Most Christians have been told that Revelation and the "end times" are still in our future.
But the Bible says the time was near then, not thousands of years later.
If we trust Scripture over tradition, we will see that Jesus and the apostles meant exactly what they said.
Soon meant soon. Near meant near. That generation meant that generation.
Get ready, because once you see it, you cannot unsee it.

Soon means soon

Many miss the urgency that Scripture places on the events of Revelation and the end of the age.
The Bible does not describe a fulfillment stretched over thousands of years. It says the time was near then.

Look for yourself:

Revelation 1:1
"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place."
Quick note: It says must soon take place, not will eventually unfold over 2,000 years.

Revelation 1:3
"Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and keep the things which are written in it, for the time is near."
Quick note: If the time was near when John wrote it, stretching it over millennia makes no sense.

Luke 21:22
"Because these are days of punishment, so that all things which have been written will be fulfilled."
Quick note: Jesus said all things written would be fulfilled then, not gradually over centuries.

Matthew 24:34
"Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place."
Quick note: He pinned it to this generation, not a far off generation.

Hebrews 10:37
"For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay."
Quick note: Very little while and will not delay totally crush the idea of long, drawn out fulfillment.

1 Peter 4:7
"The end of all things is near, therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer."
Quick note: Peter preached nearness, not a multi century timeline.

Main point: Soon means soon. Near means near. This generation means this generation. Either we believe Jesus and His apostles, or we believe later traditions.

The apostles expected it in their lifetime

The New Testament writers were clear.
They were not confused, not mistaken, not misled.
They expected the fulfillment in their lifetime, just like Jesus promised.

James 5:8
"You too be patient, strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near."
Quick note: James spoke to them, not to people 2,000 years later.

Romans 13:11-12
"Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep, for now salvation is nearer to us than when we first believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near."
Quick note: Paul said the day was almost gone and salvation was near for them. It’s strange that futurists claim they have salvation when it was NEAR to them but when Paul says the Lords return is NEAR they reject it. (Philippians 4:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4, 1 Corinthians 7:29,31)

1 John 2:18
"Children, it is the last hour, and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared, from this we know that it is the last hour."
Quick note: John said it was the last hour, not the last thousands of years.

Revelation 22:6
"And he said to me, 'These words are faithful and true, and the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent His angel to show His bond-servants the things which must soon take place.'"

Quick note: At the very end of Revelation, the message is repeated again, these things must soon take place, not thousands of years later. God’s Word is faithful and true.

Revelation 22:10
"And he said to me, 'Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near.'"
Quick note: Daniel was told to seal up his prophecy because fulfillment was far away (Daniel 12:4), but John was told do not seal it because fulfillment was near.

The apostles did not misunderstand Jesus.
The Spirit did not mislead them.
Fulfillment was near when they wrote it.
We need to trust the Bible's words over man's traditions.

Either the Bible is true or it is not

The New Testament repeatedly says the time was near.
Jesus said it would happen in that generation.
The apostles expected it in their lifetime.

If 2,000 years have gone by and it still has not happened,
then the Bible would be wrong.

But the Bible is not wrong.
Man's interpretations are wrong.

Hebrews 10:23
"Let us hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful."
Quick note: God kept His promises when He said He would, not on man's timetable.

Titus 1:2
"In the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago."
Quick note: God cannot lie. If He said it was near, it was near.

Bottom line of it all:
Soon meant soon.
Near meant near.
This generation meant that generation.
The apostles were not confused.
The Spirit was not wrong.
God was faithful.

The Bible is true.
Traditions that stretch it out for thousands of years are not.

If "soon" really means thousands of years...
If "near" really means someday far away...
If "this generation" somehow means a totally different one...
Then words have no meaning, and the Bible is wrong.
But the Bible is not wrong.
Jesus and the apostles meant exactly what they said.
Fulfillment was near.
Time to leave traditions behind and believe the Word.