INTRODUCTION
One of the most interesting parts of most religions in the world is the immortality of the human
soul, or life after death or a hope for a better ending and that has also serve as one of the
reserving factor that keeps a lot of people to their faith. It has also been one of the most
interesting parts of the Bible that Paul mentioned: if there is no resurrection of the dead, the
Bible or what they preach becomes unreliable. However, so many religions still cannot give an
adequate explanation to the issue of eschatology, with the exception of the Bible (Christian faith)
which has done tremendously excellent on that. But unfortunately, even within the Christian
scholars, most people or groups have different understanding of the theme of eschatology.
Therefore this paper will focus on reviewing of R. H. Charles, D.D understanding of Old
Testament Eschatology, as also reviewed by James Orr in an article titled Old Testament
Eschatology, in classic.net.bible.org.
The Structure of the Article
The article is presented in this manner: starting with Scope of the Article which is based on Dr.
Charles' Work. Then followed by a background look of Individual Religion in Israel and then
fundamental ideas, such as; Idea of God, Idea of Man, Body, Soul and Spirit, then Sin and Death.
It continued by considering the conceptions of the future life; sheol, and try to answer the
question: Had Israel No Belief in a Future Life? Under the following points: 1. Reserve on This
Subject: Hopes and Promises Largely Temporal 2. A Future State not therefore Denied, Belief
Non-Mythological 3. Survival of Soul, or Conscious Part 4. The Hebrew Sheol. The article also
captured the Old Testament idea of religious hope; life and resurrection, under the following
points: a) Nature and Grace; Moral Distinctions. b) Religious Hope of Immortality; followed by
discourse on subthemes such as: 1. Sheol, Like Death, Connected with Sin 2. Religious Root of
Hope of Immortality; Not Necessarily Late 3. Hope of Resurrection; Not a Late or Foreign
Doctrine, as found in the following books of the Old Testament; The Psalms; The Book of Job;
The Prophets;
Daniel: Resurrection of Wicked. After that it also considered the idea of
judgment; the day of Yahweh as follows: Judgment a Present Reality: Day of Yahweh; Relation
to Israel; To the Nations. Judgment beyond Death; Incompleteness of Moral Administration;
prosperity of Wicked; Suffering of Righteous with Wicked; Retribution beyond Death. The last
part of the article is the caption of the Later Jewish Conceptions: Apocryphal, Apocalyptic,
Rabbinical. This is done also under the following points: 1. Sources (1) Apocrypha (2)
Apocalyptic Literature (3) Rabbinical Writings 2. Description of Views (1) Less Definite
Conceptions (2) Ideas of Sheol (3) The Fallen Angels (4) Resurrection (5) Judgment The
Messiah (6) The Messianic Age and the Gentiles (7) Rabbinical Ideas
Methodology
The method being used in this review is a narrative literature review; whereby the summary of
the article under review is being presented, followed by a critical analysis of the position of the
article. This is done in steps; following the key themes of the article, presenting their ideas and
then giving the analysis at the end of each theme presented. This is in other to draw a possible
conclusion about the topic or the position of the author under review and also identifies gaps or
inconsistencies found in the article.
Review of the Article
As earlier mentioned that the article under review in this paper is the reviewed work of “R. H.
Charles, D.D understanding of Old Testament Eschatology” in an article By James Orr. Hence
the scope of that article is Charles’ work, and was presented in this manner: Individual religion;
this is the next subtopic discourse after the scope of the article, under this the writer look into the
reality of Israelites religion as one which has to do with one’s individual dealings with God.
Though he admits that prior to the exile religion in Israel was not individualistic, God deals with
them as a nation, families or tribe. However, the author looks at it from the genesis account of
God’ dealings with his people. He has it that “Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, are all of
them, to the writers of the history, individuals; Moses, Joshua, Caleb, are individuals; the deeds
of individuals are counted to them for righteousness; the sins of others slay them” (“Old
Testament Eschatology”).
But one would ask, among the individualistic and communal dealings of God with his people in
the Old Testament which one best communicate the idea of the Old Testament eschatology? If
God deals with his people only as a group, then the question would be; then can one say that they
have some idea of their future relationship with God?
After considering this as a background, he also looked at some basic ideas that run through the
Old Testament concept of eschatology. Ideas such as:
Idea of God: The idea of God found in this article, is a one that pictured God as only the God of
the living, considering the Lord’s dealings with his people Israel as a nation or tribe, hence the
article propose that at early stage of the Old Testament God has no interest on any one beyond
life on earth, since he deals with them as a nation. Using Matthew 22:31-32 as a supporting
passage, whereby it says: "Have ye not read .... I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac,
and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living”
The author of the article made no comment on this view by Charles, which probably will imply
agreement or disagreement. If he agree with that, what then can he say of the Old testament idea
of God presenting himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob even after their death? And,
where then also do we place the idea of the Old Testament prophets that talks about God’s
relationship with the past fathers.
Idea of Man: The article present two basic views in regards to the nature of man, as found in
Charles. The first view holds onto the idea of soul and body, and try to distinguish the two; by
looking at the soul as the “surviving death….. retaining a certain self-consciousness, and the
power of speech and movement in Sheol”. Though, the writer of this article likens this idea to
ancestor worship, which he proposes to be common in the Old Testament (“Old Testament
Eschatology”). The other view holds that the soul cannot live without the body, hence it perish
along with the body. Nonetheless, the Author of the article discarded this notion, rather
preferring the first idea of the soul as surviving death than the idea of complete annihilation. The
author here seems to be more thoughtful, for if the soul is said to vanish along with the body,
then man could have been nothing more than the animas. But, among all creatures only man was
said to be created in the image of God; having the breath or spirit of life in him from God,
(Genesis 1:26-27). But on the other hand even that which the author seems to agree with as
considering at the soul of man as surviving death; do this phrase really explain man soul at
death? What then is the state of the body after death?
Sin and Death: Base on Charles, death was never in the original plan of man however, he sees it
as a byproduct of sin or the result of sin on human nature. That thee immortality of man was
supposed to be that which has no separation of the soul from the body, but only a change and
translation to greater perfection. However, the author of this article was mute in regards to this
position, holding that the scripture in itself is not clear or specific on this subject. Nonetheless, he
admits that the scripture is partially insinuating that to be the truth. Yes, God said to the man the
day you eat of this tree you will die. However, that is not enough reason for one to conclude that
opposite is the case.
Conception of the Future Life (Sheol): this section of the article has it that until close to the
exilic period the Israelites were no having the idea of a future life, not until the time of the
teachings of the prophet. The author also has it that hopes and promises as of that time is largely
temporal to them, that in times of hope they mostly hope for temporal outward prosperity and
happy leaving on earth than life after death, even as seen in Abraham’s promises of temporal
blessing (Genesis 12:1-3; Deuteronomy 11:8 ff). No is this positing that the Israelites has no
conceptions or beliefs in the life hereafter, though cannot be mentioned as a hope of future life,
for to the writer of this article “there was nothing to suggest hope, joy or life in the good sense, in
the ideas they entertained of death or the hereafter” (“Old Testament Eschatology”).
The writer of this article admits that just like other ancient near east religions believe in survival
of the soul, or consciousness of the soul after life, so also are the Hebrews. The key word that has
been use in this article to communicate the idea or concept of eschatology in the Old Testament
is the Hebrew word “Sheol” which the writer of the article under review comments that its
etymology is doubtful. He has it that the common derivation use is from the roots meaning “to
ask” or “to be hollow” sha’al. He also adds that it is also frequently, though erroneously,
translated in the Revised Version of the British and American as “grave” or “hell”. However,
contrary to Charles, he has it that, in the general conception Sheol is often depicted in some
passages of the scripture as a place of darkness (Job 10:21, 22; Psalms 143:3) or place of silence
(Psalms 94:17; 115:17) of forgetfulness (Psalms 88:12; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10). In other places
such as Job 10:22 depicted it as a place with “brightness, joy and activity of the earthly life”
while some passages portrayed it as a places of rest and sleep (Job 3:17 ff; 14:12,13) The writer
of the article under review sees this to be in contradiction with Charles’ view of the Sheol that
sees it as feeble, inert, shadowy, devoid of living interest and aims, a true state of the dead (“Old
Testament Eschatology”).
In this the writer appears to be tangling or not having position, for he formerly admits that the
Israelites in their religious life it shows no hope of any particular character of the future life, but
now admitting the idea in some biblical passages that depicted the future life as a place of
brightness, joy and activity of the earthly life. Hence, one will ask; how can this ideas be
detached with hope from that which it teaches?
The Religious Hope (Of Life and Resurrection)
Charles is of the idea that the Sheol hope for, are two distinctive places, one for the inflicted
sinners while the other for the righteous, all with a distinctive character or features. However, the
author of the article under review is of the idea that in other to get to a factual source and nature
of the hope and immortality in the Old Testament it is of important to delve more into the heart
of the issue than done Charles. He is of the mind that the hope found in the Old Testament was
that which can be connected mainly with deliverance from the power of Sheol which it is believe
to come through resurrection and in that found the hope of immortality.
The writer presents some passages in the scripture that point out to the idea of the hope of
immortality in the form of resurrection, as thus: Psalms 16:8-11; 17:15; 49:14, 15; 73:24. Job
14:13-15; Hos 13:14 he is able to point out that all the passages mostly talks about resurrection,
and also a personal resurrection as found in Isaiah 26:19. The must clearer passage the author
cited is Daniel 12:2; “And many of them that sleep in the dust…. Shall awake, some to
everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that are wise shall shine
as the brightness of the firmament” in this place the resurrection hope also include the unjust,
however, their’ is just the opposite of the other.
Actually the explanation in regards to sheol but by Charles and the author of this article seems to
be confusing, in some places it appear more like the catholic idea of purgatory while in other
places is been shown as the heaven or paradise. Hence one get confuse as to what Sheol really
means giving the explanations and examples in this article.
The Idea of Judgment: The Day of Yahweh: Another phrase use in this article to communicate
the idea of the Old Testament Eschatology is; the day of the Lord. According to the article, the
day of the Lord as found in the prophetic writings it is often viewed as a day of God’s
manifestation of power through judgement or salvation, also as a time where God righteousness
will triumph over all evil (Isaiah 2:2-5; Joel 3; Amos 9:11 ff; Zec 14). Presenting Amos 3:2 that
shows that the day is not all about other nations but also Israel, the author has it that God’s
judgement on Israel will also be part of purifying. He furthers that the day also encompasses
other nations; turning to the Lord and been save from the coming judgement; the judgement not
only in this present life, but also hereafter. The author likens the hereafter judgement to the act in
the Sheol where but the righteous and the unrighteous will be treated accordingly. This almost
seems to be the most used phrase in regards to the idea of eschatology in the Old Testament.
Later Jewish Conceptions: Apocryphal, Apocalyptic, Rabbinical
Here the author of the article under review went ahead to present us with some extra biblical
sources in finding the idea of eschatology as in the Jews beliefs, just as it is found in Charles
writings which Charles sees it to be closely related to some Old Testament idea of the eschaton.
Though the author has it that the apocryphal ideas of are often imaginative, which is directly
implying that they cannot be trust or depend on. However the author has it that the apocryphal
ideas can bring more light to the teachings of the New Testament. But in what way will this help
in the New Testament teachings since the information cannot be completely trust even within the
Old Testament? In this, the author of the article was not clear. Here he has it that Sheol in the
apocalyptic is still seen as a place of the dead “but is regarded more as a state intermediate
between death and the resurrection for such as shall be raised; in which righteous and wicked are
separated; in which the wicked suffer punishment” (“Old Testament Eschatology”).
Following some key books in the apocryphal, the writer admits that the idea of resurrection
within those books varies. Just as in Enoch 22, the righteous and a class of the wicked are raise;
while in places such as the Psalter of Solomon 3:12, all the righteous are raised and none of the
wicked. In this you also find the idea of judgement and also the fate of both the righteous and the
unrighteous; with the righteous having a better ending, while the unrighteous experience the
opposite.
Conclusion
One outstanding idea or concept in this article is the fact that it admits or depicts eschatology in
the Old Testament as that which has to do with God’s rule and a time for kingly demand for
human accountability of their lives or a time of rewording from the King (God) to the way
humans live their God’s giving lives. Many have received their reword even in the past days and
presently also many are accounting to God for their entire act, and are receiving their result and
will also all account before him after this life. That makes eschatology to be both past, present
and a future reality.