Topic: Eschatology

Presented by B.O.Okumu during a BEST P meeting Held on 23

rd
Oct 2! in "#
ES$H%TO&O'(:
The term Eschatology re)ers to the doctrine o) the last things. *t originates )rom the 'reek +ord
Eschatos meaning last. This in,ol,es both human and cosmological -eschatology. Eschatology is
the doctrine o) the inauguaration o) the kingdom and the consummation o) history.in the reign o)
'od.
*t encompasses the )ollo+ing aspects:/ 0eath
The second coming o) $hrist
The 1esurrection o) the dead
2udgement
3illennium
Hea,en
Hell
The notion o) eschatology )or the *sraelites stemmed )rom the e,ils and in4ustice that compounded
the human e5perience
The prophets interpreted ,arious catastrophes that be)ell *srael as 'ods 4udgement )or sin and +ere
perple5ed by the su))ering o) the innocent and the prosperity o) the +icked. The establishment o)
peace and security became their yearning.The )aith and belie) in 'od as so,ereign and as the &ord o)
history. They en,isaged a time in the )uture +hen 'od +ould inter,ene in history and bring
4udgement6 banish e,il and institute a permanent age o) sal,ation lo,e security peace and
righteousness among all men and nations. *s 7:#8!6##:#876 3ic 9:#8!.This ga,e rise to apocalyptic
ideas the hope o) 'ods direct inter,ention. 2esus himsel) alluded to these but +ent on to assert that
the long a+aited sal,ation had come and that the kingdom o) 'od +as nigh. 3k#:#:.
3tt##:2;6#2:<.*n the teaching o) $hrist 'od=s decisi,e eschatological act has already taken place
but in such a +ay that the clima5 is still )uture.The distincti,e )eature o) the >e+ Testament
eschatology is the tension bet+een the reali?ed and the *naugurated eschatology."or >e+ testament
+riters the end has already began and through $hrists mission6 death6 resurrection6a )irm )oundation
has been laid )or the $hristian hope )or the )uture. %cts#!:361om<:##62$or9:#96#Thes9:#9.>e+
Testament eschatology can be summari?ed as $hristocentric
That $hrist is the )ul)illment o) the Old Testament e5pectations o) 'ods o+n eschatological
coming83al3:#6&k#:!;6!:2!etc.He is the Sa,iour 2udge6con@ueror o) e,il6 agent o) 'od rule and
3ediator o) 'ods presence to men.
He is the eschatological destiny )or all human beings6 he is the one +ho has achie,ed and
determined through his o+n risen humanity the destiny o) all men hence all are mo,ing to+ards him
to be like him.1om<:27 Phil3:2#
RAPTURE:
The term Rapture does not exist in the Bible.
It is only implied in 1
st
Thes 4:17:!au"ht up in the #louds to meet the $ord in the air
THE SE$O>0 $O3*>' O" $H1*ST
TEATS:
&uke #!:2B3!.
3athe+29:#B3: Signs o) his coming
3athe+ 29:3;B:# the day and the hour o) his coming unkno+n
2Peter 3:#B#! the day o) the &ord
#Thess 9:#3B::##The coming o) the &ord6 The 1apture ,.#!.
2Timothy3:#B7 Cickedness +ill abound sel)Bcenteredness
#$orinthians #:::#) 1esurrection o) the dead. Hope
*>T1O0D$T*O>
2esus said in 1e,elation * am the beginning and the end the )irst and the last the alpha and the
omega.
1e)erring to the last things St %ugustine o) Hippo once said: The city o) 'od is e,er in con)lict +ith
the city o) man and 'od +ill )inally pre,ail and a society +ill be )ormed in +hich there +ill be no
e,il.
Hegel the Philosopher had this to say: History is mo,ing )rom primiti,ity to ci,ili?ation Eclima5F
and rule by 'od +ill be the )inal reign on earth.
'od the creator and sustainer o) the earth has said He +ill bring the +orld to a close.
>%TD1E %>0 E""E$TS O" $H1*STGS "*1ST $O3*>':
*t +as personal
*t +as real
He +as born
He came in humility Phil 2:!6<
He +as 4udged by men
He came as an ad,ocate +ith the "ather
He came as the sa,ior o) sinners
He came as a man
He came to die
He came as 'odGs su))ering ser,ant
0ating system changed
>e+ religion the +ay the truth and the li)e
>e+ hope
>e+ destiny
>e+ +orld order *s 7:;6!.
"%&&%$*ES 1E'%10*>' H*S $O3*>':
The day o) Pentecost )allacy E$hrist came during this timeF
The ne+ Birth )allacyEonce one gets born again6 $hrist has already come againF
The destruction o) 2erusalem in !%0 )allacy
Ethe temple destruction implied His comingF
The human death )allacy
The con,ersion o) the +hole +orld )allacy
THE >%TD1E O" THE SE$O>0 $O3*>'
*n the same +ay in +hich he ascended as recorded in %cts #:##.
The de)initeness o) the e,ents : )ollo+ing the discourse in 3att 29 H2: it emphasi?es this truth.
#. Public and uni,ersal 3tt 29:2! 1e, #:! ie e,ery eye +ill see Him
2. He +ill come personally. *t +ill be a historical arri,al o) a person. He +ill come bodily 2ohn #9:3.
3. Dne5pected. He +ill come une5pectedly. 3tt 29:32B33. 2Pt 3:<B#3 3tt 29:99.
9. He +ill come suddenly 3tt 29:2;) #$or #:::#) #Thes ::#B; 1e, 22:#2 3tt 29:3;.
:. He +ill come in po+er and great glory o) 'od +ith clouds and angels 2Thes #:!B# Tit 2:#3 3tt
2::3#.
;. He +ill come triumphantly or ,ictoriously &k #7:##B2!.
%. *n the air # Thes 9:#;B#<. The dead +ill be raised and the li,ing changed. The church +ill
be taken #$or #:::#B:9.
He +ill come to the earth and establish 'odGs reign 3tt 29:27B9; #Thes 3:#36 2ude #9.*t +ill
be decisi,e in ending +orldly li)e and time
THE PD1POSE O" H*S $O3*>'
#. The ,indication and mani)estation o) $hrist as &ord. Phil 2:7Eph #:2B23 Heb 2:7. He +ill reign
)ore,er. Tit 2:#36 2Tim 9:#6 Heb 7:2< 1e, #2:# #$or #:!.
2. 1emo,al o) the restrainer. Satan and his angels 2Thes 2:;B<.
3. 1ighteous 4udgment o) the li,ing and the dead. 0an #26 2ohn ::2<) %cts 29:#:.
% general resurrection o) the dead +ith the ,ie+ o) 4udgment 2Tim 9:# %cts #:926 #!:3#
3tt#;:2! 2ude #9).
2udgmentB assessment o) $hristian per)ormance and re+ard 1om #9:#B#2 #$or 3:7B#:6 9::.
The unbelie,er or un)aith)ul +ill be committed to total loss. 3tt #3:9#)6 97) 2Thes #:!B
7 1e, 2:##B#:.
9. $ompletion and glori)ication o) the church. 1ansom the church. $omplete the +ork o) sal,ation.
To usher his people into his presence eternally. #Thes 9:#:B#! 2$or ::;6<. "reed )rom sin and
corruption Phil 3:2# #Thes 3:#3 Eph ::2!6 1e, #7:;B<.
To reign and dine +ith him )ore,er &k 22:3 1e, 22:: 3tt 2<.
0eli,ered )rom persecution 3tt 29:#26 2#))
Sal,ation o) the people o) *srael
:. The )inal ,ictory o,er all po+ers o) e,il ie sin death6 antichrist6 )alse prophet the beast etc. # $or
#::22B<6 92B:!2Thes #:!B#6 2:3B# 1e, #2:!B##6 #;:#2B#;6 #7:#7B2#6 2:#B#.
;. The establishment o) a ne+ hea,en and a ne+ earth. *n +hich 'odGs original purpose )or
humanity +ill be reali?ed. 2Pt 3:#B#3 1e, 22:#B#:.
There +ill be no more crying6 sorro+6 pain6 death6 darkness there.
THE S*'>S O" H*S $O3*>' E3att 29:# B #3F
0ecline in )aith:
Persecution
*ncrease in +itness +orld+ide
Cars and con)licts
0isturbances in natural order
Stress 2Tim 3.
Sel)Bcenteredness: lo,ers o) sel)6 lo,ers o) money6 pleasure6 more than lo,ers o) 'od
Cickedness: boast)ul6 proud6 abusi,e6 unholy6 disobedient to parents6 un)orgi,ing6 +ithout sel)
control.
"alse teachers: claiming to be the $hrist.
1ebellion
3*&&E>>*%&*S3:
This describes the reign o) $hrist and his people )or a thousand years as mentioned in 1e, 2:#B;.
1egarding this6 three main ,ie+s ha,e been put )or+ard namely: Premillenialism6 %milennialism6
and Postmillennialism
PreBmillennialism:B That the second coming o) $hrist precedes his reign +ith his people including
dead $hristians +ho ha,e been resurrectedB on the earth )or a period o) # years a)ter +hich +ill
)ollo+ the general resurrection o) the dead6 the day o) 4udgment6 and the li)e o) hea,en. This ,ie+
also maintains that some o) the Old Testament prophesies about the people o) *srael +ill )ind
)ul)illment during this period. B0ispensations
PostBmillennialism is the ,ie+ that the second coming )ollo+s the ultimate triumph o) the gospel in
the +orld6 this period o) triumph being the millennium.BPuritans
%Bmillennialism is the ,ie+ that the description in 1e, 2 is symbolical and that it re)ers to the
entire period o) $hristGs rule beginning +ith his ascension and e5altation.B1e)ormed.
THE 1ESD11E$T*O> O" THE 0E%0
The second coming o) $hrist is accompanied by the resurrection o) dead belie,ers to 4oin him.
#Thes 9:#9B#;. #$or #::236 :#B!.Those belie,ers +ho are still ali,e at his coming are brought into
his presence to meet him as he comes. These are trans)ormed and gi,en ne+ bodies.
THE &*"E O" HE%IE> E1e, 2#:#B22::F
The end o) the +orld is certain and so is the establishment o) a ne+ +orld6 a ne+ hea,en and a ne+
earth.2 Pt3:#3. This +ill be the home o) the redeemed. This ne+ li)e +ill be li)e +ith 'od and His
$hrist in restored )ello+ship +ith the creator se,ered in Eden.
THE S*'>*"*$%>$E O" H*S $O3*>'
The >eed )or 1epentance and a 1eturn to 'od Based on His Patience 2Pt 3:9.% change in
moral attitudes to that o) obedience to 'od and ser,ice to him +ith our all.
The Jey to the Hope +e Ha,e )or the resurrection #Thes 9:#9 in "ul)illment o) Scripture. The
timing belongs to 'od.
*t demands holiness and sel) puri)ication and readiness 2Pt 3:#9 3tt 2::;B#. 3ake e,ery
e))ort to be )ound holy and blameless.
Catch)ulness and perse,erance in our +alk +ith 'od. Be alert and sel) controlled #Thes
::#.0o not be ignorant o) His coming
The call to +itness until He comes. 3att 2< : #7B2
% call to stead)astness 2Thes2:#3B#! K #$orr#:::<
*t is a +arning to the ungodly o) 'odGs +rath # peter 9 :!B##K 1omans #3:##B#9 K # 4ohn 3:2B3
% call to )aith)ulness to $hrist at all times