So, we've seen the hermineutical issues that revolve around apocalyptic genre,and we have a brief overview of the millenial views...now lets talk about what we all know FOR SURE!
Acts 1:9-11
"And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said,'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.'"
"And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said,'Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.'"
1. Jesus will return personally.
2. We will see it with our eyes – it will be VISIBLE!
"For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we
who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede
those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven
with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of
the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are
alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet
the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore
encourage one another with these words."
2Peter 3:10-13
"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and
then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will
be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it
will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of
people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and
hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be
set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But
according to his promise we
are waiting for new
heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells."
3. The return of Jesus will be loud and undeniable
4. Jesus will return suddenly
5. There will be a New Heavens and a New Earth (also notice that the text says we are waiting for the NEW HEAVENS and the NEW EARTH not the millenium.) (also notice that on the "day of God" a fiery judgment comes with it, not 1,000 years later.)
Matt. 24:44 / Mark 13:32-33
"Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of
Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
6. Nobody knows when Jesus will return.
Matthew 7:15-20
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
7. Everyone will be judged by their works. (What does this mean for the Christian? Yep, we too are judged by our works, but guess what, we have PERFECT OBEDIENCE. Tim, no we don't we sin every day. I know that, but Christ didn't sin at all and he IMPUTED HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS to us, BAM!)
8. There will be people who think they are Christians, who never were.
Titus 2:11-13
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness an worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ..."
"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness an worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ..."
9. We should eagerly await the second coming of Christ.
While there will always be good theologians who disagree on how to interpret eschatology and how it fits into history, we should also look for those biblical truths we can all agree on . These truths should bring us great comfort and unity in the body of Christ.
Soli Deo Gloria. Be Edified Today.
While there will always be good theologians who disagree on how to interpret eschatology and how it fits into history, we should also look for those biblical truths we can all agree on . These truths should bring us great comfort and unity in the body of Christ.
Soli Deo Gloria. Be Edified Today.
Check out my source: Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
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