ESCHATOLOGY

1 Introduction

Term “eschatology” comes from the Greek ta eschata, “the last things,” and alludes to such
matters as the Christian expectations of resurrection and judgment. Eschatology is a very
important doctrine of the Christian faith. Anthony A. Hoekema (1978:3) says, “Properly to
understand Biblical Eschatology, we must see it as an integral aspect of all Biblical
revelation.” Hoekema (1978:3) further says, “Eschatology must not be thought of as
something which is found only in, such Bible books as Daniel and Revelation, but as
dominating and permeating the entire message of the Bible.”

Undoubtedly, the term eschatology has many meanings. What is certain is that the doctrine of
eschatology deals with what lies ahead of the human race. It deals with issues of destiny both
for the human race in particular and the universe in general. Gerhard Sauter (1999:3) makes
this interesting observation:

The doctrine of the last things deals with what ultimately lies before the human race
and the world which humans are part of; or, to put it another way, it deals with the
question of our ultimate destination. The concept of the last things is an attempt to
express the question of what, why, and where. As a compilation of the “objects” of
hope, eschatology takes on the question, “What dare we hope?” Eschatology outlines
a time after death in which God judges each individual according to his or her faith
and deeds, and determines their ultimate fate: either eternal life in communion with
God, or perdition.

The main theme, which Sauter pursues, is “hope.” What is the basis of hope as children of
God? When we speak of hope, we are dealing with the question of the future. Implicitly we
are saying that the end of this age will come. Alister McGrath (2001:553) makes the
following observation:

The “end” in question may refer to an individual’s existence, or to the closing of the
present age. A characteristic Christian belief, of decisive importance in this context,

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 is that time is linear, not cyclical. History had a beginning; it will one day come to an
end.

McGrath, further intimates; “Eschatology deals with a network of beliefs relating to the end
of life and history, whether of an individual or of the world in general.” We need to bear in
mind that there are many approaches to the study of the end times. Naturally because of my
religious affiliation, I would have loved to approach this study from a dispensational
perspective, but I shall not do so in here. My task then, is to try as much as possible to listen
to the text of the Bible in order to see what it says on this important Christian doctrine.

2 Reflections on Eschatological Thinking

2.1 Eschatology in the Old Testament.

Anthony A. Hoekema (1978:3) points out that “Eschatology must not be thought of as
something which is found only in, say, such Bible Books as Daniel and Revelation, but as
dominating and permeating the entire message of the Bible.” It is for this reason that our
discussion of Eschatology will go as far back as the Old Testament. The following ideas are
helpful to us if we are to understand the Old Testament outlook on Eschatology.

1. Expectation of the coming redeemer

The narrative of the fall in Genesis 3 is immediately followed by a promise of a future
redeemer (3:15)1. These words of promise are addressed to the serpent, which is later
identified with Satan (Rev 12:9; 20:2). Hoekema in this regard notes:

The enmity placed between mankind and the serpent implies that God, who is
also the serpent’s enemy, will be man’s friend. In the prediction that ultimately
the seed of the woman will bruise the serpent’s head we have the promise of
the coming redeemer.

In this passage God reveals all His saving purpose with His people. Hoekema (1978:
5) further observes “from this point on, all of Old Testament revelation looks forward,

1
Hoekema refers to this passage as the mother promise. This is essentially because all the future promises God
makes to His people in one way or the other are related to this promise.

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 points forward, and eagerly awaits the promised redeemer.” The coming redeemer
who is described in Gen 3:15 as the seed of the woman is further identified as the seed
of Abraham (Gen 22:18).

When the Monarch was established, three offices immerged: those of prophet, priest,
and king. The coming redeemer was expected to be the culmination and fulfillment
of all these special offices. Hoekema (1978:5) in this regard writes:

He was to be a great prophet: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a
prophet like me (Moses) from among you …” (Deut 18:15). He was to be an
everlasting priest: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, you are
a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psa 110:4). He was also to be
the great king of his people: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout
aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo your king comes to you …” (Zech. 9:9).

As regarding the kingship of the coming redeemer, it was predicted that he will sit on
the throne of David (2samuel 7:12 -13; cf Rev 21:5-6). The future coming redeemer-
king is associated with the coming of God to His people (see Isa. 7:14; 9:14). Isaiah
also associates the coming redeemer with the suffering-servant of God (Isa. 53).

2 The Kingdom of God

From the onset let me point out that the term “kingdom of God” is not found in the
Old Testament. But the idea that God is king is found particularly in the Psalms and
in the prophetic writings. God is king both of Israel (Deut.33:5; Ps. 84:3; 145:1; Isa.
43:14) and of the whole earth (Ps. 29:10; 47:2; 96:10; 97:1; 103:19; 145:11-113; Isa.
6:5; Jer. 46:18).

The concept of the kingdom of God is depicted well by the prophet Daniel. His
prophesy speaks of the kingdom which God shall someday set up which shall never
be destroyed, and which shall break in pieces all other kingdoms and shall stand
forever (2: 44-45).
The kingdom of God on earth could not be realized fully because of the sinfulness and
rebelliousness of men. As a result the prophets saw a day when God’s rule would be
fully realized.

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3 The New Covenant
The concept of the New Covenant is a very prominent eschatological concept in the Old
Testament. The history of the children of Israel is littered with the Israel’s failure to keep the
covenant of God. Jeremiah speaks of the day when God will establish a new Covenant with
His people:

"The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with
the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made
with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the
LORD.
Jer 31:31-32

4 The Restoration of Israel

This is a very prominent theme of the Old Testament. The children of Israel came
under God’s judgment because of their disobedience to God. As a result he sent them
into captivity. God did not abandon them. There was a promise of restoration. "I
myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have
driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and
increase in number” (Jer 23:3).

5 The Day of the Lord

“The day of the Lord” is used to picture a final, eschatological day of visitation. The
day of the Lord is sometime said to bring judgment upon the people of Israel (Amos
5:18, Isa 2:12, 17, Zeph 1:14-15). When the day of the Lord is associated with
judgment it is known as the day of God’s wrath.

The day of the Lord does not just imply judgment and disaster. It is also sometimes
seen as bringing salvation. Joel 2:32, therefore, promises salvation to all who call on
the name of the Lord before the coming of the day of the Lord. Similarly, in Malachi
4 not only is judgment pronounced upon evil doers in connection with the coming of
the “great and terrible day of the Lord” (v.5), but healing and joy are promised to all
who fear God’s name (v.2).

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6 The new Heavens and the new Earth
The eschatological hope of the Old Testament includes the earth. This future hope for
the earth is expressed in Isaiah 65:17: “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new
earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” Other
passages which talk about the details of how the earth will be renewed are : Isaiah 32:
15 (the wilderness will become a fruitful field), Isaiah 35:1 (the desert shall blossom),
Isaiah 35:7 (the dry places will bring water), Isaiah 11: 6-8 (peace will return to the
animal world), and Isaiah 11: 9 (the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord).

7 The outpouring of the Spirit

The outpouring of the Spirit was another important eschatological motif in the Old
Testament. The Old Testament saints looked forward to it with eager anticipation
(Joel 2:28 – 32). Joel in this prophesy links the outpouring of the Spirit with
extraordinary phenomena in the heavens and on earth. “The sun shall be turned to
darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord come
(Joel 2:30-31). This should be ready together with Matthew 24:29 where the events
mentioned by Joel relate to the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

From what we have seen so far we can see that the faith of the Old Testament was
eschatologically oriented. They looked forward to the renewal of all things. They looked to
the new world.

2.2 New Testament

The hope motif dominates even in the face of death in the New Testament. An example is
found in the epistle of Paul to Titus. In Titus 2:13 we have this account: “Looking for the
blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ”. To capture
what Paul is saying let us go back to verse eleven of chapter 2. Paul talks of the grace of God
that has appeared or made manifest. The idea is taken from the Greek word epiphany. This
word in this context is most probably referring to the incarnation of Christ. This concept is
mainly associated with the first coming or advent of Christ. In light of this (The appearing of
the Grace of God in Christ) believers are to give up all licentious living as they looking
forward to the blessed hope and appearing (epiphany) of our great God and saviour Jesus
Christ (2:13). This second usage of epiphany is referring to the second coming of Christ.

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This eschatological motif can also be found in the teaching of Jesus Christ. The dominant
feature in the preaching of Jesus Christ was the coming of the Kingdom of God. McGrath
(2001:555) summarises the teaching of Jesus on the kingdom of God this way:

The kingdom is something that is “drawing near” (Mark1:15), yet which still belongs
in its fullness to the future. The Lord’s Prayer, which remains of central importance to
individual and corporate Christian prayer and worship, includes reference to the future
coming of the kingdom (Matthew 6:10).

A tension emerges between the “now” and the “not yet” in relation to the kingdom of God.
We still hope for the coming of Jesus Christ. Only then shall we see the full manifestation of
the kingdom of God. The Gospels, the Acts of the Apostles, and indeed the entire New
Testament is pregnant with eschatological overtones. Peter encourages the believers who
were scattered in various places with the following words:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has
given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-- kept in heaven for you,
who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is
ready to be revealed in the last time (1Peter 1:3-5).

Sadly more especially in Pentecostal circles the eschatological hope of the church is being
replaced with an intense desire for personal progress and success. It is rare to find a
Pentecostal preacher proclaiming the second coming of Christ today. Yes we need to be
successful, but we should not forget about the hope of the church the second coming of
Christ.

3 Individual Eschatology

There are two types of eschatology: cosmic and individual eschatology. Cosmic eschatology
is associated with the second coming of Christ. Its ramification will affect the entire

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universe. Individual eschatology on the other hand, concentrates on the individual and the
entire human race. I will focus my attention on some aspects which have a direct bearing on
the individual.

3.1 Death

Death is a reality that awaits all of us. The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews records: “And
as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Heb.:27).

3.2 The Intermediate State.

It is generally agreed that all of us face the prospect of dying. Confusion sets in when it
comes to dealing with the Intermediate State. That is what happens to souls of people
between death and resurrection. Let me deal with some views which have dominated
discussions in this regard.

3.2.1 Soul Sleep

Soul sleep teaches that during the intermediate state, the soul rests in a state of
unconsciousness. The Seventh Adventists subscribe to this view. This concept is derived
from those passages of scripture which depict death as “sleeping.” The following scriptures
furnish with examples: Stephen death was referred as sleeping (Acts 7:60); David after he
had served God in his generation fell asleep (Acts 13:36). Other passages which depict death
as sleeping are: 1Cor 15:6, 18, 20, 51; 1Thess 4:13-15.
The bible does not warrant such an interpretation. What is at play are the prejudices which
are found in different religious traditions. Those who view human beings as unitary entities
are more likely to subscribe to soul sleep. Since there is only one component in human
composition, if the body ceases to function, it logically follows that the soul follows suit.
The bible shows that there is some consciousness after death (e.g. Lazarus. Luke 16:19-31).

3.2.2 Purgatory

Purgatory is a doctrine that is mainly held by the Roman Catholic Church. Purgatory may
best be understood as an intermediate stage, in which those who have died in a state of grace

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are given an opportunity to be purged of their guilty before finally entering heaven. There is
no scripture basis for such a teaching. The passage, which is cited to defend this practice, is
found in the extra-canonical work: 2Maccabees 12:43-45. This passage speaks of Judas
Maccabees making propitiation for those who died, in order that they might be released from
their sin.

The bible is very clear on the question of what happens after death. The wicked will go to
hell, and the righteous will enter into eternal bliss and enjoy fellowship with God forever.

3.2.3 The Bible and the intermediate state

There is enough evidence in the Bible to suggest that human beings are not annihilated at
death and that the believers are not separated from Christ. Before we treat this subject in
detail let us consider a few passages.

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the
One who can destroy both soul (psyche) and body in hell” (Matt 10:28). What Jesus is
saying here is that there is something which those who kill the body cannot touch. That
something is that part of human beings which continues to exist after the death of the body.

“When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls (psychas) of those who had
been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne” (Rev 6:9). “I saw the
souls (psychas) of those had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and the word of God”
(Rev 20:4). These two passages are clearly talking about the slain martyrs; the word souls is
here describing that aspect of these martyrs which still exists after their bodies have been
cruelly put to death.

Let us now inquire into what the Bible teaches about the state of human beings between death
and resurrection. According to the OT human existence does not cease at death. After death
human beings continue to exist in the realm of the dead, which is commonly called Sheol. It
may interest you to note that in the King James Version the Hebrew word Sheol is variously
translated as grave (31 times), hell (31 times), or pit (3 tomes). Sheol carries with it the
following ideas.

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  Generally Sheol means the realm of the dead. This should, however, be understood
figuratively as indicating the state of death. The various figures which are applied to
Sheol can all be understood as referring to the realm of the dead: Sheol is said to have
bars (Job 17:16), to be a dark and gloomy place (Job 17:13), and to be a monster with
an insatiable appetite (Prov 27:20; 30:15-16; Isa 5:14; Hab 2:5). When Sheol is
conceived of in this way, we need to bear in mind that both the godly and ungodly go
down to Sheol at death, since both enter the realm of the dead.
 Sheol may sometimes be translated as grave. “They will say, as one plows and breaks
up the earth, so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the grave” (Ps 147:7).
The idea of the wicked dead undergoing punishment in the intermediate state in the
Old Testament begins to appear when we examine passages like Psalm 49:14,15:
“Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them in the
morning; their form will decay in the grave far from princely mansions. But God will
redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.”

What may be observed is that in the Old Testament both the godly and the ungodly will go to
Sheol. Yet we see the concept of the punishment for the wicked beginning to image. It is
still difficult to state conclusively that Sheol designates unequivocally a place of eternal
punishment.

As we come to the New Testament. What does it teach about the intermediate state? The
New Testament also teaches that human beings continue to exist after death, either in Hades
or in a place of blessedness sometimes called paradise or Abraham’s bosom. Hades is the
usual Septuagint translation of Sheol. The meaning of Hades in the New Testament is
however, not exactly the same as Sheol in the Old Testament. In the New Testament is used
in the following ways:
 Hades designates the realm of the dead. It is so used in Acts 2:27 and 31 in Peter’s
Pentecost sermon. In this passage Hades is the Greek equivalent of Sheol in Psalm 16
and simply stands for the realm of the dead. Even in the book of Revelation, Hades is
used several times to designate the place of the dead. In 1:18 Hades is pictured as a
prison with doors: “I [Christ] have the keys of Death and Hades.” IN 6:18 Hades is
described in close conjunction with death: “And I saw, and beheld, a pale horse, its
rider’s name was death, and Hades followed.” In 20:13 Hades is a realm which gives

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 up its dead: “And the sea gave up the dead in it, and Death and Hades gave up the
dead in them, and all were judged by what they had done.”

In the light of the fore going how do we interpret 1Peter 3:20.

 Hades in the New Testament is not just used as a designation of the realm of the dead,
but also as a description of the place of torment. The account of Lazarus and the rich
man in Luke 16:19-31 attests to this. Here we see that Hades is a place of torment
and punishment for the ungodly.
 What does the Bible teach concerning the place of the believing dead during the
intermediate state?
1 The words of Jesus to the penitent thief (Luke 23:42-43) are important here. “Today
you will be with me in paradise.”
2 The account found in Philippians 1:21-23 is also helpful here. “For me to live is
Christ, and to die is gain.” What Paul is saying is that the moment he departs or dies,
that very moment he will be with Christ.

We can therefore, conclude that the believing dead are in the presence of the Lord. While the
unbelieving dead are in a place of torment.

4 Millennial Views

There are three major millennial views that have been held in the history of the church. The
doctrine of the millennium and various reactions to it is derived from Revelation 20:1-6.
What follows is a discussion of the millennial views.

4.1 Amillennialism

Certain theologians describe Amillennialism as the doctrine which maintains that the present
dispensation of the kingdom of God will be followed immediately by the kingdom of God in
its consummate eternal form (cf Louis Berkhof). As far as amillennialists are concerned,
when Christ returns, He will execute judgment on the world and bring a grand finale to all
things, including the present world. Unlike Premillennialists who espouse two resurrections,

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amillennialists believe that when Christ returns, the dead will be raised, judged and assigned
to their eternal destinies – the wicked to eternal punishment in hell, and the righteous to
eternal life full of blessedness in the new heavens and new earth. Roland Chia (2006:129)
observes that amillennialists have not neglected Revelation 20. He writes:

Amillennialism does not ignore Revelation 20:1-6 but interprets it not as a literal
earthly reign of Christ prior to judgment but as an age beyond time when the kingdom
of God is fully consummated.

The millennium in Revelation 20:4-5 is understood to be describing the present reign of the
souls of deceased believers with Christ in heaven. The binding of Satan in the first three
verses of Revelation 20 is seen as being in effect during the entire period between the first
and second comings of Christ, though ending shortly before Christ’s return.

Amillennialists insist that despite the fact that Christ has won a decisive victory over the sin
and evil, the kingdom of evil will continue to exist alongside of the kingdom of God until the
end of the world.

4.2 Postmillennialism

As we proceed with postmillennialism let me take note of three points of agreement between
Amillennialism and postmillennialism: (1) Postmillennialists do not understand the
millennium as involving a visible reign of Christ from an earthly throne; (2) They do not
think of the millennium as being exactly a thousand years in duration; (3) They place the
return of Christ after the millennium.

The central aspect of postmillennialism is the belief that the preaching of the gospel will
result in the conversion of the whole world. Baptist theologian Augustus Hopkins Strong
cited by Stanley Grenz (1992:70) makes this observation in favour of postmillennialism:

Through the preaching of the gospel in all the world, the kingdom of Christ is steadily
to enlarge its boundaries, until Jews and Gentiles alike become possessed of its

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 blessings, and a millennial period is introduced in which Christianity generally
prevails throughout the earth.

Postmillennialists see the millennium as a long period of peace which is ushered in by the
preaching of the gospel through the work of the Spirit in the hearts of individuals. This being
the case, both postmillennialists and Premillennialists anticipate a future kingdom era on
earth. Grenz (1992) delineates some differences. He notes that one point of difference
focuses on the transition of the two eras. “In contrast to the catastrophic beginning of the
millennium anticipated by Premillennialists, according to postmillennialism the transition is
smooth” (1992:70-71). The other notable difference is concerning the nature of the kingdom
era. “In contrast to the discontinuity that Premillennialists tend to emphasise, the
postmillennial vision of the thousand years focuses on the continuity of the future age with
the present era.” According to postmillennialists, observes Stanley Grenz, the gospel will
continue being preached. He writes:

The gospel will continue to be preached as it is now. However, a heightened

acceptance and influence of Christian principles in human affairs will arise. The
millennium will include the experience of the positive blessings that flow from the
worldwide penetration of the gospel and the diminishing of evil influences in human
affairs. As the Holy Spirit regenerates human beings, their changed character will
lead to reforms in the social, economic, political and cultural spheres.

There is a problem with such a way of looking at eschatology. It appears as if the coming of
the millennial reign is dependent on human effort. Could it be this is what Jesus referred to
in Matthew 24:14? Postmillennialists postulate that the present age will gradually merge into
the millennial age as an increasingly larger proportion of the world’s inhabitants are
converted to Christ through the preaching of the gospel2.

As the millennium becomes a reality, Christian principles of belief and conduct will be the
accepted standard for nations and individuals. Although sin will not be completely eradicated
it will be reduced to a minimum. The social, economic, political, and cultural life on

2
Passages often used by postmillennialists are the following: Num 14:21; Ps 2:8; 22:27-29; 72; Isa 2:2-4; 11:6-
9; 65; 66; Jer 31:31-34; Zech 9:9f.; 13:1; 14:9.

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mankind will be vastly improved. It is very unlikely that the Bible clearly teaches every
thing that the postmillennialist stand for.

4.3 Premillennialism
Let me point out from the on set that there are two version of Premillennialism: Historical or
classical Premillennialism and dispensational Premillennialism.

Roland Chia (1906:125) broaches that; “Premillennialism simply states that after the return of
Christ, He will reign on earth for a thousand years before the final consummation of the
kingdom of God in the new heavens and new earth of the age to come.”

We need to bear in mind that historical Premillennialists insist that the second coming of
Christ should not be seen as a two-stage event, but a single occurrence. When Christ comes
again, believers who have died will be raised, believers who are still living will be
transformed and glorified, and then both groups will be caught up 3 together to meet the Lord
in the air.4 After this meeting in the air, believers will accompany the descending Christ to
earth. It is at this time when Christ returns to the earth that the antichrist will be slain and his
oppressive reign brought to an end. Either at this time or before, the vast majority of the Jews
then living will repent of their sins, they will believe in the Messiah, and will be saved; this
conversion of the Jews will be a source of untold blessing for the world. It is at this moment
that Christ will proceed to set up his millennial kingdom – a kingdom which will last one
thousand years. The final state will only be established after the millennium.

Dispensational Premillennialists teach that Christ’s second coming is a two-stage event 5. At

his second coming believers who have died will be raised from the dead, believers who are
still living will be transformed and glorified, and then both groups will be caught up to meet
the Lord in the air. After the meeting with the Lord in the air they shall be with the Lord for
seven years6. During this period it is believed that the wedding super of the Lamb shall take

3
This is where the doctrine of the rapture comes from. The rapture is that time when believers will be caught up
to meet the Lord in the air.
4
See 1Thes 4:15-18
5
The believers remain in heaven for seven years since this period is a time of the great tribulation on earth.
Believers only return to earth after the seven year period of tribulation on earth. And Christ will straight away
proceed to set up his millennial kingdom.
6
This is what is also referred to as the seventieth week of Daniel.

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place. After the seven years are ended Christ will descend to earth accompanied by believers.
And he shall proceed to set up his millennial kingdom.

The classical passage for Premillennialists is Rev. 20. Chia (1906:125) writes:

Revelation 19-22 is without doubt the locus classicus of premillenarian doctrine,

because in these chapters the vision of the events of the escaton (the end) is arranged
in chronological order. Also central to the interpretation of the premillennialists are
the two resurrections Revelations 20 describes. Employing a literalist hermeneutics,
all premillennialists argue that, taken in its most natural sense, these chapters in
Revelation would lead to a premillenarian eschatology.

Premillennialism, as can be seen advances that after the second coming of Christ (Parousia),
He will usher in the millennium (one thousand year reign on earth). If we interpret
Revelation 20 literary, the arguments for premillennialism become formidable. But if we are
to be consistent with the rest of the book of Revelation, it is doubtful whether such an
interpretation does justice to this passage of scripture.

5 THE FINAL JUDGMENT

5.1 The necessity of the Final Judgment

Three views shall be advanced here.

1 The outstanding purpose of the final judgment will be display the sovereignty of God
and the glory of God in the revelation of the final destiny of each person. The
ultimate issue to be considered in the final judgment is not the fate of certain
individuals, but the glory of God.
2 Another important purpose of the final judgment is to reveal the degree of reward and
the degree of punishment which each shall receive.
3 A third purpose of the final judgment is to execute God’s judgment on each person.
God will assign each person the place where he or she will spend eternity: either the
new earth or the final place of punishment.

5.2 The time of the final judgment

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Hoekema (1978:254-255) makes this observation:

Dispensationalists distinguish a number of separate judgments: the judgment

of the believer’s works at the time of the Parousia or rapture, the judgment of
the Israel just before the millennium, and the judgment of the wicked dead
after millennium.

Admittedly the multiplicity of separate judgments poses a big challenge to biblical scholars.
What is clear is that the final judgment will take place at the end of the age (2Peter 3:7-13;
Matt 13:40-43; 2Thes 1:7-10).

5.3 Eternal Punishment

The doctrine of eternal punishment is clearly taught in the Bible. Today we have some views
which seem to question the possibility of eternal punishment. These views are universalism
and annihilationism. Universalists teach that the doctrine of hell and eternal punishment is
inconsistent with the concept of a loving and powerful God. They teach that in the end all
human beings will be saved. This view goes as far back as Origen 185-254) who believed in
the end not only will all human beings be saved but even the devil and his demons.
According to Hoekema (1978:266) annihilationism takes two forms. In respect of this he
writes:

According to one form, man was created immortal, but those who continue in sin are
deprived of immortality and are simply annihilated – that is, reduced to to
nonexistence. According to the other form, also known as “conditional immortality,”
man was created mortal. Believers receive immortality as a gift of grace, and
therefore continue to exist in a state of blessedness after death. Unbelievers, however,
do not receive this gift and hence remain mortal; therefore at death are annihilated.

Both of these views of annihilationism teach that the wicked will be annihilated, and
consequently deny the doctrine of eternal punishment. John Stott seems to be a
contemporary advocate of this view. To the contrary the Bible affirms the doctrine of eternal
punishment. In Matt 5:22 Jesus teaches eternal punishment. Earlier we pointed out to the fact

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that Hades which is also translated as hell also refers to the place of punishment in the
intermediate state (Luke 16:23). But Hades is mostly used to refer to the place of the
departed spirits. The word which denotes the final punishment is Gehenna which is usually
translated as hell. Matt 10:28 illustrates well what we are saying. Here followers of Christ
are encouraged to fear him who has the power to destroy both the body and the soul in
Gehenna. Matthew 18:8-9 suggests that it is better to enter the kingdom of God maimed than
to enter into gehena tou pyros. In Mark 9:43 the fire of hell is said to be unquenchable.

6 The New Earth (and the New Heaven).

The Bible teaches that believers will go to heaven during the intermediate state. The Bible
also teaches that believers will be happy. But this happiness will be incomplete. For the
completion of their happiness believers await the resurrection of the body and the new earth
which God will create as a culmination of his redemptive work. It is in the new earth where
believers shall spend eternity. In fact God will make the new earth his dwelling place. And
remember where God dwells heaven is (Rev 21:1-4).

7 CONCLUSION

In this course we have seen how the whole Bible has an eschatological purpose. We also
encountered various eschatological views.

As we come to the close of this course let me suggest to you a few approaches you may wish
to explore as you teach eschatology.

1 Eschatology as hope
The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is what is known as the Blessed of the
Church. Let us look at some passages in the New Testament which illustrate this
eschatological hope.

Matthew 12:21 In his name the nations will put their hope."

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 Acts 23:6 Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others
Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, "My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of a
Pharisee. I stand on trial because of my hope in the resurrection of the dead."

Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Ephesians 2:12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ,
excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise,
without hope and without God in the world.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those

who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.

1 Timothy 4:10 (and for this we labor and strive), that we have put our hope in
the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe.

Titus 3:7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs
having the hope of eternal life.

1 John 3:3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set
your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.

2. Eschatology as last days

John 6:54 whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will
raise him up at the last day.

Acts 2:17 "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old
men will dream dreams.

2 Timothy 3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.

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 Hebrews 1:2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he
appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.

James 5:3 Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against
you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.

2 Peter 3:3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will
come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.

3 Focus on the major end time events

This approach focuses on the prophecies about the future and on the signs of the end
times. It takes into account any of the following aspects.

 You may focus the place of Israel in the history of the world
 You may wish to focus on the rapture
 Tribulation
 The Millennial rule of Christ on earth

4 Whatever approach you chose to take remember to keep Christ

paramount. He is the one who inaugurated the last days. And any
eschatological message should be designed to encourage the believers (1 Thes
4:18) and not to frighten them.

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