I suppose there are many reasons why theologians study eschatology focused specifically on end-time prophesies. In human nature it is often gratifying to puzzle out a mystery. Understanding God’s prophesies is not meant exclusively for the most gifted puzzle solvers of the Church, but they were given in the way they were in order to transit the eons until their fulfillment.
There is one book that stands above all others in the Bible that testifies, beyond doubt, that the God of Abraham, Issacs, and Jacob exists and that His prophesies are true and unstoppable; it is the book of Isaiah. Many prophesies in Isaiah have already been fulfilled but the most striking prophecy was naming King Cyrus as the one to restore Judah to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem; not just a king but the actual name of the king some hundred years before his birth (Isaiah 45:3-4; Isaiah 44:28 – 45:6). This was done to show that the God of Israel is the only true God, there is none beside Him (Isaiah 45:6).
This realization will be paramount in the great tribulation coming on the world. The antichrist is not just a supreme leader of the end-time Babylon but his intention is to be worshiped as the Messiah (Daniel 8:25). For Satan to convince the world to worship the antichrist he must offer a plausible replacement for Jesus. The book of Revelation tells that Satan turns the world from the belief of Jesus as the true Messiah and King of kings.
To accomplish his goal, Satan gives the antichrist satanic super powers (Revelation 13:2). This is immensely convincing to all who do not have the Word of God, much like the seed that falls along the road side in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13:19; Mark 4:14; Luke 8:12). Those who do not have the testimony of Jesus Christ will worship the antichrist and exclaim, “who is like” the antichrist meaning, not even Jesus was able to do the things the antichrist is doing (Revelation 13:4).
Satan must also discredit God’s word, the Bible. A second, satanically empowered being, rises during the tribulation to cause the world to worship the antichrist. In Christian eschatology this second being is known as the false prophet (Revelation 13:11-15). Muslim eschatology has a similar prophecy where Jesus returns not as the messiah but to declare the Mahdi as the king of kings and correct the falseness of the Bible concerning the Muslim Jesus’ relationship to God. The false prophet will likely employ a similar argument. Those who have no root in the Word of God will be swayed to worship the antichrist (Matthew 13:20-21; Mark 4:16-17; Luke 8:13).
The real test for the saints of God comes with Satan’s ploy to coerce the saints to worship the antichrist. No one will be allowed to buy or sell unless they have the seal of the antichrist (Revelation 13:16-18). Faced with the consequences of no income or sources to survive how many will we worn out and convert (Daniel 7:25)? Most likely it will not happen abruptly but slowly over time adding burden upon burden until there seems no reasonable choice but to comply in order to maintain a source of income (Matthew 13:22; Mark 4:19; Luke 8:14).
As daunting as this all sounds God will not leave His saints to suffer the perils of the tribulation without Him (Revelation 2:8-11; 3:7-13). God has His own spiritual super heroes thwarting every false miracle of Satan (Revelation 7:3-4; 11:1-6). There is no indication in the Old or New Testaments that the saints of God will starve or lack what is needed to survive. We may not live in luxury while on this earth now or during the tribulation but the best this world will ever have to offer is not comparable to what awaits the saints in heaven where we will see God face to face. What the saints will face in the tribulation is persecution, prison, and death for refusing to give up the testimony of Jesus Christ (Revelation 6:3-4; 6:9-11; 12:17).
What’s the use of studying eschatology? God gave us His prophesies in order that we can be assured that His word is true, that there is no God besides Him, and that we should not be swayed into giving up the testimony of Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:23-25; Mark 13:21-23).
May God bless you in your study of His word.