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
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Second Coming – This is the final return
of Christ to earth when He will judge both the living and the dead.
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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.
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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
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Rapture – A secret return of Christ to
take believers from earth to heaven. This event is believed to occur before
Christ’s return
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Great Tribulation – A period of suffering
that usually results from God’s wrath being poured out on the earth.
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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
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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
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.
