This is the second installment of the Armchair Apocalypse series.
Once again, my goal in this series is not to do a verse-by-verse commentary or a scholarly study of Revelation, but rather to try to answer the common questions that come up about Revelation, the Apocalypse. I will try to answer those questions in simple, plain language that makes sense to everyday folks.
Let’s look at the questions and topics we will be answering and discussing in this ongoing Armchair Apocalypse series, which will appear every Wednesday here on Bible Rebel.
What Is Revelation Really About?
Who Wrote Revelation, and When Was it Written?
Can We Understand Revelation?
Literal or Symbolic?
Is Revelation Being Fulfilled Right Now?
Does Modern Israel Play a Role in Prophecy?
What do the Seven Churches Represent?
Why Does God Allow Such Terrible Judgments?
The Seven Seals
The Seven Trumpets
The Seven Bowls
The Four Horsemen
The Antichrist
The Mark of the Beast
The Great Tribulation
The Rapture Debate
The 144,000
The Two Witnesses
Armageddon
The Millennium
The Final Judgment
The New Heaven and New Earth
Why Revelation Is Ultimately a Book of Hope
We have a lot to get to, so plan on joining me every Wednesday for this exciting ride.
For years, we’ve been told the story was simple: Christianity is declining, churches are emptying, and faith is becoming irrelevant. All certainly true enough.
But maybe there’s some light starting to show at the end of this tunnel.
A recent Gallup poll found that young men are becoming more interested in religion, with significantly more men ages 18–29 saying faith is important in their lives and attending religious services than just a few years ago. At the same time, reports from churches around the country describe growing numbers of Gen Z men looking for community, purpose, and meaning.
Why?
Because endless scrolling isn’t a substitute for purpose, online influencers can’t answer life’s toughest questions, and because human beings were created for something bigger than themselves.
And maybe some folks are starting to get a better understanding of priorities.
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness…” (Matthew 6:33)
Notice what these young men aren’t looking for: more entertainment, more apps, or more self-help slogans. They’re looking for meaning, purpose, and the Big Picture
So What?
Try this: Read Matthew 5–7 and ask God to show you where you’re seeking meaning in the wrong places. The answer may be closer than you think.
Two recent headlines point to a growing trend in American culture: people are losing confidence that objective truth even exists.
A recent article from the George Barna, of the Barna Group, found that many Americans now believe truth is personal and self-defined rather than something that exists outside themselves. At the same time, educators and commentators continue debating whether facts should take a back seat to personal experience and individual identity in shaping beliefs.
That’s a dangerous game because if everyone gets their own truth, then nobody gets the truth.
Imagine playing football where every player makes up his own rules. The game would last about three minutes before somebody got tackled by a guy carrying a lawn chair.
Yet that’s increasingly how many people approach life. But the Bible takes a radically different view. Truth is not something we invent. Truth is something we discover because it comes from God.
Jesus said:
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” — John 17:17
When a culture disconnects itself from truth, confusion follows. Relationships suffer. Institutions weaken. People become anxious because they are forced to invent their own meaning, morality, and purpose.
Common Sense And Truth Are Both Victims
Strange times we’re living in.
The far left has gone so far left and the far right has gone so far right that they converged at the junction of antisemitism, “everyone I disagree with is a pedophile or pedophile protector”, and extreme libertarianism/anarchism.
I guess common sense is no longer cool enough and doesn’t get some folks the attention they so desperately crave.
Iran. Israel. Hezbollah. Gaza. Houthi missiles. “Wars and rumors of wars.” Sound familiar?
This week alone, headlines focused on escalating Iran-Israel tensions, renewed Hezbollah activity, and political leaders openly using end-times language while discussing war in the Middle East. – The Guardian
And yes — many Christians immediately start flipping to Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation.
But the Bible never told believers to panic. It told us to pay attention.
Jesus said:
“See that ye be not troubled.” — Matthew 24:6
That’s the part many prophecy junkies conveniently skip while trying to turn every missile launch into a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
Could current events connect to biblical prophecy? Maybe. The Middle East has always mattered in the biblical storyline, and nations like Persia (modern Iran) do appear in prophetic passages Christians have debated for centuries.
But prophecy isn’t meant to turn Christians into bunker-dwelling doom addicts. It’s supposed to wake us up spiritually.
The real issue is this: while nations rage, millions of ordinary people — including Christians trapped in conflict zones — are suffering, afraid, and searching for hope.
So instead of obsessing over timelines and hashtags, let’s try this:
Pray for persecuted believers. Open our Bibles instead of rage-scrolling. And shine light into a world addicted to darkness and chaos.
Because whether Christ returns tomorrow or 100 years from now, our mission today remains exactly the same.
There are lots of novels and movies about the end of the world, and some of those stories use the images and words from the Bible’s Book of Revelation.
But let’s not get all worked up and frightened by novels, movies, or other forms of apocalypse fiction. Instead, let’s look at what Revelation actually says — and doesn’t say — rather than what others say about it.
That is what this new series, “Armchair Apocalypse,” which will appear every Wednesday on the Bible Rebel blog, is all about.
My goal in this series is not to do a verse-by-verse commentary or a scholarly study of Revelation, but rather to try to answer the common questions that come up when the last book of the Bible is considered. I will try to answer those questions in simple, plain language that makes sense to everyday folks.
I look forward to having you along for the journey.
While American Christians argue online about worship styles and coffee flavors, believers in places like Nigeria, North Korea, and Syria are risking prison, kidnapping, and death just for owning a Bible. Recent reports estimate more than 388 million Christians worldwide face persecution or discrimination for their faith — the highest number ever recorded. – Vatican News
Should we assume we’re not persecuted like that for our Christian faith here in America because we’re such great believers? Not on your life!
In fact, we should be asking some serious questions about why our brand of Western churchianity is many times so milquetoastand inconsequential that the Adversary doesn’t waste his time trying to destroy us or even silence our too often watered down message.
Tradition and the doctrines of men disguised as God’s truth are not a threat to darkness. As the world gets darker, people start looking for actual light, not the synthetic, weak glow of religion.
Remember, Jesus never promised that following him would make us popular. He promised truth.
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” — John 15:18
Here’s the Bible Rebel reality check: The modern world offers endless distraction but very little hope. Christians in persecuted nations know following Christ costs something. Many American Christians barely let it inconvenience their Sunday schedule. Ouch.
So What?
Today, pray for persecuted Christians by name if you can. Check your own faith – is it salty and full of light, or bland and ho-hum? Ruffle some feathers, speak the truth, and be a force for God as He moves through this time and place bringing His grand and awesome plan to it’s conclusion.
