The problem with this kind of sweeping apocalyptic perspective is that when used too much or wrongly, it distorts perceptions by both envisioning for itself and others things that are not clearly evil, and that need to be wrestled with, into at-times mis-leading categories. it also associates ‘the good guys’ with ‘us’ and the ‘bad guys’ with ‘the others’, whoever the ‘others’ may be at the time, whether “Islamofascist terrorists” or “Communists” or whatever. And while pop subculture books have been used with an apocalyptic perspective (think Left behind series, or even Hal Lindsey), these Christian authors distort the apocalyptic imagination to turn a profit and mis-represent God and His Kingdom purposes (in my possibly not-so-humble opinion), and we have to question whether it actually sees things clearly or even goes ‘beyond faith’; for even as faith is the conviction of things not seen (as the author of Hebrews tell us), the apocalyptic imagination/perspetive can at-times go beyond this to see all the things that are not seen (therefore, beyond faith) and communicate from such false certitude as to mislead many.

now, apocalyptic language and perspective is and can be very powerful, and it can and should be used by us when we teach and when we preach and when we minister; it does bring clarity to some, if not many issues. i am not advocating we throw the baby out with the bathwater and abandon utilizing this perspective when we teach and preach and think and minister, but i am saying that we need it in its proper place and time, for without discernment, we wade into dangerously manipulative territory that can distort the reality of any given situation, and one that can and will take hold and over-simplify life to the point of dis-engaging us in the realities of life, so that we never get around to doing Kingdom deeds, because we are too busy going to bible studies and spiritual warfare fasting and prayer services that “wrestle” with and “bind” the demons of America/Axis of Evil/Persia/babylon, when we need to get out on the streets and wrestle the demons in the deep crevices of broken lives. (i think i got on my soapbox there for a minute). it seems to me that the truly prophetic moves toward specifics, while the apocalyptic moves toward generalities. the emphasis - on balance - that i witness to in scripture is on the truly prophetic, which wrestles with the messy details of life, bringing to those messy details the witness and recognition of the Kingdom of God with power and love and mercy and faith.

i suppose this has been my long-winded way to say this: the truly prophetic approach/perspective does not cast out any and all apocalyptic perspective; it just seeks to be apocalyptic appropriately, while holding to the radical middle and the goodness and mercy of God found in Christ Jesus.