ESCHATOLOGY, Part 1

CHRISTIAN BIBLE ESCHATOLOGY

The word "Eschatology" is taken from the Greek word "eschatos", which denotes "furthest or last". It is the view or teaching about death, judgment, heaven, hell, and whatever else may be believed concerning the end of all things.

Zondervan's encyclopedia states, "It is assumed throughout scripture that history is the scene of God's redemptive activity and therefore, is moving toward a new order when sin and evil
will be overcome, and God will become all in all. It is hardly possible to overestimate the importance of eschatology to Christian faith: life without faith is empty, and faith without hope is impossible."

Nelson's Encyclopedia states that "the last things are variously enumerated, but the whole ground is covered by the four interdependent stages: the return of Christ, or the Second Advent; the last resurrection of the dead; the last judgment; and the final recompense, Heaven or Hell. The Christian teaching on the theme has its roots in the Old Testament and the Apocryphal and Apocalyptic literature such as the books of Daniel, 2 Esdras, and Enoch. In the New Testament, the subject separates from the national Jewish element, with the eschatology of the church aiming at being a reproduction of New Testament teaching."

The study of "eschatology", or "the doctrine of last things", as it is usually referred to, is interesting to say the least, and is a large part of the Christian faith. However, it requires a very diligent study 'to decipher from the scriptures firm foundations for a lasting and secure faith!
There are various conflicting views, on methods of interpretation of the biblical materials about last things. Some of the reasons Newport and Cannon give for this is as follows in a brief summary. The forth-telling, or "in that history" view, regards the prophecies of the book of Revelation, as concerned only with the writer John's own day, and liberal scholars endorse that view. The historical, or "all of history" view, see the book's visions as a preview of history until john's time until the end of the world. The Protestant Reformers endorsed this view. The poetic or "above history" view see a description of God triumphing over all evil powers dramatically. However, when "eschatology" is discussed, the "millennial" view usually comes to mind, and centers around the interpretation of the thousand year reign of Christ called the millennium. Does Christ come before the millemium (premillennial view), after the millennium (postmillennial view), or is the millennium only figur­ative (amillenial)?

The conservative interpreters divide themselves into four divisions: historical premillennial, dispensational premillenial, postmillennial, and amillennial, and all the groups are literalists, which means they interpret words in their normal and proper designation. However, even these are divided between strict and moderate literalists! The popular view of the early twentieth century was "postmillenialism", with it's followers being convinced of the growth of the church by the spirit's power until it brings the millennial condition upon the earth.

"Amillennialism" is another view held with believes
that the prophecies made to Israel are fulfilled in the church, and by being fulfilled, no earthly millennium is necessary.

The different "premillennial" views are as follows: "Dispensational premillennialism" believes in an exact literal interpretation concerning Israel, the church, and the future, viewing Israel and the church as two separate groups not to be mixed, and God having separate plans for each. When Israel rejected Christ, God then rejected them and turned to the church to accomplish His redemptive purpose, which will be fulfilled at the millenium when God resumes His theocratic rule with Israel through their restored Davidic throne in Palestine, which will be a literal throne, in a literal restored temple in Jerusalem, with a literal resumption of the sacrificial system, and then will all the Old Testament promises be fulfilled. The scriptures are divided, according to this view, referring either to the church or Israel, insisting that no single verse speaks to both dispensations at the same time.

The "pre-tribulation Rapture" comes from, concept of the church, believing it cannot be on earth when God's earthly purposes start again to restore Christ's earthly reign according to the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, Since this view is dispensationa1, it separates the church from God's total redemptive plan believing it must be Raptured (taken out suddenly) out of the world before the tribulation because it is not part of the kingdom that will be in the initial stage of restoration through the surviving remnant surviving the Tribulation.

Therefore, the church is taken off the earth in the Rapture, followed by a seven year period and divided into two three and a half year periods during which, in the first, Israel enters into a covenant with the Antichrist who breaks it in the end. The second half starts with Satan overpowering the Antichrist and the "time of Jacob's trouble" being poured out on the world. During these seven years, the gospel of the Kingdom, not Grace, is preached.

Surviving the tribulation will be 144,000 elect men, a remnant of Israel, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes, and they are to become the kingdom to which Christ returns after the seven year tribulation. This view sees Christ on a physical throne, and Israel ruling all the nations with Him, so the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy makes the millennial reign Jewish, and God's consummation plan for Israel.

Claims are made by some, the church will return at the beginning and pass through, and others claim the church is a part of the Holy City hovering over the earth. The temple to be rebuilt will re-institute the sacrificial system. They believe the death of Christ to be "commemorative" and
not anticipatory. The blessed hope for the dispensationalists is that Christ will Rapture the parenthetical church so that He may reign through Israel, not the church!
The organized church (Christendom) was early distinguished from the "true church" by dispensationalists, establishing that only members of the "true church" will be saved, with all others being apostates and being the majority of all "professing Christians" historical premillennialism groups forth-telling and fore-telling from the book of Revelation together into dispensationalism and amillennialism.

The subject is the most controversial of any Christian study outside of the "free will of man" and "the sovereignty of God". In fact, because of its controversial nature, many famous preachers in the past, as well as the present, refused to preach or teach on the subject in fear of dividing the church. Therefore, as can be expected, much error has been brought into the church by "false prophets", and divisions among the church has been numerous.

More books are being written on eschatology by professing prophetic theologians as well as others, than any other subject in the Bible presently, because according to those who draw attention to that subject, our generation presently is the generation of "the last days". Because of the vast numbers of books written on the subject, and the variations opinions and interpretation, only some of the major positions will be mentioned in this thesis.

We, as Christians, are on a learning plane, individually progressing toward a greater truth of God's word, as we continue to walk with Him who redeemed us. We all will continue to grow in grace, and will be able to understand more, as we grow closer to Him, but none of us will ever know perfect truth until we see Christ "face to face" at the Second Advent. Therefore, as one of many Bible scholars, the author of this thesis humbly presents his present understanding of the sequence of "The doctrine of last things", as interpreted from God's word, the Bible.

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Blessings!
Marked Elect