A. Apostolic Era
This is not a study of what the apostles taught of eschatology in the scriptures; the rest of the semester will largely be dealing with that question. Rather, it is an observation of the scriptural account of the first heresies/major errors pertaining to eschatology that developed in the early Church.
1.The error of Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Tim. 2:16-19)
2.The error of the Corinthian resurrection-deniers (1 Cor. 15:12-20) Continue Reading
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) Continue Reading
A. The basic meaning of the Temple, Priesthood, and Sacrificial System
The Temple ultimately signifies God’s presence among his people.
The Priesthood signifies the need for one to bring God’s people into his presence and to enable them to dwell there by his mediation, forgiveness, and cleansing.
The Sacrificial System signifies the means by which the Priest can bring the people into God’s presence.
Each of these three is perfectly and ultimately fulfilled in Christ.
The expanding role of the Temple has important eschatological implications. Continue Reading
A. What is Apocalyptic Literature?
Taken from “apokalupsis,” which literally means “unveiling,” in Rev. 1:1
Applied to a genre of writing that was common in John’s day, but is virtually unknown today; biblical examples of apocalyptic besides Revelation include, most especially, the latter half of Daniel; but also Isa. 24-27, 33; much of Ezekiel, e.g. 38-39, 40-48; Joel 2:28-3:21; most of Zechariah; and Christ’s Olivet Discourse (Mat. 24-25, Mark 13) Continue Reading
A. What is the Rapture?
Two key passages: 1 Thes. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-53
B. Dispensational Premillennial Theories of the Rapture
Pre-tribulational Rapture Continue Reading
A. Introduction: What is Inaugurated Eschatology?
The prophesied eschaton was inaugurated by Christ’s first coming.
The whole complex of eschatological accomplishments, including redemption, eternal destruction of the world, eternal blessedness of God’s people, etc., is prophesied to occur “on that day,” or “in the latter [last] days”. [e.g. Isa. 2:1-5; 4:2-6; 24:21; 25:6-9; 28:1; 29:18; Joel 2:28-3:2, 18-21]
The last days were inaugurated at the first coming of Christ. [e.g. Acts 2:17; Heb. 1:2] Continue Reading
A. Old Testament Priestly Ministry
The priest offered up substitutionary sacrifices for the people [Lev. 1:4-5; 16]
To atone for their sin and provide forgiveness [Lev. 1-2, 4-7 (burnt, sin, trespass offerings)]
To purify from their guilt and provide cleansing [Numbers 19 (waters of purification from the ashes of a red heifer)]
To overcome their alienation and bring joyful fellowship with God [Lev. 3 (peace offerings)]
The priest mediated and interceded for the people [Lev. 16:12-13; Ex. 28:9-12, 29-30, 36-38] Continue Reading
A. Israel’s King in the Old Testament
Israel’s King was chosen by God [Deut. 17:15; 1 Sam. 16:1-12]
Israel’s King was chosen from the midst of Israel’s brothers [Deut. 17:15]
Israel’s King was to be expert in the Law of God [Deut. 17:18-20]
Israel’s King was anointed with oil, symbolic of the Holy Spirit [1 Sam. 16:13]
Israel’s King was to be a victorious warrior [2 Samuel 8:6; Psalm 144:1, 10]
Israel’s King was to be a Shepherd of the people [2 Samuel 5:2] Continue Reading
It is a singular circumstance that the man who walked the isle of Patmos in the Spirit of the Lord, that epoch-defining Lord’s Day, was not a broken man. Well, he was in fact broken and humble – just not in the sense that one may have expected. He was broken before Christ, his only Master; but the threats and persecution, even the strenuous exile that had been brought upon him by the fearful sway of the Roman Emperor, had left him as serenely confident in the ultimate victory of Christ, and of those who were in Christ, as if all the might of Rome had no power to touch him, or to cause him any harm. He was, perhaps, broken in body; and yet he remained untouched in spirit. He was confident that he was an overcomer, in the final analysis; and this unreasonable confidence, in place of the brokenness and servile fear that must have been expected, could not have been other than a source of amazement to all who knew him. Continue Reading
It is an interesting observation that the subject of “the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ” (Tit. 2:13), has a greater portion of scripture dedicated to its detailed examination than almost any other single subject; and yet it is perhaps the least agreed upon subject in professing evangelicalism at large. It may be fair to say that all of evangelicalism looks forward to the appearing of Christ in all his glory; but the different sequences of events leading up to, and the different circumstances surrounding that appearing are almost endlessly diverse. Amillennialism, postmillenialism, historic premillenialism, dispensational premillennialism, pre-, mid-, and post-tribulationalism — these and a hundred other “-isms”, each in a thousand different flavors, indicate a very daunting milieu in which to examine eschatological expectations with any degree of certainty. Is it possible that the root problem underlying the widespread confusion and the proliferation of eschatological systems is the decontextualization of eschatology itself? In other words, could there be too strong a tendency in modern scholarship to look at the scriptures as a somewhat diverse collection of various genres of inspired literature, each answering to its own theological intent? Continue Reading
Advertisement