When political matters ‘flare up’ around the world (as they often do) the end-time prognosticators go to work at a fever pitch. They claim that current events are a sure sign that Armageddon is at hand, the Lord’s return is imminent, and the 1,000-year kingdom on earth will soon be established. These self-professed “prophecy experts” explain how we are witnessing the fulfillment of the prophecies contained in Daniel and Revelation.

In the face of all this wild religious speculation, we should be reminded of several things:

1. No one knows and no one can successfully predict the time of the Lord’s return. At least three times the Scriptures refer to the Lord coming “as a thief in the night” (Mt. 24:43,44; 1 Thess. 5:2-4; 2 Peter 3:10). Obviously, a thief does not give advance warning. Likewise, the Lord has given no indication of when He will return.

2. Jesus has no plans to establish a physical kingdom on earth. He never had such a plan (John 6:15; 18:36). The truth is that the Lord is presently reigning over His kingdom which is already in existence. The Lord’s kingdom is the church. (See Acts 2:29-33; Mark 9:1; Col 1 :13).

3. Daniel and Revelation both contain some highly figurative language, and must be understood in light of that fact. Daniel’s prophecies involved things leading to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD (Dan. 12:6,7). The book of Revelation discussed “things which must shortly come to pass” in the 1st Century (Rev. 1:1).

Any interpretation which fails to take these facts into consideration is seriously mistaken.