Are there any prophecies in the OT regarding the end of the world or the second coming of Christ? A brother in Christ said that all prophecy in the OT relates to the coming of Christ and the establishment of the church. Thanks in advance. David M. Franklin
Generally, the Old Testament prophecies with which Bible students are most familiar pertain to the Messiah and his kingdom. However, it may be an overstatement to affirm that “all prophecy in the OT relates to the coming of Christ and the establishment of the church.” Perhaps not as elaborate as many prophecies (but not all prophecies are elaborate, Genesis 3:15), an Old Testament reference, such as Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, is prophetic about final judgment.
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 is a mirror image of 2 Corinthians 5:10 and comparable to the depiction of the great white throne judgment of Revelation. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).
“And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15).
Therefore, the reference to final judgment in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 constitutes an Old Testament prophecy, as of yet unfulfilled, which is additional to Old Testament prophecies about “the coming of Christ and the establishment of the church.”
