Irony

Every time a battle breaks out in the Middle east, you can bet pre-millennialists will kick into high gear, promoting the second coming of Christ and a 1,000-year reign upon the earth. Televangelists will offer to sell their latest book on the subject. Others will take to the airwaves and start quoting from Ezekiel 38-39. All of these will punctuate their apocalyptic scenarios with select passages from Revelation. Many who have otherwise ignored the Bible will suddenly become fascinated by all the intrigue. Did the Bible really predict the events unfolding in the world in 2024?

At the risk of bursting the bubbles of many earnest souls, the answer is, “No.” What was written in the Old Testament was fulfilled. God did not place any prophecies in the Scriptures about Russia, China, India, and the United States. Neither are they found in the Book of Revelation. One of the interesting ironies involves the way various pre-millennialists (including certain cults like Jehovah’s Witnesses) take something literal and make it figurative (like the straightforward narrative of the rich man and Lazarus) while taking something obviously figurative (such as the 144,000 in Revelation 7 and 14) and making it literal. If only 144,000 were saved, that would not be few; it would be minuscule (Matt. 7:13-14).

But another irony also exists. Think about those who have explanations for the vast majority of the verses of Revelation. They understand what all the horses symbolize; they might even know what the seven thunders said (Rev. 10:4). They virtually bubble over with excitement while identifying the nations involved in the fighting. Some have even set dates for the supernatural apocalypse to begin, but they have failed. William Miller tripped over himself in 1843 and 1844. Jehovah’s Witnesses quit setting dates after a few failures. It is now obvious that Millions Now Living Will Never Die (written in 1920) is inaccurate. One author boasted of 88 reasons why the rapture could occur in 1988. Oops.

The irony is that so many can explain Revelation but they cannot understand Mark 16:16 or Acts 2:38—straightforward passages not couched in flowery or figurative language. Jesus said whoever believes and is baptized shall be saved. Two conditions for salvation are necessary: faith and baptism. It’s not complicated, but they all want to remove baptism and teach “faith only.” Yet they know all about Revelation? Peter told those on Pentecost, “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ” (by His authority) “for the forgiveness of sins” (in order to be forgiven). How complicated is that? Once again, they refuse to admit baptism is required. Many overlook repentance, also. If they cannot agree with something simple, how can they explain the complicated? They also don’t understand this simple statement which Jesus made before Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). One would almost need a theological degree to misunderstand that truth.