Fast Approaching

By Lori O’Mel Hershey

What do today's headlines have to do with  yesterday's Bible Prophecies?  Could the prophets of old  really foretell  events  that cover our news today?  If you find yourself intrigued with events that surround us daily and wonder if there is a greater purpose then this book will give you the  insight  you need to understand today and prepare for tomorrow with great hope!
   Bible prophecy was not written centuries ago to scare or frighten us. Rather it was written to give us clues for understanding the world in which we live. Unfortunately Bible prophecy has gotten a bum rap. Too many times people have gotten wrapped up in the judgements of  Revelations and failed to see that there is much more to discover in prophecy that doom.
   The  prophetic scriptures, though understood individually, fit together like a puzzle. Focussing on one book or event in prophecy and refusing to piece it together with  others limits understanding and clear insight.
   You don't have to be a Bible scholar to gain knowledge about the signs of our times. With Bible prophecy being fulfilled at such an incredible speed and all eyes on Israel and the Middle East now, more than ever,  it is time to live life intentionally with our eyes on Jesus.
   Ezekiel predicted that Russia would be a major player during the last days. This generation has seen Russia Rise and Time Magazine  even name  Putin  Man of the Year for 2007!
   Prophets of old wrote that there would be an increase in violence, marriage would come under attack, deception would be prevelant and moral decay would be evident. Even though it looks like things are falling a part you can be certain that things are simply falling into place...just as the scriptures said!
     

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Feb 17, 2009
• ISBN: 9781452029894

Lori O’Mel Hershey

A former Youth Director and Director of Christian Education with over a decade in ministry.  Lori has been a Bible Study teacher for twenty years and has written Sunday School curiculum for Middle School and High School. Currently working in education. Graduate of Stetson University and Ordained through Trinity Evangelical. Resides  in Jacksonville, Florida with  husband, Scott and our four children: Drew, Josh, Tori, & Hope.     

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2009 Lori O’Mel Hershey. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 07/08/2022

ISBN: 978-1-4343-6363-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4520-2989-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2009900189

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

for

Sheri and Gloria

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering;

(for he is faithful that promised;)

And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is;

but exhorting one another: and so much the more,

as ye see the day approaching.

—Hebrews 10:23–25 (King James Version)

Contents

Introduction

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Acknowledgments

Checklist

Endnotes

Introduction

The rapture is something many believers have heard of, but few have ever studied, much less learned about from the pulpit.

There is a Christian music group called FFH. I met them when they were still using the name Four 4 Him. The group was made up of four guys who sang tight a cappella harmonies. When they got their big break, they added a female singer and music, and they changed the band’s name to FFH. I met them when I was a Christian education director. They were paying their dues singing at elementary school chapel services, churches, and anywhere else they could. When I met them, they had just spent a summer rehabbing homes in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Since my last name also is Hershey, they were excited to tell me about their summer work.

FFH has a song titled Fly Away on their Collection album The lyrics are:

OK, you win, you caught me daydreaming again

About our sudden evacuation.

OK, I give in, I can’t help but wondering,

But it seems I can’t get enough information….

The lyrics go on to talk about the anticipation of the rapture. Pointing, out that many believers are curious and want to know more. The repeating chorus describes flying away from this world to be with the Lord.

Several years ago, I met a woman who told me she was a Jehovah’s Witness. I asked her how she became interested in and involved with them.

She replied without hesitation, I had some questions and was having a hard time finding answers in my church at the time. Jehovah’s Witness weren’t afraid of my questions, and they are the only ones who really know scripture.

Her answer stunned me. In fact, for a brief moment, it was as if her words had sent an electric shock through my entire body.

I followed up with, So, prior to your place of worship now, where did you attend?

Well, my father is an ordained minister in Jamaica, she replied. I grew up in the church.

Again my head spun. I had spent almost a decade working in church ministry. I quickly did a rewind in my mind, wondering what Bible studies had she participated in? What Sunday School lessons had she heard? What had not satisfied her in the church that made her hunger and search elsewhere?

I asked her, What is it that you wanted to know about?

I wanted to know about the Second Coming. I wanted to understand the end times, she said. Come on, you tell me when is the last time you heard about the latter days from the pulpit?

I didn’t respond. I kept thinking about all the books that are written on biblical prophecy, all the Bible studies on books of the Bible, and I wondered why she hadn’t pursued those.

As I listened, I discovered someone who was hungry, seeking, and wanting answers. I believe she was willing to dig, but I that think more than any thing, she wanted to be in dialogue with someone. Little did she know that I had just completed Anne Graham Lotz’s study on the book of Revelation titled The Vision of His Glory.

Our conversation quickly moved on to scripture. She would quote one verse or part of a verse, and I would counter. It went on for at least an hour. Our words bounced back and forth like a tennis volley.

Someone once said to me, You don’t get to pick which stories you like to believe. You have to accept them all, even the ones you don’t like. Those words seemed kind of harsh at the time. Looking back, I must admit that I’ve learned that the scriptures, though studied in parts, at times must be understood collectively.

Have you ever started framing a puzzle, only to discover that the final side piece was nowhere to be found? So instead, you start filling in from the sides and middle. Putting more together, you can’t help but notice that gaping hole on the side with no end piece in sight. That’s what it’s like when we pick and choose only a few books or verses from the Bible to frame our understanding of biblical prophecy. It only comes together when we have all the pieces. Imagine that you’re about to finish a puzzle. The table is disappearing as each piece falls into place. Then you get down to the last few spaces. Finally, there’s one piece left. Putting in that last piece and completing the puzzle brings a huge sense of accomplishment. You smile and think, I did it! But what about the puzzle that is all completed except for that one piece? You stare at the picture before you. Almost done just does not feel good. You want to know where the missing piece is.

The woman I met who had changed from one faith to another felt like that. She had grown up in the church, and for the most part, she felt that her spiritual puzzle was in place. However, there was one piece missing that made the picture seem incomplete.

Now, I ask you: have you ever heard of heaven. Do you know much about it? Have you ever heard the simple word rapture? Do you know what it is? Has anyone ever said to you, These are the last days or We are living in the end times? Or what about this: Jesus is coming again! If you can answer yes to any of these, please turn the page!

Chapter One

The Bible contains more than 2,000 prophecies that have already been fulfilled. The Old Testament holds more than 333 prophecies regarding the Messiah. Many of those words were written four hundred years before Christ!

The word prophecy comes from the Hebrew word nebuwah. It means a prediction. The word for prophecy in the New Testament is a Greek word, propheteia. It means prediction. The Hebrew word chazah is sometimes translated prophecies in the Old Testament. It means to perceive or have a vision, or to see.

Before delving into the signs of the end times, the rapture, and the second coming, we first have to believe scripture to be true. When we look at biblical prophecy, we must keep in mind that even though something may sound preposterous, based on what we see today, we should not disregard it. Let us look back on just a few of the biblical prophecies regarding Christ, foretold in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament.

The Christmas story has almost become commonplace. Many of us hear it once a year, and even non-Christians are acquainted with the main elements of the story:

1.There was a woman, Mary, who was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph.

2.Mary became pregnant by divine conception.

3.The baby was born in Bethlehem.

4.Wise men from the East saw a star and followed it.

Now consider these biblical prophecies:

Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold the young woman who is unmarried and a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [God with us].