Deriving from the Greek word ESCHATOS (transliterated) it means the study of last things. It deals with the interpretation of Biblical prophecy and strives for a sound understanding of the consummation of God's plan to redeem the world.
One's eschatology, his theology of final things, has a profound impact on his expectations regarding the kingdom of God in its present state and on his discipleship in the here and now. Regrettably many Christians take a "crystal ball" or Ouija board approach to eschatology. They believe the Bible enables them to predict the future. Over the centuries and up to the present day, voices have arisen in the Church assuring their contemporaries that the end of all things was at hand.
The Day and the Hour, a book by Francis X. Gumerlock and published by The American Vision documents "the church's obsession with predicting the end of the world," giving examples going back to ancient times and including a list of "antichrist suspects." Needless to say, to date all those who predicted the return of Christ have been dead wrong. And that obsession has wreaked havoc in people's lives, exposed the faith once for all delivered to the saints to scorn which is not due to the offense of cross, and distracted the Church from her divinely appointed mission to disciple the nations.
So you're in for a disappointment if you were expecting this study to give the real low down on just what's next on God's cosmic agenda! Don't think you will get a neat little pack of prognostication. Take the attitude we find in Psalm 131, and consider this: Why should we believe that God WANTS us to know the exact details of His plan for the future? Which segues us to three "guardian" passages for our study...
The events of Acts 1 take place shortly after the resurrection of Christ. The coming of the empowering Spirit on the day of Pentecost is imminent, but at this time the disciples are still not thinking quite right about what has been accomplished among them by the Savior. And when they ask Him whether it is now time for Him to "restore the kingdom to Israel," He replies, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority" and ascends to heaven. Two angels then appear to the disciples and tell them that the same Jesus who was taken up from them into heaven, will so come in like manner as you they saw Him go into heaven.
Any eschatological view which denies Christ's future, bodily return to earth in glory is in grave error.
From our first guardian passage we affirm two truths: 1. Yes, there is still a future bodily return of Jesus Christ to earth, and 2. It is not for us to know times or seasons! Not even the Lord Jesus, in the days of His humiliation, knew when that day would be, as we will see when we discuss His Olivet Discourse (recorded at Matthew 24 and 25, Mark 13, and Luke 21.
Again let's ask the questions, does God want us to know the exact details of His plan for the future? Moreover, do you want to know them, and if so why? For example, would you really want to know the date of the death of yourself or a loved one?
Our second guardian passage is the great commission, Matthew 28:18-20. Note, the risen Jesus does not say there that all power in heaven and earth WILL BE GIVEN to Him. He affirms that it HAS BEEN GIVEN! And this great commission is the perpetual labor and focus of the Church througout the centuries. No eschatological view should detract from that and make us pessimistic, as if the devil or the world have more power and authority than King Jesus. Was it in vain that He taught His millions of disciples over the centuries to pray "Your kingdom come?" No, that prayer uttered by millions for two millenia will be answered! The kingdom of God will conquer the world, as Daniel prophesied to Nebuchadnezzar, interpreting that king's dream (Daniel 2).
Our third guardian passage is 1 Corinthians 15:23-25. Our theme hymn for this study was "Jesus shall reign." In this passage, God DOES reveal the future to us! It tells us that Jesus must reign until ALL His enemies are beneath His feet. Over the centuries since His ascension to the Father's right hand, many of His enemies have already fallen. Enemies that seem so formidable to us today (i.e. the world's false religions that enslave so many) will also fall, before the destruction of the last enemy, death itself (vs. 26). So the details of the future have not been revealed, but the big picture has been: Jesus wins in the end!
I. To understand the nature of the kingdom of God as to its origin, its development, and its consummation
A. Its origin is not OF this world (cf. Christ to Pilate, John 18:36) but it exists IN this world, in fact it is the centerpiece of human history. And history will end – the eternal state be ushered in – with the accomplishment of God's creation intent. So we need to look at first things, to best understand the last things!
We find what is called the dominion mandate at Gen 1:28. It gives God's intent for humanity's role in His creation. Sin did not abolish that mandate, but the corruption of sin included the corruption of our ability to fulfill it. Just as the new covenant brings us under grace without abolishing the law (Matthew 5:17, Romans 3:31), so the great commission transcends the dominion mandate without abolishing it. In Christ the second Adam God's intent for man to rule will be accomplished. In fact in one sense it already has been. Consider Colossians 3:1-3. Jesus is already ruling, and believers are united to Him, spiritually already seated with Him in heavenly places, hallelujah!
B. Its development. Nebuchadnezzar's dream interpreted by Daniel, cf. 2:44 (we'll look more closely at Daniel in a future sesssion) pictures that development: the stone that filled the whole earth represents the Messianic kingdom of the Lord Jesus. Both John the baptizer and Jesus about 2,000 years ago preached THAT kingdom as being AT HAND. The establishment of the kingdom of which Daniel prophesied was in the immediate future for John and Jesus. Ever since then, it has been growing and filling the earth. Jesus pictured it as doing so with His parables of the mustard seed and the leaven (cf. Matthew 13:31 ff). Church historian F.F. Bruce alluded to it with the title of his book "The Spreading Flame," which chronicles it.
C. Its consummation, which is to say the summing up of all things in Christ, Ephesians 1:7-10. God proclaims, "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose." (Isaiah 46:10) Refer to our "guardian passage" in 1 Corinthians 15. There we have the consummation succinctly revealed. The work of the Messianic kingdom ends when all of Christ's enemies are under His feet, including death itself, which He has already abolished in principle, 2 Timothy 1:10.
II. To be better equipped for faithful discipleship and Kingdom living NOW. A sound eschatology will make us confident in evangelism and disciple making, it won't take away from Jesus' clear statement about his having ALL power NOW! Let's forsake the attitude "OK, it's almost the end, we must hide from the big bad 666 beast until Jesus rescues a tiny remnant of believers just in the nick of time." Kingdom labors now are not like rearranging the deck furniture on the Titanic!
III. Stilling the ill winds, so to speak. Ephesians 4:14. If we are going to be ridiculed by the world, let it be for the sake of the Gospel itself, not for being doomsday predicters who never get it right. A crippling effect of bad eschatology is that it skews our focus and begets a pessimistic defeatism.
Au contraire! We are more than conquerors...NOW! We are seated with Christ in heavenly places NOW! We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, NOW! And why? That we "may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9)
So let's get into the nuts and bolts of this very practical subject. Go to A Survey of Eschatology, Part Two