Tim LaHaye writes, "He [John the writer of Revelation] outlived all the other apostles, in fulfillment of Jesus's prophecy in John 21:20-24."

But read those verses for yourself and see that Jesus prophesied no such thing.

"Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee" (John 21:20)?

"Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do " (John 21:21)?

"Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me" (John 21:22).

"Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee" (John 21:23)?

"This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true" (John 21:24).

(This article has been updated. Intensive study has revealed, after it was written, that the "rumor" that John would live till Christ came was not so far-fetched after all. Christ did indeed return in the lifetime of that generation. Peter was going to die before Christ returned at the end of the nation in AD70, but apparently John would remain alive, and then be raptured with other redeemed Israelites who also were alive and remained. We notice in 1Thessalonians 4:15 that Paul may have expected to live until then. So, while dispensational Bible scholars inject some impractical elements, such as a rumor that John would "live forever," or at least 2000 more years, the truth is much closer to normal. If Jesus had said that he would tarry "till I come," it would only be until AD70 or thereabout). Jesus said, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? This apparently started a rumor that John would live until Christ returns. We know that it was only a rumor, because John has been dead for nearly 2000 years, and Christ hasn't returned yet. And the verses say nothing about John outliving the other apostles. Where Dr. LaHaye got that is a mystery. Why he came up with it is not; he is a futurist.

If the doctrines of Dispensational futurism are to appear viable, we must all be convinced that the book of Revelation was written AFTER A.D.70, not before. The problem is that there is no evidence of that anywhere in the Scriptures. Dispensationalists must, therefore, create such "evidence" where ever the opportunity presents itself. This is one of those instances.

There is nothing in the Bible that would convince the serious student that John wrote Revelation after A.D.70, nor that he even lived beyond that fateful date. Dispensationalists have nothing but "external evidence" available to prove otherwise. Inspired internal evidence shows, beyond a doubt, that Revelation was written BEFORE A.D.70.