Eschatology

The eschatology mess didn't happen by accident. It happened because American Christians developed two bad habits: ignoring the original audience and assuming every prophecy is about us.

When Jesus talks about the "abomination of desolation" in Matthew 24, He's talking to first-century Jews about events they would witness. When John writes Revelation, he's writing to seven literal churches facing real persecution under Roman rule. But American dispensationalists read these texts like they're personal letters addressed to 21st-century Americans, completely bypassing the people who actually received these messages.

This hermeneutical disaster gets worse when you add American exceptionalism. We've convinced ourselves that we're living in the "church age" and that Revelation 2-3 describes church history instead of what it actually describes: seven literal letters to seven literal churches. Tim LaHaye made millions selling this fiction, but it's not biblical—it's just bad interpretation dressed up as prophecy.

Here's the hermeneutical principle that fixes most eschatological confusion: Scripture was written FOR us, but it wasn't written TO us. Before you ask what a passage means for you, ask what it meant to the people who first received it. That's not spiritualizing the text—that's respecting it. This is applying the process known as Exegesis instead of Exegesis. Read more about that on our page titled the same. 

One of the worst arguments I’ve heard for this was: “Why would God beat up his bride before he marries her?” - That shows your arrogance. 11 of the 12 Apostles died as martyrs and millions of Christians today are being martyred in India, China, and other countries. Let’s not be so consumed that we forget the bigger picture. We gain massive insights from the Bible, but it wasn’t written To you but instead is written For you.

Sharp Edge: Let’s not turn Scripture into a magic eight-ball instead of the Word of God. Respect the authors, discover who the original audience was and start your investigation here. Afterwards, then you can ask what a passage means to you (which almost doesn’t even matter). We should really be asking, what did this passage mean to them?

Here's what the Bible makes crystal clear about the end times: Jesus is coming back, there will be a final judgment, the dead will be raised, and God will make all things new. Everything else falls somewhere on the spectrum from "probably true" to "pure speculation."

The problem is that most Christians spend 90% of their eschatological energy on the speculative stuff—rapture timing, tribulation charts, and prophetic timetables—while ignoring the clear, life-changing truths that should actually shape how they live.

What's Clear (and Life-Changing):

• Christ's return is certain but the timing is unknown (Matthew 24:36)

• There will be a bodily resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked (John 5:28-29)

• Final judgment will separate the sheep from the goats (Matthew 25:31-46)

• God will create a new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21:1)

• Christ is King right now, not just in the future (Matthew 28:18)

What's Speculation (and Often Divisive):

• Pre-trib vs. post-trib rapture timing

• Literal vs. symbolic interpretation of the thousand years

• Detailed tribulation timetables and charts

• Whether the church replaces Israel or they have separate programs

Notice the difference? The clear truths drive you toward holiness, mission, and hope. The speculative stuff drives you toward arguments, anxiety, and escapism.

Sharp Edge: If you can recite the seven dispensations but can't explain why Christ's current kingship should change how you treat your neighbor, you've majored in minors and minored in majors. - Boom! Mic drop, right?

Most Christians approach biblical prophecy with the interpretive skills of a fortune cookie reader. They grab verses out of context, ignore the original audience, and treat apocalyptic literature like a newspaper written in code. Here's how to read prophecy like you actually believe it's God's Word.

First: Know Your Genre

Revelation isn't a literal roadmap—it's apocalyptic literature that uses symbolic language to communicate spiritual truth. When John sees a seven-headed beast, he's not describing a literal monster; he's revealing spiritual realities through vivid imagery. But when Jesus promises to return, that's a concrete historical claim. Learn the difference.

Second: Original Audience First

Before asking "What does this mean for me?" ask "What did this mean to them?" When Jesus warns about tribulation in Matthew 24, He's talking to disciples who will face the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. That doesn't make it irrelevant to us, but it does make it historically grounded instead of purely futuristic.

Third: Let Scripture Interpret Scripture

Don't build entire theological systems on unclear passages. Use clear texts to interpret difficult ones. The millennium in Revelation 20 is debated, but Christ's current reign in Matthew 28:18 is crystal clear. Start with what's obvious.

Fourth: Focus on the Main Point

Prophetic passages aren't given to satisfy curiosity—they're given to produce faithfulness. Whether you're reading Daniel or Revelation, ask: "How should this change how I live today?" If your eschatology doesn't drive you toward holiness and mission, you're missing the point.

Sharp Edge:If your prophetic interpretation requires more charts than a NASA mission briefing, you've probably turned Bible study into a conspiracy theory.