Christian eschatology

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Christian eschatology (from the Greek meaning "last" and "study"
(ἔσχατος, last; and λογία, lit. discourse) is the study of the end of things,
whether the end of an individual life, the end of the age, or the end of
the present world and beginning of the World to Come, from a
Christian perspective.

Christian eschatology is concerned with death, an intermediate state,
Heaven, Hell, the return of Jesus, the resurrection of the
dead, a rapture, a great tribulation, the Millennium,
end of the
world, the last judgment, a new
heaven and a new earth, and the
ultimate consummation of all of God's purposes. Eschatological passages
are found in many places, especially Isaiah, Daniel, Matthew 24, Matthew 25, and
the Book of
Revelation.

The Second Coming of
Christ is the central event in Christian eschatology and the Book of
Revelation is at the core of Christian eschatology. The study of Revelation is
usually divided into four approaches. In the Futurist
approach, Revelation is chiefly seen as referring to events which as yet have
not come to pass, but which will come to pass at the end of the age, and the end
of the world. This is the approach which most applies to eschatological studies.
In the Preterist approach, Revelation
chiefly refers to the events of the 1st century AD, such as the struggle of
Christianity to survive the persecutions of the Roman Empire, the Fall of Jerusalen in
70 AD, and the desecration of the temple in the same year. In the Historicist
approach passages in Revelation are identified with major historical
people and events. In the Idealist
(or Spiritualist or Symbolic) approach, the events of Revelation are neither
past nor future, but are purely symbolic, dealing with the ongoing struggle and
ultimate triumph of good over evil.

Contents

1 Introduction

2 Different eschatological
views

3 The Second
Coming

3.1 Signs of Christ's
Return

4 See also

5 Footnotes and
references

[edit]
Introduction

Christian eschatology is concerned
with the afterlife, beginning with death and the Particular judgment
that follows the death of the individual, and is followed by the destination of
heaven or hell. (In Catholic
theology, heaven is sometimes preceded by purgatory.) Eschatology also
concerns itself with events said to happen at the end of this age: the return of Jesus, the resurrection of the
dead, the Rapture, the Tribulation, and following
these things, the Millennium, or thousand
years of peace, which has been interpreted both literally and symbolically.
Finally, eschatology concerns itself with the end of the
world and its associated events: the Last Judgment; the
banishment of Death, Hades, and Satan and his followers to the Lake of
Fire; and the creation of a new heaven and new earth. Millenarianists, Seventh Day
Adventists, Campbellites, Jehovah's
Witnesses, and other recently founded Christian
denominations have been influential in the modern development of these
doctrines, though their roots are Biblical.

Part of
a series on

Eschatology

Christian eschatology

Bibical texts

Book of
Revelation
Book of
Daniel
Olivet
discourse
Sheep and
Goats
Major figures
Jesus
Two Witnesses
Four
Horsemen
Antichrist
Different
views
Preterism
Idealism
Historicism
Futurism
Millennial
Differences
Premillennialism
Amillennialism
Postmillennialism
Other
Events
Chronology of
Revelation
Rapture
Seven
Seals
Jesus' Second
Coming

Last
Judgment

Islamic
eschatology

Good

Imam
Mahdī
Jesus the Messiah (Second
Coming)
Evil
False
Messiah
Beast of the
Last Days
Dhul
Suwayqatayn
Gog and Magog
Sufyani

Culmination

Resurrection & Judgement

Jewish
eschatology

The
Messiah
Book of
Daniel

Hindu
eschatology

Hindu
eschatology

Kalki
Kali
Yuga

Shiva

Zoroastrian
eschatology

Frashokereti
(eschatology)
Saoshyant

Inter-religious

End times
Apocalypticism
2012
phenomenon
Millenarianism
Last Judgment
Resurrection
of the Dead
Gog and Magog
Messianic
Age

v · d · e

Eschatology is an ancient branch of study in Christian theology, with study
of the "last things" and the Second Coming of
Christ first touched on by Ignatius of Antioch
(c. 35–107 AD), then given more consideration by the Christian apologist, Justin Martyr (c.
100–165)[citation
needed]. Treatment of eschatology continued in the West in the
teachings of Tertullian (c. 160–225), and
was given fuller reflection and speculation soon after by Origen (c. 185–254).[1]
It was increasingly recognized as a formal division of theological study during
the 20th century.

Eschatological passages, sometimes called "apocalyptic" writings, are
found throughout the Bible, in both the Old Testament and the New
Testament, although they are concentrated in the prophetic books. There are
various short, but important, eschatological passages in the gospels and the epistles. There are also many
extrabiblical examples of eschatological prophecy, as well as church traditions
that have been added to the scriptures over the years.

Christian Eschatology

Eschatology
views

Viewpoints

•
Preterism

•
Idealism

•
Historicism

•
Futurism

The
Millennium

•
Amillennialism

•
Postmillennialism

•
Premillenialism

• Prewrath
Rapture

•
Posttribulation
Rapture

Biblical
Texts

• The Olivet
Discourse

• The
Sheep and the Goats

• The Book of
Revelation

• The Book
of Daniel

Seventy
Weeks

•
Apocrypha

Enoch

2
Esdras

Key
Terms

•
Abomination of Desolation

•
Armageddon

•
Four Horsemen

• New
Jerusalem

• Rapture

• Second
Coming

• Seven
Seals

•
Tribulation

• Two
Witnesses

•
Antichrist

•
in Historicism

• Son of
Perdition

• The
Beast

• in
Preterism

Israel
& the Church

• Covenant
Theology

•
Dispensationalism

•
Supersessionism

• New
Covenant Theology

• Olive Tree
Theology

• Dual
Covenant Theology

Christianity
portal

v · d · e

The second coming of Christ is the central event in Christian eschatology.
Most Christians believe that death and suffering will continue to exist until
Christ's return. Others believe that suffering will gradually be eliminated
prior to his coming, and that the elimination of injustice is our part in
preparing for that event. There are a variety of viewpoints concerning the order
and significance of eschatological events.

[edit]
Different
eschatological views

See also: Christian
eschatological views

There are many different schools of interpretation, generally relating to
what place eschatology has in history, and where the thousand year kingdom is in
relation to the second coming.

For what place eschatology has in history, the four most common views
are:

The Angel Appears to John. The book of Revelation.
13th century manuscript. British Library, London.

The Preterist approach (from
the Latin praeteritus meaning gone by) seeks parallels between
Revelation and the events of the 1st century AD, such as Herod's
attempt to kill the infant Christ, the struggle of Christianity to survive the
persecutions of Judaism and the Roman Empire, the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD,
the desecration of the temple in the same year, and the growth of Christianity
from a sect within Judaism to an independent religion.

The Historicist
method takes a broader historical approach and seeks parallels between
Revelation and the major people and events of history, especially those
that directly affected Israel and the Church.

The Futurist
method approaches Revelation as chiefly referring to events that have
not come to pass, but that will take place at the end of this age and at the
end of the world. The main focus is the return of Christ. This is the approach
that most applies to eschatological studies.

The Idealist
model, also known as Spiritualist or Symbolic, approaches the
images of Revelation as symbols that represent larger themes and
concepts, rather than actual people and events. It sees in Revelation an
allegorical representation of the ongoing struggle of the forces of light and
darkness, and the ultimate triumph of good over evil. An advantage of this
approach for some is that it does not require belief in divine inspiration or
the supernatural prediction of future events. But this fact also limits its
application to eschatology, unless used in combination with the other
approaches.

For what relation the thousand year kingdom has to Christ's second coming,
the three most common views are:

Premillennialism: Christ's Second coming before a
literal one thousand year period, known by some as a thousand-year sabbath, is
preceded by a gradual deterioration of human society and behavior, and the
expansion of evil through an endtime government or kingdom.

Postmillennialism:
Christ's Second coming is seen as occurring after the one-thousand years,
which many in this school of thought believe is ushered in by the church.

Amillennialism:
Non-literal "thousand years" or long age between Christ's first and second
comings; the millennial reign of Christ as pictured in the book of Revelation
is viewed now as Christ reigning at the right hand of the Father.

[edit]
The Second Coming

Main article: Second Coming of
Christ

[edit]
Signs of Christ's
Return

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up,
and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly
toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel,
who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This
same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner
as you saw Him go into heaven."

—Acts 1:9-11

Many Christians believe:

The coming of Christ will be instantaneous and worldwide.[2]
"For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also
will the coming of the Son of Man be." ~ Matthew 24:27

The coming of Christ will be visible to all.[3]
"Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear 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." Matthew 24:30

The coming of Christ will be audible.[4]
"And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will
gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the
other." Matthew 24:31

The resurrection of the righteous will occur.[5]
"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of
an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise
first." ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:16

In one single event, the saved who are alive at Christ's coming will be
caught up together with the resurrected to meet the Lord in the air.[6]
"Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the
clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the
Lord." ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Human life will cease to exist on earth for a period of time.[7]
"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the
heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with
fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up."
(2 Peter 3:10)

[edit]
See also

1 Maccabees

Abomination
(Bible)

Antiochus
Epiphanes

Apocalypticism

Armageddon

Bible Prophecy

Daniel's
Vision of Chapter 8

Daniel Chapter
11

Day-year
principle

End times

Four
Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Gog and Magog

Hades

Millennialism

Millenarianism

New Earth

Post
Tribulation

Progressive
dispensationalism

Prophecy
of Seventy Weeks

Realized
eschatology

[edit]
Footnotes and
references

^
Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson, eds. Ante-Nicene Fathers. (16
vol.) Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 1994. The writings of Ignatius and
Justin Martyr can be found in Vol. 1; Tertullian, in Volumes 3–4; and Origen,
in Volume 4.

^
The Secret Rapture by Joe Crews

^
"Caught Up" – When?

^
Anything But Secret

^
Eugene Prewitt - Audioverse

^
Secret Rapture Truth

^
The Ultimate Deliverance Study Guide See Question # 7

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