ORDER OF ESCHATOLOGICAL EVENTS ACCORDING TO HISTORIC

PREMILLENNIALISM (CHILIASM)

WRITTEN BY:
ALAIYEMOLA, KOLAWOLE JOHN
MATRIC NUMBER: 07270

PRESENTED TO:
REV. ASS. PROF. TUNDE AREMU,

INPARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT OF THE COURSE

ECLLESIOLOGY AND ESCHATOLOGY

COURSE CODE: MST 714

@
ECWA THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IGBAJA KWARA STATE

NOVEMBER, 2019
 Table of Contents
Introduction
Meaning of Eschatology
Eschatology in Biblical Perspective
Historic Premillennialism
Order of Eschatological Events According to Historic Premillenism
Implications for Individual and Church
Conclusion
Bibliography
 Introduction
Literarily it is not possible for man to know the future. Knowing what the future holds

fascinates man. Man all want to know what the future will look like. Not surprisingly, Canale

opines that “prophecies about the end of the world captivate even postmodern minds; simple

curiosity attracts us to biblical prophecies”.1 According to Canale, Walter believes that eschatology

is the consummation of the kingdom of God and Christ’s work of salvation inaugurated at the

cross.2

The following doctrines are not, in our opinion, of as equal clarity in the pages of God’s

revelation as that which is expressed above and it is therefore hold them with an open hand.

Teaching and preaching upon such issues must be done with an understanding that a plethora of

Bible-believing, God-fearing, passionate evangelical Christians have a wide array of beliefs on

these issues. Humility is definitely demanded. However, this paper will examine the order of

eschatology according Historical/Non Dispensational Perspective and other related matter on the

subject matter.

Meaning of Eschatology
Eschatology is the doctrine of the last things. It was originally a Western term, referring to

Jewish and Christian, beliefs about the end of history, the resurrection of the dead, the last

judgment, the messianic era, and the problem of theodicy (the vindication of God's justice).

Historians of religion have applied the term to similar themes and concepts in the religions of

nonliterate peoples, ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures, and Eastern civilizations

1
Canale Fernando, Eschatology and Salvation,
http://www.adventistpastoronline.com/index.php/eschatology-andsalvation accessed on 18/10/2019

2
Ibid.
Encyclopedia Britannica remarks. In the history of religion, the term eschatology refers to

conceptions of the last things: immortality of the soul, rebirth, resurrection, migration of the soul,

and the end of time. These concepts also have secular parallels—for example, in the turning points

of one’s life and in one are understanding of death. Often these notions are contrasted with the

experience of suffering in the world. Eschatological themes thrive during crises, serving as

consolation for those who hope for a better world or as motivation for a revolutionary

transformation of society.

The term ἔσχατος does not, however, serve merely to denote the new tie that began with

the coming of Jesus. It also refers to the final, consummative action of God that is still to come. In

1 Cor. 15:23-28. Paul expresses the chronological sequence of the future events of the final ties.

In this scheme death is chronologically the last and physically the hardest enemy to be destroyed

before the final goal of God is reached (1 Cor. 15:26-28). In the word of Wales, the word

eschatology is derived from “two Greek words ἔσχατος, meaning ‘last’ and “λόγἰα meaning ‘study’

or ‘ discourse” It is the study of the end of things, whether the end of an individual life, the end of

the age, or the end of the world. Broadly speaking, it is the study of the destiny of man as it is

revealed in the Bible, which is the primary source for all Christian eschatological studies.

Christian eschatology is concerned with afterlife starting with death, an intermediate state

to either heaven or hell. Events said to happen at the end of this age include, the return of Jesus,

the resurrection of the dead, a rapture, a great tribulation, the Millennium or thousand years of

peace, which has been interpreted both literally and symbolically., end of the world, the last

judgment, a new heaven and a new earth, and the ultimate consummation of all of God's purposes.

Eschatological passages are found in many places in the bible, especially Isa.2:2-4, Dan.2:28-45,
Matt. 12:22-32, and Rev.14:15, but Revelation often occupies a central place in Christian

eschatology.

Eschatology in Biblical Perspective

The critical basis for eschatological reflection in the Reformed Tradition remains the

Scriptures, taken as a whole and in a multiplicity of imagery. Numerous passages noted in this

present section serve to point the way, not so much as proof-texts but rather as showing one part

of Scripture clarifying another. As the Scriptures are studied, a major correlation begins to emerge

between God's intention in Creation and Redemption which is most instructive for eschatology.

In a similar response to the Scriptures, the Confession of Faith described creation as the

“manifestation of the glory of his eternal power, wisdom, and goodness” (IV.1). The Larger

Catechism (A.14) declares the works of creation and providence, which includes God's mightiest

deed, Redemption, to be the means whereby the eternal decrees of God are effected. Thus we

affirm Creation as God's good gift and the setting where God's acts of redemptive care are wrought.

Further, the consummation of God's purpose is consonant with the initial act of our Creator

(X.1,2:XXXV, 1-3). The implications of Creation and Redemption for our view of eschatology

are crucial.3

Historic Premillennialism
Affirming to Aremu Tunde and Emmanuel Malomo, “The main idea of Historic

Premillennialism is that Christ will return before the Millennium. However, the first branch within

the premillennial view is that of Historic Premillennialism. While this particular form of

premillennialism is much older than that of dispensational premillennialism, it did not develop into

3
Canale, 75.
the vigorous popular millennialist movement that its dispensational counterpart did. Despite the

fact that the Historic view did not gain popularity in recent times, this in no way undermines its

dominance among some of the most prominent theologians within the early church.12 In fact, due

to the overwhelming popularity of historic premillennialism within the early church, some have

made the claim that there can be found no trace of dispensational theology, at all, in the earliest

history of the church. Furthermore, dispensationalism, which could never be arrived at through

bible study alone, is nothing more than a man-made idea and should be understood in light of that

fact.13 This popularity, which historic premillennialism had previously obtained, however, was

overshadowed by the rise of dispensationalism, which will be dealt with later. Nevertheless,

despite the fact that they are in the minority, proponents of historic premillennialism have remained

faithful to the tenets of this particular view.4

In keeping with the three central issues mentioned above, historic premillennialism deals

with each in its own, unique way. First, when it comes to the issue of the hermeneutical principle

used in the interpretation of scripture, historic premillennialists do, in fact, hold to an overall literal

interpretation of scripture. The use of the literal interpretation, however, according to the historic

premillennialist, should not be applied to prophecy, and is rarely applied within any sort of

consistency. When it comes to the interpretation of prophecy, then, a more spiritualizing or

allegorical hermeneutic must be applied.14 Second, when dealing with the issue of whether or not

a distinction should be made between Israel and the church, this view holds that the church is to

be considered the new Israel, and any prophecy which had yet to be fulfilled would be fulfilled by

the church.15 Finally, when it comes to the placement of the rapture of the church, in order to

avoid a seeming contradiction, which states that Christ’s return will come in two different stages,

4
Floyd Elmore, Dictionary of Premillennial Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic,, 1998), 82.
this view posits that Christ’s return will be in one single event, and that event will most likely take

place after the tribulation.16 Though there are obviously many other tenets held by historic

premillennialists, it is within the confines of these three tenets in particular that this paper will be

limited.5

The End as the Fulfillment of God's Purpose in Creation

The Old and New Testaments confess God as Creator and Redeemer. All which was called into

being by the powerful Word of God is testimony to God's eternal and invincible sovereignty. God's

sovereignty is the first and most important affirmation in our understanding of God's final purpose.

From the nothingness of chaos God commanded lightfilled order (Gen. 1:2-5). God established

the earth and heavens and exercises dominion over all creation (Ps. 24:1-2, 93:1-2).

Humankind is the culmination of God's creative activity with special privileges and.

responsibilities (Gen. 1:26-27; Ps. 8), but God's sovereignty is in no way compromised (Gen. 2:8ff,

11:1ff). Because God alone is Creator and Redeemer, God alone is worthy of our adoration, faithful

confidence, and reverent obedience (Ps. 95; Is. 40:12-31). Indeed, any other response is foolishness

of the worst sort. Because God is sovereign Creator of all that is, there is no other who can

successfully challenge divine goodness and care: the clay does not command the hand of the Potter

(Jer. 18:1-12; Is. 45:9-13; Romans 9:20, 21).

The act of Creation is viewed as the first of God's acts of grace which establish and define

the meaning of history. Life is not a meaningless, purposeless, valueless accident. The whole of

existence as well as each individual who inhabits the earth is part of a creation initiated and

5
Hans Schwarz, On the Way to the Future: A Christian View of Eschatology in the Light of Current Trends
(Chicago: Moody Press, 1965), 65.
accomplished by God (Gen. l; Ps. 8; Is. 48:12-13). Creation is described in historical terms, rather

than in metaphysical language. In Genesis, the creation account is ordered by a sequence of days

and events culminating with Sabbath rest. Ephesians talks about the coming of Christ as “a plan

for the fullness of time” (Eph. 1:9-10), thus underscoring the biblical view that history is to be

viewed and evaluated in the light of God's saving deeds. God's intention of fellowship and

communion with humankind evidenced in the creation account is at work as history unfolds,

beginning with Adam and Eve and continuing into the future “to them also which shall believe on

me through their word” (John 17:20).6

Indeed, the whole of creation has been given hope for God's redemptive purpose to be

realized fully and finally (Rom. 8:19-23), the end assured by God through the work of Jesus Christ

(Eph. 1:9-10; Col. 1:15-20). God's power and sovereignty as Creator and Redeemer become the

basis on which hope for new acts of deliverance, even the consummation of all things (Rev. 4:9 -

5:14, 21:1-4), can be articulated (Is. 43:1 7). From the Creation to the end of time, God is on the

way toward the fulfillment of the divine purpose when in fact every tongue will confess Jesus

Christ as Lord to the glory of God (Phil. 2:9-11) and God will “be everything to everyone” (I Cor.

15:28 RSV).

The imagery chosen to describe the hoped-for future is generally drawn from creation

before human sin destroyed the proper relationship between God, humans, and the whole created

order. In other words, vision of the future is expressed in the language of God's new creation. Since

the perception and will of humankind has been distorted and corrupted by sin (Is. 1:2-3; Rom.

1:18-27) and the whole of creation affected by human transgression (Hos. 4:1-3; Rom. 8:20, 21),

6
Daniel G. Reid et al., Dictionary of Christianity in America (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press,
1990), 66.
hope rests in God's power and intention to create anew. A time is envisioned when a new heart and

a new spirit, sensitive and responsive to God, will be given to humankind in order that obedience

might forever displace rebellion and the desolated land might become as Eden (Ez. 36:22-36). A

new covenant will be instituted and written on the human heart that all may know and revere God

(Jer. 31:31-34).

With the consummation of God's purpose, peace and order will come to the whole of

creation. No more will there be those who hurt or destroy (Is. 11:6-9, 65:25). Death will no longer

threaten and break relationships; tears will be wiped away forever (Is. 25:8; Rev. 21:3-4). Human

need will be met by the hand of God abundantly and freely (Is. 25:6, 55:1-2; Rev. 21:6). The

transformation will be such that some can speak of a new heaven and a new earth (Is.65:17-18,

66:22-23; Rev. 22:1). God the Creator and Redeemer is sovereign. The divine purpose gives

meaning to history and will be brought to consummation. That which God began at the Creation

will reach completion and fulfillment.7

Order of Eschatological Events According to Historic Premillenism

The Return of Christ

Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced

Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen. Revelation 1:7

Christ will surely return. This is one of the most foundational of evangelical beliefs and is the

determinant for all subsequent discussion of eschatology. It is the starting point from which all

consequent conversation must begin.

7
Millard J. Erickson, Contemporary Options in Eschatology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1977), 92.
 Christ’s return will be a physical and visible return which will shine forth throughout the

earth like lightning in the sky and will usher in the end of our present age. This is called His

parousia, He return, His appearing, His coming. As was discussed in the introduction, we believers

should eagerly long for the return of our Lord. We should cry out “Maranatha” (“Our Lord, come!”

1 Corinthians 16:22) as we participate in those deeds of which we would not be ashamed in His

presence. Those who do not so long for the return of the Lord evidence a fundamental gap in their

understanding of the Christian desire, the hope of glory, the joy of His presence.

Although there are signs of His coming, the fact remains that no one ultimately knows

when He will return and we are therefore commanded to be vigilant.4 Though there is some debate

as to the definite meaning of the imminence of His coming, the Bible clearly states that He is

coming soon.8

Resurrection of Believers and Unbelievers

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear

His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who

committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. John 5:28-29. The resurrection of Christ

has surely purchased a resurrection for those who are in Him. The Bible tells us that He is “the

first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.”6 However, it is not only His bride, the church, who

will share in such, but indeed all will partake in a literal and physical resurrection. Not much is

known with certainty about the form of the body that we will receive at resurrection. We should

definitely expect a physical body, but one that is distinct and more glorious from our current

dwelling. These bodies will be set free from the curse of sin and death and will be imperishable.

8
Richard Mayhue, “Why a Pretribulational Rapture” in Christs’s Prophetic Plans, 89-96.
The Tribulation

The tribulation has various perspectives which depend upon the conceived millennial

position and an overall understanding of the program of eschatology. This tribulation represents

the Day of the Lord doctrine in which the wrath of God is poured out upon the earth in response

to the advancement of Satan and the third great apostasy. It is often argued from Daniel 9 that the

tribulation will be a literal seven year period, although that is certainly of some debate within

evangelicalism. The main question as far as the tribulation period is concerned is the timing of the

Day of the Lord. Is it past, present or future?

Options:

≥ Preterist

≥ Futurist

≥ Complex

Preterist

The preterist understanding of the Day of the Lord and tribulation is that the writings of the apostles

on the time of apostasy were primarily and directly concerned with the historical events which

transpired in the persecution of Christians within the

Roman Empire.

While it is possible to hold to and teach a soft version of this understanding, full preterism14 is to

be clearly rejected.

Futurist
The futurist position understands the Day of the Lord to be entirely future in nature and to refer to

a literal apostasy which will take place at the end of the current age.

Complex

It is probably best to see the prophecy of the tribulation in a similar manner to those Old Testament

prophecies which had a literal fulfillment in history, but which represented a type of that which

was to come. In the same way, it could be said that while the preterist position is correct in ascribing

a literal fulfillment of some events to some degree in the past, the futurists are also correct in

looking for a final and ultimate fulfillment in God’s program.9

The Rapture

The Rapture in its simplest form is merely the time in which the church will meet the Lord

upon His return. It is derived from the Latin rapio which means to “carry away, seize, snatch” and

is primarily concerned with the language of 1 Thessalonians 4:17. The debate surrounding this

doctrine involves the timing of the rapture.

The Millennium

The doctrine of the millennium is birthed primarily from Revelation 20:1-7. There are basically

three positions which have developed in understanding this period, although in the case of pre-

millennialism, there are two subsets of comprehension.

Options:

≥ Pre-millennialism

9
Stanley J. Grenz, The Millennial Maze: Sorting Out Evangelical Options (Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity, 1992), 325.
≥ Post-millennialism

≥ Amillennialism

Pre-millennialism

Pre-millennialism is that understanding of the period which views the thousand years of

Revelation 20 with the most chronological and literal interpretation. According to this view,

Christ’s return, or second coming, will follow a great period of tribulation. This return will usher

in the millennial age in which Satan is bound from deceiving the nations and the Kingdom of God

is fully manifested. At the end of the millennium, Satan is released from bondage and there is a

large-scale revolt against the program of God upon the earth. Christ then finally and decisively

destroys death and consigns Satan and His legions to the final place of torment. It is at this time

that the new heavens and new earth appear and we enter into the eternal state.10

Post-millennialism

Post-millennialism is that understanding of the period which is marked by an

overwhelming belief in the power of Christ working in the church toward justice and reform. At

the start of the millennium,13 there will be a tremendous expansion of God’s program in the church

in which peace and prosperity increase upon the earth. Indeed it represents a great Christianization

of the world, although it does not teach a universalist perspective. For the post-millennialist, this

program will continue for a literal or figurative thousand years until the time of apostasy. This

10
Charles Ryrie, Religion, Philosophy, and Science (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1972), 151.
apostasy will finally and decisively be overthrown by the return of Christ which immediately

ushers in resurrection, judgment and the eternal state.11

Amillennialism

Amillennialism is that understanding of the period which views the current Church age as

the millennium which is referenced in Revelation 20. It views the binding of Satan as having taken

place at Christ’s death and/or resurrection and uses Matthew 12:28-29 as evidence of such. It

therefore sees the kingdom as having already begun with Christ reigning upon His throne in heaven

at the right hand of God. Within this understanding, Christ is currently reigning in heaven until

such time as His return, which will follow the release of Satan and a time of apostasy. At this

appearing will come a general resurrection and final judgment which will then usher in the eternal

state.12

Judgment

• Punishment and Reward

• Matthew 25:31-46

• Therefore having overlooked the timesof ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people

everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in

righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising

Him from the dead.

Acts 17:30-31

11
Edgar C. Whisenant, 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988 (Nashville: World Bible Society,
1988), 32.
12
W. Gruden, The Final Shout: Rapture Report, 1989 (Nashville: World Bible Society, 1989), 231.
• For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed

for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 2 Corinthians 5:10

Eternal Destinies

These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

Matthew 25:46 According to the final judgment rendered by Christ at His coming, both believers

and unbelievers will be ushered into their respective eternal destinies. While there has historically

been some level of debate as to the nature of the language of “heaven” in Scripture, it is best to

assert that believers will go forth into the recreated earth to spend eternity in the presence of the

resurrected Lord. Unbelievers will face the wrath of God, away from His presence, for eternity in

hell.13

Implications for Individual and Church

In the light of the history of eschatological thought and theory; a theological discipline we have

shown in this paper to be remarkably sensitive to the ups and downs of the human condition; and

of Westminster's sanguine insistence upon the inevitable but unknowable date of the Day of the

Lord, we must enquire, then, as to the purpose of eschatological elements in the Bible for

individual and corporate faith and life.

Biblical revelation, speaking in the eschatological vein, employs the language of hope. It

does so not in some weak, ambivalent mode, but with a deep, powerful affirmation: the cosmos

will at last be set free from its travail and redeemed in all its fullness from its bondage to sin, decay

and death. And this will come about not as the end result of any historical or physical process

13
Bernard McGinn, Antichrist: Two Thousand Years of the Human Fascination with Evil (San Francisco:
HarperSanFrancisco, 1994), 72.
which may now be observed, but purely and only because God has determined that it will be so.

God will vindicate Himself, making good His announced intention to redeem the world through

the Person and work of His Son, Jesus Christ—and this purpose of God will not be thwarted in

any sense. His redemptive activity will bring every knee to bow throughout the cosmos (Phil.

2:10); and even God's foes and those who are afar will acknowledge and celebrate

His Kingship.

Conclusion

Eschatology is the message of hope, looking for the future, which is away from pain and

sufferings, and it helps us to overcome challenges and strive forward for a better tomorrow.

Eschatology gives meaning to life on earth and it is an impetus for mission of the church. As we

wait for the glorious coming of the Lord at the end of time, we are urged to be active agents in

bringing about a transformed world. The salvation to which Peter speaks, to which scripture

testifies, that the Father has inaugurated through the obedience of the Son in the power of Spirit is

an objective thing waiting to burst into this present age- so lush with fecundity- that heaven and

earth will be made new, recreated, at its unveiling.

 Bibliography
Books

Elmore, Floyd. Dictionary of Premillennial Theology. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic,, 1998.

Erickson, Millard J. Contemporary Options in Eschatology. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic,

1977.
Grenz, Stanley J. The Millennial Maze: Sorting Out Evangelical Options. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity, 1992.
Gruden, W. The Final Shout: Rapture Report, 1989. Nashville: World Bible Society, 1989.

McGinn, Bernard. Antichrist: Two Thousand Years of the Human Fascination with Evil.San
Francisco: Harper SanFrancisco, 1994.

Reid Daniel G. et al., Dictionary of Christianity in America. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 1990.

Ryrie, Charles. Religion, Philosophy, and Science. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House,
1972.

Schwarz, Hans. On the Way to the Future: A Christian View of Eschatology in the Light of Current
Trends. Chicago: Moody Press, 1965.
Whisenant, Edgar C. 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988.Nashville: World Bible
Society, 1988.

Internets

Canale Fernando, Eschatology and Salvation,

http://www.adventistpastoronline.com/index.php/eschatology-andsalvation accessed on
18/10/2019