In currently teaching a series on the book of Revelation, I have had to confront my distaste for eschatology (the study of the last days); more specifically, not eschatology itself, but rather particular methods in the study of eschatology. Let me illustrate my dilemma of loving and hating eschatology by talking about the book of Revelation.
In the book, there are major literary events that occur: a throne and lamb in heaven, judgments upon the earth, God’s new city where His people will dwell forever, etc. One of the methods for understanding these events is to match them up to historical events. In other words, the literary events in Revelation primarily match the events in the first 400 years of the church (i.e., preterism), or the literary events match events future to John’s readers and us (i.e., futurism), or the events are spread throughout church history (i.e., historicism). These are all examples of a puzzle solving method when it comes to this book and this is where my hate of eschatology (again, not eschatology itself, but these methods) wells up.
What is a better path? I believe it is the picturing making method. In other words, let the literary events in Revelation (or Daniel or Ezekiel) be literary events and look at the big pictures the book gives us. Revelation makes sense this way. So, instead of trying to figure out who the anti-Christ will be or trying to determine if the church is present in chapters 4-19 or building a time line, focus on the big themes: a throne, a lamb, a storm of judgment, and a new city.
The original readers in Asia Minor (today Turkey) experienced pressures from all angles including the pressures of economics, the Roman imperial cult, earthquakes, etc. How did they respond to the big picture visions of a throne, lamb, storm, and a city? Probably by feeling encouragement to persevere, even perhaps to death, because their God sits on the throne and nothing happens to them except by divine decree or permission. This kind of God with this kind of power is a God to trust. This is a God to hope in. He is their future. And this is why I love eschatology.
Deus Tecum 