J.A. Seiss - Importance of Eschatology

The reverend J. A. Seiss, 19th century Lutheran pastor, and author of many fine books on theology, the pyramids, the gospel in the stars, etc., and that great work "The Apocalypse," wrote the following which I heartedly endorse and say "amen."

"That religion which does not look for a returning Saviour, or locate its highest hopes and triumphs in the judgment scenes for which the Son of man must reappear, is not the religion of this book, and is without authority to promise salvation to its devotees. And those addresses to the Churches which have no "Behold he come" pervading or underlying them, have not been indited by "the Seven Spirits of God," nor sent by Him whose Apocalypse is the crown of the inspired Canon. Murmur at it, dispute it, despise it, mock at it, put it aside, hate it, and hide from it, as men may, it is a great fundamental article of the Gospel, that that same blessed Lord, who ascended from Mount Olivet, and is now at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, shall come from thence to judge the quick and the dead, and to stand again on that very summit from which he went up. This is true, as Christ himself is true; and "he that hath an ear to hear, let him hear." Amen." (The Apocalypse, pages 55-56; See here)

Beware of preachers and churches that ignore or neglect the study of eschatology. As I have stated before, when I was a Hardshell I starved to death trying to find preachers who taught about the second coming of Christ and of unfulfilled end time prophecies. What I gained in those days of early bible study I got from reading Premillennialists, including Dispensationalists. Just as there were some in the apostle Paul's day who "despised prophesying" (I Thess. 5: 20), so also in our day. Or as other translations say:

New International Version - "Do not treat prophecies with contempt" 

New Living Translation - "Do not scoff at prophecies" 

English Standard Version - "Do not despise prophecies"

I think that decrying the study of eschatology, or unfulfilled prophecy, or the doctrine of the second coming of Christ, and showing contempt for others who study earnestly those prophecies, is a violation of the command of the apostle.

I also say that any Christian who is disinterested in studying eschatology has something amiss in his or her thinking as a bible believer. Christ wants his people to know the signs of the times. So, let us not be ignorant and let not the day take us by surprise.