The ABC's of Eschatology (Pt. 2)
Last week, I introduced fourteen key words for understanding some basic concepts in the study of last things (eschatology). Today, I will complete this basic glossary with fourteen more terms, in hopes that these definitions will help improve present and future discussions about eschatology. Be sure to listen to the introductory Sunday School series to catch up on the fun. And don’t miss the handout on Sunday morning, where I will put all the terms in one place.
(15) The Intermediate and Final States. What happens when we die? The answer to that question depends on one’s relationship to the triune God. Today, the Christian dies and enters heaven, while the unbeliever dies and goes to hades (Greek) / sheol (Heb.). Until the Final Judgment, the Intermediate State is the place where a soul remains as it awaits the consummation of the age, when the saints will be raised bodily to enter eternal life. The wicked will also be raised from Sheol to experience eternal destruction in hell (= the Lake of Fire). These ultimate conditions in the new creation or hell are called the Eternal State. Notably, before Christ ascended to glory, the righteous died and entered “Abraham’s Bosom” (Luke 16:22), which is a place in Sheol, where the righteous dwelt in comfort, awaiting Christ’s deliverance (see Ps. 16:9). Now that Christ has come, the believer’s rest is found in heaven.
(16) Latter / Last Days. In the Old Testament, this term is a biblical expression that looks forward to the end-times. “Latter days” begins in Genesis 49:1 with Jacob’s prophecy about his twelve sons, and it continues to pick content in the Law (Num. 24:14; Deut. 4:30; 31:29) and the Prophets (Isa. 2:2; Jer. 23:20; Dan. 2:28; 10:14; Hos. 3:5; cf. Joel 2:28). In the New Testament, the Apostles tell us the last days have arrived (Acts 2:17; Heb. 1:2), and this may be interpreted in one of three ways: (1) *Futurists see the last days as something still to come, (2) *Inaugurated Eschatology (and *Idealists) see the last days as continuing through the church age, and (3) *Preterists understand the last days as describing the end of the Jewish age (which may or may not be the same as the *Old Age).
(17) Man of Sin / Lawlessness. This is the man named by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2. In context, the man of lawlessness is a figure who will come in the future. As he explains, the mystery of lawlessness has already begun, but Paul anticipates future apostasy that intensifies when the restrainer is removed. From Paul’s mysterious descriptions, *Futurists (both *premill- and *amill-) identify this Man of Sin as the Antichrist who usher in and be active during the *Tribulation, while *Preterists identify this Man of Sin with Nero, who is restrained by Claudius when Paul wrote the letter (ca. 51–52 AD). Claudius (41–54 AD) is the Roman Emperor before Nero (54–68 AD), whose name is a play on words with the Latin claudere which means restraint.
(18) Millennium. One thousand years of peace about which Christians like to fight. Okay, no, that’s not it. The millennium is a period of one thousand years, according to Revelation 20. And this number is either taken literally as 1000 years or as a symbolic number for a perfect long period of time (10x10x10). Depending on how one reads Revelation 20, this period of time might consist of the whole church age (*amillennialists), a superlative golden age that comes at the end of the church age, but before Christ returns (*postmillennialists), or a time of 1,000 years after Christ returns, when he reigns glorified saints and non-glorified unbelievers until the final judgment (*premillennialists).
(19) Parousia. This is the Greek word for “coming,” and its theological use is normally related to Christ’s Second Coming. Yet, the word itself has the idea of “presence.” Jesus uses the word only three times in Matthew 24:27, 37, 39, in answer to the disciples question about his parousia (Matt. 24:3). Across the New Testament, the word is by Paul to speak of his own presence (see e.g., 2 Cor. 10:10; Phil. 2:12). Paul also uses it to speak of Christ’s “coming” (1 Thess. 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23). Yet, the language of Christ’s coming is broader than just his Second Coming, as is evident with Jesus’s warnings to the churches Revelation 2:5, 16; 3:10, 11.
(20) Premillenial(ism). One of three main views of the *millennium. In the early church, this position emerged among those who denied a heavenly *Intermediate State. Looking forward to Christ’s earthly reign, this view was prominent among men like Irenaeus, Tertullian, and others. Historic Premillennialism understands the millennium as coming after a period of great tribulation on the earth. Christ will reign over glorified saints and unglorified unbelievers, until the final judgment and the commencement of the *Eternal State. *Dispensational premillennialism understands this millennium as coming to the earth after a seven-year period of *Tribulation. These 1,000 years are necessary to fulfill God’s land promises to the people of Israel. After these 1,000 years, the final judgment, the *Eternal State will commence.
(21) Preterist. This term comes from the Latin word for “past” (praeter) and it has the idea that New Testament prophecies came to fulfillment in the first century, and specifically before 70 AD when the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. A preterist reading of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) or Revelation understands Jesus’s condemnation of Jerusalem as fulfilled in 70 AD. While preterism (or partial preterism) is a legitimate approach to reading the New Testament, full preterism (or hyper-preterism) is a heresy, because it denies any future promises to be fulfilled in Christ’s return, the bodily resurrection, or the consummation of the new creation.
(22) Postmillenial(ism). One of three main views of the *millennium. This eschatological position affirms Christ’s return after the millennium. Historically, this view has often affirmed a future golden age (1000 years or a long-sustained period), where the nations would be Christianized. Puritans believed this golden age would come by way of world evangelization. And some (who were not Dispensational) saw the future in-gathering of the Jews as the sign of that millennium was present. Others who hold this position would see the whole church age as the millennium (like *amillennialism). The difference would be that postmillennialism would see a Christianization of nations before Christ returned.
(23) Protology. The study of first things (protos). This is an often neglected doctrine that complements and directs eschatology, the study of last things (eschatos). If eschatology ends with a new creation, then it is necessary to know what the first creation was. What did God make? And why? Protology answers those questions from Genesis 1–3, as it shows God’s purposes in his creation. For instance, if the world ends with a cosmic marriage, a cosmic temple, and royal priests eating from the tree of life (Revelation 21–22), then it is necessary to see how those created realities in the beginning prepare the way for the end.
(24) Rapture. The word “rapture” comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:17, which reads, “we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up (harpazo) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” In context, Paul is describing the Lord’s *Parousia, and this passage is the key text for the Dispensational view of a secret rapture that precedes the *Tribulation. On that view, Christ will come in the clouds and remove the church from the earth, so that the seven years of judgment can commence. Among historic premillennial and amillennial views, the word rapture (harpazo) is set for the return of Christ and is public, visible, and accompanied by a shout of an archangel and a loud trumpet blast (1 Thess. 4:16). Some *preterists understand this passage, with its unique language “in the clouds” as describing the translation of the saints from earth to heaven.
(25) The (Great) Tribulation. The term “great tribulation” comes from the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:21; cf. Matt. 24:9, 29). Yet, this term itself comes from Daniel 12:1. Thus, it is a period of great calamity, “such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.” Depending on how one reads Jesus’s words in the Olivet Discourse (*Futurist or *Preterist) will determine in large part how one sees this period. *Dispensationalism combines the seventieth week (Daniel 9:24–27) with the Tribulation and identifies it with a seven-year period after the *Rapture. Other *Futurists see the world conditions devolving until there is a Great Tribulation at the end of the church age, before Christ returns to establish his earthly kingdom (*premillennialism) or make his final judgment (*amillennialism). *Preterists understand this period as the *Last Days of Jerusalem, where God will pour out his covenant curses upon Israel for rejecting his Messiah and his Holy Spirit.
(26) Two Ages, Old Age, and New Age. The Bible has been summarized as two men (Adam and Jesus) and two trees (the one in Eden and the one on Calvary). Under this rubric, we might also say that the Bible has two ages—the old age and the new. Or, the first creation and the new creation. From the vantage point of the Old Testament, everything in the future looked like one bright new creation age. Yet, when Christ came, he ushered in the kingdom of God in two-parts. With *inaugurated eschatology, he came first to die for the sins of his people, and he is coming again to make all things new. Thus, the two ages overlap. Thus, the old age is associated with Adam, sin, death, evil, and judgment. The new age is associated with Christ and all of his new covenant blessings. Put differently, he has brought about the new creation, and that reality is here (2 Cor. 5:17), but not fully here (see Revelation 21). Unlike the heretical, hyper-preterists who believe the new creation is fully here (despite the ongoing presence of death and sin), we who look to the future with hope are awaiting Christ’s return when he will make all things new.
(27) Resurrection. In John 5:25–29, Jesus teaches us that resurrection comes in two forms. There is the resurrection to life that comes by way of regeneration and new spiritual life. This is the resurrection of the soul from death to life, and all those who experience this blessed resurrection will are secured a bodily resurrection on the last day, which is the second resurrection. Jesus says that on the last day the graves will be opened and all the dead will be raised, some to eternal life and others to condemnation. This is the general resurrection, which will lead to the final judgment, where Christ separates the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:31–46). Those who have their names written in the Book of Life will receive their inheritance, a place in God’s new creation. But those whose names are missing, will be thrown into hell, for an eternal conscience torment. Importantly, the *Final State for the blessed and the damned is a bodily existence, that is determined by Jesus Christ the firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18), who has been given authority to judge all humanity (Acts 17:31).
(28) Sheol / Hades. Sheol is the Hebrew word for the “realm of the dead.” And Hades is the Greek equivalent. Under the old covenant (before Christ rose to heaven), all the dead descended to Sheol, where there were two places to remain. The righteous rested in Abraham’s bosom. The wicked were tormented among the shades (spirits). When Christ died, he descended to Sheol (not Hell) to announce his victory (1 Pet. 3:19). When he rose to heaven, he delivered the saints to glory (Heb. 12:22–24), to remain with him until all enemies have been put under his feet (Psalm 110). At the point, the final judgment will come and the new creation will commence, bringing an end to the *Intermediate State and securing the *Final State.
(15) The Intermediate and Final States. What happens when we die? The answer to that question depends on one’s relationship to the triune God. Today, the Christian dies and enters heaven, while the unbeliever dies and goes to hades (Greek) / sheol (Heb.). Until the Final Judgment, the Intermediate State is the place where a soul remains as it awaits the consummation of the age, when the saints will be raised bodily to enter eternal life. The wicked will also be raised from Sheol to experience eternal destruction in hell (= the Lake of Fire). These ultimate conditions in the new creation or hell are called the Eternal State. Notably, before Christ ascended to glory, the righteous died and entered “Abraham’s Bosom” (Luke 16:22), which is a place in Sheol, where the righteous dwelt in comfort, awaiting Christ’s deliverance (see Ps. 16:9). Now that Christ has come, the believer’s rest is found in heaven.
(16) Latter / Last Days. In the Old Testament, this term is a biblical expression that looks forward to the end-times. “Latter days” begins in Genesis 49:1 with Jacob’s prophecy about his twelve sons, and it continues to pick content in the Law (Num. 24:14; Deut. 4:30; 31:29) and the Prophets (Isa. 2:2; Jer. 23:20; Dan. 2:28; 10:14; Hos. 3:5; cf. Joel 2:28). In the New Testament, the Apostles tell us the last days have arrived (Acts 2:17; Heb. 1:2), and this may be interpreted in one of three ways: (1) *Futurists see the last days as something still to come, (2) *Inaugurated Eschatology (and *Idealists) see the last days as continuing through the church age, and (3) *Preterists understand the last days as describing the end of the Jewish age (which may or may not be the same as the *Old Age).
(17) Man of Sin / Lawlessness. This is the man named by Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2. In context, the man of lawlessness is a figure who will come in the future. As he explains, the mystery of lawlessness has already begun, but Paul anticipates future apostasy that intensifies when the restrainer is removed. From Paul’s mysterious descriptions, *Futurists (both *premill- and *amill-) identify this Man of Sin as the Antichrist who usher in and be active during the *Tribulation, while *Preterists identify this Man of Sin with Nero, who is restrained by Claudius when Paul wrote the letter (ca. 51–52 AD). Claudius (41–54 AD) is the Roman Emperor before Nero (54–68 AD), whose name is a play on words with the Latin claudere which means restraint.
(18) Millennium. One thousand years of peace about which Christians like to fight. Okay, no, that’s not it. The millennium is a period of one thousand years, according to Revelation 20. And this number is either taken literally as 1000 years or as a symbolic number for a perfect long period of time (10x10x10). Depending on how one reads Revelation 20, this period of time might consist of the whole church age (*amillennialists), a superlative golden age that comes at the end of the church age, but before Christ returns (*postmillennialists), or a time of 1,000 years after Christ returns, when he reigns glorified saints and non-glorified unbelievers until the final judgment (*premillennialists).
(19) Parousia. This is the Greek word for “coming,” and its theological use is normally related to Christ’s Second Coming. Yet, the word itself has the idea of “presence.” Jesus uses the word only three times in Matthew 24:27, 37, 39, in answer to the disciples question about his parousia (Matt. 24:3). Across the New Testament, the word is by Paul to speak of his own presence (see e.g., 2 Cor. 10:10; Phil. 2:12). Paul also uses it to speak of Christ’s “coming” (1 Thess. 2:19; 3:13; 4:15; 5:23). Yet, the language of Christ’s coming is broader than just his Second Coming, as is evident with Jesus’s warnings to the churches Revelation 2:5, 16; 3:10, 11.
(20) Premillenial(ism). One of three main views of the *millennium. In the early church, this position emerged among those who denied a heavenly *Intermediate State. Looking forward to Christ’s earthly reign, this view was prominent among men like Irenaeus, Tertullian, and others. Historic Premillennialism understands the millennium as coming after a period of great tribulation on the earth. Christ will reign over glorified saints and unglorified unbelievers, until the final judgment and the commencement of the *Eternal State. *Dispensational premillennialism understands this millennium as coming to the earth after a seven-year period of *Tribulation. These 1,000 years are necessary to fulfill God’s land promises to the people of Israel. After these 1,000 years, the final judgment, the *Eternal State will commence.
(21) Preterist. This term comes from the Latin word for “past” (praeter) and it has the idea that New Testament prophecies came to fulfillment in the first century, and specifically before 70 AD when the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. A preterist reading of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21) or Revelation understands Jesus’s condemnation of Jerusalem as fulfilled in 70 AD. While preterism (or partial preterism) is a legitimate approach to reading the New Testament, full preterism (or hyper-preterism) is a heresy, because it denies any future promises to be fulfilled in Christ’s return, the bodily resurrection, or the consummation of the new creation.
(22) Postmillenial(ism). One of three main views of the *millennium. This eschatological position affirms Christ’s return after the millennium. Historically, this view has often affirmed a future golden age (1000 years or a long-sustained period), where the nations would be Christianized. Puritans believed this golden age would come by way of world evangelization. And some (who were not Dispensational) saw the future in-gathering of the Jews as the sign of that millennium was present. Others who hold this position would see the whole church age as the millennium (like *amillennialism). The difference would be that postmillennialism would see a Christianization of nations before Christ returned.
(23) Protology. The study of first things (protos). This is an often neglected doctrine that complements and directs eschatology, the study of last things (eschatos). If eschatology ends with a new creation, then it is necessary to know what the first creation was. What did God make? And why? Protology answers those questions from Genesis 1–3, as it shows God’s purposes in his creation. For instance, if the world ends with a cosmic marriage, a cosmic temple, and royal priests eating from the tree of life (Revelation 21–22), then it is necessary to see how those created realities in the beginning prepare the way for the end.
(24) Rapture. The word “rapture” comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:17, which reads, “we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up (harpazo) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” In context, Paul is describing the Lord’s *Parousia, and this passage is the key text for the Dispensational view of a secret rapture that precedes the *Tribulation. On that view, Christ will come in the clouds and remove the church from the earth, so that the seven years of judgment can commence. Among historic premillennial and amillennial views, the word rapture (harpazo) is set for the return of Christ and is public, visible, and accompanied by a shout of an archangel and a loud trumpet blast (1 Thess. 4:16). Some *preterists understand this passage, with its unique language “in the clouds” as describing the translation of the saints from earth to heaven.
(25) The (Great) Tribulation. The term “great tribulation” comes from the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:21; cf. Matt. 24:9, 29). Yet, this term itself comes from Daniel 12:1. Thus, it is a period of great calamity, “such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be.” Depending on how one reads Jesus’s words in the Olivet Discourse (*Futurist or *Preterist) will determine in large part how one sees this period. *Dispensationalism combines the seventieth week (Daniel 9:24–27) with the Tribulation and identifies it with a seven-year period after the *Rapture. Other *Futurists see the world conditions devolving until there is a Great Tribulation at the end of the church age, before Christ returns to establish his earthly kingdom (*premillennialism) or make his final judgment (*amillennialism). *Preterists understand this period as the *Last Days of Jerusalem, where God will pour out his covenant curses upon Israel for rejecting his Messiah and his Holy Spirit.
(26) Two Ages, Old Age, and New Age. The Bible has been summarized as two men (Adam and Jesus) and two trees (the one in Eden and the one on Calvary). Under this rubric, we might also say that the Bible has two ages—the old age and the new. Or, the first creation and the new creation. From the vantage point of the Old Testament, everything in the future looked like one bright new creation age. Yet, when Christ came, he ushered in the kingdom of God in two-parts. With *inaugurated eschatology, he came first to die for the sins of his people, and he is coming again to make all things new. Thus, the two ages overlap. Thus, the old age is associated with Adam, sin, death, evil, and judgment. The new age is associated with Christ and all of his new covenant blessings. Put differently, he has brought about the new creation, and that reality is here (2 Cor. 5:17), but not fully here (see Revelation 21). Unlike the heretical, hyper-preterists who believe the new creation is fully here (despite the ongoing presence of death and sin), we who look to the future with hope are awaiting Christ’s return when he will make all things new.
(27) Resurrection. In John 5:25–29, Jesus teaches us that resurrection comes in two forms. There is the resurrection to life that comes by way of regeneration and new spiritual life. This is the resurrection of the soul from death to life, and all those who experience this blessed resurrection will are secured a bodily resurrection on the last day, which is the second resurrection. Jesus says that on the last day the graves will be opened and all the dead will be raised, some to eternal life and others to condemnation. This is the general resurrection, which will lead to the final judgment, where Christ separates the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:31–46). Those who have their names written in the Book of Life will receive their inheritance, a place in God’s new creation. But those whose names are missing, will be thrown into hell, for an eternal conscience torment. Importantly, the *Final State for the blessed and the damned is a bodily existence, that is determined by Jesus Christ the firstborn from the dead (Col. 1:18), who has been given authority to judge all humanity (Acts 17:31).
(28) Sheol / Hades. Sheol is the Hebrew word for the “realm of the dead.” And Hades is the Greek equivalent. Under the old covenant (before Christ rose to heaven), all the dead descended to Sheol, where there were two places to remain. The righteous rested in Abraham’s bosom. The wicked were tormented among the shades (spirits). When Christ died, he descended to Sheol (not Hell) to announce his victory (1 Pet. 3:19). When he rose to heaven, he delivered the saints to glory (Heb. 12:22–24), to remain with him until all enemies have been put under his feet (Psalm 110). At the point, the final judgment will come and the new creation will commence, bringing an end to the *Intermediate State and securing the *Final State.
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