In Genesis 19 Lot had been told a prophecy that Sodom was to be destroyed. He was getting his family ready to leave, and it says,

“Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, “Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city.” But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.”
Gen 19:14 WEB

They could not see how this could be, so they did not believe Lot’s warnings, and so were destroyed with the city. We need to have an eternal focus if we are comprehend and believe what we need to in prophecy.

We Need Focus on Jesus and a Future World.

“looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Heb 12:2 WEB

We need to absorb that eternal perspective which Jesus exemplified in his life here on earth. Often our worldly perspective comes from the world, which does even recognize God working in the world, so the things taught in prophecy seem so outlandish that we cannot conceive such a thing as happening, so we reject the correct answers out of hand.

We need to focus on the “world to come,” Heb 2:5.

“1 If then you were raised together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated on the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory. ”
Col 3:1-14 WEB

These things are necessary to “get it.”

Also, prophecy is much like learning math.

If we do not learn the first principles, or even outright reject them, we will never get the right answers on more involved prophecies. Many do this on Bible prophecy, both inside and outside of the faith.

The Angle of Entry is important.

Whether we see what we need to see often depend on the angle at which we approach a subject. To whatever extent we have rejected the many basic premises of Scripture, to that extent we are less likely to see, or to understand what we need to see. Often even believers do these things with even realizing it. If we come from false perspectives we are less likely to see or understand, or if the answer is too foreign to our worldly view, we may simply say, how can that be? and reject what is said. That sadly is often the case. We understand what is siad and reject it as impossible to ever be!

It is important to be willing to be open to anything which God says, and to assume that God is right and that He indeed foresees what will actually happen.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901