1. The Return of Christ
See this 11min video by David Murray overview of the positions:

2. I. Eschatology – eschatos (last) = logos (word): last things
II. Different “orthodox” End Time Views
A. All agree that:
1. Jesus’ return personal, visible, bodily, longed for, and timing is unknown.
2. Believers/unbelievers resurrected (John 5:29)
a. Believers: everlasting life
b. Unbelievers: everlasting judgment
3. Creation of new heavens/earth
My thoughts on the resurrection of unbelievers: We do not know precisely what the unbelievers physical resurrection will consist of. They will not enter into a glorified state, since that entails being delivered from the presence of sin itself—of total and complete renewal free from all corruption. The unbelievers "resurrection" would seem to be more akin to Jesus' raising of Lazarus, except in the case of the raising of unbelievers at the last day, they will be raised in a physically and in a conscious state that will never end. We get a sense of this from Jesus' story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). We might also say that the body or state in which they are raised will be one that bears the marks of futility and decay, with no hope of being set from it. So, it seems we can make a distinction between being raised in a glorified state where you are renewed and transformed and delivered from all marks of sin and corruption, and being raised in a sinful, corrupt state, where you are confirmed in that state forever, and consigned to a place of misery that is described in various ways, such as outer darkness, a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth, and a place where the smoke of torment rises day and night.

3. 1. Dispensational emphasis: a. Literal interpretation of prophecy
B. Differences due to interpretative approaches to Scripture. Results in different understanding of: redemptive history, kingdom, church, and millennium. Of 4 primary positions, Dispensationalism most different in terms of hermeneutic. Riddlebarger notes:
1. Dispensational emphasis:
a. Literal interpretation of prophecy
b. Distinction between Israel and the church.
2. Historic Protestant
a. NT interprets OT: NT is final arbiter of OT, not reverse.
b. Typology: OT symbol pointing to/fulfilled by Christ
c. Analogy of Faith: interpret unclear text in light of clear on same topic, rather than literal in isolation from rest of Scripture.
1.a. Promises to Abraham and David to be literally fulfilled by nation of Israel. Problem: ignores how OT passages interpreted by NT. Example: Acts 15:13ff c/f Amos 9:11-12: ct 15:13 After they finished speaking, James replied, "Brothers, listen to me. 14 Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. 15 And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 "'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, 17 that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things 18 known from of old.'
- Riddlbarger asks "When James applied this prophecy to the church, was he spiritualizing an OT text? Or was James reading the OT through a Christ-centered lens typical of the greater light of the Messianic age?"
1.2a: "The literal interpretation of the prophecy is to be accepted (A) unless the passages contain obviously figurative language, or (B) unless the New Testament gives authority for interpreting them in other than a literal sense, or (the C) unless a literal interpretation would produce a contradiction with true, principles, or factual statements contained in non-symbolic books of the New Testament. Another obvious rule to be followed is at the clearest New Testament passages in non-symbolic books are to be the norm for the interpretation of prophecy, rather than obscure or partial revelations contained in the Old Testament. In other words, we should accept the clear and plain parts of Scripture as a basis for getting the true meaning of the more difficult parts of Scripture."
Riddlbarger: "the dispensationalists literalistic reading of prophetic passages must not be confused with a literal reading. A literal reading – – a reading that gets at the plain sense of the text – – will allow the New Testament to interpret the old. It is [amillenialists], not dispensationalists, who interpret prophecy literally in that they follow the literal sense of how the writers of the New Testament interpret Old Testament prophecy."

4. C. Four main interpretative approaches to Revelation: 1. Preterist:
a. Full = 2d Coming/Res/FJ in 70 AD.
b. Partial = 70AD fulfill Matt 24/Rev., but end is future.
2. Futurists: Events of Matt 24/Rev, etc., largely refer to/fulfilled in future. 2 kinds: Historic Premil; Dispensational.
3. Historicist: Rev is chronological outline of church history from 1st Cent–2d Coming.
4. Idealists (Progressive Parallelism): visions of Rev portray church’s struggle from 1st - 2d comings of Christ. 7 visions recapitulate (parallel/re-tell) previous visions, but progressively reveals more about future from multiple perspectives.
"Full Preterism holds that Jesus' Second Coming is to be viewed not as a future-to-us bodily return, but rather a "return" manifested by the physical destruction of Jerusalem and her Temple in AD 70 by foreign armies in a manner similar to various Old Testament descriptions of God coming to destroy other nations in righteous judgment. Full Preterism also holds that the Resurrection of the dead did not entail the raising of the physical body, but rather the resurrection of the soul from the "place of the dead," known as Sheol (Hebrew) or Hades (Greek). As such, the righteous dead obtained a spiritual and substantial body for use in the heavenly realm, and the unrighteous dead were cast into the Lake of Fire. Some Full Preterists believe this judgment is ongoing and takes effect upon the death of each individual (Heb. 9:27). The New Heavens and the New Earth are also equated with the fulfillment of the Law in AD 70 and are to be viewed in the same manner by which a Christian is considered a "new creation" upon his or her conversion." Theopedia

5. a. GK Beale: "The idealist approach affirms that Revelation is a symbolic portrayal of the conflict between good and evil. The most radical form of this view holds…identifies none of the book’s symbols with particular historical events."
b. Redemptive Historical Idealism: Not tied to common historical events (Nero, Papacy, attack helicopters, etc). Yet: "While the common events of history are not specified (in the visions of Rev 4-22 at least), the great events of redemption are… And these events are certainly historical…the enthronement of Jesus in heaven as Mediatorial Priest-King, the present gospel or missionary age, the Second Coming of Christ in glory to judge wicked, the new heavens and new earth…the brief period of global persecution of the church which precedes the Second Coming…I think this cycle of events forms the very backbone of the Book." - Dr. Sam Storms

6. C. Key questions related to 1,000 yrs in Rev. 20
1. Is the 1,000 yrs literal or symbolic?
2. Is Rev. 20 a recapitulation (repeat of same basic pattern) of chapt 19, and is chapt 12 and 20 describing the same events?
D. Different Millennial Views:
1. Premillennial: Christ returns to earth before (pre) His physical reign on earth for literal 1,000 yrs. Two key forms of Premil: Historic Premil; Dispensational Premil:

7. Historic Premillennial:
1. Kingdom manifested in Christ’s ministry.
2. Kingdom present (spiritually) and spread by Holy Spirit through the church until end of the age/Christ's return.
3. Just prior to Return, apostasy/Great Tribulation on earth.
4. Christ returns/rules w/resurrected saints for 1000 yrs (1st resurrection). Satan bound/Kingdom visible/many converted.
5. At end of 1000 yrs, Satan released/leads massive rebellion
6. Satan defeated, cast into hell
7. 2d res/Final judgment; creation of new heaven/earth

8. 1. The Kingdom prophesied in OT is manifested in Jesus’ ministry, and inaugurated in His resurrection/ascension. It is spread through the Holy Spirit by His people.
2. There will be a large scale apostasy at the end of time. The anti-Christ will arise, and there will be Great Tribulation.
3. Christ will return, rapture believing saints and raising dead saints. They will be on earth where Christ will reign from Jerusalem for 1,000 years.

9. Dispensational Premill:
1. "Strict" literal interpretation of prophecy: all promises made to David and Abraham to be fulfilled in millennial age.
2. God has 2 redemptive plans, 1 for national Israel, and 1 for Gentiles during "church age." "Pretribulationism distinguishes clearly between Israel and the church and their respective programs."
3. Kingdom offered to Jews at 1st coming of Jesus, but rejected. Kingdom postponed. God turned to Gentiles.
4. Church age not anticipated by OT. It is a "parenthesis."
5. Prior to GT, Christ secretly raptures church (those living and "righteous dead"), removes from earth for 7 yrs.

10. 6. Anti-Christ reigns during GT: 3 ½ yrs peace/3 ½ yrs suffer
7. Christ returns 2d time w/saints after GT. Armageddon/overthrows AC, judges world, binds Satan for 1,000 yrs, raises OT and tribulation saints from dead.
8. Christ reigns on earth in Jerusalem for literal 1,000 years. Those converted during GT, including 144,000 Jews, go into millennium to repopulate earth. Glorified believers rule w/Christ during millennium. OT worship/sacrifices (to commemorate sacrifice of Christ) offered in rebuilt Temple.
9. Satan released at end of 1,000 years/massive rebellion ensues/Satan defeated/Final judgment/creation of new heaven/earth.

12. Postmillennial:
1. Kingdom appears in Jesus’ ministry, spiritually present through Holy Spirit in the church.
2. Great Commission advances and succeeds, ushering in an age of unprecedented peace/prosperity known as the millennium as the world and its institutions is essentially Christianized.
3. The millennium may/may not last literal 1,000 years. At end of millennium Satan released/rebellion breaks out. Christ returns, defeats Satan, final judgment.
4. Kingdom fully realized in new heavens/new earth.

14. Amillennial
1. “Present/now” or “realized” millennialism.
2. Millennial reign of Christ = entire time from Christ’s resurrection/ascension to 2d coming, where "promises made to national Israel, David and Abraham, in the OT are fulfilled by Christ and the Church."
3. Kingdom present (spiritually) and spread by Holy Spirit through the church. [ALREADY]
4. Satan is bound (influence restrained) during present age due to Christ's cross/res/present reign from heaven.
5. End of millennium Satan unbound, rebellion/apostasy breaks out.
6. Christ returns, defeats Satan, resurrection, final judgment. Kingdom fully realized in creation of new heavens/new earth.

17. III. Best options: Amill or Historic Premil. Why?
A. Kingdom present, but not yet (contra Disp. Premil).
B. Accounts for suffering of saints in this age (contra Postmil “optimism”)
IV. Again, key things that must be believed
A. Jesus’ return is personal, visible (He’ll be seen), bodily (physical presence), longed for, and timing is unknown
B. Believers/unbelievers resurrected
C. Creation of new heavens/earth

18. Part 2

19. I. Personal (it’s Jesus), visible (He’ll be seen), bodily (physical presence), longed for, and timing is unknown
A. Personal: 1 Thes 4:16 “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven…”
B. Visible: Rev. 1:7 “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him.”
C. Bodily: Acts 1:11 “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Q. Why personal/visible/bodily return important?
A. Liberal scholars: Not Jesus return, but His spirit/lifestyle of love increasingly return to earth.

20. D. Longed for: “[God’s grace] teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self- controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Q. Do we long for Christ’s return? Why/why not?
Q. What are hindrances to longing for return?

21. E. Timing unknown
Matt 24:44 – “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
Matt 25:13 – “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Q. Why is this important?
-- Alerts us to false teachers/date setters.
Q. What does not knowing day/hour also imply about His coming?
-- Imminent Return/Sudden (but signs pre)
-- Why important?
-- Motive for godly living (1 Thes.)

22. 2. Believers/unbelievers resurrected
a. Believers: everlasting life - 1 Thes 4:14-18
Q. What does this imply about the rapture? Is it a secret event?
-- Everything speaks of public, seen event.
Q. What does it imply about Christ’s return and the end of time? (1 Cor 15:51-54)
-- Christ’s return marks the end, not the beginning of a millennial reign where evil will still exist at some point.
Mat 24:40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left.
Mat 24:41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
Compare to 1 Thes 4, taken is raised and caught up with Christ. Left is those who are left to perish in their sins, all of which will happen at the coming of Christ. Notice, Matt 24:40-41 is given in context of coming of the Lord. In v. 30, it clearly states that the Lord will appear. And the rest of the context is describes a public event witnessed by all.

23. b. Unbelievers: “ ” punishment/hell
2 Thes 1:6-9
Q. What does this text imply about the question of the millennium—is there a 1,000 yr delay in judgment when Christ returns, or does judgment occur when the Lord returns?
Q. How might this motivate us?
3. Creation of new heavens/earth (Rom. 8:19-21

24. Revelation 22:20
He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus

25. 1. Church Age is kingdom OT prophets predict
1. Church Age is kingdom OT prophets predict. God expands his people from 1 nation (Israel) to every nation, tribe, tongue. This is “Israel of God” (Gal 6:16).
2. Christ binds Satan during 1st coming. Prevents Satan from stopping gospel proclamation. Allows for multitudes to convert to Christ and insures some restraint upon evil.
3. Christ rules spiritually in the hearts of believers. Impact culture when living out implications of their faith.
From Kenneth Gentry:
1. The Church Age is the kingdom which the Old Testament prophets predict. God expands his people from the one nation of Israel in the Old Testament to the universal Christian church of the New Testament, making this phase of God’s people the “Israel of God” (Gal 6:16).
2. Christ binds Satan during his earthly ministry at his first coming. His binding prevents Satan from stopping gospel proclamation. This allows for multitudes of sinners to convert to Christ and insures some restraint upon evil.
3. Christ rules spiritually in the hearts of believers. We may expect occasional, short-lived influences of Christianity on culture and society, especially when Christians live out the implications of their faith.
4. History will gradually worsen as evil’s growth accelerates toward the end. This will culminate in the great tribulation, with the arising of a personal Antichrist.
5. Christ will return to end history, resurrect all men, and conduct the Final Judgment, and establish the eternal order. The eternal destiny of the redeemed may be either in heaven or in a totally renovated new earth.

26. 4. History will gradually worsen as evil’s growth accelerates toward the end. This will culminate in the great tribulation, with the arising of a personal Antichrist.
5. Christ will return to end history, resurrect all men, conduct the Final Judgment, and create new heavens and new earth.

27. 1. NT era church is initial phase of Christ’s kingdom, anticipated by OT Testament (esp. prophetic books).
2. NT church becomes corrupt/evil increases toward end
3. Church goes through Great Trib (GT). Antichrist arises
4. Christ returns at end of GT to rapture church, resurrect deceased saints, and conduct judgment of the righteous in the “twinkling of an eye.”

28. 5. Christ descends to earth w/His glorified saints, fights battle of Armageddon, binds Satan, establishes worldwide/political kingdom for 1,000 yrs from Jerusalem
6. Satan loosed/massive rebellion against Christ/saints.
7. God intervenes w/fiery judgment/rescue Christ/saints. Resurrection/judgment of wicked occurs/eternal order begins: new heavens/new earth, or heavenly environment.

29. 1. Jesus fulfills OT expectations regarding the coming kingdom.
2. Kingdom essentially redemptive/spiritual, not than political/ corporeal. Implications for political realm, but postmil not political.
3. Kingdom will exercise transformational socio-cultural influence.
4. Gradual, developmental expansion of Christ’s kingdom on earth before Lord returns. Proceed by a full-orbed ministry of the Word, fervent and believing prayer, and the consecrated labors of Christ’s Spirit-filled people.
1. Jesus Christ founds his Messianic kingdom on the earth during his earthly ministry and through his redemptive labors. His establishing the “kingdom of heaven” fulfills Old Testament prophetic expectations regarding the coming kingdom.
2. The kingdom is essentially redemptive and spiritual, rather than political and corporeal. Although it has implications for the political realm, postmillennialism is not political, offering a kingdom in competition with geo-political nations for governmental rule.
3. The kingdom will exercise a transformational socio-cultural influence in history. This will occur as more and more people convert to Christ, not by a minority revolt and seizure of political power in history nor by the catastrophic imposition of Christ at his second advent from outside of history.
4. Postmillennialism expects the gradual, developmental expansion of Christ’s kingdom in time and on earth before the Lord returns to end history. This will proceed by a full-orbed ministry of the Word, fervent and believing prayer, and the consecrated labors of Christ’s Spirit-filled people.
5. Postmillennialism confidently anticipates a time in earth history (continuous with the present) in which the very gospel already operating will win the victory throughout the earth, fulfilling the Great Commission.
6. After this extended period of gospel prosperity, earth history will draw to a close by the personal, visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ (accompanied by a literal resurrection and a general judgment) to introduce his blood-bought people into the consummative and eternal form of the kingdom. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.

30. 5. Postmil anticipates a time in earth history (continuous with the present) in which the very gospel already operating will win the victory throughout the earth, fulfilling the Great Commission.
6. After this extended period of gospel prosperity, earth history will draw to a close by the personal, visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ (accompanied by a literal resurrection and a general judgment) to introduce his blood-bought people into the consummative and eternal form of the kingdom. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1. Jesus Christ founds his Messianic kingdom on the earth during his earthly ministry and through his redemptive labors. His establishing the “kingdom of heaven” fulfills Old Testament prophetic expectations regarding the coming kingdom.
2. The kingdom is essentially redemptive and spiritual, rather than political and corporeal. Although it has implications for the political realm, postmillennialism is not political, offering a kingdom in competition with geo-political nations for governmental rule.
3. The kingdom will exercise a transformational socio-cultural influence in history. This will occur as more and more people convert to Christ, not by a minority revolt and seizure of political power in history nor by the catastrophic imposition of Christ at his second advent from outside of history.
4. Postmillennialism expects the gradual, developmental expansion of Christ’s kingdom in time and on earth before the Lord returns to end history. This will proceed by a full-orbed ministry of the Word, fervent and believing prayer, and the consecrated labors of Christ’s Spirit-filled people.
5. Postmillennialism confidently anticipates a time in earth history (continuous with the present) in which the very gospel already operating will win the victory throughout the earth, fulfilling the Great Commission.
6. After this extended period of gospel prosperity, earth history will draw to a close by the personal, visible, bodily return of Jesus Christ (accompanied by a literal resurrection and a general judgment) to introduce his blood-bought people into the consummative and eternal form of the kingdom. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.

31. 1. Redemptive history is divided up into 7 distinct dispensations, wherein God works with men under each dispensation in different ways. Hence, the name “dispensationalism.”
2. Christ offers renewed Davidic Kingdom (earthly, political) to Jews in 1st century. They reject it, Christ postpones it until future. 3. The Church Age is a wholly unforeseen/distinct era in plan of God. It was unknown to/unexpected by Old Testament prophets.
4. God has separate program/plan for ethnic Israel from the church. The church is a parenthesis to original plan of God.
1. Redemptive history is divided up into seven categorically distinct dispensations, wherein God works with men under each dispensation in different ways. Hence, the name “dispensationalism.”
2. Christ offers renewed Davidic Kingdom — an earthly, political structure — to the Jews in the first century. They reject it, leading him to postpone it until the future.
3. The Church Age is a wholly unforseen and distinct era in the plan of God. It was altogether unknown to and unexpected by the Old Testament prophets.
4. God has a separate and distinct program and plan for racial Israel, as distinguished from the church. The church of Jesus Christ is a paren-thetical aside in the original plan of God.
5. The church may experience occasional small scale successes in history, but ultimately she will lose influence, fail in her mission, and become corrupt as worldwide evil intensifies toward the end of the Church Age.
6. Christ will return secretly in the sky to rapture living saints and resurrect the bodies of deceased saints (the first resurrection). He is removing them out of the world before the great tribulation. The judg-ment of the saints transpires in heaven during the seven-year great tribulation period before Christ’s bodily return to the earth.
7. At the conclusion of the seven-year great tribulation, Christ will return to the earth in order to establish and personally administer a Jewish political kingdom headquartered at Jerusalem for 1,000 years. During this time, Satan will be bound, and the temple and sacrificial system will be re-established in Jerusalem as memorials.
8. Toward the end of the Millennial Kingdom, Satan will be loosed so that he may surround and attack Christ at Jerusalem.
9. Christ will call down fire from heaven to destroy his enemies. The second resurrection and judgment of the wicked will occur, initiating the eternal order.
Kenneth Gentry

32. 5. Church becomes corrupt as worldwide evil intensifies toward the end of the Church Age.
6. Christ will return secretly in the sky to rapture living saints and resurrect the bodies of deceased saints (the first resurrection). He is removing them out of the world before the great tribulation. The judgment of the saints transpires in heaven during the seven-year great tribulation period before Christ’s bodily return to the earth.
7. At the conclusion of the 7-year great tribulation, Christ will return to the earth to establish and personally administer a Jewish political kingdom headquartered at Jerusalem for 1,000 years.
1. Redemptive history is divided up into seven categorically distinct dispensations, wherein God works with men under each dispensation in different ways. Hence, the name “dispensationalism.”
2. Christ offers renewed Davidic Kingdom — an earthly, political structure — to the Jews in the first century. They reject it, leading him to postpone it until the future.
3. The Church Age is a wholly unforseen and distinct era in the plan of God. It was altogether unknown to and unexpected by the Old Testament prophets.
4. God has a separate and distinct program and plan for racial Israel, as distinguished from the church. The church of Jesus Christ is a paren-thetical aside in the original plan of God.
5. The church may experience occasional small scale successes in history, but ultimately she will lose influence, fail in her mission, and become corrupt as worldwide evil intensifies toward the end of the Church Age.
6. Christ will return secretly in the sky to rapture living saints and resurrect the bodies of deceased saints (the first resurrection). He is removing them out of the world before the great tribulation. The judg-ment of the saints transpires in heaven during the seven-year great tribulation period before Christ’s bodily return to the earth.
7. At the conclusion of the seven-year great tribulation, Christ will return to the earth in order to establish and personally administer a Jewish political kingdom headquartered at Jerusalem for 1,000 years. During this time, Satan will be bound, and the temple and sacrificial system will be re-established in Jerusalem as memorials.
8. Toward the end of the Millennial Kingdom, Satan will be loosed so that he may surround and attack Christ at Jerusalem.
9. Christ will call down fire from heaven to destroy his enemies. The second resurrection and judgment of the wicked will occur, initiating the eternal order.
Kenneth Gentry

33. 8. During this time, Satan will be bound, and the temple and sacrificial system will be re-established in Jerusalem as memorials.
9. Toward the end of the Millennial Kingdom, Satan will be loosed so that he may attack Christ at Jerusalem.
10. Christ will call down fire from heaven to destroy his enemies. The second resurrection and judgment of the wicked will occur, initiating the eternal order.
1. Redemptive history is divided up into seven categorically distinct dispensations, wherein God works with men under each dispensation in different ways. Hence, the name “dispensationalism.”
2. Christ offers renewed Davidic Kingdom — an earthly, political structure — to the Jews in the first century. They reject it, leading him to postpone it until the future.
3. The Church Age is a wholly unforseen and distinct era in the plan of God. It was altogether unknown to and unexpected by the Old Testament prophets.
4. God has a separate and distinct program and plan for racial Israel, as distinguished from the church. The church of Jesus Christ is a paren-thetical aside in the original plan of God.
5. The church may experience occasional small scale successes in history, but ultimately she will lose influence, fail in her mission, and become corrupt as worldwide evil intensifies toward the end of the Church Age.
6. Christ will return secretly in the sky to rapture living saints and resurrect the bodies of deceased saints (the first resurrection). He is removing them out of the world before the great tribulation. The judg-ment of the saints transpires in heaven during the seven-year great tribulation period before Christ’s bodily return to the earth.
7. At the conclusion of the seven-year great tribulation, Christ will return to the earth in order to establish and personally administer a Jewish political kingdom headquartered at Jerusalem for 1,000 years. During this time, Satan will be bound, and the temple and sacrificial system will be re-established in Jerusalem as memorials.
8. Toward the end of the Millennial Kingdom, Satan will be loosed so that he may surround and attack Christ at Jerusalem.
9. Christ will call down fire from heaven to destroy his enemies. The second resurrection and judgment of the wicked will occur, initiating the eternal order.
Kenneth Gentry