A STUDY IN ESCHATOLOGY
I. INTRODUCTION TO ESCHATOLOGY
A. Introduction
If one were to pick up any textbook on systematic theology, for example, “Lectures in Systematic Theology” by Henry Clarence Thiessen or “Basic Theology” by Charles C. Ryrie, one would discover that in all such textbooks the doctrinal components are laid out in pretty much the same order. These textbooks begin by presenting the three Persons of the Godhead, the doctrine of God the Father (Theology), the doctrine of God the Son (Christology), and the doctrine of God the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology). Following the doctrinal information on the triune God, the next doctrine presented is the doctrine of Angels (Angelology). Having completed the doctrines on the beings in the spirit realm, the doctrine of Man is then introduced (Anthropology). Man fell in the garden so the next doctrine discussed is the doctrine of Sin (Hamartiology). Alienated from God, man needs to be saved, so the next subject presented is the doctrine of Salvation (Soteriology). Once man is saved, he joins the church community, which is the focus of the next subject matter, the doctrine of the Church (Ecclesiology). Churched man must grow in his faith, therefore, the next doctrine presented is the doctrine of the Bible (Bibliology). And last but not least, tucked away at the end of every textbook on systematic theology, is the doctrine of Last Things (Eschatology).
- Eschatology
Eschatology is that branch of systematic theology that deals with the consummation or fulfillment of all things. Eschatology is a theological term used to designate the doctrine of last things. The term “eschatology” comes from the Greek word eschatos meaning “last” and logy meaning “the study of,” and is defined in “Webster’s New Explorer Encyclopedic Dictionary”as “a branch of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or of mankind.”
Much has been written concerning the prophetic events that are to transpire in the “latter days.”
Unfortunately, some of what has been written about these events can be categorized as just so much speculation and conjecture. Doomsday prophets and pseudo-scholars have exploited the biblical illiteracy, even among the body of Christ, concerning end-time prophecy, and have enriched themselves through the sale of sensational books and products.
Excellent commentaries have been written on the Bible books of Daniel and Revelation, some providing detailed exegetical and analytical presentations of these books, but by the same token, there are some commentaries that are unmistakably the products of fanciful imaginations.
Two quotations come to mind that are directly applicable to the authors of frivolous and non-biblically based works on future events. The source of the first quotation is unknown to the writer of this commentary. The second quotation is a quip from the pen of Mark Twain.
“Pious commentators have seen fit to increase the complexity of eschatological events with general doses of fantasy and rationalistic speculation.”
“The researches of many commentators have already thrown much darkness on the subject and it is probable that if they continue, we shall soon know nothing about it!”
It is incumbent on us as children of God to know the Word of God. Knowing the truth, particularly about end-time prophecy, will set us free from error-laden writings, which sow seeds of fear and confusion instead of generating hope and great expectation concerning the “glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
C.Biblical Prophecy
Approximately one-fourth of the Bible is prophecy, some has been fulfilled, and much remains to be fulfilled. All the prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ to the earth, His incarnation, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection were all fulfilled literally, therefore, as a child of God, I can rest assured, based on the sovereignty of God, that the biblical prophecies yet to be fulfilled, no matter how far-fetched they may seem, will all be fulfilled to the letter.
The eschatological events that we’ll be covering in this study are as follows:
(1) Rapture of the Church,
(2) Judgment Seat of Christ,
(3) Marriage of the Lamb,
(4) Tribulation,
(5) Second Advent of Christ,
(6) Millennium,
(7) Great White Throne Judgment,
(8) New Heavens and New Earth, and
(9) New Jerusalem.
D.Purpose
The pivotal point of our study will be the second coming of Christ. The purpose of the book of Revelation, for example, is to highlight His second coming and to record the events that will transpire before and after His second coming. The ultimate triumph of Christ and His saints over Satan and his followers, as prophesied in the Word of God, ought to provide a message of encouragement, comfort, and hope to us living in these, the “the latter days.”
After this study, we should experience a deeper commitment to the Lord and to evangelism in light of the fact that difficult days lie ahead for mankind in general, particularly during a period called the “Great Tribulation.” Christians not only need to be ready for the coming of the Lord, but we ought to be concerned about those who don’t know Christ as Lord and Savior. The Church needs to be busy sharing the Good News of Christ in light of the catastrophic end-time events alluded to in the book of Daniel and vividly described in the book of Revelation.
E.Christ in the Book of Revelation
This book is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Christ is clearly the main character of the book. If the student has no clue as to what is in the Book of Revelation, then the student probably only knows Christ from the rest of the Bible as:
The Prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15,
The suffering Servant of Isaiah 52,
The slain Lamb of Isaiah 53, and
The Rabbi of Matthew 23.
If that is the case, then you are going to be blessed in this study because just in this book alone, Christ is going to be revealed to you as:
The High Priest of Revelation 1,
The Kinsman Redeemer of Revelation 5,
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah of Revelation 5,
The Bridegroom of Revelation 19,
The King of Kings and Lord of Lords of Revelation 19, and
The Righteous Judge of Revelation 20.
- Second Coming of Christ
The pivotal point of the book of Revelation is the Second Coming of Christ. It is exciting because in this coming of Christ:
- Christ will not be coming as a submissive lamb but He’ll be coming as the
powerful Lion of Judah.
- Christ will not be coming to be judged by His enemies but He’ll be coming to judge the enemies of God as the Righteous Judge.
- Christ will not be coming into Jerusalem humbly on a donkey but He’ll be coming into Jerusalem triumphantly on a white horse, symbolic of a conquering king.
- Christ will not be coming wearing a crown of thorns but He’ll be coming wearing diadems, regal crowns, to rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
II. PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF INTERPRETATION
A. Basic Outline of Eschatology
The study of the book of Revelation is a study of prophecy. More specifically, it is a study of eschatology, the study of last things. Eschatology proper begins with the sixth dispensation. The cross, which ended the fifth Dispensation of Law, also began the sixth Dispensation of Grace. The Dispensation of Grace is divided into two ages.
The first is the Church Age, which began at Pentecost and will continue until the Rapture. The second age is the Tribulation Period, which will last for seven years, and will be the last seven years of the Dispensation of Grace. Following the Tribulation and the Dispensation of Grace will be the seventh dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom for 1,000 years. Following the Kingdom there will be the Eternal Order: Eternity. This is eschatology in its basic outline.
- Four Principles for Interpreting Prophecy
In order to study eschatology, we need to establish some basic rules, which are especially relevant to the interpretation of prophecy. There are four basic principles of interpretation which are keys to understanding the prophetic word as well as the whole Bible. The following four principles were formulated by Dr. David L. Cooper, the late director of the Biblical Research Society.
1. The Golden Rule of Interpretation
“When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning, unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.”
Simply put, this law states that all biblical passages are to be interpreted exactly as they are read unless there is something in the text indicating that it should be interpreted in some other way rather than literally. If this rule is applied consistently, many errors in exegesis can be avoided. When the plain sense of Scripture makes sense, no other sense needs to be sought.
2. Law of Double Reference
The law of double reference observes the fact that often a passage or a block of Scripture is speaking of two different persons or two different events that are separated by a long period of time, but in the passage itself they are blended into one picture. The time gap between the two persons or two events is not presented by the text itself. The fact that a gap of time exists is known because of other Scriptures, though in the particular text itself the gap of time is not seen.
The application of this law becomes necessary in the interpretation of some Old Testament prophecies regarding the first and second comings of Christ. Often these two events are blended into one picture with no indication that there is a gap of time between the first and second coming of Christ. Zechariah 9:9-10 and Isaiah 61:1-2 are two passages to which the law of double reference applies.
Zechariah 9:9 –“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of New Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Zechariah 9:10 – “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.”
Verse 9 refers to the first coming of Christ, while verse 10 refers to the second coming of Christ. These two comings are blended into one picture with no indication that there are two comings and that there is a separation between the two events.
Isaiah 61:1 –“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”
Isaiah 61:2 – “To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.”
Isaiah 61:1-2 is another example of a passage where the law of double reference applies. Verses 1 and 2a refer to the first coming of Christ to the earth, while verse 2b refers to His second coming. Again, the two events are blended into one picture with no indication that there are two comings and that there is a gap of time between the two events.
When our Lord Jesus Christ visited His hometown of Nazareth, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath and was asked to read from the scroll of Isaiah. Luke chapter 4 tells us that He read from this particular portion of Isaiah but left out the last part of verse 2, which reads, “And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.” Why did He leave this part out? – because ”the day of vengeance” has to do with His second coming. He read only the first part of this passage, which has to do with His first coming.
3. The Law of Recurrence
The law of recurrence describes the fact that in some passages of Scripture there exists the recording of an event followed by a second recording of the same event giving more details to the first. Hence, it often involves two blocks of Scripture. The first block presents a description of an event as it transpires in chronological sequence. A second block of Scripture dealing with the same event and the same time period follows giving further details as to what transpires in the course of the event.
An example of the law of recurrence is found in some passages in the book of Genesis. Genesis, Chapter 1, records the creation of Adam and Eve.
Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Genesis, Chapter 2, returns to the sixth day of creation and provides additional details concerning the manner in which Adam and Eve were created.
Genesis 2:7 – “And the LORD God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
Genesis 2:22 – “Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.”
Another example of the law of recurrence is found in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 38:1-23 gives a complete account of a future invasion of Israel from the north and the subsequent destruction of the invading army. This is followed by the second block of Scripture, Ezekiel 39:1-16, which repeats some of the account given in the first block and gives some added details regarding the destruction of the invading army.
4. The Law of the Context
The law of the context states that a verse can only mean what it means in its context and must not be pulled out of its context. When it is pulled out of its context, it is often presented as meaning something that it cannot mean within the context. A good example for understanding the law of the context is Zechariah 13:6.
Zechariah 13:6 – “And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then he will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’ ”
This verse is often used as a prophecy of Christ, as a messianic verse. Pulled out of its context, it does indeed sound like it refers to Christ. But let’s examine the context in which verse 6 finds itself and see if this verse is indeed a messianic verse.
Zechariah 13:2-6 – “ ‘It shall be in that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land. It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the LORD.’
And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies. And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive. But he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a farmer; for a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.’ And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then he will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’ ”
Within its context (Zech. 13:2-6), verse 6 is speaking of false prophets. So verse 6 cannot be a messianic verse; it cannot refer to Christ unless Christ is taken to be a false prophet. This is the danger of studying an isolated verse rather than studying the verse within its context. The common saying, “You can prove anything by the Bible” is true when this rule of interpreting a verse within its context is violated. Scripture should never be interpreted in isolation from its context. Careful thought should be given to the immediate context, the general context, and the context of the whole of Scripture. One Scripture will serve to cast light on other Scripture.
5. Summary
These are four basic principles, which if followed, will help us to understand the prophetic word as well as the entire Bible. Rules and technical methods of interpretation of God’s Word are fine but will not suffice unless we seek Him, who inspired the prophets of old to write these books. The Holy Spirit, who inspired the writers, will also illuminate and enlighten the eyes of our understanding of God’s prophetic word as we seek His guidance.
- Methods of Interpretation
In our study of eschatology, we will be spending quite a bit of time in the book of Revelation. It is vitally important that we know that authors of commentaries on the book of Revelation generally adopt one of the following four approaches to the interpretation of the book of Revelation – the allegorical, the preterist, the historical, or the futuristic.
1. Allegorical
Allegorical interpretation, or the spiritualizing interpretation, or the idealist view, neglects the literal meaning of Scripture in favor of so-called spiritual meaning. Emphasis is placed entirely on a secondary sense so that the original words or events have little or no significance. The great problem of allegorical interpretation is that it is subjective. This opens the way for the interpreter to read into the words of Scripture whatever fanciful meaning might seem appropriate.