Interstate 5 San Diego, for example. Or Exit 74, 5 Miles. Other signs are invitational; they seek to capture our attention and pique our interest. Think of signs such as Welcome to Texas or Great Food This Exit! Some of the most important signs we encounter on our highways are warning signs; they alert us to possible dangers on the road ahead. I pay attention whenever I see a sign marked Detour, for example, or Right Lane Closed.

Whether offered as information, invitation, or warning, each sign we encounter along the road is designed to help us move from where we are to where we want to be. In a similar way, God in His providence has placed a number of critical signs along the highway we call human history. We often think of these signs as prophecies, and we have been made aware of them through the prophetic vehicle of Gods Word, the Bible.

Some of the signs we encounter in the Scriptures are informational, some are invitational, and many offer warnings about the road aheadwarnings that apply to both our present and our future. All of these signs are important, and none should be ignored.

Thats why Ive written this book.

WHY STUDY THE SIGNS?

Throughout the history of the church, the prophetic portions of Scripture have received an enormous amount of literary attention. Countless books claim to offer insight on the hundreds of topics related to biblical prophecy, all of them written from a wide variety of theological perspectives and positions on how to interpret Scripture. These studies can create a variety of questions, concerns, and even confusion in our minds. Sometimes it is difficult to see how obscure passages, distant places, and unfamiliar symbols can have any significance for our lives. After all, if we cant understand what the Bible is teaching, how in the world can it have any relevance to what we are experiencing today?

This drive to understand has been a major foundation of my ministry for decadesincluding the drive to understand and apply the truths communicated through biblical prophecy. My interest in that subject as a preacher and a writer has always been anchored in my love for the Bible, which I believe to be the inspired Word of God. I find it fascinating that the Bible dedicates more space to the subject of prophecy than almost any other. There are over eighteen hundred prophecies in Gods Word concerning the first and second coming of Jesus Christ alone!

Obviously, prophecy is important to God, and He desires for us to understand His plans. He has given us His signs for a reason.

Not coincidentally, people have always been fascinated with the future. In the uncertain and often anxious times in which we live, all of us yearn to see ahead, to know, and perhaps to avert disaster. Therefore, I count it a privilege to help people find their place in the great pattern of prophetic events foretold by Gods prophets, written out in Scripture, and confirmed in the headlines of the day.

As you read through The Book of Signs, you will find a comprehensive exploration of these prophecies and signs. You will see not only how Gods Word offers insights into the future, but also how Scripture builds faith through the events of the past and encouragement in the uncertainty of the present.

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS?

Before we move forward, what do I mean by signs? The conventional definition of a biblical sign is somewhat broad. It can be an event, symbol, object, place, or person whose existence or occurrence indicates something important in Gods plan for history. There are any number of ways such signs can present themselves, but all express a particular meaning, help us know what to pay attention to, or point to what will be coming.

You will discover in these pages that God has taken great care to communicate in a way we can understand. Jesus Himself talked about signs verifying His first coming, signs portending His second coming back to earth, and signs that outline both general and specific elements of the end of the age. Well take a close look at those in these pages, as well as other Scripture passages in which signs are a major theme.