Believers today do not need to set dates or fear the events of the tribulation. Jesus taught that no one knows the day or hour, and Scripture also promises that the church will be caught up before the tribulation begins, which means Christians will already be with the Lord when those events unfold (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

A basic timeline includes the rapture at any future moment (1 Corinthians 15:51-58), a seven-year tribulation period (Revelation 6-18), the return of Jesus to reign for 1,000 years from Jerusalem (Revelation 19-20), a final rebellion by Satan and those with him followed by God’s judgment (Revelation 20), and a new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21-22).

Some have viewed recent events in the Middle East as a sign of when Jesus will come or of certain end-time events unfolding. Scripture predicted that Israel would be a nation again in the last days, a prediction fulfilled when the nation was re-established in 1948 (Ezekiel 37 and other Old Testament prophecies).

Others have created elaborate connections of Jewish feast days, lunar cycles, red moons, and other events with certain biblical prophecies. These actions are often distracting, leading Christians away from clear biblical teaching, from living out the faith, and from sharing the Gospel with others.

Believers are encouraged to look forward to Jesus’ return at any moment, when we will be with Him for all eternity. We will ultimately worship with all believers in a perfect new heavens and new earth where we will dwell in the Lord’s presence forever.

Prophecy can be meaningful to study, but our hope is not in timelines. Our hope is in Christ and His promise to return for His people. Instead of focusing on specific years, we can focus on being faithful, sharing the Gospel, and resting in the truth that God is in control of the future.