How Lutherans Interpret Prophecy

Dreams and visions continue to be controversial and widely discussed even in these materialistic days when many reject the idea that there are spirits and a spiritual realm inaccessible to human science. Many believe people can foretell the future, that they have the ability to see beyond the present in their dreams and visions. Christians are also very interested in prophecy, visions and dreams, especially since they are a prominent part of Holy Scripture. Do these visions foretell what is about to happen in our day?

Many teach that the ancient prophecies of Ezekiel, Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John (Revelation) do just that. Books by the score interpret these books in order to reveal to us what is to happen in this century. For instance, I ran across "The Approaching Apocalypse: A New Interpretation of Daniel and Revelation" by Michael Fortner. Fortner describes himself as "a researcher, inventor, book collector, IT repair and overall fix it guy." He has a complex website: Bible Prophecy Revealed. He writes in the introduction to his New Interpretation book,

"One of those seven heads, the one that had the fatal wound, will rise again, but it will not be the Roman Empire, but one of the two Islamic empires. The Ottoman Empire ruled for more than six hundred years; it was wounded in the 1800s but given the fatal wound during World War I. The nation of Turkey was formed from what was left of the Ottoman Empire. The national flag of Turkey is the same as the Ottoman Empire’s, and is red in color. It will rise again as the scarlet beast from the Abyss described in Revelation 17."

He quotes Anthony Dennis, "The Rise of the Islamic Empire and the Threat to the West," (Wyndham Hall Press, 2001),

"In short, the coming Islamic Empire will be a world power in every sense of the word, whose people will share a vibrant religion and a common Islamic culture. Like its Muslim predecessors, the Islamic Empire of the early 21st Century will also have an appetite for territorial expansion and military conquest. A modern, worldwide jihad against non-Muslim populations and societies complete with nuclear weapons promises to bring the highest casualty rates in the history of mankind. World War III, if it does come, will probably occur between the Islamic Bloc and the Western nations. It will be the deadliest war ever fought by humanity." 

Fortner goes on to claim that the NT book of Revelation "reveals the history and details of the beast (Islam) and how and when it will rise to power. Although a few Christians are beginning to wake up to the threat of Islam, most Christians in America are still asleep. They are unconcerned because they think they are going in a pre-tribulation Rapture! It is time to open your eyes to the threat; open your eyes to the truth!"

In the next days I shall explore with you how we Lutherans and the historical Christian church approach these portions of Scripture and suggest what they mean to us. Do we believe that the rise of Islam is predicted in the Bible? What do we believe and teach about the anti-Christ, the rapture, the beast arising from the pit, the return of Christ, etc.? Stay tuned.