Session 1 Eschatology in Conflict The Four Main

Session 1 Eschatology in Conflict: The Four Main Contenders in the Octagon of Eschatology

Eschatology eschatos = last logos = word, discourse A Discourse on Last Things (i. e. , days)

A. What’s the first thing most people think of upon hearing the phrase, “Last Days”? • Rapture AC • Tribulation • Antichrist • Millennial Kingdom (a. k. a. , Messianic Kingdom in which Christ will rule the earth for 1, 000 years)

A 1. But not everyone agrees!

2 A. Four • Papias Main • Irenaeus Factions Walvoord Amillen. Most church nialism fathers before Augustine Hoekema • Justin Martyr were premil. Dispensalennialists. Historic • Tertullian tional Eschato Premillen • Hippolytus nialism Why logycall historic? 354 -430 Premillennialism “Premillennialism appears [as] the Postmildominant eschatological interpretation during the first three lennialism Boettner centuries of the Christian era. ” Ladd

B. A Quick Overview of their Their Mode of Interpretation Differences D-Premil. H-Premil. Amil. Postmil. kingdom PHILOSOPHICAL 4. Millennial S P IR IT U A L & ALLEGORICAL 3. Second Coming L IT E R A L & SPIRITUAL 2. Tribulation L IT E R A L 1. Rapture

1. Rap - ture 1 or 2 B. A Quick Overview of their Differences His return D-Premil. H-Premil. Amil. Postmil. of all believers Pre-Trib Rapture 2 Mid-Trib Rapture 2 Post-Trib Rapture 1 Then (a. k. a. , theworsens rapture of the Church)

B. A quick overview of their differences 1. Rapture Postmil. 1 or 2 D-Premil. H-Premil. Amil. Pre-Trib Rapture 2 1 Mid-Trib Rapture 2 3 Post-Trib Rapture 1 2 Dr. D. Lane H. Lindsey T. Ice Alan Hultberg Prewrath W. Martin P. Robert

B. A Quick Overview of their Differences D-Premil. H-Premil. Amil. Postmil. 1. Rapture Yes (post) No 2. Tribulation YES NO NO Second Comin g Rapture Pre-Trib version -its duration not in lasting 7 years focus-

B. A Quick Overview of their Differences D-Premil. H-Premil. Amil. 1. Rapture Yes (post) No 2. Tribulation Postmil. No 3. Second Yes No Coming YES YES

B. A Quick Overview of their Differences D-Premil. H-Premil. Amil. Postmil. No 1. Rapture Yes (post) 2. Tribulation No Yes No 3. 2 nd Yes Yes Coming 4. Millennial Kingdom A Key Passage in Contention: Rev. 20: 1 -6

A Key Passage in Contention: Rev. 20: 1 -6 (NASB) Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign

B. A Quick Overview of their Differences D-Premil. H-Premil. Amil. defeat Postmil. “It suggests that amillennialists either do not believe What amillennialism advocates: “The of Hoekema: Okay, but how do they get around Rev. 20: 1 -6? in any millennium or that they simply ignore the Satan with Yes the first coming of Christ” 1. Rapture Yes (post) No “The term amillennialism first six verses of Revelation 20. , which speaks of a inaugurated the spiritual kingdom 2. Tribulation Noin which is not a happy one. ” nd millennial reign. Neither of these statements is Christ reigns over believers present. No Yes at No 3. 2 Yes the. Yes Yes Coming true. ” 4. Millennial Kingdom YES NO YES They agree for entirely • A literal, political entity on earth governed by Christ for 1, 000 years SPIRITUAL KINGDOM different reasons. • The eternal state (heaven) follows this period

What both premillennialists & amillennialists agree Rev. 19 ends with the secondcoming of Christ. 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war.

What both premillennialists & amillennialists agree: 15 From His mouth comes a sharp Rev. 19 sword, so that with it He may ends strike down the nations, and He with the will rule them with a rod of iron. . second. . coming 16 And on His robe and on His of thigh He has a name written, Christ. “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. ”

Their Amillennialism Disagreement 1 Then I saw an angel co- ming down from heaven 3. . “If one thinks of Rev. . He threw [Satan] into the abyss. . . , and shut it. . . , so 20 as describing what that he would not deceive follows chronologically the nations any longer, until after what is described the 1, 000 years were completed 4 Then I saw thrones, and. . . in Rev. 19, the souls of those who had one would indeed been beheaded because of conclude that their testimony of Jesus. . . millennium of Rev. 20: - and those who had not worshiped the beast. . They 16 will come after came to life and reigned the return of Christ. ” with Christ for a 1, 000

Their Amillennialism Disagreement 1 Then I saw an angel co- ming down from heaven 3. . . He threw [Satan] into the “But. . . Rev. 20: 1 -6 abyss. . . , and shut it. . . , so describ[es] what takes that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until place during the entire 1, 2, 3. . . , 19, 20. . . the 1, 000 years were history of the church, completed 4 Then I saw thrones, and. . . beginning with the first the souls of those who had coming of Christ” been beheaded because of “Rev. 20: 1 takes us back once again to the begin-ning of the NT The their testimony of Jesus. . . and those who had not wor. NT shiped the beast. . They era came to life and reigned with Christ for a 1, 000

• 1 -3 refers to the believers on earth at present. • Satan (in abyss) cannot stop the preaching of the gospel at present. • 1, 000 years=symbolic • 4 -6 describes what happens when a believer dies now and goes to heaven. • “Came to life” refers to transition from earth to Amillennialism 1 Then I saw an angel co- ming down from heaven 3. . . He threw [Satan] into the abyss. . . , and shut it. . . , so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the 1, 000 years were completed 4 Then I saw thrones, and. . . the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus. . . and those who had not worshiped the beast. . They Sou came to life and reigned with Christ for a 1, 000 l

Their Disagreement Premillennialist Response A short version: 19 SAY WHAT! 20 “Rev. 19 -20 appears to be continuous. . There is no hint of any recapitulation in chapter 20” (that it takes us back to the beginning of the NT era).

B. A Quick Overview of their D-Premil. H-Premil. Amil. Differences Postmil. 1. Rapture Yes (post) 2. Tribulation No Yes No 3. 2 nd Yes Coming 4. Millenni- al Kingdom YES NO YES No Yes NO • A literal, political entity on earth governed by Christ for 1, 000 years • The eternal state (heaven) follows this period

K B a d Gospel Millennium Gospel UTOPIAN PHILOSOPHY Postmillennialism “Then the Messiah will. Peace & Oops, Perfect “The kingdom come at the end of the Righteousness Whatever happened to of God now history and receive the world K this view that was popular being extended Bad K kingdom from the is not th in the world in the early 20 century? church” (Lindsey) getting through the better! preaching of the gospel and ETERthe saving work of the NITY Holy Spirit in the hearts of individuals” (Boettner)

C. What Lurks Behind their Differences DP HP • Dispensational Premillennialism • Historic Premillennialism AM • Amillennialism Postmillennialism

Dispensational Premillennialism Amillennialism John Walvoord, on the faculty of Dallas Theological Seminary for 50 years The modernist who spiritualizes the Liberals resurrection of Christ does so by the same Amillentechniques as are used by B. B. Warfield nialism A theological liberal who denies who finds heaven described in Revelation that Jesus physically resurrected A great Reformed theologians of the 20: 1 -10. “They came to life and instead of th early 20 century who fiercely upheld the reigned with Christ a the Millennial Furthermore, the history of modern au-thority of the Scripture against thousand years” (20: 4) Kingdom on earth liberalism has demonstrated that its liberalism

d Despite this Historic agreement Dispensational Premillennialism Ladd Walvoord You are an amillennialist.

“Rapture is an absurd idea. ” Thomas Ice “You don’t Executive Director, Reformed know the “The Pre-Trib theologian & Research Center” a/postmillennialist Bible. ” R. C. Sproul • No, R. C. Sproul knows the Bible. • The issue is how Sproul understands it. • In fact, their theological difference centers on an issue that has nothing to do with rapture.

1. Deeper matters beyond the rapture or whether or not the millennial kingdom is literal Rapture; Tribulation; Millennial Kingdom These are surface issues that merely reflect a substantive disagreement over fundamental theological & hermeneutical matters.

a. What does that mean? Rapture • Most people who uphold the Proper doctrine of rapture sincerely interpre. Theological & hermeneuticaltation of believe that numerous verses in the Bible assumptions the Bible clearly point to it. • However, that has a lot to do with RAPTURE how they read these verses based on Biblical support a set of theological & hermeneutical assumptions they bring to the Biblical support “table” (i. e. , Bible).

I see it! I don’t! Theologic Hermeneuti b. A stunning admission by Hal Lindsey, al cal the author of The Late Great Planet assumption Earth, in his book entitled, The Rapture: n “The truth of the matter is that neither a post-, mid-, or pre- tribulationist can point to any single verse that clearly says the Rapture will occur before, in the Hollywood movie middle of, or after the Tribulation” (p. 37).

c(1) 1 Thess. 4: 16 -7: For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Really? 17 Then we who are alive and remain c. The spot-on NT will be caught up together passages in favor of the with them in the clouds to meet the Lord pret ribulation rapture in the air,

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. (1) What the pre-trib premillennialists assume about 1 Thess. 4: 17? • Jesus and the believers, after having met in the air, will go up to heaven. • However, the verse doesn’t say anything. about where they will head

Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up Pre-Trib: Amillenmeet the Lord in *together with them in the clouds to Up/Heaven nialism: *The Tribulathe air and so we shall always be with the Lord Jesus *Up/Down. tion begins *A new (2) The Greek word “apantēsis” for “to meet” heaven & Post-Trib: indicates that they may return to earth begins *Down/Earth Believers “So we shall *The Millenapantēsis: The official welcome nium begins of a recently arrived dignitary. always be with the Lord” • Jesus is the dignitary who is coming down. • The believers meeting the Lord half way is showing respect to the visiting

c(2). Matt. 24: 39 b-40, 42: . . . so also will be the coming of the Son of Man be. The two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. . Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

The two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left • While IJesus is now onuse earth, you’re wouldn’t elsewhere? Is this a good thing? t his passage for • Does it say which way the guy went? the pre-trip rapture. • This takes place after the Tribulation (24: 29, 30: Immediately Maybe he after the tribulation . . . the sign of the Son of went below! Man will appear in heaven. . . )

d. The reason behind the mid-rapture: • Its 1 st half—the wrath of the devil/Anti- christ (Rev. 12: 12): The Church suffers through it. 666 • Its second half—the wrath of God (14: 19): The raptured Church is spared from it. GOD Second Comin g AC

Me: Are you saying that Rev. 14: 19 refers to the To the literalistic diswrath of pensationist, Revela- GOD tion is chronological. Rev. “O earth. . . for the devil has come down to you in My exchange with a 14: 19 mid-trib advocate (MTA) the Antichrist against the church before the 6: 16 great wrath, because he knows that his time is short” rapture, after which God’s wrath is poured out on the unbelieving world? MTA: Yes AC GOD Me: But Rev. 6: 16 & 11: 18, that is, verses mentioned before Rev. 14: 19, refer to it as “the wrath of the Lamb” as well as of God.

2. The core theological & hermeneutical matters that affect our eschatology: Rapture; Tribulation; Millennial Kingdom Israel OT or Church ? • Should a literal interpretation of the OT dictate how we understand the NT? NT • Should the NT explain what the OT really means?

So then, why does Lindsey firmly advocate the doctrine of rapture despite the paucity of a clear scriptural support? The rapture verses Enraptured by rapture! Covered in Session 2

D. Some Needed Perspective Eschatology is very important but never this important Calvary Chapel churches are renown for advocating pretribulation premillennialism. A good number of them believe that current events of war and calamities have long been prophesized in the Scripture.

1. What Pastor Brian Brodersen (currently the pastor of CCCM) said in 2007 Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa Missions Conference: After hearing some participants getting all excited over a war breaking out in Russia (believing that this was yet another sign that the end was near) Isn’t that great!

Pastor Brodersen said something to the effect: “I, too, am a card carrying member of the rapture club and all that. But we shouldn’t get happy on account of wars breaking out in the world because of our Rapture belief that it suggests the nearing of the end. These are many lives in these regions of the world who do not know the Lord and we should be more concerned about reaching them with the gospel than anything else. ”

Calvary Chapel Chino Hills I may not lean toward the doctrine of rapture but I would be very happy to be wrong on that issue. BTW, can your church support us? Okay! P. Hibbs, an awesome pastor & an ardent rapture advocate 2000

2. The Not much different unity in Christ is veryfrom us important ! to God; we shouldn’t lose it over eschatology. Jesus prayed (Jn. 17: 21 -23): “That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ” 22 “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, World that they may become perfectly one,