Eschatology Flashcards
second coming
The sudden, personal, visible, bodily return of Christ from heaven to earth
Matt 24:44 “You also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect”
Signs that predict Christ’s return
- preaching of the gospel to all nations
- Great tribulation
- false prophets working wonders and signs
- signs in the heavens
- coming of the man of sin and the rebellion
- salvation of Israel
Can Christ return at any time?
Except for the spectacular signs in the heavens, it is unlikely but possible that these signs have already been fulfilled. Moreover, the only sign that seems certainly not to have occurred, the darkening of the sun and moon and the falling of the stars, could occur within the space of a few minutes, and therefore it seems appropriate to say that Christ could now return at any hour of the day or night. It is therefore unlikely but certainly possible that Christ could return at any time.
Amillennialism
- there will be no literal thousand-year bodily reign of Christ on earth prior to the final judgment and the eternal state
- the millennium in Revelation 20 actually describe the present church age, which will continue until Christ’s return
- “thousand years” is just a figure of speech for a long time
Postmillennialism
- the progress of the gospel and the growth of the church will gradually increase, so that a larger and larger proportion of the world’s population will be Christians
- significant Christian influences on society, society will more and more function according to God’s standards, and gradually a “millennial age” of peace and righteousness will occur on the earth.
- This “millennium” will last for a long period of time (not necessarily a literal one thousand years), and finally, at the end of this period, Christ will return to earth believers and unbelievers will be raised, the final judgment will occur, and there will be a new heaven and new earth. We will then enter into the eternal state
classic/historic premillennialism
- church age
- great time of tribulation
- Christ’s return to establish a millennial kingdom: Christ will physically reign on earth (peace throughout the earth); believers raised from the dead plus living believers will be glorified; many unbelievers will turn to Christ
- (many believe the heavens and earth will be renewed now)
- Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit so that he will have no influence on the earth during the millennium
Pretribulational Premillennialism (or Dispensational Premillennialism)
- Christ will return before the millennium and before the great tribulation
- similar to the classical premillennial position, but it adds another return of Christ before his return to reign on earth in the millennium. This return is thought to be a secret return of Christ to take believers out of the world
Pretribulational Premillennialism order
- the church age will continue until Christ suddenly appears, calls believers to himself, then returns to earth
- tribulation on earth (signs will be fulfilled)
- Christ will come back to earth with his saints and reign for 1000 years
- then rebellion
- then the resurrection of unbelievers, the last judgment, and the beginning of the eternal state.
Considerations for amil
- only one passage about millennium and it’s obscure (but the bible only needs to say something once to be authoritative; other passages seem to indicate it)
- the binding of satan occurred when Jesus was on earth (but this one seems to be more extensive)
- scripture only teaches one resurrection (Rev 20 says “first resurrection” implying there will be more)
- (doesn’t offer an actual solution to Rev 20)
considerations for postmil
- no one thinks that the world is becoming more Christian
- many passages refute this: “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few” Matt 7:14
- Paul predicts things will get worse (“the rebellion” and “man of lawlessness”)
considerations for premil
- many OT passages speak of future stage in the history of redemption which is far greater than the present church age but which still does not see the removal of all sin and rebellion and death from the earth (Isa 65:20)
- other NT passages seem to indicate millennium (1 Cor 15:23-24 Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end)
- Rev 20: greater restriction of Satan than now; the faithful come to life (“first resurrection”); “reigning with Christ” is consistently a future state, not present
tribulation: def and verse
An expression from Matthew 24:21 referring to a period of great hardship and suffering prior to the return of Christ
Matt 24:21
“For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.”
(29-30 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened … then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory”)
arguments for pretrib rapture
- God’s wrath is not appropriate for Christians (but trib is not just wrath; includes regular suffering bc wickedness is multiplied)
- Revelation 3:10, “I will keep you from the hour of trial which is coming…”
- makes it possible that Christians must “be ready” at any time AND that the signs will be fulfilled (during the tribulation) (but not the only possible view)
posttrib rapture
- NT doesn’t say that the church will be taken before tribulation
- Trib is clearly linked with Christ’s return in some passages
- NT does not seem to justify 2 returns of Christ
Judgment
- Scripture frequently affirms the fact that there will be a great final judgment of believers and unbelievers. They will stand before the judgment seat of Christ in resurrected bodies and hear his proclamation of their eternal destiny
- Rev 20:11-15, Acts 17:30-31 “he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead”
- The final judgment will occur after the millennium and the rebellion that occurs at the end of it (Rev 20:11)
