Over 25-years ago, I started studying end-time prophecy. I had a voracious hunger to know about the end times. I dove deep into eschatology, a fancy word for the study of the end times. I devoured commentary after commentary on the books of Daniel, Isaiah, and Revelation.
I searched incessantly for the identity of the antichrist, the harlot Babylon of Revelation 17-18, what nations would invade Israel during the war of Gog and Magog, the meaning and timing of Daniel’s Seventy Week Prophecy, and what the Millennial Kingdom would be like. I studied the rapture and when it would take place.
What I realized, however, was not everyone shared my enthusiasm and zeal to know how end-time events would unfold. As I began teaching the end times, I clearly saw three different groups.
First, there is a small minority who shares my passion for the end times.
Second, there is a large group who embraces “an ignorance is bliss” approach to the end times. They are happy not knowing how this age will end. Indifferent to this topic, they don’t resist the teaching. They just don’t pay attention. They zone out.
Third, there has been an increasing number who flat out resist anything to do with the end times. These are the mockers and scoffers within the church—true believers—whom Peter warned about (2 Pet. 3:3).
They loathe talk of the rapture. They scoff at the thought of a literal antichrist who will be worshiped. Having been burned by extreme end-time teachings in the past, they have literally shifted to the entire end of the spectrum, embracing a theological belief that most of the prophetic Scriptures have been fulfilled. Therefore, we should just focus on revival and transforming our cities and nations for Christ.
2020 Changed Everything
What I just described were the attitudes before 2020 arrived. But when the coronavirus pandemic spread throughout the world in early 2020, shutting down businesses, sports, entertainment, dining, and schools, rattling entire economies, curiosity in the end times soared. Many began asking are we living in the end times, what is going to happen next, is Jesus returning soon? People wanted to know answers.
The group passionate about the end times now had an eager audience ready to listen. The indifferent group became all ears.
Questions began to soar. Tell us again about the second coming. When is the rapture going to take place? That New World Order thing you talked about. Can you explain that to me again? The shaking of 2020 has stirred interest once again in eschatology.
Unfortunately, the cynical group in the church still mocks the renewed interest in eschatology. They are telling everyone to relax because most of the prophetic Scriptures have already been fulfilled.
They say . . . This is only a rude awakening before a great awakening. Don’t worry. This is not the end of the world but only the end of the world as we know it. Things are not getting worse, but only better. This is just a temporary setback leading to a world-wide awakening that will transform the nations, leading to the second coming of Christ.
The first group believes they have all the answers.
The second group wants to know these answers.
The third group mocks these answers as Left Behind fiction.
Resetting Your Heart Toward the End Times
If you are in the first group who has been studying the end times for years, let’s humble ourselves and resist the pride that can easily creep in from knowledge. There’s a lot we all have to learn.
The closer we get to the Lord’s return, the more clearly we will see. Let’s remain flexible, teachable, and humble. At the end of the day, it’s more important to be ready than to be right.
It would grieve me if I had all of my end-time doctrines perfectly accurate but my heart and soul were not ready to be with Christ for all eternity. If I had truly uncovered the mystery of where the antichrist would emerge from but didn’t know Jesus intimately, what good is that?
If you are in the second group, who for years has been indifferent about eschatology, viewing it as unpractical, irrelevant, and judging those who are into it as fanatical and radical, I want to encourage you to become a student of the end times.
Did you realize that Jesus, the One you love and want to obey, exhorted us to understand the prophetic writings of Daniel (Matt. 24:15)? He also said you will experience mind-blowing blessings simply by reading the book of Revelation (Rev. 1:3). Take this opportunity created by Covid-19 to become a student of end-time prophecy.
If you are in the third group, you are most likely not even reading this. But in the unlikely event you are, ask yourself these honest questions: Have I grown disillusioned about the end times because of extreme, irresponsible responses to end-time teachings? Have I grown cynical because an end-time fanatic made a wacky prediction about Jesus’ second coming that never came to pass? Have I allowed my negative experiences to shape my eschatology rather than God’s Word?
If so, my hope is that you will reevaluate the need to diligently study the end times. May the Lord, by His Spirit, wash away the disillusionment and confusion, giving you clarity about what the Scriptures teach concerning the end of the age.
Right now, there is a massive amount of confusion, complexity, and criticism concerning end-time teachings. But if you are interested in gaining clarity and insight into the end of the age, I will begin teaching about this important topic at the end of the month.
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Blessings to you as we prepare for the Lord’s return.
