Different views on the end times

Different views on the end times

The study of eschatology (The end) is the study about death, intermediate stages, afterlife, judgment, millennial kingdom, heaven and hell, but it also refers to the time of Jesus’ return. Throughout history, believers have held to the belief that Jesus will return. But the timeline and nature of the events leading up to Christ’s return is a subject of much debate. Before we look at the most common views on eschatology, there are a number of words that need to be defined:

Common Terms in Eschatology

-    Second Coming – This is the final return of Christ to earth when He will judge both the living and the dead.

-    Millennium – ‘Mille’ means ‘one thousand’. It is a term found in Revelation 20 and refers to a period during which Christ will reign and establish his kingdom on earth.

-    New Heaven and New Earth – This is also known as the ‘New Creation’ and refers to when the Earth and all of humanity will be renewed to live with God forever

-    Rapture – A secret return of Christ to take believers from earth to heaven. This event is believed to occur before Christ’s return

-    Great Tribulation – A period of suffering that usually results from God’s wrath being poured out on the earth.

-    Antichrist, Beast, Man of Lawlessness – An Antichristian leader who will deceive people, or a group of leaders who work together to form a final and eventual antichrist

-    Already but not yet – the idea that God’s kingdom, although not yet fully realized, can already be seen in the progress of the church and people’s following of Christ.

 

Four Historical Views of Eschatology

Almost all differences surrounding eschatology revolve around the interpretation of Revelation 20 and the ‘millennium’. The following four views have been held by Christians throughout the ages. All of these views are accepted by recognized and respected believers and churches as orthodox views of the end times.

 

1. Postmillennialism

According to this view, there will be a period of a thousand years (or a long period) in which Christ’s kingdom will first expand before He returns. During this period, the church will successfully preach the gospel and transform society. According to those who hold this view, the Millennium is a golden age during which the church will already be victorious here on earth, thereby suppressing all evil and allowing the will of God to advance in every area of ​​society. Christ will then return to a redeemed world. Of all the views of eschatology, this one is the most optimistic. It is usually very popular in times of revival in the church. There are many respected and well-known theologians who hold this view. To name a few: Jonathan Edwards, John Owen, Charles Hodge and more recently Jeff Durbin.

2. Amillennialism

According to this view, the ‘thousand years’ in Revelation does not refer to a literal period of a thousand years, but rather to the entire period between Christ’s ascension and his return. This period is a ‘millennial kingdom’ in which the gospel is preached to every nation on earth and during which believers who have already died actually reign with Christ in heaven. Throughout history, the Amillennial view has been the most common view held by most believers. It is also one of the oldest eschatological views in the church.

Amillennialists emphasize that every passage in Scripture except Revelation 20 clearly states that Jesus will simply return and come to judge the living and the dead. Consequently, Revelation 20 should be read in this same light. Furthermore, they point out that apocalyptic literature such as Revelation always uses metaphors and round numbers rather than hyper-literal interpretations. They also emphasize that the Kingdom of God is described throughout the New Testament as both ‘already, but not yet’. We see it now through churches being planted and people being saved, but we still expect a complete fulfilment of the Kingdom at Christ’s return. There are many respected and well-known theologians who hold this view. To name a few: Augustine, John Calvin, and more recently J.I. Packer and R. C. Sproul.

3. Historical Premillennialism

This view is called historical because it is one of the two oldest views of eschatology (along with Amillennialism) and was therefore held by many of the ancient church fathers. Those who hold this view believe that Jesus will return to reign bodily on earth for a thousand years. During this period of a thousand years there will be peace on earth after which the final judgment will take place. Premillennialists insist that the millennium should be taken literally. There are many respected and well-known theologians who hold this view. To name a few: Papias, Charles Spurgeon, and more recently Gray Allison and John Piper.

1. Pretribulation premillennialism

This view not only has the longest name, but is also the most complex of all eschatological views. According to this view, the thousand years are a literal period during which Christ will reign on earth. What makes this view unique, however, are all the events that will precede this millennium. First, there will be a rapture during which Christ will mysteriously return to take the church to heaven for seven years. During this period of absence of the church, there will be a great tribulation here on earth during which God will pour out His wrath on those who remain. Also during this seven-year period, there will be a great awakening among the Jews during which many will convert to Christ and the antichrist will be revealed. After this period of tribulation, Jesus and the believers (now in glorified bodies) will return and the millennium will begin during which Jesus will reign with the believers for a thousand years over all people (still in their natural bodies) who survived the tribulation for a thousand years. At the end of the millennium, there will be a time when Satan will be released and during which he and the unbelievers will then wage war against Christ. After all of this, Christ will conquer his enemies and the final judgment will take place after which the eternal New Heaven and New Earth will be established.

Pretribulation premillennialists insist that the book of Revelation must be understood literally and chronologically. Unlike any other view, followers of this view insist that the Church and Israel should not be seen as one humanity, but as two and that God deals with them separately. This is also the reason why this view is the only one that refers to a rapture of the church. There are many respected and well-known theologians who hold this view. To name a few: J. Dwight Pentecost, and more recently Church Smith, Chuck Swindoll, Norman Geisler, and John MacArthur.

Verskillende sieninge oor die eindtye

Verskillende sieninge oor die eindtye

 Die studie van eskatologie (einddinge) is ‘n studie oor die dood, tussenstadium, hiernamaals, oordeel, duisendjaar vrederyk, hemel en hel, maar dit verwys ook na die tyd van Jesus se wederkoms.  Reg deur die geskiedenis hou gelowiges vas aan die geloof dat Jesus gaan terugkeer.  Maar die tydslyn en aard van die gebeure wat op lei tot Christus se wederkoms is ‘n onderwerp van baie bespreking.  Voor ons na die mees algemene sienings oor eskatologie kyk is daar eers ‘n aantal woorde wat gedefinieer moet word:

 

Algemene terme in eskatologie

-    Wederkoms – Dit is die finale terugkoms van Christus na die aarde wanneer Hy beide die lewende en die dode sal oordeel.

-    Millenuim – ‘Mille’ beteken ‘een duisend’.  Dis ‘n term wat in Openbaring 20 gevind word en dit verwys na ‘n periode waartydens Christus sal heers en sy koninkryk op aarde sal ontvou.

-    Nuwe Hemel en Nuwe Aarde – Dit staan ook bekend as die ‘Nuwe Skepping’ en verwys na wanneer die Aarde en die hele mensdom vernuwe sal word om saam met God te leef vir ewig

-    Wegraping – ‘n Geheime terugkeer van Christus om gelowiges van die aarde af na die hemel te neem. Daar word geglo dat hierdie gebeurtenis voor Christus se wedekoms sal plaasvind

-    Groot verdrukking – ‘n Periode van lyding wat gewoonlik die gevolg is van God se toorn wat uitgestort word op die aarde.

-    Antichris, On’dier’, Man van wetteloosheid – ‘n AntiChristelike leier wat mense sal mislei, of ‘n groep leiers wat saam werk om ‘n finale en uiteindelik antichrist te vorm

-    Reeds maar nog nie – die idee dat God se koninkryk, hoewel dit nog nie volledig gerealiseer is nie, reeds in die vooruitgang van die kerk en mense se navolging van Christus gesien kan word.

 

Vier historiese siening van Eskatologie

Amper alle verskille rondom eskatologie handel oor die interpretasie van Openbaring 20 en die ‘millenium’.  Die volgende vier sienings word al deur die eeue deur Christene gehou.  Al hierdie sienings word deur erkende en gerespekteerde gelowiges en kerke aanvaar as ortodokse sienings van die einddinge.

 

1. Postmillennialisme 

Volgens hierdie siening sal daar ‘n tydperk van ‘n duisend jaar (of ‘n lang tydperk) wees waarin Christus se koninkryk eers sal uitbrei voordat Hy sal terugkeer.  In hierdie tydperk sal die kerk suksesvol die evangelie verkondig en die gemeenskap transformeer.  Volgens die wat hierdie siening handhaaf is die Millennium ‘n goue era waartydens die kerk reeds hier op aarde sal oorwin en daardeur alle boosheid sal onderdruk en die wil van God sal laat vooruitgaan in elke terrain van die samelewing.  Christus sal dan terugkom na ‘n verloste wêreld.  Van al die sienings van die eskatologie is hierdie een die mees optimisties.  Dit is gewoonlik baie populêr in tye van herlewing in die kerk.  Daar is talle gerespekteerde en welbekende teoloë wat hierdie siening handhaaf.  Om ‘n paar te noem: Jonathan Edwards, John Owen, Charles Hodge en meer onlangs Jeff Durbin.

2. Amillennialisme

Volgens hierdie siening verwys die ‘duisend jaar’ in Openbaring nie na ‘n letterlike tydperk van ‘n duisend jaar nie, maar eerder na die hele tydperk tussen Christus se hemelvaart en wederkoms.  Hierdie tydperk is ‘n ‘millennium koninkryk waarin die evangelie na elke nasie op aarde versprei word en waartydens gelowiges wat reeds gesterf het werklik saam met Christus in die hemel heers.  Deur die geskiedenis is die Amillennial siening te mees algemene siening van meeste gelowiges gewees.  Dit is ook een van die oudste eskatologiese sienings in die kerk

Amillennialiste beklemtoon dat elke teksgedeelte in die Skrif behalwe Openbaring 20 baie duidelik verklaar dat Jesus eenvoudig net sal terugkeer en kom oordeel oor die lewendes en die dooies.  Asgevolg hiervan behoort Openbaring 20 in hierdie selfde lig gelees te word.  Verder wys hulle daarop dat apokaliptiese literatuur soos Openbaring altyd gebruik maak van metafore en ronde getalle eerder as hiper-letterlike interpretasies.  Hulle beklemtoon ook dat die Koninkryk van God reg deur die Nuwe Testament beskryf word as beide ‘reeds, maar nog nie’.  Ons sien dit nou reeds deur kerke wat geplant word en mense wat red word, maar ons verwag nog ‘n volledige vervulling van die Koninkryk by Christus se wedekoms.  Daar is talle gerespekteerde en welbekende teoloë wat hierdie siening handhaaf.  Om ‘n paar te noem: Augustinus, Johannes Calvyn, en meer onlangs J.I. Packer en R C Sproul.

3. Historiese Premillennialisme

Hierdie siening word histories genoem omdat dit een van twee oudste sienings van eskatologie is (naas Amillennialisme) en daarom deur talle van die antieke kerkvaders gehou was.  Die wat hierdie siening handhaaf glo dat Jesus sal terugkeer om eers vir ‘n duisend jaar liggaamlik hier op aarde te heers.  Tydens hierdie tydperk van ‘n duisendjaar sal daar vrede op aarde wees waarna die finale oordeel sal plaasvind.  Premillennialiste dring aan dat die duisendjaar letterlik gesien moet word. Daar is talle gerespekteerde en welbekende teoloë wat hierdie siening handhaaf.  Om ‘n paar te noem: Papias, Charles Spurgeon, en meer onlangs Gray Allison en John Piper.

4. Pretribulasie premillenianisme

Hierdie siening het nie net die langste naam nie, maar is ook die mees komplekse van al die eskatologiese sienings.  Volgens hierdie siening is die duisend jaar ‘n letterlike tydperk waartydens Christus op aarde sal heers.  Wat hierdie siening egter uniek maak is al die gebeure wat hierdie millennium sal vooruitgaan.  Daar sal eerstens ‘n wegraping plaasvind waartydens Christus geheimsinnig sal terugkeer om die kerk na die hemel te neem vir sewe jaar.  Tydens hierdie tydperk wat die kerk afwessig is sal daar ‘n groot verdrukking hier op aarde wees waartydens God Sy toorn sal uitstort op die wat agterbly.  Ook tydens hierdie tydperk van seve jaar sal daar ‘n groot ontwaking onder die Jode waartydens talle hulle tot Christus sal bekeer en die antichris sal bekendgemaak word.  Na afloop van hierdie tydperk van verdrukking sal Jesus en die gelowiges (nou in verheerlikte liggame) terugkeer en die millennium sal begin waartydens Jesus vir ‘n duisend jaar saam met die gelowiges sal heers oor alle mense (steeds in hulle natuurlike liggame) wat die verdrukking oorleef het vir ‘n duisend jaar.  Aan die einde van die millennium sal daar ‘n tyd wees waartydens Satan losgelaat sal word en waartydens hy en die ongelowiges sal dan oorlog voer teen Christus.  Na al hierdie dinge sal Christus sy vyande oorwin en die finale oordeel sal plaasvind waarna die ewige Nuwe Hemel en Nuwe Aarde ingelyf sal word.

Pretribulasie premillenianiste dring daarop aan dat die boek van Openbaring letterlik en kronologies verstaan moet word.  Anders as enige ander siening, dring volgelinge van hierdie siening aan dat die Kerk en Israel nie as een mensheid gesien moet word nie, maar as twee en dat God afsonderlik met hulle deel.  Dit is ook die rede waarom hierdie siening die enigste is wat verwys na ‘n wegraping van die kerk. Daar is talle gerespekteerde en welbekende teoloë wat hierdie siening handhaaf.  Om ‘n paar te noem: J. Dwight Pentecost, en meer onlangs Church Smith, Chuck Swindoll, Norman Geisler en John MacArthur.