Theologian explains how Trump's Jerusalem move is right-wing evangelicals' dream come true

President Donald Trump's decision to announce that the United States would recognize Jerusalem as Israel's official capital drew effusive praise from many American evangelical Christians -- largely because they believe it will bring about the apocalypse.

Christian theologian Diana Butler Bass explains on Twitter that having the state of Israel take full control of Jerusalem is part of many right-wing evangelicals' mythology for what they believe will bring about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

"For decades, conservative evangelicals have been longing for this recognition," Bass writes. "They believe it is necessary in order to regain control of the Temple mount. That is important because rebuilding the Temple is the event that will spark the events of the Book of Revelation and the End Times."

Bass makes it clear that she does not believe Trump himself is looking to bring about the end of the world, but she thinks that many of the evangelicals who have lobbied him on this issue absolutely are.

"You can't discount those evangelical advisers... almost all of whom take these End Times prophecies literally," she writes. "Of all the possible theological dog-whistles to his evangelical base, this is the biggest. Trump is reminding them that he is carrying out God's will to these Last Days."

To this end, says Bass, these evangelicals are actually praying that Trump's move destabilizes the Middle East and causes chaos and suffering.

"They want war in the Middle East," she writes. "The Battle of Armageddon, at which time Jesus Christ will return to the Earth and vanquish all God's enemies."

Read the entire tweet storm below.