Unpacking John Rich and Tucker Carlson’s Discussion on Revelation Song

Read part 2 and part 3.

Last week conservative journalist Tucker Carlson posted an interview with country singer John Rich in which the two discussed Rich’s new song, Revelation. While I had heard about the interview and had seen a couple of brief clips on social media, I only watched the entire interview after some friends sent me the link and asked for my thoughts. Saturday night I saw the first half of the video on the side of the highway, after running out of gas on the way home from a wedding, and finished the rest the next morning while preparing breakfast. I jotted down a few quick responses for my friends, but in the interest of fairness and integrity, it would be helpful to give a more thorough answer.

A bit of background may be in order here. I am familiar with the country duo Big & Rich through a few of their more popular songs. Prior to seeing this interview, however, I do not think I had ever listened to either Big Kenny or John Rich speak about biblical, social, or political topics, so I really don’t have any preconceived framework through which to interpret his views. Similarly, I know of Tucker Carlson from various news stories and social media posts over the years. I have listened to one or two of his podcast episodes before, but that is about the extent of my exposure to him. I do not know anything about either man’s religious background or views beside what each stated in the interview.

Revelation…it’s the one that preachers don’t teach, that no one really wants to read, and I’m thinking I don’t,?it’s so great, I couldn’t wait to talk to you about it, but, I didn’t think that anyone would want to hear it.

Tucker Carlson

So what did Rich say, and what should we think about it? At the very beginning of the episode, Tucker says, “When you said you were going to write a song about Revelation, I was like, well, um, ?legitimate book of the Bible, but it’s the one that preachers don’t teach, that no one really wants to read, and I’m thinking I don’t,?it’s so great, I couldn’t wait to talk to you about it, but, I didn’t think that anyone would want to hear it.” Rich interjects, “It’s an uncomfortable book,” and Tucker asks, “So tell us how,?I’ve never heard of anyone doing something like that. First of all, what is Revelation?”

Consider for a moment what Tucker said here. I am glad that he recognizes Revelation as a “legitimate book of the Bible.” I agree, 100%! But is it a book that “preachers don’t teach” and that “no one really wants to read”? I do not think this is even remotely true, nor is it helpful. I have taught through the book of Revelation, verse by verse, and I know many Christians who read and study Revelation (along with the rest of the books of the Bible) with great enthusiasm and joy. There may be a few churches somewhere which avoid the book of Revelation, but that has not been my experience over the now 40 years that I have been a Christian.¹

This seems to be an example of the logical fallacy known as “poisoning the well.” By insinuating that preachers and Christians alike avoid the book of Revelation, we are meant to think that John Rich and Tucker Carlson are courageously seeking truth that is otherwise hidden or denied. Throughout the interview this posture is maintained, so we’re supposed to see Rich as the courageous prophet, the lone voice speaking truth in opposition to the Satanic forces behind popular music and movies. It’s John Rich who is engaging in spiritual warfare by visualizing the wrestling match between principalities, powers, and the rulers of darkness that Paul described in Ephesians 6. It’s John Rich who is calling out the Beast by bringing to our attention the technology, which has only recently been developed, that make it possible for globalist forces to control our movements and purchases as John wrote about in the book of Revelation.

If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

Rich quotes the words of the Lord from 2 Chronicles 7:14, emphasizing the opening phrase, “If my people, who are called by my name,” claiming this verse promises forgiveness and restoration for our land (presumably the USA), if the church repents. He then says, “Now that is not going to be preached in a church. I promise you Tucker, no preacher is going to say, ‘It’s our fault that this is happening.’” And when Tucker asks, “Why?” he responds, “Because it puts the onus on them, on me, on you, on Christians. They don’t want to have to take that re? ‘This can’t be my fault; this is all the devil’s work.’” Then a few seconds later he makes a much more specific accusation against Christian preachers, saying, “For too long preachers have gone in and sanded the edges off of these very literal and very powerful verses to suit the narrative.”

Are Christian preachers just like media personalities who twist the facts to fit a predetermined narrative? That seems to be Rich’s claim, and Tucker agrees saying that there has been very little public outcry from preachers about things like the White House replacing Easter with “Trans Visibility Day” or arresting an elderly woman for praying outside an abortion clinic. “And so,” he asks, “it does feel like if there is push back against this?well you’re a country music star, and you’re pushing back again’?why’s it falling to you?”

Then about halfway the interview, Rich asks permission to read 2 Thessalonians 2, “which,” he says, “doesn’t get preached very much.”² Then, after reading the entire chapter, he explains his own interpretation and charges anyone who disagrees with disliking and disregarding God’s word. “Now that goes?I’m telling you right now, heads are exploding in the church world and with a lot of Christians,” Rich says, “They’re going, ‘Heh,”? But you can get mad all you want to, I’m reading it verbatim. If you got a problem with that, go tell him [points upward] you’ve got a problem with it.”

Is it really falling to a country music star to address these issues? Are preachers across this nation ignoring the plain teaching of Scripture or sanding off the rough edges of uncomfortable passages to make them more palatable? Do pastors just refuse to read or preach from Revelation or Daniel or Matthew 24 or 2 Thessalonians 2? No doubt there are some who do, but there are also thousands who faithfully and fearlessly preach God’s word, most of whom will never have the size of platform either of these men enjoy. And beside them stand Sunday school teachers, deacons, businessmen, housewives, and many, many others who study and teach these things every day. By accusing godly men and women of shying away from the truth out of fear or discomfort, Rich and Carlson preclude any meaningful dialogue on these subjects. Although the tenor of this interview makes it difficult for me to address its content, I will still attempt to do so in further installments, pointing out factual, biblical, and theological errors along the way.

1 The site Sermon Audio archives thousands of sermons on the book of Revelation. Many thousands more could be found by searching sites like YouTube, popular podcast apps like Spotify, or hundreds of local church websites all across the web.

2 As before, a simple search on Sermon Audio reveals nearly 2,000 sermons on 2 Thessalonians 2.