My friend, Preaching Brother from Another State (he has a name, actually; I started describing him this way to protect his anonymity) recently sent me one of those glossy color advertisements (5½ by 8½), announcing a “World Events in Bible Prophecy” event that began on September 13th in DeKalb, Texas. It was touted as a “Revelation Seminar” and conducted by 7th-Day Adventists. On the black-and-white side of the postcard, the sponsors asked: “Are you concerned about—
• The Catastrophic events happening in the world?
• The Rise of Crime?
• Moral Decay?
• Political Unrest and More?
These questions are followed by the bold statement: “This seminar will give you answers.” Pardon the skepticism, but the answers provided will probably be fanciful rather than Scriptural. If one looks at the questions closely, he will notice their vague nature. At what time could these questions not be asked? In how many decades has there been a rise in crime? Few notice when the crime rate diminishes. Our morals have been decaying for more than half a century. When is there not political unrest? What about World War II for supplying catastrophic events? Or September 11, 2001? The point is that the Bible says nothing more about this year than any other year. But many will hear a lecture and conclude, “Wow! The Bible speaks about what is happening right now”? No, it doesn’t.
The front of the postcard is interesting. In the upper right-hand corner is a picture of our current president; on the left-hand side is one of Kim Jong Un. Next to him is a masked terrorist holding a rifle of some sort (AK 47?). Next to President Trump is the Capital Building. Between them is a penny, but it has the pyramid from the dollar bill on it and the word coeptis. Interesting. Below the North Korean leader is a military helicopter, which is adjacent to Vladimir Putin. Some military planes are on his right, just above an Ayatollah, who is next to a pope. On his left is the image Nebuchadnezzar saw, with himself as the head of gold. That image has absolutely nothing to do with today’s events. Rome was the fourth world kingdom, and the church has replaced it (and every other earthly kingdom). The two guys presenting this workshop apparently do not know that Daniel’s own prophecies, as well as his interpretations of dreams, have long since been fulfilled. Neither Daniel nor Revelation describes anything happening in the world today. If only people would understand the Scriptures in their context and quit listening to uninspired men!