(gr., eschatos, last and logos, orderly statement). The study of the last things that will happen on earth in this age. The word is used to cover the study of such important events as the second coming of Christ, the judgment of the world, the resurrection of the dead, and the creation of the new heavens and the new earth. Related themes include the kingdom of God, the millennium, the intermediate state, the concept of immortality, and the eternal destiny of the wicked.
Since God controls history (including its end), the believer must have hope. To do justice to the tension within the NT between salvation already experienced (partially) and salvation not yet experienced (fully), it is helpful to speak of eschatology inaugurated and eschatology fulfilled. God’s people are living in the last days, but the last day has not yet come. The new age broke into this evil age when Christ was raised from the dead, but the new has not yet completely replaced the old. The Spirit of Christ brings into the present age the life of the age to come; so what he offers is the firstfruits (Rom 8:23) and it is the earnest of the fullness of life to come (2Co 1:22; 2Co 5:5; Eph 1:14).
As people of the new age still living in the world and the old age, the church is called to engage in missions and evangelism (Mat 24:14; Mat 28:19-20) until Christ returns to earth. The signs of the times—that is, the end is certain and near—include the evangelization of the world, the conversion of Israel (Rom 11:25-26), the great apostasy (2Th 2:1-3), the tribulation (Mat 24:21-30) and the revelation of the antichrist (2Th 2:1-12).
I. The Second Coming. Three gr words are used. —parousia (presence, 1Th 3:13), apokalypsis (revelation, 2Th 1:7-8) and epiphaneia (appearance, 2Th 2:8)—for the personal, visible and glorious return of Jesus (Mat 24:30; Act 1:11; Acts 3:19-21; Phil 3:20).
II. The resurrection of the dead. Christ is the firstborn from the dead (Rom 8:11, Rom 8:29; Col 1:18) and the firstfruits of the resurrection of all believers (1Co 15:20). Every person who has ever lived will rise from the dead (Dan 12:2; Joh 5:28-29; Act 24:15); but the resurrection of the wicked will be the beginning of God’s judgment on them, while the resurrection of the righteous will be the beginning of his life in Christ. The resurrected bodies of the righteous will be incorruptible, glorious and spiritual (1 Corinthians 15:35ff.), and similar to the glorious body of Christ (Phi 3:21).
III. The trial.
There are two ways in which conservative biblical scholars view the doctrine of judgment. One is to say that there will be a future judgment in which Jesus Christ will judge the nations and every person who has ever lived. This judgment is an examination of the motives and actions of each, believer and unbeliever, along with judgment based on this evidence (Mat 11:20-22; Mat 12:36; Mat 25:35-40; 2Co 5: 10) and in the human response to the known will of God (Mat 16:27; Rom 1:18-21; Rom 2:12-16; Rev 20:12; Rev 22:12). There are spiritual rewards in the age to come for those who have served the Lord faithfully in this life (Luk 19:12-27; 1Co 3:10-15; compare Mat 5:11-12; Mat 6:19-21).
The other way of looking at the judgment accepts the principles of the first but distributes them into various judgments: of the believers’ sins (at Calvary), of the believer’s works (at the time of the rapture), of individual Gentiles (at Calvary). before the millennium), of the people of Israel (before the millennium), of the fallen angels and of the wicked (after the millennium).
IV. Eternal happiness in the new order of existence (new heavens and new earth). The old universe will be marvelously regenerated (Isa 65:17-25; Isa 66:22-23; Act 3:19-21; Rom 8:19-21; 2Pe 3:12; Rev 21:1-4). Those who have resurrection bodies will dwell with God in a regenerate universe, in which heaven, as God’s place and sphere, is not separate but rather is present.
V. Eternal suffering and punishment in hell. Jesus himself said more about hell than any other NT writer or speaker (e.g. Mat 5:22, Mat 5:29-30; Mat 10:28; Mat 13:41-42; Mat 25:46) . Through a variety of pictures and images, the NT presents a fearful description of the eternal suffering of those who have rejected the gospel.
SAW. Immortality. Only God possesses true immortality (aphtharsia, 1Ti 6:16) because he is the eternal source of life. Human beings were created for immortality (rather than being created with immortal souls) and this immortality, in the sense of receiving and enjoying life from God, is given to the righteous at the time of the resurrection of the dead. , in and through the gift of a new imperishable and immortal body (1Co 15:53-55). The wicked are never said to have immortality or to exist eternally in immortal bodies, since the NT use of immortality is to describe the immunity from death and corruption that results from sharing in divine life.
VII. The intermediate state. The existence of those who die before the Second Coming is often called the intermediate state. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luk 16:19-31) suggests that there is a conscious existence and that it can be one of suffering or rest/happiness. Certainly the NT points to the comfort and security of those who die as disciples of Jesus (Luk 23:42-43; 2Co 5:6-8; Phi 1:21-23; 1Th 4:16; see HADES; see PARADISE; see SEOL).
Source: Hispanic World Bible Dictionary
(doctrine of the last things, of the last times).
1- It begins with the First Coming of Christ, prophesied 300 times in the Old Testament.
2- It culminates with the Second Coming of Christ, prophesied 500 times in the OT, and 300 times in the NT
3- Order of the Second Coming: Matthew caps. 24 and 25: (Mk.13, Lk.21).
– 5 signs, which will increase, like labor pains: Mat 24:1-14.
– Abominable Desolation: Mat 24:1520.
– The Great Tribulation: Mat 24:21-28.
– Second Coming of Christ: Mat 24:29-41.
Above the clouds: Mat 24:30.
The Rapture, Mat 24:39-41.
– The Final Judgment: Mat 25:31-46.
4- The 5 Parables of the End.
– The Fig Tree, Mat 24:32-35.
– As a thief, as in Noah’s time, Mat 24:36-45.
– The Wise Servant, Mat 24:45-51.
– The 10 virgins, Mat 25:1-13.
– The talents, Mat 25:14-30.
Because of not understanding this clear order of Matthew, there have been many errors and heresies when interpreting Revelation, Daniel, and Thessalonians 1 and 2.
Christian Bible Dictionary
Dr. J. Dominguez
http://bible.com/dictionary/
Source: Christian Bible Dictionary
Technical word that does not appear in the Bible. Scholars use it by combining two Greek words: eschatos (last things) and logos (study, teaching). It becomes, then, the doctrine of the last things. As such, it is intimately related to the future and therefore to biblical prophecy.
We are taught in 2Pe 1:19: “We also have the prophetic word that is more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns.” Many errors and problems have arisen in the history of the Church because there are always individuals or schools of thought that try to shed light where the Bible says it is dark. The future, says Pedro, is a “dark place”. The prophecy is a light, but not a total light, but “like a torch that shines in a dark place.” When we light a torch inside a dark cave, we can see the outline of things, but not the detail of them. Shadows and reflections, profiles and contrasts are produced. But even if we do not see the details, lighting ourselves with the torch allows us to direct our steps wisely. That is the purpose of prophecy.
He has not given us details of what is going to happen in the future, but he has provided us with some general guidelines that indicate that events are moving towards a great culmination in which his name will be universally exalted. In the meantime, he has revealed to us what he felt we needed to know. He did so with his people in the OT († ¢ Hope. † ¢ Messiah). He tells us what is necessary about immortality, death, the so-called intermediate state, the final judgment, heaven, hell, and so on. All these topics are part of the e. However, most people, when the word e. is mentioned, think mostly of the second coming of Christ, the signs that will precede it, the antichrist, the millennium, and so on.
The intermediate state. Scholars use this technical term that does not appear in the Bible when they ask what would be the condition of men immediately after †death and before †resurrection. The divergence of opinions on the subject is exacerbated in the case of people who do not believe in the existence of the soul separated from the body. But, even in the case of those who think positively about it, the question arises: What happens to the †¢soul, of which the Lord spoke saying that there are †œthose who can kill the body, but the a. can’t kill† ? (Matt 10:28). Although most Christian denominations affirm that the soul lives on after death, they differ greatly as to what happens to the soul after it separates from the body. Some think that the righteous simply rest or sleep waiting for the day of resurrection. Others understand that in that rest the soul maintains its conscience. During the Middle Ages the doctrine of purgatory was elaborated, according to which the souls of men who had not died entirely righteous, went to a place where they suffered certain pains that purified them, before passing to the state of beatitude in heaven. This doctrine was rejected by the Reformation. The differences of opinion are accentuated in large part because the Bible itself does not give details on the matter. The time between physical death and resurrection seems great to men, but one must doubt that this concerns God, since for “with the Lord a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day” ( 2Pe 3:8).
Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, saying: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if living in the flesh results for me in the benefit of the work, then I do not know what to choose… having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is much better; but remaining in the flesh is more necessary for your sake† (Phil 1:22-24). Also to the Corinthians he said: “While we are in the body, we are absent from the Lord… but we also try, whether absent or present, to be pleasing to him” (2Co 5:6-9). The expressions “being in the body” and “absent from the body… present to the Lord” speak of the existence of the soul, which can be in the body or outside of it. After death, then, Paul wanted “to be with Christ, which is far better.” This indicates that beyond death what awaits the Christian is a state of…