Themes of the End Times (Eschatology in Church History [Part 2: AD 1800—2009])

A. Amillennial Development

1.B.B. Warfield (1851—1921) Book of Revelation must be interpreted according to genre

2.Louis Berkhof (1873—1957) Systematic Theology

3.Anthony Hoekema (1913—1988) The Bible and the Future (1977)

4.Kim Riddlebarger (Pastors Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim) A Case for Amillennialism (2003)

B. Postmillennial Development

1.Conservative Postmillennialism (at times, almost indistinguishable from “optimistic amillennialism”)

Charles Hodge (1797—1878) Systematic Theology

A. H. Strong (1839—1931) Systematic Theology

Lorraine Boettner (1901—1990) The Millennium (1957)

2.Liberal Postmillennialism

Walter Rauschenbusch (1861—1918) (In conjunction with the “social gospel”. Basically ended with the world wars.)

3.Theonomic postmillennialism

Greg Bahnsen (1932—2004)

Doug Wilson, et al (Federal Vision)

C. Historic Premillennial Development

G. E. Ladd (1911—1982) The Presence of the Future

D. Dispensational Premillennial Birth and Development

1.Early Dispensationalism

John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) Leader of the Plymouth Brethren

C. I. Scofield (1843—1921)

“As a dispensation grace begins with the death and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 3:24-26; 4:24, 25). The point of testing is no longer legal obedience as the condition of salvation, but acceptance or rejection of Christ, with good works as the fruit of salvation.”

2.Dallas Theological Seminary

Lewis Sperry Chafer

Charles Ryrie (Dispensationalism)

Three “sine qua non”:

“A dispensationalist keeps Israel and the church distinct”

“This distinction between Israel and the church is born out of a system of hermeneutics that is usually called literal interpretation”

Rom 2:28-29 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Rom 4:11-12 He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Gal 3:6-7 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham.

Gal 3:26-29 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

“The underlying purpose of God in the world [is] the glory of God”

Not unique or distinctive.

Gives lengthy support of quotation from the Dallas Theological Seminary’s doctrinal statement: “We believe that the principle of faith was prevalent in the lives of all the Old Testament saints. However, we believe that it was historically impossible that they should have had as the conscious object of their faith the incarnate, crucified Son, the Lamb of God (John 1:29), and that it is evident that they did not comprehend as we do that the sacrifices depicted the person and work of Christ. (Article V).” [Quoted in Ryrie, Dispensationalism (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), p. 116]

Act 2:30-31 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

Joh 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”

John Walvoord (Oil, Armageddon, and the Middle East Crisis)

3.Popular Dispensationalism

Hal Lindsey (The Late, Great Planet Earth)

Jerry Falwell (Liberty University)

Pat Robertson (700 Club)

Tim LaHaye (Left Behind)

Renald Showers (There Really is a Difference)

  • Argues for two gospels: the “gospel of the Kingdom,” and the later gospel of Paul.

4.Extreme forms of Dispensationalism

Christian Zionism (e.g. John Hagee)

Huge impact on American Middle East policies

“If God intended for Jesus to be the Messiah of Israel, why didn’t he authorize Jesus to use supernatural signs to prove he was God’s Messiah, just as Moses had done? (p. 137) Jesus refused to produce a sign … because it was not the Father’s will, nor his, to be Messiah. (p 138) If Jesus wanted to be Messiah, why did he repeatedly tell his disciples and followers to “tell no one” about his supernatural accomplishments? (p. 139) The Jews were not rejecting Jesus as Messiah; it was Jesus who was refusing to be the Messiah to the Jews. (p. 140) They wanted him to be their Messiah, but he flatly refused. (p. 141) He refused to be their Messiah, choosing instead to be the Savior of the world (p. 143) Jesus rejected to the last detail the role of Messiah in word or deed (p. 145) [John Hagee, In Defense of Israel, Frontline, 2007].”

In Defense of Israel will shake Christian theology. It scripturally proves that the Jewish people as a whole did not reject Jesus as Messiah. It will also prove that Jesus did not come to earth to be the Messiah. It will prove that there was a Calvary conspiracy between Rome, the high priest, and Herod to execute Jesus as an insurrectionist too dangerous to live. Since Jesus refused by word and deed to claim to be the Messiah, how can the Jews be blamed for rejecting what was never offered? Read this shocking expose, In Defense of Israel [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8khCJTDD44].

Radical Easy-Believism (e.g. Zane Hodges)

Ryrie argues against the Sermon on the Mount’s being intended to apply immediately to Christians [Dispensationalism, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), pp. 96-101]

Hodges’ “Crossless gospel” (One must believe only the historical truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection to be a Christian [possibly even while believing heresies concerning the Trinity, virgin birth, etc.]; then, he may apostasize and reject the faith until his deathbed, but still be saved) [“The Hydra’s Other Head: Theological Legalism,” Grace in Focus Newsletter]

Illustration: finding “Get out of hell free” card (Don’t take a Chance on your soul) at local Christian bookstore

5.Moderate Forms of Dispensationalism

Progressive (Darrell Bock, Craig Blaising, Robert Saucy)

John MacArthur (Classic Dispensationalism blended with Reformed outlook in other theological realms. Outspoken opponent of Hodges and so-called “Free Grace” movement [easy-believism])

E. Discussion Questions

1.Is it possible that the theological environment we grew up in may shape our outlook on the world in ways we might never have considered? Is it important to discover and question our presuppositions? How do we go about that process practically?

2.“Sometimes a theological system may not be heretical by itself, but it may tend to lead to more extreme doctrines which are heretical; when this is the case, the theology in question must be warned against as ill-grounded, dangerous, or misleading; but it may never be used as a litmus test of orthodoxy.” – Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?

3.Some people give the impression that you need a PhD to have an opinion on eschatology, and if you’re an expert, you can see all sorts of significance in every major current event. How do you react to this?

4.To what extent (and in what ways) should our understanding eschatology influence our views of world and Middle Eastern politics?

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