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Copyright 1994 by the Christian Research Institute.
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"The Future, the Bible, and Prophetic Scenarios" (an article from
the Letter From The President column of the Christian Research
Newsletter, Volume 6: Number 1, 1993) by Hank Hanegraaff.
The editor of the Christian Research Newsletter is Ron
Rhodes.
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Speculations concerning the future multiply as fast as
snowflakes in a blizzard. As this decade, century, and millennium
come to a close, Christians need to know that not all end-times
opinions are facts. Jesus told His disciples:
*"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the
angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the
Father....Therefore keep watch, because you do not know
on what day your Lord will come" (Matt. 24:36, 42, NIV).*
This passage seems to dismiss study and speculation about the
Second Coming. But look closer: the second portion of Jesus'
statement commands us to pay attention and eagerly expect His
return: "Therefore _keep watch_..." The best way to keep watch is
to know what God has revealed about the future, and to attempt a
biblical understanding of events around us.
Jesus' disciples attempted to understand the future, often
questioning Him about prophetic events. They even wondered if His
first coming would result in political and military upheaval and
the overthrow of Israel's oppressors (Acts 1:6). They were wrong in
that case, but they never lost hold of the central end-time events:
the _final judgment_ (Matt. 25:46); the _resurrection of the dead_
(1 Thess. 4:13-18); the _glorification of God's people_ (Col. 3:4;
Matt. 16:27); and the _"destruction" of death_ (1 Cor. 15:25-26).
*Central Themes of the End Times.* Almost one hundred passages
refer to the end times. However, many of these can be grouped into
six end-times themes. An easy way to remember these themes is to
relate each of the six topics to the six letters of the word
*F-U-T-U-R-E.*
*F* -- _Final Judgment._ The final judgment of humankind is
described clearly in passages like Acts 17:31, Hebrews 10:27, and
Revelation 20:4-15. Scripture indicates that Christ Himself will be
the Judge (John 5:22; Acts 10:42; 2 Tim. 4:1).
*U* -- _Unknown Hour._ No one can know the exact time of the
Second Coming. Despite the sensationalistic ideas you may have
heard from cult leaders as well as from well-meaning but mistaken
Christians, _no one_ knows the timing of the Second Coming. Several
biblical passages emphasize this, including Matthew 24:27-42 and
Acts 1:7.
*T* -- _Time and Eternity._ Though Christians have differing
views on the timing of certain end-time events, they agree on the
future eternal state. Following the final judgment of humankind,
_time will give way to eternity._
Jesus spoke of the eternal state when He said that the wicked
"will go away into eternal damnation, but the righteous into
eternal life" (Matt. 25:46). Everyone must ultimately be ushered
into one of two final states: eternal heaven or eternal hell (Rev.
20:11-15; Luke 16:26; Matt. 25:41-46). Christians will spend
eternity with God in heaven; unbelievers will spend eternity apart
from God in hell.
*U* -- _Unbelief._ Apostasy -- a widespread defection from the
true faith -- will characterize the time immediately preceding the
second coming of Christ (Luke 18:8; 2 Thess. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2
Tim. 4:3-4; and 2 Pet. 2:1-3). There will also be widespread
mockery of the truth by nonbelievers (2 Pet. 3:3-5). At the final
judgment, unbelievers and mockers will have to answer for their
actions.
*R* -- _Resurrection._ The resurrection of the righteous will
occur at the Second Coming. Jesus' resurrection -- the
"firstfruits" of resurrection life -- guarantees and typifies the
resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:14; 20:34-38; Matt.
22:29-32; Mark 12:24-27).
*E* -- _Essential._ The Second Coming is a foundational fact.
All Christians and all Christian churches since the time of the
apostles have affirmed the Second Coming as an essential or
foundational belief. All early church creeds include the Second
Coming, such as the Apostles' Creed -- "He will come to judge the
living and the dead." While Christians unite in the belief that
Jesus will literally and physically come again, cults, by contrast,
commonly deny a literal and physical Second Coming. The Jehovah's
Witnesses, for example, teach that Christ's return was "invisible"
and occurred secretly in 1914.
*Scenarios of the End Times.* Above are some key _facts_ about
the future, and Christian opinions concerning the end times must be
compatible with them. Over the centuries many biblical interpreters
have set forth prophetic scenarios of the end times. Such scenarios
are not necessarily bad, as long as we remember the difference
between what is _factual_ and what is _opinion._ Reasonable,
well-developed scenarios can help us to understand and organize
incomplete information. But they are not infallible.
I think it is noteworthy that while the various scenarios
differ on the _timing_ of end-time events, they agree on the
"essentials" of the end times. That is, they agree there will be a
Second Coming of Christ, a resurrection, a final judgment, and an
eternal state.
There are three main scenarios concerning the millennium (Rev.
20:1-4). _Premillennialism_ understands Scripture to teach that the
Second Coming will take place _before_ the millennium, after which
Christ will personally rule for a literal thousand-year period on
earth. Following the millennium will be a resurrection, a final
judgment, and the ushering in of eternity.
_Postmillennialism_ understands Scripture to teach that the
Second Coming will take place _after_ the millennium, following
which there will be a resurrection, judgment, and the ushering in
of eternity. In postmillennialism, the reference to 1,000 years in
Revelation 20 is not taken literally. Some in this camp believe the
"millennium" refers to the interadvent age -- that is, the time
between Christ's first coming and His second coming. Many believe
that during the present "millennial" age the church will
progressively "Christianize" the world. In this view, while the
church is not the kingdom, it takes part in _building_ the kingdom
through the worldwide spread of the gospel.
_Amillennialism_ understands Scripture to teach that there will
be no _literal_ thousand-year kingdom over which Christ will rule,
but rather that the "kingdom" represents Christ's _present rule_
over the church on earth (though some amillennialists believe the
kingdom promises are now being fulfilled _in heaven_). Generally
speaking, amillennialists believe that world conditions will become
increasingly worse until the Second Coming, after which there will
be a resurrection, judgment, and ushering in of the eternal state.
Premillennialists often make reference to what is called the
"Rapture." The _Rapture_ is a word that refers to the instantaneous
removal of the church from the world preceding (or _at_) the Second
Coming (1 Thess. 4:16-17). As was true regarding the millennium,
there are different scenarios regarding how to understand the
timing of the Rapture. Some scholars place the Rapture _before_ the
seven-year Tribulation period (_pretribulationism_); others in the
_middle_ of the Tribulation (_midtribulationism_); and others
immediately after the Tribulation (_posttribulationism_). Each
variation on premillennialism is an attempt by interpreters to
understand the details of the end times that are not clearly stated
in Scripture.
No matter which view you believe best represents the end times,
remember that any legitimate view must affirm the clear "essential"
teachings outlined above -- such as the Second Coming, the
resurrection, the final judgment, and the eternal state. And
regardless of your particular position on the above issues, we can
all join together and rest secure in the knowledge that our
eternity with Him is _guaranteed_ through what He has demonstrated
already -- most notably, in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. With
a solid foundation in Scripture, we can join Paul in proclaiming:
"We wait for the blessed hope -- the glorious appearing of our
great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to
redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people
that are his very own, eager to do what is good" (Tit. 2:13-14).
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End of document, CRN0053A.TXT (original CRI file name),
"The Future, the Bible, and Prophetic Scenarios"
release A, July 15, 1994
R. Poll, CRI
(A special note of thanks to Bob and Pat Hunter for their help in
the preparation of this ASCII file for BBS circulation.)
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