THE END OF A MATTER IS BETTER THAN THE BEGINNING.

ESCHATOLOGY.

Eschatology is a part of theology that studies the last days, or end times-the end of the world, the final judgment of God, heaven and hell, and other related topics.

TOPICS OF ESCHATOLOGY

Eschatology covers a number of topics that are frequent biblical themes.

1. DEATH.

The Bible teaches that all humans will die (Hebrews 9:27). The only exceptions will be those who are still alive when Christ returns (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Because sin exists in the world, everyone must die (Romans 5:12).

2. THE INTERMEDIATE STATE.

The "intermediate state" refers to the time between a person's death and resurrection. The traditional Christian view on this matter is that believers exist blissfully in the presence of the Lord, while unbelievers are tormented by separation from God. Both believers and unbelievers await a final resurrection and judgment at the end of history. Some groups, such as Seventh-Day Adventists, believe in a type of "soul sleep" between death and resurrection-the great English poet John Milton also appears to have believed this doctrine. Still others, notably Roman Catholics, believe in a place where sins are "purged" in preparation for entrance into heaven (purgatory).

3. THE SECOND COMING.

Scripture teaches that at the end of time Christ will return as a human person, in a body (Acts 1:11). No one knows exactly when this will occur, and it will catch some by surprise-like "a thief in the night" (Luke 12:39-40). Although no one knows when, we can know from the Bible that this return will happen. Many of Jesus' parables (especially in Matthew 24-25) refer to the Second Coming and encourage us to be alert, faithful, and intense in our activity for God.

4. THE RESURRECTION.

All who have died will come to life. Every human body from all of history will be resurrected. For believers, this resurrection will happen during the second coming of Christ, and their bodies will be transformed into new, perfected bodies (1 Corinthians 15:35-56). The Bible also suggests that there will be a resurrection of unbelievers, unto eternal death (John 5:28-29).

5. THE JUDGMENT.

There will be a time when the Lord judges the spiritual health of all who have lived, based on their relationship to him. Some theologians believe that believers and unbelievers will be judged at different times. Some imagine that there will be as many as seven different judgments.

6. THE FINAL STATES.

The Bible teaches of heaven, a place of eternal joy, where Christians live in God's presence. The Bible also speaks of hell (specifically Gehenna, or the lake of fire), a place of anguished separation from God. Where a person goes, according to the traditional view, depends upon decisions made in this life. It should be noted, though, that many Christians believe that evil people will simply be destroyed, rather than forced to suffer punishment throughout eternity. They argue that the Bible is not necessarily clear in its presentation of hell, and that many of the Scriptural passages discussing hell take place during poetic and prophetic passages that need not always be interpreted literally. Such Christians are called annihilationists. Other Christians, including the great writer and thinker C. S. Lewis, believe that some who never knew Christ by name during this life will still, through the activity of the Holy Spirit, spend eternity with God in heaven. These Christians are called inclusivists. A minority of Christians, including such noted Christian writers and thinkers as George MacDonald, Jacques Ellul, and (perhaps) Karl Barth, believe that somehow God will save all of humanity, though some humans will take longer than others. These Christians are called universalists. It should be noted that most Christian universalists believe that what we do in this life still matters-though all of us are eventually going to heaven, they say, we should still try to follow God's will in this world, and to preach his gospel, because it is true and good to do so.

7. THE MILLENNIUM.

Many Christians believe there will be time when Jesus will reign as king on earth. This period is called the Millennium and is expected to happen before the final judgment. This belief is based on Revelation 20:4-7. Those who think that Christ will return personally to begin this period are called premillennialists. Others, who teach that the kingdom will be established through the successful preaching of the gospel, are called postmillennialists. Still others, called amillennialists, do not believe that there will be any earthly reign of Christ at all; they interpret the thousand years mentioned in Revelation 20 as a poetic symbol.

8. THE GREAT TRIBULATION.

The Bible speaks of a time of great anguish, or "tribulation," which will come upon the earth, a time worse than anything that has ever occurred before. Some, believing this to be the same as the seventieth week mentioned in Daniel 9:24-27, believe it will last seven years. Some believe the church will be on earth to suffer through this time, and that the Lord will not return until the end of the period. These are termed posttribulationists. Others, known as pretribulationists, believe that the Lord's second coming will be in two stages: First, Christ will come to take his believers away before the great Tribulation; then Christ will make an open display of his glory before the whole world. Still others, known as midtribulationists, believe that the church will be present for the first half of the seven years but will be removed before the worst part of the Tribulation begins.