CCS SysTheo
Universal Eschatology
Some Key Texts and Genres
• Ezekiel 40-48
• Daniel
• Various Minor Prophets
• Matthew 24-25 (Olivet Discourse)
• 1 Corinthians 15
• 1 Thessalonians (Especially Chapter 4-5)
• 2 Thessalonians (Especially Chapter 2)
• Titus 2:13
• 2 Peter 3
• Revelation
Some Terms
• Tribulation -The internal and
external suffering of God’s people
which, according to NT teaching,
followers of Jesus Christ are to
expect as a matter of course. The
NT references to the “great
tribulation” describe an
unprecedented period of global
suffering that will mark the time
just prior to the parousia.
Some Terms
• Rapture - From the Latin rapio
(caught up), the belief that the
church will be caught up (Greek
harpazo, 1 Thess 4:17) and united
with Christ at his second coming.
– PreTrib – Rapture happens before
Tribulation Period
– MidTrib- Rapture happens during
Tribulation Period
– PostTrib - Rapture happens after
Tribulation Period
Some Terms
• Millennial Kingdom - Arising from the
Latin word for “thousand,” the
millennium refers to the thousandyear reign of Christ mentioned in
Revelation 20:1–8.
– PreMill – Rapture and Tribulation before
literal 1,000 year reign of Christ
– PostMill – Future reign of Christ ushered
in by global and exhaustive Gospel
Progress
– Amill – No literal 1,000 years – spiritual
ideals and Christ rules now in the hearts
of the people
Some Terms
• Second Advent/Coming - Literally
meaning “coming” or “arrival,” this
term, “advent” refers to the coming
of Jesus Christ to earth to provide
salvation by his life, death,
resurrection and ascension.
Christians now anticipate a second
advent when Christ will return to
earth in bodily form to receive the
church and to judge the nations.
Some Terms
• Parousia -A Greek word used
to refer to the second coming
of Jesus Christ at the end of
history. Literally, the term
means “presence.” Hence it
designates Christ’s return as
the point at which he will be
fully present to the world or
his presence will be fully
revealed.
CCS SysTheo
Universal
Eschatology – Case
Studies in 1 & 2
Thessalonians/Revel
ation
CCS SysTheo
1&2
Thessalonians
CCS SysTheo
1 Thessalonians
1 & 2 Thessalonians
Authorship: 1 Thessalonians 1:1: Paul.
Destination: Show Thessalonica on a map
Origin: Paul first went to Thessalonica on his
2nd Missionary Journey (Acts 17-18). After,
he went to Berea, Athens and then spent
18 months in Corinth (about 51-52). While
in Corinth, he wrote 1 & 2 Thessalonians.
Date: During his stay in Corinth: about A.D. 51
Audience: 1 Thess 1:1 believers in
Thessalonica
Genre: Letter
Thessalonica
Thessalonica
Thessalonica
1 & 2 Thessalonians
Authorship: 1 Thessalonians 1:1: Paul.
Destination: Show Thessalonica on a map
Origin: Paul first went to Thessalonica on his
2nd Missionary Journey (Acts 17-18). After,
he went to Berea, Athens and then spent
18 months in Corinth (about 51-52). While
in Corinth, he wrote 1 & 2 Thessalonians.
Date: During his stay in Corinth: about A.D. 51
Audience: 1 Thess 1:1 believers in
Thessalonica
Genre: Letter
1 Thessalonians
Outline:
I. Paul's Authority and the Church’s Place with the
Gospel as Center (1:1-3:13)
A. Introduction (1:1-10)
B. Paul’s Ministry to Thessalonica (2:1-16)
C. Paul’s Desire for Return for
Encouragement (2:17-3:13)
II. Last Things and Final Instructions
On Holy Living (4:1-5:28)
A. Instruction on Christian Living (4:1-12)
B. Teaching on Last Things (4:13-5:11)
C. More Instruction on Christian Living (5:12-28)
Thematic Expansions in 1
Thessalonians
Work of Faith
1:5-7 & 2:1-3:5
1:2-3
Labor of Love
1:8-9 & 3:6-4:12
Steadfastness of
Hope
1:10 & 4:13-5:11
How many ways to skin a cat?
• Why so many ways?
– Thematic Analysis
– Outline
– Thematic Expansion
• Different angles
• We are after Meaning
• Why not just an
outline!?
How many ways to skin a cat?
• Ancient World
• Eastern World
• Thought ,
communication
and writing
• Linear vs. Circular
• Chiasms,
Statement/Restatement
, Etc.
• Meaning is the key, not
just Form
1 & 2 Thessalonians
Purpose: The themes, portray the purposes of
the epistles.
“Remembering Truth, Excelling in
Sanctification”
1 Thessalonians
Purpose:
1) Questions about the authority and intensions of Paul (1
Thess 1-3 )
2) Encouragement in not being moved by false teachings,
but rather Remember what was taught (1 Thess 1:5;
2:1,2,9,10,11,13; 3:3,4; 4:1,2,6; 5:2 [2 Thess 2:5-6, 15;
3:7])
3) Motivation to pursue excellence in sanctification (1 Thess
4:1,10)
4) Comforting words on the coming of Christ and those who
“fall asleep” before that event (1 Thess 4:18, 5:11)
5) Clarification on the Day of the Lord (1 Thess 5)
Remembering Truth
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
“Just as You Know”
“You Yourselves Know”
“You Recall”
“You are Witnesses”
“You Heard from Us”
“We Kept Telling You”
“As You Received”
“We…Told You Before
“Excel Still More”
• 1 Thess. 4:1 – Holiness
– Explanation in vs. 2-8
– Abstain from sexual
immorality
– Do not Transgress
– Do not Defraud
– Be Obedient to the
Commands
• 1 Thess. 4:10 – Love
– To all Men
– See also:
• Phil. 1:9
• 1 Thess. 3:12
• 2 Thess. 1:3
– Why “still more?”
• God’s Character
• Infinitude
Things to Come
• Most likely an answer to a direct question
• Not a new concept – “A faint cry”
A faint cry of what’s to come…
• “To wait for His Son” 1:10
– From heaven
– Raised from the dead
– Jesus
– Rescues us from the wrath to come
• “Presence of our Lord Jesus at His
Coming”2:19
• “Coming of our Lord Jesus with His Saints”3:13
“Parousia”
Presence
“The Day of the
Lord”
1 Thessalonians 5
and
2 Thessalonians 1-2
Things to Come
•
•
•
•
•
Most likely an answer to a direct question
Not a new concept – “A faint cry”
Purpose (So That) – encouragement – 13, 18
“Asleep” means dead
The process
– Coming of the Lord
– Dead rise
– Living “caught up”
“The Rapture”
1 Thessalonians 4
Arguments Against Pre-Trib.
• “Trumpet of God” – Before first Trumpet :Rev.
6:16
– Mid-trib. View
• “To Meet” (eis apanteesin) Matt. 25:6, Acts 28:15 &
1 Thess. 4:17 – Harpadzo (Matt. 11:12, 13:19; John 10:28-29; 2
Cor. 12:2-4; Rev12:5
– Post-Trib View
• Fear of Error (Cannot find enough Evidence)
– Any-other-than-Pre-trib. View
Revelation 6:16
• NAU Revelation 6:16 and they said to the
mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us
and hide us from the presence of Him
who sits on the throne, and from the
wrath of the Lamb;
Arguments Against Pre-Trib.
• “Trumpet of God” – Before first Trumpet :Rev.
6:16
– Mid-trib. View
• “To Meet” (eis apanteesin) Matt. 25:6, Acts 28:15 &
1 Thess. 4:17 – Harpadzo (Matt. 11:12, 13:19; John 10:28-29; 2
Cor. 12:2-4; Rev12:5
– Post-Trib View
• Fear of Error (Cannot find enough Evidence)
– Any-other-than-Pre-trib. View
Matthew 25 and Acts 28
• 6 "But at midnight there • 15 And the brethren,
was a shout, 'Behold,
when they heard about
the bridegroom! Come
us, came from there as
out to meet him.‘
far as the Market of
Appius and Three Inns
NAU Matthew 25:6
to meet us; and when
[speaking of the ten virgins
– or bridesmaids, not to be
Paul saw them, he
confused with the Bride]
thanked God and took
courage. NAU Acts
28:15
1 Thessalonians 4:17
• NAU 1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we who are
alive and remain will be caught up together
with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air, and so we shall always be with the
Lord.
Harpodzo
• NAU Matthew 11:12
"From the days of
John the Baptist until
now the kingdom of
heaven suffers
violence, and violent
men take it by force.
• NAU 2 Corinthians 12:2 I know a
man in Christ who fourteen years
ago-- whether in the body I do
not know, or out of the body I do
not know, God knows-- such a
man was caught up to the third
heaven. 3 And I know how such a
man-- whether in the body or
apart from the body I do not
know, God knows-- 4 was caught
up into Paradise and heard
inexpressible words, which a man
is not permitted to speak.
Arguments Against Pre-Trib.
• “Trumpet of God” – Before first Trumpet :Rev.
6:16
– Mid-trib. View
• “To Meet” (eis apanteesin) Matt. 25:6, Acts 28:15 &
1 Thess. 4:17 – Harpadzo (Matt. 11:12, 13:19; John 10:28-29; 2
Cor. 12:2-4; Rev12:5
– Post-Trib View
• Fear of Error (Cannot find enough Evidence)
– Any-other-than-Pre-trib. View
Views
•
•
•
•
•
Pretribulational
Midtribulational
Posttribulational
Partial Rapture
Prewrath
• Pretribulational – Purpose (Daniel 9:24)
Eschatology in 1 Thessalonians
• Study of Last Things
• Imminence
•Death
• The Rapture
• Day of the Lord
Eschatology in 2 Thessalonians
• Study of Last Things
• Day of the Lord
• Discernment
• Great Tribulation
• Antichrist
• Imminence
Day of the Lord
• About 20 uses in the Old
Testament
• About 4 in the New Testament
(2 in 1 and Second
Thessalonians)
• Get the broader view
– Refers to terrifying Judgment
– Is a specific time within a specific
age
– Is fully enacted after the Seven
Year Tribulation
Passages of Interest
• Matthew 24-25 – Olivet Discourse [READ]
• I Thessalonians 5 [READ]
• 2 Thessalonians 2 [READ]
• Revelation
When?
• Moment or time?
– “Peace and Safety”
– “Thief in the night”
– “Labor Pains”
• Purpose – Encourage – now
– “Children of the Day”
– Not “of night or darkness”
– Faith, love and hope – See 1:2-3
– Not destined for wrath
Personal Eschatological Perspective
• Study of Last Things
• Imminence (Reign of Fire)
• Death
• Parousia
• Day of the Lord
Reign of Fire
Bedtime “Prayers”
• Quinn Abercromby: What do we do
when we are awake?
The Children: Keep two eyes on the
sky.
Quinn Abercromby: What do we do
when we sleep?
The Children: Keep one eye on the sky.
Quinn Abercromby: What do we do
when we see them?
The Children: Dig hard, dig deep, go
for shelter, and never look back.
Personal Eschatological Perspective
• Study of Last Things
• Imminence (Reign of Fire)
• Death
• Parousia
• Day of the Lord
the last verses
HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED . . .
Because He Lives
• And then one day, I'll cross the
river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to
vict'ry,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll
know He lives!
All Creatures of our God and King
• And thou most kind and gentle
Death,
Waiting to hush our latest breath,
O praise Him! Alleluia!
Thou leadest home the child of God,
And Christ our Lord the way hath
trod.
Amazing Grace
• Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
• The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.
• When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.
And Can it Be?
• No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Are you Washed in the Blood?
• When the Bridegroom cometh will your
robes be white?
Are you washed in the blood of the
Lamb?
Will your soul be ready for the mansions
bright,
And be washed in the blood of the
Lamb?
At the Name of Jesus
• Brothers, this Lord Jesus shall return again,
With His Father’s glory, with His angel train;
For all wreaths of empire meet upon His brow,
And our hearts confess Him King of glory now.
Be Still My Soul
• Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord.
When disappointment, grief and fear are
gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are
past
All safe and blessèd we shall meet at last.
Blessed Assurance
• Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
• Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
• Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
Come Thou Fount
• O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.
•
The Point
Expectation
What happens at the end?
• Judgments
– The nature of judgment is the revelation of a person’s
works and status
– Jesus is the Judge (John 5:22)
– Some see a single general judgment (Reformed)
– Some see multiple judgments
• Judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Cor. 5:9-10)
–
–
–
–
–
Rewards (1 Cor. 3:14)
Christ’s Bride (Rev. 19:7-8)
Life deeds (2 Cor. 5:10)
Judgment of wickedness (1 John 2:28)
Ultimately for Christian, there is joy (Rev. 19:7-8)
Multiple Judgments Cont.
•
•
•
•
Judgment of Tribulation Saints (Rev. 20:4-6)
Judgment of OT Saints (Daniel 12:2)
Judgment of Living Israel (Zech. 12:10-14)
Judgment of Gentile Nations (Joel 3:1-2; Matt. 25:3146)
• Judgment of Satan and the Fallen Angels (Rev. 12:7-9 &
20:1-3)
• The Great White Throne Judgment of the Wicked (Rev.
20:11-15)
• The Judgment of the Heavens and Earth (2 Peter 3:10)
The Big Picture
GOD and
Man*
GOD
GOD and
Man*
Man vs.
GOD
GOD and a
chosen
People
Man vs.
GOD
GOD and a
chosen
People
The GOD-Man*
What we DO Know
• Jesus is coming back (John 14:3)
• We do not know when (Matthew 24:36)
• Perhaps today…
CCS SysTheo
Universal
Eschatology – Case
Studies in 1 & 2
Thessalonians/Revel
ation
Revelation
Apokalupsis Iesou
Christou
Revelation
Authorship: Gospel of John, Epistles of John,
Revelation: John, Son of Zebedee
Destination: Show Churches on a map.
Origin: John from exile (banishment) on the
Island of Patmos, southwest of Ephesus.
Date: Later date of 95 A.D. is preferred.
Audience: Seven Churches in Asia and
Cyclical
Genre: Apocalypse, Prophecy and Letter
Genres
• Apocalypse: An unveiling of
“heavenly” mysteries
• Prophecy: A foretelling of future
events
• Epistle: A personal letter with
personal attributes
Interpretive Views of Revelation
Preterist
Revelation 1-3
Historic Churches
Revelation 4-19
Symbolic of
Contemporary
Situations
Revelation 20-22
Symbolic of Heaven
and Victory
Interpretive Views of Revelation
Idealist
Revelation 1-3
Historic Churches
Revelation 4-19
Symbolic of
Conflict of Good
And Evil
Revelation 20-22
Victory of Good
Interpretive Views of Revelation
Historicist
Revelation 1-3
Historic Churches
Revelation 4-19
Symbolic of
Historical events: Fall
of Rome, Islam,
Catholicism and Ref.
Revelation 20-22
Final Judgment of
some kind & Eternal
State
Interpretive Views of Revelation
Futurist
Revelation 1-3
Historic Churches
and/or
Stages of Church
History
Revelation 4-19
Future Tribulation
Revelation 20-22
Millennial Kingdom,
Judgment of Wicked
& Eternal State
Revelation
Authorship: Gospel of John, Epistles of John,
Revelation: John, Son of Zebedee
Destination: Show Churches on a map.
Origin: John from exile (banishment) on the
Island of Patmos, southwest of Ephesus.
Date: Later date of 95 A.D. is preferred.
Audience: Seven Churches in Asia and
Cyclical
Genre: Apocalypse, Prophecy and Letter
View: Futurist
Revelation
Outline:
I. Introduction
(1:1-8)
A. Prologue (1:1-3)
B. Greetings and Doxology (1:4-8)
II. Vision of the Son of Man Among the Seven Churches of
Asia (1:9-3:22)
A. The Son of Man Among the Lampstands (1:9-20)
B. The Letters to the Seven Churches (2:1-3:22)
1. To Ephesus (2:1-7)
2. To Smyrna (2:8-11)
3. To Pergamum (2:12-17)
4. To Thyatira (2:18-29)
5. To Sardis (3:1-6)
6. To Philadelphia (3:7-13)
7. To Laodicea (3:14-22)
Revelation
Outline:
III. Vision of the Seven-Sealed Scroll, the
Seven
Trumpets, the Seven Signs, and the
Seven Bowls (4:1-19:10)
A. The Seven-Sealed Scroll (4:1-8:1)
B. The Seven Trumpets (8:2-11:19)
C. The Seven Signs (12:1-14:20)
D. The Seven Bowls (15:1-19:10)
Revelation
Outline:
IV. Vision of the Return of Christ and the Consummation of
This
Age (19:11-20:15)
A. The Rider on the White Horse and the Destruction of
the
Beast (19:11-21)
B. Binding of Satan and the Millennium (20:1-6)
C. Release and End of Satan (20:7-10)
D. Great White Throne Judgment (20:11-15)
V. Vision of the New Heaven and the New Earth and the New
Jerusalem (21:1-22:5)
A. The New Jerusalem (21:1-27)
B. The River of Life and the Tree of Life (22:1-5)
VI. Conclusion (22:6-21)
Thematic Expansions in
Revelation
1:19
You have seen
1:1-20
Which are
2:1-3:22
After these things
4:1-22:21
Revelation
Purpose:
1) To prepare believers for the Revelation of
Jesus Christ
2) To Bless those who heed the words of the
Book (1:3)
3) To address issues with in seven churches
in Asia (2:1-3:22)
4) To reveal the divine judgments of the
coming Day of the Lord
5) To pray to the Lord Jesus to return soon
Revelation
Key Verse: Revelation 1:3
Blessed is he who reads and those who
hear the words of the prophecy, and heed
the things which are written in it; for the
time is near. (NAU)
Revelation
Purpose:
1) To prepare believers for the Revelation of
Jesus Christ
2) To Bless those who heed the words of the
Book (1:3)
3) To address issues with in seven churches
in Asia (2:1-3:22)
4) To reveal the divine judgments of the
coming Day of the Lord
5) To pray to the Lord Jesus to return soon
Eschatology in Revelation
• Study of Last Things
• Day of the Lord
• Millennial Kingdom
• New Heaven and New Earth
A Brief
Look at
Eschatology
The Tribulation
Revelation 4-19
Millennial
Kingdom
Revelation 20
Views
•
•
•
•
Premillennial
Amillennial
Postmillennial
Panmillennial
• Premillennial – Structure (Revelation 20:1-8)
What we DO Know
• Jesus is coming back (Acts 1:11)
• We do not know when (Matthew 24:36)
• Perhaps today…