condensed theology, lecture 50 (49b), eschatology part 6

8/6/2019 Condensed Theology, Lecture 50 (49b), Eschatology Part 6

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Condensed Theology

A Primer in Systematic Theology


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Eschatology

What does the Bible teach aboutlast things?


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Review


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Review Redemption history is understood to unfold in

two successive ages: this present age and theage to come. This present age, characterized by sin and

death and that which is temporal and transient

will come to an end. The Second Coming of Jesus to the earth will

mark the end of the age. When he comes he will resurrect the just and

unjust, judge the believing and unbelieving inrighteousness, and glorify the creation.


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Review In the time between his first and second

comings, the church will continue to prospereven while it and the creation face trouble. The trouble of the time between his first and

second comings will come to a climax

immediately before his return. When the climax will occur is impossible to

know. Whether we are in the midst of the climax is also

impossible to know; it is only when Jesus returnsthat we will know that the climax has occurred.


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Review Jesus Second Coming will usher in the age to come, an

age characterized by righteousness and life and thatwhich is permanent and everlasting.

The age to come has been inaugurated by the person,ministry, and work of Jesus Christ in his life, death,

burial, and ascension. We await the consummation of the age to come with the

return of Jesus Christ.

Through our relationship with Christ we experience the

blessings of our future life now in the present time andawait their consummation at the end of the age.


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The Tribulation Period


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As you may have inferred from the

previous lecture on the signs of the times,

Our contention is that this present age is

marked by trouble and tribulation for thesaints which will intensify atan unspecifiedtime foran unspecified time before the

return of Christ.


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The term Tribulation Period, however,

does not refer to such an unspecified time;

Rather, the term is a quasi-technical term

from Dispensationalism that describes aseven ordinary chronological year periodof intense tribulation for the inhabitants of

the earth left behind after the Rapture(the secret return of Jesus).


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This belief arises from a variety of

theological commitments that I will nottake time to address here.

Instead, check out the lecture series,Systems of Theology, available atwww.solidfoodmedia.com.


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The key proof text used to substantiate the

Dispensational belief that there will be aseven ordinary chronological year periodof unprecedented tribulation on the earthis Dan 9:24-27:


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The Tribulation Period Dan 9:24-27: Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people

and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin,

to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness,to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. Soyou are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree torestore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will beseven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plazaand moat, even in times of distress. Then after the sixty-two weeks

the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of theprince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And itsend will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war;desolations are determined. And he will make a firm covenant withthe many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a

stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominationswill come one who makes desolate, even until a completedestruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one whomakes desolate.


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The Tribulation Period Two things should be said about this

passage of Scripture: It is very difficult to interpret; thus, there are a

variety of approaches to it that are not easily

dismissed. From the Dispensationalist perspective, the

their interpretation of this text is crucial to theireschatology. I mention this because it seemsinadvisable to give so much theologicalweight to such a difficult passage.


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The Tribulation Period The Dispensational interpretation of this passage

includes the following features: The seventy weeks refers to seventy periods of seven ordinary

chronological years.

The decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalemwith plaza andmoat (v 25) refers to the decree of Artaxerxes regarding

Nehemiahs rebuilding the temple in 445-444 BC. The death of Christ is predicted to take place after 69 X 7 (483

years) in v 26a: Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah willbe cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who isto come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.

The seventieth week, described in vv 26b-27, takes place atsome point after the Messiah is cut off.


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The Tribulation Period The Dispensational interpretation of this passage

includes the following features: Between weeks 69 and 70 is the church age. We live between

weeks 69 & 70, and await the beginning of the seventieth week. The seventieth week (the last seven-year period) begins when

the church age ends at the Rapture (the secret return of Jesusfor his saints).

The seventieth week is the time of great tribulation referred toby Jesus in Matt 24:21: For then there will be a great tribulation,such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world untilnow, nor ever will.

Since the church will be evacuated from the earth vis--vis the

Rapture, the Tribulation is for those who are left behind. During the Tribulation Period, individuals may be saved through

faith in Christ.


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The Tribulation Period Objections to the Dispensational interpretation of Dan

9:24-27: The Seventy weeks are metaphorical for sabbatical weeks.

Nowhere in Daniel do we read that the weeks of Dan 9:24-27 areordinary chronological years.

When the word week is used without the qualifying word year it

typically designates weeks of days. If the writer had to indicateyears, he normally would have chosen the word year as in Dan9:2.

At the heart of the temporal language is a sabbatical and a jubileepattern. As an OT symbolical pattern, it is not confined to weeks oryears. There is a Sabbath day and even a Sabbath month (Lev23:23-43). In principle, the word week might be used to designatea period of any length, as long as that period were related to theSabbatical pattern.


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The Tribulation Period Objections to the Dispensational interpretation of

Dan 9:24-27: The Seventy weeks are metaphorical for sabbaticalweeks. 1 Enoch (several centuries after Daniel) also apocalyptic in

nature employs this Sabbatical pattern, dividing the whole

history of the world into ten weeks, with the weeksconsisting of varying lengths when measured in terms ofordinary years.

The time periods are broken up into definite lengths, 7, 62,and 1 in order to emphasize this Sabbatical pattern. The first

period is a single jubilee (7x7=49). The whole cyclerepresents 10 jubilees, signifying the time leading to the finalrestoration. The end of the 69th week is just short of this finalrestoration, which suggests an inaugurated eschatology(already and not yet).


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The Tribulation Period Objections to the Dispensational interpretation of Dan

9:24-27. The suggestion that the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem

came from Artaxerxes appeals to facts that the audience ofDaniel would not have known (this is inconsistent withgrammatico-historical interpretation). This is used by

dispensationalists because the 444 BC date of Artaxerxesdecree is almost exactly 69X7 (483) years before the death ofChrist.

The decree to which Daniel refers is the decree by Cyrus king ofPersia from 538 BC; this, incidentally, is another argument for a

sabbatical understanding of the seventy years because 538 BCplus 483 years lands us in 55 BC, 50-60 years beforethe time ofChrist.


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The Tribulation Period Objections to the Dispensational

interpretation of Dan 9:24-27. There is no indication in the teaching of Jesus

or the apostles that the church will not

undergo tribulation; to the contrary, whatmarks life in the church is tribulation andsuffering for the gospel.


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interpretation of Dan 9:24-27. There is no indication anywhere in Scripture,

including Daniel 9, that Jesus will return

secretly for his saints to whisk them awayprior to the intensification of the tribulation ofthe present age before his open return to the

earth; to the contrary, Jesus return is alwaysdescribed as open and obvious.


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The Tribulation Period Here is an example

from the NewTestament that theSecond Coming and

the Rapture arereferring to the sameevent.

Event Matthew 1 Thessalonians

Christ returns 24:30 4:16

From heaven 24:30 4:16

With angels 24:31 4:16

To the sound of thetrumpet of God

24:31 4:16

To gather believers to

himself

24:31, 40-

41

4:17

In clouds 24:30 4:17

At an unknown time 24:36 5:1-2

Like a thief 24:43 5:2, 4

With unbelievers unaware 24:37-39 5:3

Like labor pains 24:8 5:3

Believers not deceived 24:43 5:4-5

Believers to be watchful 24:37-39 5:6

Warning againstdrunkenness

24:49 5:7


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interpretation of Dan 9:24-27. There is no indication anywhere in Scripture,

including Daniel 9, that people have a chance

to trust in Christ after his return; to thecontrary, everything the Bible teaches aboutthe Second Coming indicates that it is too late

for repentance.


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The Tribulation Period A summary of the teaching of Dan 9:24-27:

The decree of Cyrus (538 BC) represents thebeginning of the restoration of the people of God totheir land (rest) which culminates at the end of historyinaugurated by the work of Jesus Christ at his firstadvent. 69 weeks, being one shy of 70, indicates that

the work of Jesus Christ in his first advent anticipatesa future consummation (the tenth jubilee, the 70th

week). The consummation is preceded by variousdesolations of the people of God (Antiochus IVEpiphanes [176 BC], Titus [70 AD], and through other

antichrists and men of lawlessness until theAntichrist/the Man of Lawlessness is revealedimmediately prior to Jesus return in power and glory.


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The Millennium


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The MillenniumRead Revelation 20:1-11


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The Millennium Four Takes on the Millennium

1. Premillennialism, Dispensational: Christ returns before the

events of Revelation 20, which refer to the reign of Christ on thepresent earth for 1,000 ordinary chronological years.

2. Premillennialism, Historic: Christ returns before the events ofRevelation 20, which refer to the reign of Christ on the presentearth for 1,000 ordinary chronological years.

The difference between Historic Premillennialism andDispensational Premillennialism is that DispensationalPremillennialism teaches that the millennium is Jewish inorientation; that is, it envisions the reinstitution of temple worshipand its sacrifices and the reestablishment of the feasts of the OldTestament, including Passover, the Feast of Booths, et al.

Historic Premillennialism teaches that the millennium is Christian inits orientation; that is, it understands the promises of the OldTestament for the restoration of Israel to be fulfilled in Christ andthe church and therefore to make temple worship and liturgicalfeasts to be obsolete.


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The Millennium Four Takes on the Millennium

3. Postmillennialism: Christ returns after theevents of Revelation 20, which refer to agolden age of Christianity on the present

earth for a long period of time signified bythe figure of 1,000 years.

4. Amillennialism: Christ returns after the

events of Revelation 20, which are afigurative depiction of life in this present age.


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The Millennium:

Dispensational Premillennialism

The Dispensational Premillennial interpretation

of Rev 20:1-11 includes the following features: Revelation 20 follows chronologically on the events of

Revelation 19.

Jesus therefore returns with his saints following theseven-year tribulation to rule on this earth infulfillment of Gods promises to national Israel.

The thousand years refer to ordinary chronological

years. People can sin during the millennium.


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The Millennium:

Dispensational Premillennialism The Dispensational Premillennial interpretation of Rev

20:1-11 includes the following features: Satans binding (v 2) refers to the absolute curtailing of all his

deceptive and evil activity.

Satan will be released so God can make a permanent end of sinbefore establishing the new heaven and the new earth.

The first resurrection is a bodily resurrection from the dead,made up of believers from this present age (the church age) andbelievers who die during the seven-year tribulation.

Those who become Christians during the Millennium and allunbelievers await the second resurrection at the Great White

Throne Judgment; thus there are multiple resurrections.


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The Millennium

Objections to DispensationalPremillennialism


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The Millennium: Dispensational

Premillennialism: Objections The use of parallelism in Revelation

The battle of Rev 20:7-10 is a recapitulation of thefinal battle of 16:14, 16; 17:14; 19:11-21.

These descriptions of the final battle all use languagefrom Ezekiel 38-39.

The judgment of Satan in 20:10 parallels thejudgments of Babylon (Chapters 17-18) and of theBeast and the False Prophet (19:11-21).

Further parallels exist between 12:7-11 and 20:1-6.

Certain features in 20:11-15 correspond to earlierdescriptions of the Second Coming in 6:14; 11:18.


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Premillennialism: Objections

Even accepting a chronological reading of

Revelation 19-20, the interpretation isflawed

All of Christs enemies are destroyed in 19:11-

21. If 20:1-6 describes events later than19:11-21, there would be no one left for Satanto deceive in 20:3.


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The non-absolute binding of Satan

The binding of Satan in v 2 is not absolute;Satan is not described as out of the way;rather, he is described as bound in the sense

that he is curtailed from deceiving the nations(v 3).


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Premillennialism: Objections Other clearer passages of Scripture regarding

the Second Coming indicate that a Premillennialunderstanding of Revelation 20 is incorrect.

As we have seen, the rest of the NT teaches that when Jesusreturns he will judge the world; therefore if Jesus returns at

the end of Revelation 19 (chronologically prior to the eventsof Revelation 20), there can be no sin in the millennium.

As we have seen, the rest of the NT teaches that when Jesusreturns he will resurrect the living and the dead, the just and

the unjust; therefore if Jesus returns at the end of Revelation19 (chronologically prior to the events of Revelation 20),there can be no unresurrected saints in the millennium.


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Premillennialism: Objections The nature of the first and second resurrections

and the first and second deaths The language of first resurrection in vv 5-6 in the

context of Revelation does not necessarily imply thatthere will be a chronologically second resurrection.

Rev 21:1: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for thefirst heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is nolonger any sea.

Notice that first is used here in the sense of old; thus, the

language is used not to indicate chronology, but contrast.


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and the first and second deaths This is not to say that there is no second

resurrection; it is simply to say that second does notnecessarily imply second in chronological sequence.

Rev 20:5-6: The rest of the dead did not come to life until thethousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the firstresurrection; over these the second death has no power, but

they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign withHim for a thousand years.


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Premillennialism: Objections The nature of the first and second

resurrections and the first and seconddeaths What is the second death? Eternal

damnation in the fire of hell.Rev 20:14-15: Then death and Hades were thrown

into the lake of fire. This is the second death, thelake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found

written in the book of life, he was thrown into thelake of fire.

Therefore the second death is spiritualdeath.


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Premillennialism: Objections The nature of the first and second resurrections and the

first and second deaths Now if there is a second death, the implication is that there is a

first death.

Revelation 20:4: Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, andjudgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who hadbeen beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of

the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or hisimage, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on theirhand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousandyears.

Rev 21:4: and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and

there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be anymourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.

The first death is clearly physical death.


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The nature of the first and second

resurrections and the first and seconddeaths

So here is what we have:

The second death is spiritual death.

The first death is physical death.


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and the first and second deaths Rev 20:5-6: The rest of the dead did not come to life

until the thousand years were completed. This is thefirst resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who

has a part in the first resurrection; over these thesecond death has no power, but they will be priests ofGod and of Christ and will reign with Him for athousand years.

Now if there is a first resurrection, the implication isthat there is a second resurrection.


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and the first and second deaths Rev 20:5-6: The rest of the dead did not come to life

until the thousand years were completed. This is thefirst resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one whohas a part in the first resurrection; over these the

second death has no power, but they will be priests ofGod and of Christ and will reign with Him for athousand years. Notice that the first resurrection is correlated with the

second death: Blessed and holy is the one who has a part

in the first resurrection; over these the second death has nopower. This implies another correlation; namely, the second

resurrection with the first death.


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The nature of the first and second resurrectionsand the first and second deaths

First resurrection First (physical) death

Second resurrection Second (spiritual) death



Th Mill i Di i l


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The nature of the first and second


What does this tell us about the natures of the

resurrections?

It suggests the following:

Th Mill i Di i l


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The nature of the first and second resurrections

and the first and second deathsFirst (spiritual) resurrection First (physical) death

Second (physical) resurrection Second (spiritual) death



Th Mill i Di ti l


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Premillennialism: Objections The nature of the first and second


It is also important to note another

relationship in this passage, one that is full ofirony:

Saints who physically die are translated into the

first spiritual resurrection,While the second (physical) resurrection translates

the wicked into the second spiritual death.

Th Mill i Di ti l


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The nature of the first and second resurrections

and the first and second deathsFirst physical death of saints First spiritual resurrection of saints

Second physical resurrection of wicked Second (spiritual) death of wicked



Th Mill i Di ti l


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and the first and second deaths This understanding of Revelation 20 suits that thought

of the passage since a first, eternal, spiritualresurrection is what prevents a person from suffering

a second, eternal, spiritual death.

And at the same time, we see that a bodilyresurrection is not sufficient to protect a person from

the second, eternal, spiritual death.



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Premillennialism: Objections A thousand years is a metaphor

Rev 1:1: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God

gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the thingswhich must soon take place; and He sent andcommunicated it by His angel to His bond-servantJohn.

Though I do not have time to develop it here; thegenre of Revelation (apocalyptic) uses numbersmetaphorically to convey various themes: (7churches, 144,000 [multiples of 1,000 and 12], 666,etc.).

In the case of 1,000 years, the idea is that ofcompleteness, or fullness, to show that the saints whohave suffered are ultimately victorious.



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Premillennialism: Objections A minimizing of Christs fulfillment of the Old Testament

hope:

Though not related directly to their interpretation of Revelation20, a key component of the Dispensational Premillennialunderstanding of the Millennium is that it represents thefulfillment of Gods promises to restore the nation of Israel to theland and that therefore they believe that there will be areinstitution of temple worship, the celebration of nationalreligious feasts, etc.

This idea minimizes the reality of Jesus fulfillment of thepromises of the Old Testament, especially as it is expressed inthe book of Hebrews.

In addition, it fails to account for the fact that the land promises

were meant in the Old Testament to point Gods people toward arestored cosmos (the city with foundations whose builder andmaker is God).

condensed theology, lecture 50 (49b), eschatology part 6

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