When it comes to the study of Bible prophecy what do we often see? New Testament passages that clearly identify the New Testament Church as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies concerning Israel are ignored and replaced with Zionism, and we often see the historical and poetic books of the Old Testament, the Gospels, and Epistles of the New Testament interpreted in relation to theories about the interpretation of passages of prophecy in prophetic books (especially Daniel, Zechariah, and Revelation) instead of interpreting difficult or obscure Bible passages in relation to clear Bible passages. Passages of New Testament prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD are taken out of context and applied to current events in the Middle East. In many Christian circles a popular and growing trend in the study of eschatology has been to interpret passages of Bible prophecy through the lens of current headlines, distort facts and scriptures to make every passage of Bible prophecy appear to be a literal narration of end time events, try to make every current event fit the mold of pet theories about the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, support theories and predictions by cross referencing unrelated passages of Bible prophecy, and try to make dispensationalist theories into criteria for Christian fellowship. Many insist that their pet theories are above scrutiny and base their teachings, plans, goals, and decisions on things they obviously do not and cannot know, and are not revealed in Scripture, and this tends to detract from important truths and issues and make Christianity look silly. What is wrong with this picture? The Holy Bible is the final authority and Scripture itself, comparing Scripture with Scripture, is the key to understanding Scripture: Bible passages must be understood in relation to context and the whole Bible, and difficult passages must be understood in relation to clear passages. (Psalm 119:130; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16)

Theories on eschatology that have become popular in Christian circles often promote a neutrality or isolation that rejects or prevents interaction between Christianity and culture and encourages believers to withdraw from society and be neutral because of preoccupation with speculations about things which they obviously do not and cannot know. (Consider Acts 17:6-7) Those who study Bible prophecy merely to find a schedule of future events have missed the purpose of prophecy: Prophecy (even prophecies fulfilled long ago) teaches us about God and His truths, principles, standards, and Providence. (Ephesians 1:11) Rather than seeing history as HIS story and recognising God as the present ruler of the earth Who intervenes in human history and ultimately controls everything, many have adopted a worldly view of history, such as the Humanist, Cyclical, and Marxist views of history. (Romans 12:2; Colossians 2:8) Many even insist that world conditions must continually go from bad to worse because they believe Satan rules the Earth, but nothing in the Bible ever indicates that God has ever abdicated His throne and turned rulership over to Satan. (1 Chronicles 29:11-12) Many Bible prophecies that are being applied to the second coming of Christ are fulfilled prophecies (e.g., Return from Babylonian captivity, destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, etc.). When someone makes a ministry of making predictions and one or some of his predictions come true it is often assumed that this puts him and all his teachings above scrutiny. (Making a correct prediction could be considered inevitable if someone keeps making predictions. This certainly is not rightly dividing the Word of God but is putting men and theories of men above God’s Word.)

Prophecy preachers and theorists often predict a world where demonised and satanic people hold public offices after the rapture, but this has been a characteristic of the world for thousands of years. (Consider Matthew 4:8-10) Satan rules in the hearts of unbelievers, the wicked world system, but God is the present ruler of the Earth and ultimately controls everything, and nothing in Scripture indicates that God ever abdicated his throne or turned it over to Satan. (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 Chronicles 29:11-12) Salt cleanses, purifies, preserves, and makes people thirsty, and light dispels darkness and exposes that which was hidden in darkness; government corruption and social maladies are signs of a lack or decline in Christian influence or an increase in exposure of corruption, not signs of the Second Advent. (Matthew 5:13-16)

Whenever anyone reminds Christians that they have a duty to impact society and culture for righteousness there are usually professed Christians insisting that Christians should not do that or be concerned about that because there is no time to accomplish anything or because this would contradict their pet theories and speculations about things they do not and cannot know. It is often difficult to convince modern Christians that God is not obligated to submit to any schedule they have set for Him.

Let us take a closer look at passages often used to support the view that the New Testament says we can know the Second Advent is near:

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25) “The day approaching” obviously refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD. Hebrews was written before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD; note that the temple was still in operation when the Epistle of Hebrews was written. (Hebrews 8:4; 13:10)

What is the basis for insistence that Philippians 4:5 does not say “the Lord is at hand” in the sense that God is near His people? (Psalm 46:1; 145:18)

What is the basis for insistence that “the end of all things” in 1 Peter 4:7 is not an obvious reference to the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple around which the Jewish world revolved in the first century?

“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20; etc.) While many use this and similar passages to support their theory about an assumed nearness of Christ’s return, Bible skeptics point to passages like this as evidence of error in Scripture since this was written nearly two thousand years ago. It could appear to be an error and could appear to be saying when Christ will come until you examine the meaning of words and grammar. For example, “quickly” (Greek: Tachu) does not necessarily mean that the action will take place immediately or even soon but can also be a description of the speed or suddenness of the action once the action has been initiated.

Do references to the “last days” give signs or conditions to indicate to people of our generation that the end of the world is near, or does the term "last days" refer to the Christian era? (Compare Joel 2:28-32 & Acts 2:16-21; 2 Timothy 3:1; Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Peter 3:2-3. Christ was upon the earth during the “last days.” -Genesis 49:1 & 10; Hebrews 1:1-2; 9:26. The instruction "from such turn away" indicates that the previously described conditions in chapter three of Second Timothy existed at the time this epistle was written. -2 Timothy 3:5)

If 2 Timothy 3:2-5 is a list of signs or conditions prior to the rapture, then how many times has the rapture occurred over the last two thousand years?

If God wanted 2 Timothy 3 to be a warning or reminder that the advance of Christianity would be accompanied by efforts of enemies of the Gospel to thwart the Lord’s work, through persecution from without and corruption from within, and a warning of perilous times resulting from conditions that have been characteristic of the world in greater and lesser degrees throughout Christian history, how would he have changed the wording of 2 Timothy 3?

How do you reconcile the teaching that in Matthew 24:4-33 Christ gave signs of the Second Advent to be seen by people living centuries later with Matthew 24:34? (After verse thirty-four the subject changes to the second coming of Christ and the discourse does not give us any visible signs or verifiable events to precede the Second Advent except people carrying on with their lives unaware. -Matthew 24:36-39)

What is the basis for insisting that “This generation” in Matthew 24:34 did not refer to people then living? (Consider Matthew 11:16; 12:39; 17:17; 23:36)

If Christ wanted Matthew 24:34 to mean that Matthew 24:4-33 would be completely fulfilled within the lifetime of people then living how would he have changed the wording of Matthew 24:34 and the context thereof?

How is Matthew 24:14 the Great Commission given in Matthew 28:18-20? (In any language words often have various possible meanings which depend on context. Matthew 24:14 is part of a prophecy about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD and is saying the gospel would be preached throughout the Roman Empire before the destruction; compare the use of word "world" elsewhere. For example, did Caesar Augustus tax everyone on the entire planet or everyone in the Roman Empire? [Luke 2:1] Matthew 28:18-20 refers to the entire inhabited earth and verse twenty refers to the Second Advent as Christ began with "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore ...." Matthew 24:14 was fulfilled before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. [Romans 1:8; 16:25-26; Colossians 1:5-6, 23])

Many assume that their pet theories and the assumed relation of current events to their interpretations of passages of Bible prophecies are above scrutiny and make their pet theories into criterion for Christian fellowship and base their plans, goals, and decisions on things they obviously do not and cannot know and are not revealed in Scripture, and this tends to detract from important truths and issues and make Christianity look silly. (Consider Acts 1:6-8; Matthew 23:24; Romans 14:1; 1 Timothy 1:5-7)