Prophecy (the foretelling of future events) makes up a large part of the Bible. There are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament, and 578 in the New Testament. This gives a grand total of 1,817 prophecies in the Bible. About 27% of the Bible is prophetic in nature.
The first prophecy in the Bible is found in Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” This is not only the first prophecy in the Bible; it’s the first messianic prophecy (a messianic prophecy is one that relates to the first coming of Jesus Christ).
The context of this prophecy is the Fall of Man. Adam and Eve had just sinned by eating the forbidden fruit. God Himself declared the prophecy to Satan, the instigator of the Fall. God informed Satan that a Promised One would come. He would be a member of the human race – the offspring of the woman – and would undo the damage done. While Satan would bruise His heel, He would crush the serpent’s head, all of which happened at the cross. Jesus was bruised; Satan was crushed! (Colossians 2:15; 1 John 3:8).
That is the first Bible prophecy. It’s about the first coming of Jesus Christ.
The last Bible prophecy appears in Revelation 22:12. Again, it’s given not by a prophet but by the Lord Himself. Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” The first Bible prophecy was given in the gloom of humanity’s fall. The context of this last prophecy is the darkness of the end times. Paul described these days as perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1). Jesus said they would be unprecedented times (Matthew 24:21). The Last Days will be marked by abounding sin, increasing hatred, growing deception, and rising persecution.
Like Adam and Eve standing in the shadow of the curse, the end-times Church will face spiritual darkness unlike anything the world has ever known. Already, it’s settling down upon us. But this last Bible prophecy is like a shaft of light splitting the darkness, “Behold, I am coming soon!”
That is the last Bible prophecy. It’s about the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Notice, both prophecies are messages of hope! The first said, “He is coming!” The second says, “He is coming again!” The two prophecies are like bookends encasing the entire Bible with a message of hope. Here we find the purpose of prophecy, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
God’s Word gives us hope in a dark world. The prophecies and promises of the Bible enable us to look up and lift up our heads with hope even in troubled times, for we know that our redemption is near!
Pastor Todd Weston
The first prophecy in the Bible is found in Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.” This is not only the first prophecy in the Bible; it’s the first messianic prophecy (a messianic prophecy is one that relates to the first coming of Jesus Christ).
The context of this prophecy is the Fall of Man. Adam and Eve had just sinned by eating the forbidden fruit. God Himself declared the prophecy to Satan, the instigator of the Fall. God informed Satan that a Promised One would come. He would be a member of the human race – the offspring of the woman – and would undo the damage done. While Satan would bruise His heel, He would crush the serpent’s head, all of which happened at the cross. Jesus was bruised; Satan was crushed! (Colossians 2:15; 1 John 3:8).
That is the first Bible prophecy. It’s about the first coming of Jesus Christ.
The last Bible prophecy appears in Revelation 22:12. Again, it’s given not by a prophet but by the Lord Himself. Jesus said, “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with Me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.” The first Bible prophecy was given in the gloom of humanity’s fall. The context of this last prophecy is the darkness of the end times. Paul described these days as perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1). Jesus said they would be unprecedented times (Matthew 24:21). The Last Days will be marked by abounding sin, increasing hatred, growing deception, and rising persecution.
Like Adam and Eve standing in the shadow of the curse, the end-times Church will face spiritual darkness unlike anything the world has ever known. Already, it’s settling down upon us. But this last Bible prophecy is like a shaft of light splitting the darkness, “Behold, I am coming soon!”
That is the last Bible prophecy. It’s about the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Notice, both prophecies are messages of hope! The first said, “He is coming!” The second says, “He is coming again!” The two prophecies are like bookends encasing the entire Bible with a message of hope. Here we find the purpose of prophecy, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
God’s Word gives us hope in a dark world. The prophecies and promises of the Bible enable us to look up and lift up our heads with hope even in troubled times, for we know that our redemption is near!
Pastor Todd Weston