Biblical prophecy isn't about knowing details

By Tyler Tankersley

Recently I was driving across the state of Missouri and there was a huge megachurch along the interstate. On a gaudy, electronic sign it read, "We Stand With Israel! Thank You President Trump!" It was no doubt in reference to the recent decision by the United States to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The move was celebrated with great fanfare by White House officials and two prominent evangelical pastors.

I have no idea whether moving the embassy was an intelligent decision from a foreign relations standpoint; such observations are far above my paygrade. I am sure there are both pros and cons to this decision. However, what has disturbed me is to learn that some of the decisions were informed by a narrow interpretation of biblical prophecy.

This is certainly not the first time that biblical prophecy has been a subtext for American foreign policy. In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan believed that the USSR was the "Gog and Magog" from Ezekiel 38-39. In the 2000s, when George W. Bush was trying to convince other nations to join the coalition to invade Iraq, he told French President Jacque Chirac that invading Iraq was a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

I want to make something perfectly clear: I believe the Bible is holy. I read it every single day and I try my very best to live out its words in the way I conduct my life. But it is not my source for foreign policy in 2018.

I do believe that the Bible contains some eschatological predictions for the future. God will redeem the earth and bring an end to suffering (see Revelation 21). However, those visions of the future are both metaphorical and vague, and I believe that is on purpose. We are not meant to know the specifics.

What disturbs me about those who allow a literal interpretation of biblical prophecy to inform foreign policy is that it shows just how weak and impotent they see God. They seem to feel that their job on this earth is to help move God's plans along. Personally, I don't ever want to assume that my interpretation of what the future may look like is the only interpretation. As one of my seminary professors used to pray: "Lord, help me to remember that all that I know is not all there is to know."

We need to infuse our understandings of the future will buckets full of humility. The truth is: we don't know the specifics of how the future will unfold. And Jesus even says, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today" (Matthew 6:34). When it comes to eschatology, I consider myself to be a "pan-millennialist;" God is in control and it will all pan out in the end.

We don't have to know all the details. Instead, we just have to work to bring about God's kingdom in our world today, and we can affirm these three mysteries about our faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

In the end, what else really matters?