I think an issue needs to be dealt with that Light raises. In all due respect, when a view of eschatology affects us to the extent that we think the world needs to become like Sodom because that's when Jesus allegedly comes, in turn it affects our activity. We ALLOW or LET things get bad because we somehow think God WANTS it to be bad. I know how the reasoning works since I used to think that way, too.
Never does the bible teach us to LET things get evil and ALLOW the earth to go like Sodom. It says WE ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH. We are meant to AFFECT the world, not stand back and let it go to pot.
This is where things become more serious than a disagreement of eschatology. Our WORLDVIEW formed by our eschatology is a more serious issue. And I think it betrays whether or not our eschatology is bad, not just incorrect.
The early church set out the BETTER the world. Synagogues began to have members who believed. Paul used his Roman citizenship to avoid prison so he could keep preaching.
Daniel was raised in BABYLON, of all places, and influenced the KINGDOM! We all know what influence Joseph had in Egypt. GOD put these men in these positions.
I do not see one iota of an example of believers letting the world go to pot and not doing things that raised their surroundings out of the hell they were. Philip saw Samaria burn their books of witchcraft!
Revivals in recent years saw towns clean up. Back in little Canadian fishing villages, a revival would get people delivered from nicotine and the tobacco would dry up on the shelves of the stores. Little towns in the woods heard wood workers talking in tongues during their breaks.
We had the mayor in our new church sanctuary grand opening, and he spoke for a moment and verbally broke because he could feel the Lord there, and immediately wrote me after service by email and said he could feel the Spirit after having heard me talk about that in the meeting.
This affects society to the good.
Some denominations got the idea though if they had the Spirit they could do so much more. But building hospitals, schools and seniors housing is like the early church gaining favour with the communities.
Acts 6:7 KJV And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Acts 19:20 KJV So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.
I see NOTHING in scripture that says the world goes to a devil's hell before Jesus comes.
I see "greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world."
And if you were the devil, and you knew the church had more power in its little finger than all of your hell put together, wouldn't you want the church to believe, and try to get them to believe, the devil has to take over and the world has to get worse before it gets better, so that the church lets go of any influence it can have in stopping evil and overcoming it?
I see VICTORY.
Daniel 11:32 KJV And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
Yes, there are martyrs and imprisoned believers, but there are also overcomers and conquerors... more than conquerors.
Daniel 11:33 KJV And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.
Daniel 11:34 KJV Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
I do not even believe this is future like many do, bu the principle applies to any time.