Theology Series Chapter 9: Eschatology

Chapter IX: Eschatology
pdf
Dr. Paul Manuel—2013

IX. Eschatology

It is appropriate that, in A Reader's Digest Approach to Theology, the last unit should be eschatology, the study of last things. Some religions hold a cyclical view of history in which events simply repeat themselves, perhaps with some variation but with no discernible progress. Orthodox Judaism and Christianity, as well as Islam,¹ hold a linear view of history in which God is at work moving events toward a glorious finale for His people, although the identity of those people is different for Muslims and Christians.

No other topic has so stirred the imagination and speculation of people as the prospect of what the future holds, and no other topic has generated as many different opinions and raised as many questions. Will a messianic figure appear to bring peace? Will some cataclysmic event precipitate the end? How and when will it all happen?

Some Christians find the Bible's various descriptions of future things to be so mystifying that they avoid the topic altogether and assume that such matters are beyond their ability to understand or (more often) that such matters require a greater degree of effort to understand than they are willing to expend.² Other Christians find those same descriptions so tantalizing that they look for detailed correspondence in history or current events. The best approach is somewhere in the middle, attempting to understand what is recorded while realizing that some elements may remain a mystery, at least for the present.

Determining which view from the many that theologians put forth is most likely correct, however, is not simply a matter of multiple choice.³ Discerning the difference among them is not always easy and may require careful study as well as critical thinking. The best principle for understanding eschatology (as with other parts of scripture) is to adopt the most straightforward meaning of a particular text that accords best with the context. In other words, do not take an unusual position if a simpler one works just as well. ("If the plain sense makes good sense, seek no other sense lest it result in nonsense"⁴)

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WWN: "The Rapture Is Here" (Lake 2011)

If you are reading this, you have been left behind! Today is Judgment Day, and you are officially not chosen! Today is the rapture. The world doesn't end...it's the BEGINNING OF THE END. Earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, natural disasters, man-made disasters, clowns committing suicide will all begin today and increase for the next five months until the whole world disappears. What you will see today are bodies lifting up from the earth and out of cemeteries. So, perhaps the best place to watch the rapture is at your local graveyard. "Good" souls–living and dead–will go to heaven today. "Bad" souls—everyone else—are now marked for hell. If you are still on earth at the end of today, you are a sinner and are being left behind by God. You will die later with the other heathen and will burn in hell forever... Have a nice day!

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Almost since the time of Jesus' departure, people have attempted to establish the time of his return and of the end.⁵

• Post factum assertions

• Jesus did come in 50 A.D. (2 Thess 2:1-2)
• Jesus did come in 1844 (Hiram Edson, SDA).
• Jesus did come in 1914 (revised to 1925, 1975, etc. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society).

• Pre factum predictions

• Jesus will come in 1843 (revised to 1844, William Miller).
• Jesus will come in 1993 (Moses David Berg, Children of God).
• Jesus will come in 2011 (Harold Camping, Family Radio).

What is wrong with date-setting? ...Apart from the fact that the dates have all turned out to be wrong, such a practice ignores Jesus' warning.

Matt 24:26 "So if anyone tells you, 'There he is, out in the desert,? do not go out; or, Here he is, in the inner rooms,? do not believe it."

Nevertheless, Jesus also told his disciples to "keep watch [and] be ready" (Matt 24:421) 44). In other words, we will not know the specific time of his return. As Jesus says...

Matt 24:36 No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

But we should know the general time of his return. As Paul says...

1 Thess 5:4 ...you...are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.

With this difference in mind, between what we can know and what we cannot know about the time of Jesus' return, we will treat issues upon which the biblical evidence compels most Christians to agree concerning the parousia, the appearing of Jesus a second time, and concerning eternity, when God will restore creation.⁶ As we noted in the Christology unit, the Bible states clearly that Jesus will return to reign. That event, however, will be quite unlike his first, relatively quiet appearance. The following description of future events (pre-millennialism) applies most consistently the principle of adopting the straightforward meaning of a text that accords best with the context.

A. The rule Christ⁷

1. A period of great turmoil will precede his return.

a. God will pour out His wrath on the wicked.⁸

• Rev 6:15 [After the Lamb had opened six of the seven seals] Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?"

• Rev 9:20 The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood—idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

b. Satan will pour out his wrath on the nation.⁹

• Matt 24:15 "So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,? spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled again. 22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.

• Rev 12:3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. 4 His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. 5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. 6 The woman fled into the desert to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.... 13 When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14 The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent's reach. 15 Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16 But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

2. A period of great tranquility will follow his return.

a. God (through Jesus) will defeat the enemies of His people.¹⁰

•  Zech 12:2 "I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. 3 On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. 4 On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness," declares the LORD. "I will keep a watchful eye over the house of Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations. 5 Then the leaders of Judah will say in their hearts, 'The people of Jerusalem are strong, because the LORD Almighty is their God.' ...7 "The LORD will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem's inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah. 8 On that day the LORD will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the Angel of the LORD going before them. 9 On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.

• Rev 19:11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great." 19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.¹¹

• Dan 7:13 ...there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.... 27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints.... His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.'

• Rev 20:4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Sb This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

What to remember: Jesus will return at the climax of God's wrath against those who oppose Him, crushing all resistance, and will establish God's kingdom for those who serve Him, bringing peace to the earth.

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WWN: "The Temperature of Hell" (Floori 2009c)

A leading theologian has proven beyond the shadow of a doubt — the temperature of hell is 285 degrees Fahrenheit! And even though Dr. Stanford Brice warns against it, you can easily give yourself a dose of Hades by preheating your oven to 285 and briefly sticking your hand in it. "I certainly don't want to overstate the importance of my research," he added. "But I think people deserve to know what they're getting into if they don't live the good life that will ensure their entry into heaven."

The expert reached his conclusions at the end of an exhaustive five-year study of ancient religious texts, including portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls. According to his report, the earliest references to hell merely spoke of intense, agonizing heat. But later writings specifically likened the temperature of hell to that of a rock that had been heated in a roaring fire....

No less a figure than Dr. Paul Cabart, the famed French theologian, has spoken out in support of Rice. He told reporters:

If you study the Bible and other religious texts you know that God has provided us with the answers to every important question we might ask. By thoroughly studying the ancient texts and applying the scientific method to what he found, I firmly believe that Dr. Brice has found the temperature of hell.

WWN: "How to Get Your Loved Ones Out of Hell" (Floori 2009)

DAYTON, OH - At last there's a proven method you can use to get your loved ones out of Hell — and experts say it really works! That's the joyful word from world-renowned author and minister Revered Thomas Whathers, who says his prayers and painstaking research into scriptures helped him discover a way to "suspend the sentence" of eternal torment which was once believed to be permanent and irrevocable.

Just because your friends or family members died before they were able to mend their ways doesn't mean they have to rot in Hell. Prayers of the living have tremendous power to free the damned.

Dozens of prominent religious leaders affirm that they've seen souls "flashing past the earthly plane" on their way up to Heaven after Rev. Whathers applied his method to release them. Says Donald Frolerat, a deacon at Rev. Whathers' church,

 Rev. Whathers and I were praying for my aunt, a convicted murderess. Suddenly, there was a burst of light and the unmistakable form of Aunt Lila came shooting up from the floorboards! Her dress was singed from flames. But as she rose toward the ceiling, her charred, dingy dress began turning bright white and mending itself. There was a look of tremendous relief on her face. I knew beyond a doubt she was on her way up to Heaven and that our prayers had been answered.

Rev. Whathers offers a 5-step technique to anyone who wants to free a departed sinner from Satan's grasp:

1. Begin with an 8-hour fast.
2. Make sure you're not around disbelievers.
3. Remain silent for one hour before beginning your prayer.
4. Hold a Bible in one hand and something your loved one owned in the other.
5. Ask God to forgive your loved one and let him go.

Rev. Whathers says you may or may not see their spirit leave Hell and pass through the room. But you will get a peaceful feeling inside that will let you know your prayer has been answered.

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Last time we looked at what the Bible says about the events surrounding Jesus' return to reign. This time we will examine the description of what transpires after that period, as God ushers in eternity. Two great events stand at the culmination of all things, the final judgment and the new creation. There is not as much information about this aspect of God's plan. What there is comes mainly from two passages.

B. The renewal of creation.

1. God will execute a final judgment.¹²

a. He will judge Satan.¹³

• Rev 20:7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

b. He will judge sinners.

• Rev 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

• Rev 21:8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

2. God will establish a new theatre (for The Drama of Redemption).

a. He will remake the earth.¹⁴

• Isa 65:17 "Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.

• Rev 21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.

b. God will replace the city.

• Isa 65:18 But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.

• Rev 21:2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

What to remember: God will execute a final judgment on those who have opposed Him; then He will renew creation and usher in eternity.

For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.

For the other chapters in "A 'Reader's Digest' Approach to Theology" see the contents here.