I admit that these questions have haunted me all my life. I have largely avoided them, even in seminary to some degree. I attribute this to nothing other than my pride. I tend to warm up to that which I know best because I have more control and comfort there. On the other hand, I tend to keep at bay that which can expose my ignorance or make me feel insignificant. Sheer pride.
In God's abundant grace and great sovereignty, He has engaged me with the blessed truths of eschatology in the past two months of my life. I am currently enrolled in a Theology IV class at Master's Seminary this Spring dealing with eschatology. And the ROCK group has just come upon Mark 13, the Olivet Discourse (dealing with end times theology). Like a breached dam, God has penetrated my pride and has been pouring His Word into a place where water wants to go but has been held back for so long. And I invite the deluge. My soul has been shut off to so much of God's glorious truth about future things.
Of course, when the topic of the end times arises for the first time in Christ's ministry, the disciples are driven with curiosity as to when these last days and future events will take place. They ask him, “Tell us, when will these things be” (Mk 13:4).
Below is a brief timeline of what I have come to believe the Bible represents as sound eschatology. The points and brief summaries are taken from chapter 11 of Paul A Benware's book Understanding End Times Prophecy:
1. The Rapture of the Church
The Lord will return from heaven and suddenly remove the church from the earth (1 Thess 4:13–18). He will meet believers in the air as we receive our glorified bodies.
Christians who have died before the Rapture and have been with Christ since, will also be involved, having their physical bodies raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:51–53).
All Christians who make up the church, the bride of Christ, will be with Him in heaven (John 14:1–3).
2. The Judgement Seat of Christ
All those who have been raptured will immediately be evaluated by the Lord concerning our works done in, through, by and for Him. This does not concern the salvation of the individual, since that has already been settled at the cross by the effective work of Christ.
If the works done in their life are good, then they will receive reward. If there are worthless deeds done by the believers then they will suffer loss for them (once again, not a loss of salvation).
3. The Seven-Year Tribulation ("70th Week" of Daniel)
After the church is removed from the earth, the world will experience unprecedented tribulation. According to Daniel 9:24–27, the tribulation begins when a man known as the Antichrist signs a treaty with the nation of Israel. At first, he seems to be Israel's protector, but he will turn out to be the great persecutor of Israel.
The first and great purpose of God in the tribulation is to save the nation of Israel (and many Gentiles too) and bring them under the new covenant of salvation. God will employ many miracles but He will also allow intense persecution on Israel. More will be saved in this seven year period than any other (Rev 7:9–17).
The second purpose of the tribulation is judgment on unrepentant sinful people. This will be an unprecedented time of trouble and judgment on the earth, as laid out in Revelation 6–18 and Matthew 24:4–28). Nearly 80% of the population of the earth will be destroyed in three series of different judgments.
Satan will be busy during the tribulation, attempting to destroy God's people with the Antichrist. Many will be deceived and follow him, but it will be to no avail because Jesus will return to take control of the planet for good.
4. The Second Coming of Christ to the Earth
Jesus will come in power and glory, ending the great tribulation and inaugurating the Millennial Kingdom. Many will rejoice upon His coming and many will be filled with great sorrow for their judgment is at hand.
Five important events occur at this time:
(1) The judgment of the living Gentiles (sheep and the goats judgment, Matt 25:31–46);
(2) The judgment of Israel (parable of ten virgins, Matt 25:1–11);
(3) The resurrection and rewarding of Old Testament saints who perished in the tribulation (Rev 6:9; 20:4–6; Dan 12:2);
(4) The binding of Satan (Rev 20:1–3); and
(5) The actual establishing of the messianic kingdom.
5. The Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ
The Millennial Kingdom is established once all the enemies of Christ are judged in the Second Coming. This is the time when all the unconditional covenants in the OT are fulfilled and accomplished allowing Israel and Gentiles to partake of the blessings of Christ's rule.
Because the curse for sin has been lifted, all people everywhere will worship Christ as Lord and Savior and all creation will bloom and become fertile. There will be prosperity and peace on the earth. There will be no disease and man will live very long in the Kingdom. The animal kingdom will be universally reset to where lions will not eat lambs and all animals will be vegetarians.
Although everyone in the Kingdom is a believer from the start worshiping Christ as King, there will be two different body types: mortal bodies (for those who believed and lived in the tribulation and were ushered straight into the Millennial Kingdom) and resurrected bodies (believers who died in church age, OT, and tribulation).
Those with mortal bodies who marry and have children in the Millennium may or may not have believing children (like in every age). Most will come to believe but some will not accept Christ as their King (Ps 2:9; Isa 11:4). When Satan is released one last time at the end of the 1,000 years, these unbelievers will rise in rebellion against the rule of Jesus as King (Rev 20:7–10).
6. The Judgments of the End Times
Three judgments will take place after the 1,000-year reign of Christ on the earth (Rev 20:7–15; 1 Cor 6:3):
(1) final judgment of Satan and the fallen angels to the lake of fire for eternity;
(2) all unbelievers from every age will be judged at the great white throne judgment and also throne into the lake of fire because of their sin and unbelief; and
(3) the heavens and the earth will be judged/renewed/purged of all sin, decay, curse, and corruption. The fire from 2 Peter 3:7–10 will cleanse the earth of all contamination of sin and wickedness and prepare the way for the new heavens and the new earth.
Also those who die in the Millennial Kingdom will be raised at this time to be judged in preparation for the eternal state.
7. The Eternal State
Benware concludes, "It was God's purpose from the very beginning to rule over and fellowship with people and with angels. His rulership was challenged, and His fellowship was marred by the entrance of sin and rebellion. But with the death of Jesus Christ on the cross to pay for sin and satisfy the wrath of God, fellowship was once again a reality. And with the defeat of the usurper Satan and the collapse of all the kingdoms of mankind, the Lord Jesus is King of Kings and the kingdom is now delivered over to the Father. In the eternal kingdom of God, there will be a fullness of joy, full and unhindered fellowship, and meaningful living on a new earth (Rev 21:1–22:5). This will forever be the experience of those who are the children of God."
1. The Rapture of the Church
The Lord will return from heaven and suddenly remove the church from the earth (1 Thess 4:13–18). He will meet believers in the air as we receive our glorified bodies.
Christians who have died before the Rapture and have been with Christ since, will also be involved, having their physical bodies raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:51–53).
All Christians who make up the church, the bride of Christ, will be with Him in heaven (John 14:1–3).
2. The Judgement Seat of Christ
All those who have been raptured will immediately be evaluated by the Lord concerning our works done in, through, by and for Him. This does not concern the salvation of the individual, since that has already been settled at the cross by the effective work of Christ.
If the works done in their life are good, then they will receive reward. If there are worthless deeds done by the believers then they will suffer loss for them (once again, not a loss of salvation).
3. The Seven-Year Tribulation ("70th Week" of Daniel)
After the church is removed from the earth, the world will experience unprecedented tribulation. According to Daniel 9:24–27, the tribulation begins when a man known as the Antichrist signs a treaty with the nation of Israel. At first, he seems to be Israel's protector, but he will turn out to be the great persecutor of Israel.
The first and great purpose of God in the tribulation is to save the nation of Israel (and many Gentiles too) and bring them under the new covenant of salvation. God will employ many miracles but He will also allow intense persecution on Israel. More will be saved in this seven year period than any other (Rev 7:9–17).
The second purpose of the tribulation is judgment on unrepentant sinful people. This will be an unprecedented time of trouble and judgment on the earth, as laid out in Revelation 6–18 and Matthew 24:4–28). Nearly 80% of the population of the earth will be destroyed in three series of different judgments.
Satan will be busy during the tribulation, attempting to destroy God's people with the Antichrist. Many will be deceived and follow him, but it will be to no avail because Jesus will return to take control of the planet for good.
4. The Second Coming of Christ to the Earth
Jesus will come in power and glory, ending the great tribulation and inaugurating the Millennial Kingdom. Many will rejoice upon His coming and many will be filled with great sorrow for their judgment is at hand.
Five important events occur at this time:
(1) The judgment of the living Gentiles (sheep and the goats judgment, Matt 25:31–46);
(2) The judgment of Israel (parable of ten virgins, Matt 25:1–11);
(3) The resurrection and rewarding of Old Testament saints who perished in the tribulation (Rev 6:9; 20:4–6; Dan 12:2);
(4) The binding of Satan (Rev 20:1–3); and
(5) The actual establishing of the messianic kingdom.
5. The Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ
The Millennial Kingdom is established once all the enemies of Christ are judged in the Second Coming. This is the time when all the unconditional covenants in the OT are fulfilled and accomplished allowing Israel and Gentiles to partake of the blessings of Christ's rule.
Because the curse for sin has been lifted, all people everywhere will worship Christ as Lord and Savior and all creation will bloom and become fertile. There will be prosperity and peace on the earth. There will be no disease and man will live very long in the Kingdom. The animal kingdom will be universally reset to where lions will not eat lambs and all animals will be vegetarians.
Although everyone in the Kingdom is a believer from the start worshiping Christ as King, there will be two different body types: mortal bodies (for those who believed and lived in the tribulation and were ushered straight into the Millennial Kingdom) and resurrected bodies (believers who died in church age, OT, and tribulation).
Those with mortal bodies who marry and have children in the Millennium may or may not have believing children (like in every age). Most will come to believe but some will not accept Christ as their King (Ps 2:9; Isa 11:4). When Satan is released one last time at the end of the 1,000 years, these unbelievers will rise in rebellion against the rule of Jesus as King (Rev 20:7–10).
6. The Judgments of the End Times
Three judgments will take place after the 1,000-year reign of Christ on the earth (Rev 20:7–15; 1 Cor 6:3):
(1) final judgment of Satan and the fallen angels to the lake of fire for eternity;
(2) all unbelievers from every age will be judged at the great white throne judgment and also throne into the lake of fire because of their sin and unbelief; and
(3) the heavens and the earth will be judged/renewed/purged of all sin, decay, curse, and corruption. The fire from 2 Peter 3:7–10 will cleanse the earth of all contamination of sin and wickedness and prepare the way for the new heavens and the new earth.
Also those who die in the Millennial Kingdom will be raised at this time to be judged in preparation for the eternal state.
7. The Eternal State
Benware concludes, "It was God's purpose from the very beginning to rule over and fellowship with people and with angels. His rulership was challenged, and His fellowship was marred by the entrance of sin and rebellion. But with the death of Jesus Christ on the cross to pay for sin and satisfy the wrath of God, fellowship was once again a reality. And with the defeat of the usurper Satan and the collapse of all the kingdoms of mankind, the Lord Jesus is King of Kings and the kingdom is now delivered over to the Father. In the eternal kingdom of God, there will be a fullness of joy, full and unhindered fellowship, and meaningful living on a new earth (Rev 21:1–22:5). This will forever be the experience of those who are the children of God."
