By and large Scripture does not tell us when things will happen. It tells us this or that will happen, assures us that such and such will come to pass, and then leaves us to watch for these things.
At times however there are clues. For instance with the man of lawlessness in 2 Thessalonians 2. The Thessalonians are shook up as if the day of Christ had already come, 2Thes 2:1-2. Then Paul reminds them what has to happen before Christ comes again. A special man of sin, man of lawlessness, has to come first.
“he who opposes and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped; so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself up as God.”
2Thes 2:4 WEB
This man of lawlessness is one,
“… whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”
2Thes 2:9 WEB
He deceives the whole world, all who “had pleasure in unrighteousness,” 2Thes 2:12. But then comes the purpose of Paul reminding them of these things. This man deceives the whole world just before the end of time, and it is this man,
“… whom the Lord will kill with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nothing by the brightness of his coming;” 2Thes 2:8 WEB
Thus, this man, whom all in sin will worship, comes just before the end of time.
Evidently he the same as the “beast” of Revelation chapters 13 to 10. Of the “beast” also it says,
“All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been killed.”
Rev 13:8 WEB
Also this beast is destroyed by the Second Coming of Christ right at end of time. For it says,
“The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet … These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.”
Rev 19:20 WEB
This is no ordinary opponent of Christ during the beginning of the Christian Age, or the middle of the Christian Age, or even at any time before the very end of this universe. He is not an invention of the premillenialist, or some false prophet. This is Scripture.
He is produced by a “mystery of lawlessness” that is already at work in the first century,
“For the mystery of lawlessness already works. Only there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.”
2Thes 2:7WEB
And be warned, this agent of Satan will be able to do something the Roman Empire was never able to do.
“It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. Authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation was given to him.”
Rev 13:7 WEB
He is allowed to do these things, “It was given to him…” In fact, God will help him do these things, 2Thes 2:11-12. But it will not happen until right at the end. Thus saith the Lord!
Is this close to happening now? I do not know. However, clearly we should watch.
There are many more details on these times in both Prophecy Principles and in Revealing the Christian Age.
Also if you look at history there have been many attempts down through history to install such a man. Some of these attempts are reviewed in Prophecy Principles, in the section on “Lab Work.” All of these attempts so far have been either outright failures, or at best only limited successes. Paul in fact seems to speak in 2 Thessalonians 2 as if such a man was already in existence in the first century AD, but “… there is one who restrains now, until he is taken out of the way.” 2Thes 2:7b WEB.
So this is a Christian Age long threat, that is lurking and working until it can succeed! Thus the warnings are pertinent to the entire Christian age, for we do not know when these things will succeed. “For the mystery of lawlessness already works. …” 2Thes 2:7a WEB.
Thus comes the applicability of the book of Revelation to the entire Christian age.
So as Jesus says, “What I tell you, I tell all: Watch.” Mk 13:37 WEB.
WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901