THE POPULAR ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLE PROPHECY

INTRODUCTION

Never before has fascination with Bible prophecy been more acute than it is today. Part of that interest is due to the uncertainty of our times. Our world has become more and more marked by political instability and contentious
strife, particularly in the Middle East. All over the globe, societies are characterized by this threat, along with our society’s declining morals, rampant crime, and governmental turmoil. People living in these turbulent times want answers, and many are turning to the Bible to get them. Despite easy access to modern technologies and conveniences, including computers that can process billions of bits of information in the blink of an eye, many people still believe that the Bible, a book written thousands of years ago, holds the answers to life and the life hereafter. Unfortunately, most seekers get little help in the area of prophetic study. Unless they take it upon themselves to make prophecy a special study, they are not fully equipped to
answer many of the questions they may have on this vitally important subject. And important it must be, for 28 percent of the Bible was
prophetic when it was written! Evidently God considered it important to include prophetic passages in nearly every book in the Bible, and
He used, almost exclusively, prophets to record the Scriptures. As the apostle Peter said, “Holy men of God [the prophets] spoke as they were
moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21 nkjv). The accuracy of their inspired writing, particularly the prophetic portions, proves without question that the Bible is of divine origin. Nothing motivates Christians like the
study of prophecy. It puts an evangelistic fire

in the heart of the church, it gives believers a vision for world missions, and it injects a desire to live a holy life in an age of unholiness. That is why the LaHaye Prophecy Library was launched in conjunction with Harvest House Publishers several years ago.This Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy is
a key book in the series and may in fact be one of the most comprehensive. With the help of Dr. Wayne Brindle, we have compiled a team
of prophecy experts who have written on the most important subjects of prophetic study. They may differ slightly on minor points of
discussion, but they are all in agreement with the major issues of biblical eschatology, particularly in terms of holding to the pretribulational,
premillennial view of the end times. The topics covered in this encyclopedia have been arranged alphabetically for ease of study,
and the articles have been written to appeal to both those who are new to prophecy and those who are experienced students of the
subject. We hope this volume will inspire you to search the Scriptures and become, as the apostle Paul admonished, “Approved to God…rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Our sincere prayer is that these articles will inform your mind, bless your heart, and stir
your soul with the blessed hope of Jesus’ coming. As our Lord Himself instructed us, we are continually watching for His imminent return to call us home to be with Him. In the meantime, we are challenged and admonished to keep watching, be ready, and continue serving Him until He comes (Matthew 24:42-46).

Tim LaHaye
Ed Hindson