Fourth Kingdom: our place in God’s timetable
A systematic approach to the end times using hundreds of verses from all over the Bible. This first book establishes our place relative to the return of Christ and describes what we should expect from the present age.
The book includes a preview of the transition time (time of the end) from the present to the coming age. Books number two through five cover this period of time in more detail.
Book summary
The book contains six chapters and an appendix:
- Understanding the Bible – biblical prophecy isn’t impossible to understand, but it requires discipline, patience and humility
a. Material is not coded/encrypted/hidden
b. God expects all His people to understand prophecy
c. Confirmation is the key that is missing from most modern prophecy books/teachers
d. Clarity is our expectation of prophecy - Understanding the Times – we can build the same basic timeline of the present and coming ages from many verses
a. There are exactly two ages of concern to prophecy
b. The resurrection of the dead marks the change from the present to the coming age
c. Jesus’ second coming is inseparable from the resurrection of the dead
d. We live in the same age as Jesus & the apostles for the past 2,600 years
e. The present age is marriage and death
f. The coming age (resurrection) is life without marriage - Understanding the Kingdom – Daniel 2 & 7 lay out the history of the present age which includes four kingdoms
a. Fourth kingdom is different, domineering, deceptive, etc.
b. We live in the times of the fourth kingdom
c. Other kingdoms remain active, reject and war against the fourth kingdom - Understanding the Days – several main passages describe the present age revealing a consistent picture of these days
a. Deception, wars, earthquakes, famines, apostasy, persecution and lawlessness - Understanding the End – preview the final few years of the present age
a. Rise of antichrist, abomination of desolation, plagues of Revelation, Armageddon, etc. - Understanding the Goal – Jesus expects His people to remain alert for the time of the end
a. He does not expect that they can predict coming events
b. Therefore, we have even more reason to remain ready to react - Understanding the Theories (Appendix) – clear & consistent reading of the Bible eliminates many popular theories of prophecy and the end times
a. None of these theories add anything to our faith
Biblical prophecy presents a consistent picture of the end of the present age and the start of the next age. When we begin with the clearest, simplest verses, we avoid confusion and error.