Course Outline

Texts needed: What the Bible Says About the Future, by Sam A. Smith (PDF version free), and Study Questions for use with What the Bible Says About the Future (PDF –free)

To begin, go to the Tutorial Main Page at: http://prophecy.biblicalreader.com/tutorial.html,

or click here: Tutorial Main Page

Course Outline:

1A. Introduction to the study of biblical future prophecy

1B. Why study prophecy?

2B. Areas of agreement concerning the future

3B Areas of disagreement concerning the future

1C. The nature of the millennium

2C. The nature of the tribulation

3C. The timing of the rapture of the Church

4C. The nature of the Church

5B. The timing of the resurrections and judgments

4B. Logical versus chronological study of biblical future prophecy

2A. A survey of what the Bible says about the future

1B. The partial regathering of Israel to their promised land

2B. The rapture of the Church

3B. The time of tribulation on earth

4B. Interlude between the tribulation and millennium

5B. The millennial kingdom

6B. Interlude between the millennium and the new creation

8B. The new heavens and earth

3A. How systems of belief affect our view of the future

1B. The historical development of millennial views (including premillennialism, amillennialism,
classic postmillennialism, and theonomic postmillennialism)

2B. Dispensationalism and covenant theology as views of history

3B. Covenant theology and its view of redemptive history

4B. Dispensationalism and its view of redemptive history

5B. Dispensationalism and covenant theology as systems of interpretation

1C. Covenant Theology as a system of interpretation

2C. Dispensationalism as a system of interpretation

3C. Blended (premillennial/covenantal) systems

1D. Covenant premillennialism

2D. Progressive dispensationalism

6B. Why the Bible should be interpreted normally

4A Understanding apocalyptic literature

1B. The distinguishing features of apocalyptic literature

2B. Applying normal (Literal) interpretation to prophecy

1C. General interpretive principles

2C. Special considerations in the interpretation of prophecy

3B. Summary

5A. The kingdom of God and the millennium

1B. Aspects of the kingdom of God

1C. The “universal aspect” of the kingdom of God

2C. The “visible aspect” of the kingdom of God

3C. The “invisible aspect” of the kingdom of God

2B. The necessity of a future earthly kingdom

1C. The Abrahamic covenant

2C. The Palestinian covenant

3C. The Davidic covenant

4C. The new covenant

5C. The unconditional nature of the covenants

6C. The implications of the Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic, and new covenants

3B. The millennial phase of the visible kingdom

1C. The time, location, duration, and general character of the millennial kingdom

2C. Events and chronology of the millennium

4B. Summary

6A. The tribulation

1B. The purpose of the tribulation

2B. Biblical background

3B. Description of the tribulation period

1C. Preconditions for the period

1D. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan. 2:1-45)

2D. Daniel’s vision (Dan. 7:1-28)

3D. Correlating Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s vision

2C. The first half of the seven-year period

1D. The covenant that begins the seven-year period

2D. The rebuilding of the Jewish temple

3D. The beginning of the tribulation (seals 1-4)

4D. The invasion of Israel by many nations

5D. The spiritual rebirth of Israel

3C. The second half of the seven-year period

1D. Satan and his host thrown down to the earth

2D. The abomination in the temple

3D. The new world economic and religious order

4D. The ministry of God’s two prophets

5D. The martyrdom of Christians

6D. Cosmic disturbance

7D. The 144,000 Jewish men sealed

8D. The day of God’s wrath

9D. The destruction of the world religious system

10D. The destruction of the Gentile world order

11D. The second coming of Christ and associated events

7A. Tribulation chronology

1B. Absolute external chronology

2B. Relative external chronology

3B. Internal chronology

1C. The length of the tribulation period

1D. Daniel’s seventy “weeks” (Dan. 7:24-27)

2D. Confirmation of the length of the period

2C. Major divisions within the period

3C. Understanding the individual chronologies of Daniel, Matthew 24:3-31, and Revelation 6:1-20:3

1D. The chronology of Daniel

2D. The chronology of Matthew 24:4-31

3D. The chronology of Revelation 6:1-20:3

4C. How an overall timeline of the tribulation period can be constructed

5C. Timeline of the tribulation period

6C. Chronological aspects of the first half of the tribulation

7C. Chronological aspects of the second half of the tribulation

8A The rapture of the Church

1B. Biblical background

2B. Description of the rapture

3B. The unique nature of the Church

1C. Israel and the Church are distinct entities

2C. Israel and the Church have been given distinct prophetic programs

3C. The extent of the Church age

4B. Views on the time of the rapture in relation to the tribulation

1C. Pretribulationism

2C. Midtribulationism

3C. Rosenthal’s pre-wrath rapture view

4C. The partial rapture view

5C. The imminent pre-wrath view

6C. Classic posttribulationism

7C. Imminent posttribulationism

5B. Summary

9A. Eternity