Countdown to Eternity: Prologue to Destiny
by Woody Young and Chuck Missler
Countdown to Eternity: Prologue to Destiny
by Woody Young and Chuck Missler
"It's
just ideal. I wouldn't hesitate to give it to anyone who had questions about the Bible.
Put it in your General Bible Section!"
J. Burnett, Berean Christian Bookstore,
San Jose, CA
"Presents well the overall picture of the Bible."
Bookstore Journal, February ' 93
"An excellent starting point for understanding the Bible. I'm going to use it as a
primary resource for anyone who questions the Bible 's validity."
C. Smith, WAGP, Beaufort, SC
"Very easy to understand and I appreciate that."
J. Stone, Salem, Oregon
"I had been studying Eastern religions and 'New Age' and had many questions about
the Bible. This book answered them all! It finally makes sense to me."
Reader, call-in from PA
Because this enlightening guide illustrates how Biblical events hold significance for your daily walk with God, you will be inspired to approach the Bible with a new perspective -- that given to you by the Holy Spirit. You will be amazed when Scriptures, which may have seemed unimportant to you before, illuminate your faith. The Bible is a message to mankind from an awesome creator who clearly spells out the solutions to life's problems. COUNTDOWN TO ETERNITY reveals this message in a manner which is easily understood, allowing you to experience your fullest spiritual life.
Co-authors Woody Young and Chuck Missler understand the complexity of the Bible and the frustration many suffer trying to digest it. Both authors have large spirit-led ministries, reaching out to believers and non-believers. Woody Young, a successful entrepreneur who owns several companies, is the founder of Joy Publishing, which won the 1991 Ben Franklin Award as "Small Press Publisher of the Year." Joy Publishing produces the monthly publication, The Christian Communicator: A Source of News and Encouragement for Christian Writers and Speakers' which is recognized around the world. The recipient of the Distinguished Toastmaster Award by Toastmasters International, Mr. Young is the author of more than twenty books.
Chuck Missler has served as CEO and on the Board of Directors of many Fortune 500 companies, primarily in the defense industry. He graduated with honors from the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland and holds graduate degrees in business and engineering. Now in full-time ministry, he has over eight million Bible study tapes in circulation around the world and is co-author of two books.
Preface by Woody Young ................................ 13Preface by Chuck Missler .............................. 21HELPFUL HINTS ABOUT THE BIBLE ....... 25Special Meanings for Special Words .......... 25The Integrated Message System ................. 25A Quaint Expression ....................................... 26Organization ....................................................... 27Bible Compilers Organize Old Testamentinto Logical Order ..................................... ........27Law, History, Wisdom, Literature, Poetry, and Prophecy ................................................................................. 28God's Special Promise ....................................... 28The New Testament: Gospels, History, Letters, and Revelation ............................... 29The Time Domain ................................................ 30Message Authentication ..................................... 31The Bible As "Word of God" ............................. 32Helpful Reference Points .................................... 32The Meaning of the Letters After Bible Verses .......................................................... 34That Something Extra That Makes the Bible Special ................................................ ..........34CHAPTER 1THE CREATION: SETTING THE STAGE FOR RECURRING THEMES ............................................ 37Preview of Creation .................................... 37Relevant Terms .................... .......................38Something New for Everyone .................... 40A Topic That Pops "The Question" ............................................................................ 42Searching for Truth ..................................... 43Searching the Bible Daily for Insight ........................................................................... 43If Black is the Absence of Color Then What is the Absence of Black? ...................... 44Where to Search for Answers ...................................................................................... 44The Excitement of Creation ......................................................................................... 45The Very Beginning of All Things .......................... 45Billions! Is That Spelled With a "B"? .................... 46The Bible is Not in Conflict With Science ............. 46Other Theories ............................................................. 47Some Theories Have Holes in Them. This Has a Gap .................................... 50Does Age Really Matter? ............................................ 51It Takes Faith to Believe Man-Made Theories ........ 51The Delusion of the Big Lie ....................................... 52God's Direct Involvement ............................................ 52A Most Dramatic Incident .......................................... 53The Stench Got So Bad It Bothered Heaven ............. 53Unexplainable Happenings .......................................... 55God's Amazing Power to Intervene ........................... 55There's a Difference .................................................... 56Spiritually Receiving God's Word ............................. 57CHAPTER 2SATAN IN HIS PROPER PERSPECTIVE .......................................... 59Preview of Satan's Character and History ................ 59Relevant Terms .............................................................. 60Beyond Our Own Horizon ............................................ 61The Unseen World: the Actual Reality ....................... 62We Need a Reveal Code .................................................. 62The Dark Side .................................................................. 63Metaphysics ...................................................................... 63The Biblical View ............................................................ 64Will the Real Satan Step Forward? .............................. 64Satan's Trick .................................................................... 65Distinguishing Good From Evil ...................................... 66Confusing the Situation ................................................... 66Satan's Beauty .................................................................... 67Perfection, Wisdom, and Beauty, With Access to God's Holy Mountain ......................... 68Satan in Relation to Other Angels, and Man and Jesus in Hierarchy ......................... 68Angels in Their Proper Perspective ............................... 69The Duties of Angels .......................................................... 69Fallen Angels and What They Have to Look Forward To ............................................. 70Satan and His Followers Cast Out of Heaven ................. 71Who Created Who? ............................................................. 72Pride Causes Satan's Sin ................................................... 73The Pseudo-Christ that Deceives in the Last Days ........ 75Man is Made Slightly Lower Than Angels ....................... 75What it Takes to Live a Life of Joy, Happiness, and Contentment ............................................ 76Making the Correct Judgement Call ................................ 77The Void Only God Can Fill ................................................ 77Giving Permission to be Hurt ............................................. 78Revealing Those Certain Characteristics That are Satan's Nature ........................................... 81The Character of Satan is in Each Person ...................... 83It All Starts in Childhood .................................................... 83Undistorted Love of God ....................................................... 83CHAPTER 3WHAT HAPPENED TO MAN BEFORE THE FLOOD? .................... 85Preview of Life Before the Flood ........................................ 85Relevant Terms ..................................................................... 86The Edenic Covenant ............................................................ 88God Makes it Easy to Obey .................................................. 89The Cost of Disobedience .................................................... 89Motivation to Disobey God is Irrelevant ............................ 90The Adamic Covenant .................................................... 91Satan's Curse ............................................................................................91Eve's Curse ..................................................................... 92Adam's Curse ............................................................................................92The Cause of Shame and Fear ........................................................................................... 93God's Plan for Covering Sin ............................................................................................ 94God's Plan for Salvation ............................................................................................. 95The Toil Sin Causes .............................................................................................. 95The First Birth of Children ................................................................................................. 96Acceptable and Unacceptable Offerings to God ................................................................................................. 97Pride and Repercussions ................................................................................................. 98"Am I My Brother's Keeper?" .................................................................................................. 99Spiritual Life and Death ...................................................................................................... 99God Does Not Shut the Door .............................................................................................. 100Faith in God's Word ........................................................................................................... 101Everyone is Still Welcome .................................................................................................. 101God Makes Provision for Human Sin ................................................................................ 102A Righteous Line According to God ................................................................................... 102God Was Upset ................................................................................................................... 107Man Causes God to Grieve in His Heart ............................................................................ 107Imagine the Scene ............................................................................................................... 108How do You Tell Others? ................................................................................................... 109"His Death Shall Bring" ..................................................................................................... 110What it Takes to Be a Witness ........................................................................................... 110Sinless Versus Righteous .................................................................................................... 111Once You're In, You're In ................................................................................................... 111Wicked Called to Judgement .............................................................................................. 112Noah's Flood Like a Baptism .............................................................................................. 112A New Beginning ................................................................................................................. 113A New Spirit ........................................................................................................................ 113How Much More Serious Can You Get? ............................................................................ 114Can You Hear Over the Noise? ........................................................................................... 114CHAPTER 4AFTER THE FLOOD--WHAT HAPPENS TO MANKIND?.......... 117Preview of Life After the Flood ........................................... 117Relevant Terms............... 118Meanings of Names Shed Light ............................................. 119Given a Second Chance ............................................. 120Guilty as Charged .............................................. 121The Noahic Covenant ............................................... 122The Provisions of the Covenant ................................................ 124The Responsibility to Repopulate the Earth ...................................... 124Can't Get to Heaven That Way ................................................. 126Confusing the Language .................................................. 126A New World Order ................................................... 128The Subjection of the Animal Kingdom is Affirmed .................................................... 128Humans are Able to Eat Animal Flesh .................................................... 129Life Span Decreases After Flood .................................................... 129The Sacredness of Human Life is Enforced ................................... 130Punishment for Taking Another's Life ..................................................... 130Whole New Meaning to Law and Order ...................................................... 131The Covenant is Not Only Confirmed to Noah, But to All Mankind ....................................................... 131 |
The Law of Social Order Meant for All ........................................................ 132The Rainbow Covenant ........................................................ 133No Flood Ever Again, But How About Fire? ............................................. 135Forfeiting the Prize ......................................................... 135Specific Groups Singled Out .......................................................... 136Dealing With the Unholy ........................................................... 136God Deals With Groups as a Whole ............................................................ 137Who Does God Get Angry With When He Dissolves the Present World by Fire ................................................... 138A View of the End Times .............................................................138CHAPTER 5ABRAHAM'S FAITH AND WHAT FAITH MEANS TODAY .............................. 141Preview of Abraham and His Faith ............................................................. 141Relevant Terms ............................................................. 142Takes His Good Old Time .............................................................. 143Abraham Receives Advance Notice .............................................................. 145Great Comfort to the Righteous .............................................................. 148No Laughing Matter .............................................................. 148The Abrahamic Covenant ............................................................... 150Blessings for Abraham's Descendants ............................................................... 151Be Careful of the Curse ............................................................... 153An Important Link to the Future ............................................................... 153The Universal Aspects of the Covenant ................................................................ 154Prophecy and Abraham's Story ................................................................ 155The Meaning of Hope........................................................155 Prophecy Gives Hope........................................................156 Abraham is Called on to Demonstrate His Faith.........................................................156 The Name is Prophetic.................................................157 Abraham Truly Believes in God............................................................158 Faith Gives Endurance.................................................158 Knowledge of the Heavens At One's Command...................................................158 Realizing that Bible Prophecy Came First............................................................159 One Can Choose to See the Future.........................................................160 The Prophetic Sacrifice that Takes Away The Sins of the World........................................................160 Prophecy as God's Way of Showing His Intentions.................................................161 Notice How Detailed Some Prophecies Are............................................................161 Resurrection's Parallels...................................................162 Word Pictures Foreshadowing the Future.......................................................163 The Special Significance of Receiving His Bride..........................................................163 Illustrations Give Understanding of Future Events.........................................................164 What Abraham's Faith Means for Christians.................................................164 Spirituality Versus Morality.....................................................164 By Faith-the Only Way............................................................165 CHAPTER 6 THE ANCIENT WEDDING CUSTOMS AND THEIR ANALOGY TO JESUS AS THE BRIDEGROOM, AND BELIEVERS AS THE BRIDE................................167 Preview of Ancient Wedding Customs and their Relevance to the Christian Walk.....................................................167 Relevant Terms...................................................168 Words that Create an Image in One's Mind......................................................170 Understanding the Customs of the Time.......................................................170 Behold, the Days are Coming When......................................................171 Many Events Still to Happen....................................................173 Are World Events Signaling What is to Come?....................................................173 Thomas Verbalizes His Doubts.....................................................174 I Go to Prepare a Place for You...........................................................175 Jewish Weddings First Century-Style.........................................175 The "Shiddukhin" or Engagement............................................176 "Ketubah"- the Agreement.............................................178 He Promised to Return.....................................................179 The Bridegroom is Coming....................................................179 The "Huppah" or Wedding Ceremony................................................180 The Festive Seven Day Celebration..............................................181 Jesus the Groom, Believers the Bride.........................................................182 Preparing for the End-Time Events........................................................183 Everyone has the Opportunity to Respond.....................................................183 An Offer of Marriage...................................................185 The Importance of Baptism.....................................................185 The Bible as One's Ketubah with Christ........................................................186 Promised Return for His Bride..........................................................187 Preparing a Place for Us.................................................................187 The Bridegroom is Coming.......................................................188 Lord, I Put My Faith in You..............................................................188 Celebration or Tribulation.................................................189 A Picture that Should Melt Hearts with Appreciation..............................................189 EPILOGUE YOUR ADVENTURE INTO THE SUPERNATURAL.........193 Holographic Analogy.....................................................193 Our Source of Illumination..............................................194 Your Log Book for the Journey......................................................195 The Next Step..............................................................196 The Ultimate Issue............................................................197 Your Divine Appointment................................................198 APPENDIX......................................203 BONUS INFORMATION How Can I Know If the Bible is True?.............................................................40 NASA Scientists Have Discovered an Ever Expanding Universe.........................................................43 Time is Not Absolute!........................................................47 If You Believe in Evolution You'd Better Hold the Peanut Butter!...........................................................48 What is Meant by an Analogy or a Similitude and Why Search for Them in the Bible?..............................................................54 Satan's Other Names..............................................................69 Fallen Angels Come in Two Different Types...............................................................70 Where Hatred Comes From................................................................79 A Hidden Message..........................................................103 "Noah's Ark" Fact or Fiction..............................................................108 Sudden Nature of the Flood..................................................................112 Where does Human Sin Come From?.................................................................116 Where Noah's ark Landed................................................................125 Where Noah and His Family Started to Populate..............................................................127 The Spiritual Meaning of Clothing..............................................................133 Abraham's Path......................................................................144 Abraham and Lot Divide the Land.....................................................................146 Roots of the Major Religions............................................................149 What's in a Name?..................................................................151 What is the Holy Spirit's Responsibility to the Bride of Jesus?..................................................................177 Is There a Verse That Describes How the Bride of Christ is Going to Meet Him?.....................................................................180 |
Visit Joy Publishing's Home Page
© 2004 Joy Publishing