2. Week 9 - Eschatology, Part 1
Christian Ministry 1
Week 9 - Eschatology, Part 1

3. Preparation...
Please turn your assignments into the In-Basket on the table.
In your view, what are the events that will happen in the “end times.”
Church will be taken, God will begin to pour out judgments on the nations of the earth & antiChrist will create a peace treaty with Israel and other nations, antiChrist will break that treaty after 3.5 years and begin to persecute Israel & other believers in the world, the world will continue to experience God’s judgments for rejecting Him. After 3.5 years, Jesus will return and set up His Kingdom on earth for 1000 years during which time Satan will be locked in the abyss. After this, Satan is released and goes out to the nations of the earth to make allies to rise against Jesus. There is one last battle in which Jesus crushes the revolting forces. Heaven and earth will then pass away. Books are open at the great white thrown judgment. All believers are found acceptable based on Christ’s work. All unbelievers will be found unacceptable based on their own works. God then recreates a new heaven and earth where man resides on the new earth and God resides with man on the earth for eternity.

4. Introduction Last Week ➔ Satanology Tonight ➔ Eschatology, Part 1
Covert/Over tactics
Tonight ➔ Eschatology, Part 1
Eschatology means the study of the last things.

5. Introduction Eschatology
refers to a complex set of events in the biblical account of the end of the age, including the Rapture, the tribulation, Jesus’ second coming, the Millennial Kingdom, the final judgments for believers and non-believers, and the New Heavens and the New Earth...
Hundreds of biblical passages provide information about the last things. Over the next two weeks, we will 1) survey this material, 2) decide on an interpretive framework for this material, and 3) consider some of the ways it should affect our Christian lives.

6. Why is Esch so Important?
It reveals the meaning of history...
the Bible teaches that history is linear and ultimately redemptive—God will complete his plan to establish his kingdom on earth through his Son, Jesus Christ (Matt. 6:10; Eph. 1:9,10)...

7. Why is Esch so Important?
Fulfilled prophecy provides unique and objective verification that the God of the Bible is the only true God.
Isaiah 46:9-10. I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose...’

8. Why is Esch so Important?
Fulfilled prophecy provides unique and objective verification that the God of the Bible is the only true God.
In Isaiah 40-48, God insists and demonstrates that he alone is sovereign over human history by predicting historical events before they take place...
The hundreds of fulfilled biblical predictions validate the existence of its divine Author. No other religion or scripture provides this kind of self-validation.

9. Why is Esch so Important?
Fulfilled prophecy provides unique and objective verification that the God of the Bible is the only true God.
The fulfillment of dozens of Old Testament predictions of Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection validate the gospel as the message of salvation...

10. Why is Esch so Important?
Fulfilled prophecy provides unique and objective verification that the God of the Bible is the only true God.
The Bible’s accuracy in predicting past events means that we can trust that God will fulfill the future events he has predicted.
The hundreds of fulfilled biblical predictions validate the existence of its divine Author. No other religion or scripture provides this kind of self-validation.

11. Why is Esch so Important?
The assurance that God will establish his kingdom provides believers with a unique basis and motivation for serving Jesus in this life.
As we focus by faith on our guaranteed eternal life with God, his Spirit will renew us daily to serve him with confidence and urgency.

12. Why is Esch so Important?
The assurance that God will establish his kingdom provides believers with a unique basis and motivation for serving Jesus in this life.
Because we know that we will be consciously and bodily with Christ, we can lay our lives down now to serve others in his name...

13. Why is Esch so Important?
The assurance that God will establish his kingdom provides believers with a unique basis and motivation for serving Jesus in this life.
Because we know that we will be eternally secure with Christ, we can endure great sufferings with hope and even joy.

14. Organize and Interpret
Most important disagreement: how to interpret Old Testament unfulfilled prophecies concerning the nation of Israel. The Messianic Kingdom is the focal point of these prophecies.
Organize and Interpret
Agreement on Three Essentials
Return of
Jesus Christ
Eternal states:
Heaven & Hell
Final
Judgment
Within these essentials, though, orthodox Christians disagree on how to organize and interpret many eschatological passages.

15. Organize and Interpret
Messianic Kingdom
A future period of human history in which God intervenes in history, defeats his enemies, and reigns over the world through Jesus the Messiah.
Two Most Prominent Perspectives:
Covenantalism
Dispensationalism

16. Organize and Interpret
Some OT Prophecies about the MK
Ps. 2:1-12

17. Organize and Interpret
Some OT Prophecies about the MK
Ps. 2:1-12 – Note that God will install his King on Zion (Jerusalem).
Isa. 11:1-12

18. Organize and Interpret
Some OT Prophecies about the MK
Ps. 2:1-12 – Note that God will install his King on Zion (Jerusalem).
Isa. 11:1-12 – Note that the nations (Gentiles) will turn to the Messiah, and that he will regather the dispersed nation of Israel.
Zech. 14:1-11,16-19

19. Organize and Interpret
Some OT Prophecies about the MK
Ps. 2:1-12 – Note that God will install his King on Zion (Jerusalem).
Isa. 11:1-12 – Note that the nations (Gentiles) will turn to the Messiah, and that he will regather the dispersed nation of Israel.
Zech. 14:1-11,16-19 – Note that the Messiah will reign from Jerusalem.

20. Organize and Interpret
Covenantalism - teaches that God has permanently replaced Israel with the Church as his chosen people.
Jesus’
second coming
Israel
New Heavens
New Earth

21. Organize and Interpret
Covenantalism interprets the Old Testament unfulfilled prophecies concerning the nation of Israel non-literally as predictions about the Church or the new heavens and new earth.

22. Organize and Interpret
Two Problems with Covenantalism:
God fulfilled the Old Testament predictions of the Messiah’s first coming literally, so it is reasonable to expect that he will also fulfill the Old Testament predictions of the Messiah’s Kingdom literally.

23. Organize and Interpret
Two Problems with Covenantalism:
Many passages (both OT and NT) insist that God will fulfill all of his promises to Israel, including:
Jer. 31:31-37** - God says that his promises to Israel are more certain than his creation decrees and the immeasurable vastness of the earth.

24. Organize and Interpret
Two Problems with Covenantalism:
Many passages (both OT and NT) insist that God will fulfill all of his promises to Israel, including:
Rom. 11:29* - Paul (speaking about God’s promises to Israel) emphatically affirms that God’s calling is irrevocable.

25. Organize and Interpret
Two Problems with Covenantalism:
Note: Many Old Testament prophecies have a “double-reference”...
GAP: near and far event seen as one event by the prophet...
TYPE: event that foreshadows a much later event...
TYPE-GAP: event that foreshadows a later event also predicted by the prophet...

26. Organize and Interpret
Two Problems with Covenantalism:
Note: Many Old Testament prophecies have a “double-reference”
UNFORESEEN PARTIAL: future event predicted that has a partial fulfillment in the Church unforeseen by the prophet

27. Organize and Interpret
Dispensionalism teaches that God has temporarily replaced Israel with the Church as his chosen people—but that he will fulfill all of the promises he has made to Israel.
Israel
New Heavens
New Earth
Jesus’ second coming
Millennial
Kingdom
(Israel)
(church)

28. Organize and Interpret
Dispensationalism preserves a literal interpretation of the Old Testament unfulfilled prophecies concerning Israel. The Church is an important part of God’s plan that was unforeseen by the Old Testament prophets—but God will ultimately fulfill his kingdom promises to Israel.

29. Organize and Interpret
Although this is a non-essential doctrine, we believe that Dispensationalism is superior to Covenantalism in several key areas. We identify ourselves with progressive Dispensationalists...

30. Organize and Interpret
Other important theological and practical implications:
Covenantalism
Dispensationalism
God’s dealing with humanity
Emphasizes UNITY in the way God has worked with humanity during the covenant of grace (after the Fall).
Emphasizes DIFFERENCES in the way God has worked with humanity during different dispensations.

31. Organize and Interpret
Other important theological and practical implications:
Covenantalism
Dispensationalism
Soteriology
As a result of this emphasis on unity, Covenantalists correctly emphasize that people have always been saved by grace through faith.
Most dispensationalists, like Covenantalists, argue that people have always been saved by grace through faith.

32. Organize and Interpret
Other important theological and practical implications:
Covenantalism
Dispensationalism
Ecclesiology
Covenantalists define the church as all believers during all of history. Therefore, many feel free to bring Old Testament forms into the church...

33. Organize and Interpret
Other important theological and practical implications:
Covenantalism
Dispensationalism
Ecclesiology
...such as infant baptism, religious calendars, ritualism, etc. Sometimes, Covenantalists have advocated using the state to advance the church’s mission.

34. Organize and Interpret
Other important theological and practical implications:
Covenantalism
Dispensationalism
Ecclesiology
...such as infant baptism, religious calendars, ritualism, etc. Sometimes, Covenantalists have advocated using the state to advance the church’s mission.
Because Dispensationalists see the Church Age as a distinct period in salvation history (beginning on Pentecost)...

35. Organize and Interpret
Other important theological and practical implications:
Covenantalism
Dispensationalism
Ecclesiology
...such as infant baptism, religious calendars, ritualism, etc. Sometimes, Covenantalists have advocated using the state to advance the church’s mission.
...they usually call for a more radical break with Old Testament worship and structures and uphold the separation of church and state.

36. Organize and Interpret
Other important theological and practical implications:
Covenantalism
Dispensationalism
Sanctification
Many Covenantalists place more emphasis on the Law in sanctification.
Dispensationalists tend to stress God’s grace as the key dynamic in sanctification.

37. Organize and Interpret
Other important theological and practical implications:
Covenantalism
Dispensationalism
Pneumatology
Some Covenantalists believe the Holy Spirit indwelt believers in the Old Covenant.
Dispensationalists say the Holy Spirit indwelt believers only after Jesus' death on the cross.

38. The Millennial Kingdom
What is it and when does it occur relative to Jesus’ 2nd Coming?
Millennial Kingdom comes from Revelation 20:1-10.
For context, let’s read Rev 19:11-21:8
Sequence of Events:
Jesus returns ➔ binds Satan for years ➔ Great White Throne Judgment ➔ God finishes His redeeming work by creating New Heavens and Earth.

39. The Millennial Kingdom
Some: MK ≅ New Heavens/Earth. They are called “Amillennialists.”
What is it and when does it occur relative to Jesus’ 2nd Coming?
Covenantalists
Do not view the MK as a literal 1000 year period or as the fulfillment of God’s kingdom promises to Israel.
Jesus’
second coming
Israel
New Heavens
New Earth

40. The Millennial Kingdom
Others: MK refers to a period of world peace ushered in by the church, and that Jesus returns at the end of this period. Therefore, they are called “Post-Millennialists.”
The Millennial Kingdom
What is it and when does it occur relative to Jesus’ 2nd Coming?
Covenantalists
Do not view the MK as a literal 1000 year period or as the fulfillment of God’s kingdom promises to Israel.
Jesus’
second coming
Israel
New Heavens
New Earth
(world peace)

41. The Millennial Kingdom
What is it and when does it occur relative to Jesus’ 2nd Coming?
Dispensationalists
MK is the period God promised to Israel through the OT prophets.
Believe Jesus will return before this period. They are called “Premillenialists.”
Believe it will be a literal 1000 years, followed by the GWT Judgment.

42. The Millennial Kingdom
What is it and when does it occur relative to Jesus’ 2nd Coming?
Dispensationalists
MK is the period God promised to Israel through the OT prophets.
Israel
New Heavens
New Earth
Jesus’ second coming
Millennial
Kingdom
(Israel)
(church)

43. The Millennial Kingdom
What is it and when does it occur relative to Jesus’ 2nd Coming?
Premillennial view best harmonizes. Consider Rev & OT passages
MK begins with Satan’s binding (Rev. 20:1-3) and ends with Satan’s final rebellion and judgment (Rev. 20:7-10)...
Jesus will reign over all the earth (Rev. 20:4), establishing true social justice (Isa. 29:19-21) and lasting world peace (Isa. 2:4)...

44. The Millennial Kingdom
What is it and when does it occur relative to Jesus’ 2nd Coming?
Premillennial view best harmonizes. Consider Rev & OT passages
Jesus’ resurrected followers reign with him (Rev. 20:4-6). True believers from other periods of history will be raised and reign with Jesus during this time (Dan. 7:22,27; Matt. 19:28; 1 Cor. 6:2)...

45. The Millennial Kingdom
What is it and when does it occur relative to Jesus’ 2nd Coming?
Premillennial view best harmonizes. Consider Rev & OT passages
There will be unprecedented worldwide spiritual enlightenment. Because the Messiah will be personally present, all peoples will have access to his instruction (Isa. 2:2,3). Understanding of who the true God is and what he has done for humankind will cover the earth (Isa. 11:9). The Holy Spirit will also be poured out on all people (Joel 2:28)...

46. The Millennial Kingdom
What is it and when does it occur relative to Jesus’ 2nd Coming?
Premillennial view best harmonizes. Consider Rev & OT passages
The curse over nature will be substantially removed The earth will be abundantly productive (Isa. 4:2; 35:1a,2a), and the destructive hostility of animals will be removed (Isa. 11:6-9a)...

47. The Millennial Kingdom
What is it and when does it occur relative to Jesus’ 2nd Coming?
Premillennial view best harmonizes. Consider Rev & OT passages
The earth’s inhabitants (except for the resurrected believers) will remain mortal, but without sickness (Isa. 33:24) and calamity (Isa. 65:19b-23)...

48. Conclusion
Studying the last things builds our faith to live for God today!
Two Main Christian Views of end times
Covenantalism (A- & Post-Mill)
Dispensationalism (Pre-Mill)**
(When Jesus returns...)

49. Questions?

50. Next Week
Eschatology Part 2 - New Heavens and New Earth

51. Memory Verses
Please note: the last page of your notes gives a description of the verses, not the actual wording of the verses
Jer. 31:31-37**
Rom. 11:29*

52. Assignment
Please note the change from the syllabus: Read Rev. 21,22. What are the key features of the New Heavens and the New Earth? How does this fortify you to endure in your service to Christ?
Church Visitation assignment (due next week)

53. Corporate Prayer