Eschatology 101 - Overview
July 31, 2008 I am currently working through two series for To Tell You The Truth. The first series will be discussing the relationship between Israel and the Church of which has already been started (see here). The second series will be discussing Eschatology, also known as the doctrine of Last Things or doctrine of Last Days- End Times.
My chart (below) is more extensive than what I'll be addressing- at least as far as which Eschatological views I will handle. I will do an overview and comparison between the following: Dispensational Premillennialism, Historic Premillennialism, Amillennialism, and Postmillennialism. Of course, if you want to go more indepth, you can check this site for an extensive look at the subject as a whole.
The chart below is very much a broad-stroking description of each view. I opted to use it because it was simple and easy. My goal over all is to be as even handed (as possible) allowing each view to speak for itself, as well as, allowing each to exert effort in refuting the others. I also do not want to present caricatures of any of the views.
With all this in mind, let's begin...
July 31, 2008 I am currently working through two series for To Tell You The Truth. The first series will be discussing the relationship between Israel and the Church of which has already been started (see here). The second series will be discussing Eschatology, also known as the doctrine of Last Things or doctrine of Last Days- End Times.
My chart (below) is more extensive than what I'll be addressing- at least as far as which Eschatological views I will handle. I will do an overview and comparison between the following: Dispensational Premillennialism, Historic Premillennialism, Amillennialism, and Postmillennialism. Of course, if you want to go more indepth, you can check this site for an extensive look at the subject as a whole.
The chart below is very much a broad-stroking description of each view. I opted to use it because it was simple and easy. My goal over all is to be as even handed (as possible) allowing each view to speak for itself, as well as, allowing each to exert effort in refuting the others. I also do not want to present caricatures of any of the views.
With all this in mind, let's begin...
Dispensational Premillennial (DP) -- This views that Jesus will come
invisibly close to earth to take all those who are Christians away to
heaven (called the rapture). This will start a seven year tribulation
period, which will result in immense persecution of those who become
Christians during this period. Jesus will come visibly at the end of
the seven and reign 1000 years. At the end of the 1000 years, Satan
will lead a rebellion which Jesus and his followers will put down. This
will result in the eternal kingdom.
Historic Premillennial (HP) -- This is the older form of premillennialism that many of the old church fathers held, such as Irenaeus. In this view there is no rapture that precedes the start of the tribulation. Jesus makes a visible return that closes the tribulation and starts the millennium. At the end of the 1000 years, Satan will lead a rebellion which Jesus and his followers will put down. This will result in the eternal kingdom.
Amillennialism (A) -- This views that the periods of time discussed in Revelation for the tribulation and millennium use symbolic numbers, such as other symbolic expressions, to refer to the time from Jesus' first advent on earth until his second coming. At Jesus' second coming, both the tribulation and millennial reign of Christ and the church end and the new heaven and earth are created. All who believe in Christ will live in both the new heaven and new earth.
Postmillenialism (P) -- This views that the tribulation started sometime after Christ's first advent, when Jesus ascended into heaven. After the tribulation, the millennial era began (possibly longer than 1000 years) where the gospel advances and vanquishes evil. Then Christ returns and the new heaven and earth are created. All who believe in Christ will live in both the new heaven and new earth.
Full Preterist -- This views that Christ fully returned around 70 AD with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. Death has been spiritually conquered and the spiritual resurrection began at 70 AD. All the prophecies in Revelation were fulfilled at around 70 AD.
Partial Preterism -- Christ made a spiritual return in judgment at 70 AD at the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, which brought an end to the period of the old testament temple. However, Jesus' second coming did not happen at that time. Some partial preterists then follow a postmillenial view or an amillennial view.
Historicist -- This views that Revelation's visions speak primarily about things that have happened during the church age after Christ's ascension. Unlike the amillennial view, which sees the visions speaking of general things that happen throughout history with a brief interval of intense tribulation just prior to Christ's return, the historicist sees that each thing described in Revelation refers to one historical event in the past. Often the historicist sees the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church as the antichrist.
(The above was taken from Meta-Schema. I have added abreviations to the views I will be addressing.)
Historic Premillennial (HP) -- This is the older form of premillennialism that many of the old church fathers held, such as Irenaeus. In this view there is no rapture that precedes the start of the tribulation. Jesus makes a visible return that closes the tribulation and starts the millennium. At the end of the 1000 years, Satan will lead a rebellion which Jesus and his followers will put down. This will result in the eternal kingdom.
Amillennialism (A) -- This views that the periods of time discussed in Revelation for the tribulation and millennium use symbolic numbers, such as other symbolic expressions, to refer to the time from Jesus' first advent on earth until his second coming. At Jesus' second coming, both the tribulation and millennial reign of Christ and the church end and the new heaven and earth are created. All who believe in Christ will live in both the new heaven and new earth.
Postmillenialism (P) -- This views that the tribulation started sometime after Christ's first advent, when Jesus ascended into heaven. After the tribulation, the millennial era began (possibly longer than 1000 years) where the gospel advances and vanquishes evil. Then Christ returns and the new heaven and earth are created. All who believe in Christ will live in both the new heaven and new earth.
Full Preterist -- This views that Christ fully returned around 70 AD with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple. Death has been spiritually conquered and the spiritual resurrection began at 70 AD. All the prophecies in Revelation were fulfilled at around 70 AD.
Partial Preterism -- Christ made a spiritual return in judgment at 70 AD at the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple, which brought an end to the period of the old testament temple. However, Jesus' second coming did not happen at that time. Some partial preterists then follow a postmillenial view or an amillennial view.
Historicist -- This views that Revelation's visions speak primarily about things that have happened during the church age after Christ's ascension. Unlike the amillennial view, which sees the visions speaking of general things that happen throughout history with a brief interval of intense tribulation just prior to Christ's return, the historicist sees that each thing described in Revelation refers to one historical event in the past. Often the historicist sees the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church as the antichrist.
(The above was taken from Meta-Schema. I have added abreviations to the views I will be addressing.)