LAST THINGS (Eschatology)

I. Representative Biblical references to “last” things.   

A. Old Testament – Heb. word achrith - “that which comes after”
         Isa. 2:2 – “In the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established…”
         Jere. 49:39 – “in the last days I shall restore the fortunes of Elam”
         Ezek. 38:16 – “in the last days I shall bring you against My land”
         Hosea 3:5 – “they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.”
         Micah 4:1 – “in the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established”
    B. New Testament – Greek word eschatos - “last in a sequence”
         John 6:39,40,44,54 – “raise it/him up on the last day”
         John 11:24 – “he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day”
         John 12:48 – “will judge him at the last day”
         Acts 2:17 – “In the last days I will pour forth of My Spirit”
         I Cor. 15:26 – “the last enemy abolished will be death”
         I Cor. 15:52 – “at the last trumpet, the dead will be raised imperishable”
         II Tim. 3:1 – “in the last days difficult times will come”
         Heb. 1:2 – “in these last days God has spoken to us in His Son”
         I Pet. 1:5 – “a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”
         I Pet. 1:20 – “He has appeared in these last times for the sake of you”
         II Pet. 3:3 – “in the last days mockers will come following their own lusts”
         I Jn. 2:18 – “it is the last hour”

II. A Biblical understanding of eschatos.    

A. Eschatos implies the “last” in a sequence – cf. I Cor. 15:8
         1. Not necessarily end or terminus
         2. Not necessarily final events of a future time
    B. Two avenues of eschatological consideration
         1. “Last things” for individuals – death, judgment, resurrection, after-life, etc.
         2. “Last things” concerning God’s purposes in history.
    C. Time can be divided into “past times” and “last times” – Heb. 1:1,2
        1. Complete period of “last times” – Acts 2:16; Heb. 1:2; II Pet. 1:20
         2. Specific period of “last days” of “last times” – Jn. 6:39,40,44, 11:24; 12:48; I Cor. 15:26,52;               I Tim. 4:1; I Pet. 1:5; II Pet. 3:3; I Jn. 2:18
    D. Differing perspectives of “last times”
         1. Jewish theology of old covenant looked to future for “last things”
         2. Christian theology of new covenant looks both to present fulfillment and future
              consummation of “last things”
    E. Christianity views God’s “last things” as fulfilled in Jesus Christ
         1. “Last days” inaugurated by the birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, Pentecostal
              outpouring of Jesus Christ.
         2. “Last things” fulfilled in the “finished work” of Jesus Christ – John 17:4; 19:30
         3. God’s “last word” for the restoration of mankind is in His Son, Jesus Christ.
   F. Christian eschatology must maintain a balance between the
         1. Already – the present, experienced, realized, inaugurated
         2. Not yet – the future, expected, anticipated, awaited

III Biblical categories that evidence the “already” and “not yet” of “last things.”    

A. Coming of Christ – parousia
         1. Already – II Pet. 1:6
         2. Not yet – I Cor. 15:23; I Thess. 2:19; 5:23; James 5:7,8
    B. Appearing of Christ – epiphaneia
         1. Already – II Tim. 1:10; Titus 2:11; 3:4
         2. Not yet – II Thess. 2:8; I Tim. 6:14; Titus 2:13
    C. Manifestation of Christ - phaino
         1. Already – I Tim. 3:16; I Pet. 1:20
         2. Not yet – I Pet. 5:4; I Jn. 2:28; 3:2
    D. Revealing of Christ – apokalupsis
         1. Already – Gal. 1:16
         2. Not yet – I Cor. 1:7; II Thess. 1:7; I Pet. 1:5,7; 4:13; 5:1
    E. Kingdom
         1. Already – Rom. 14:17; Col. 1:13
         2. Not yet – I Cor. 15:24,50; II Tim. 4:18
    F. Eternal life
         1. Already – Jn. 3:36; II Cor. 2:16; I Jn. 5:11-13
         2. Not yet – Jn. 6:40; Gal. 6:8; Jude 21
    G. Salvation
         1. Already – Lk. 19:9; Rom. 1:16; Eph. 2:5,8; Titus 2:11
         2. Not yet – Rom. 13:11; I Pet. 1:5
    H. Redemption
         1. Already – Rom. 3:24; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; Titus 2:14
         2. Not yet – Rom. 8:23; Eph. 1:4; 4:30
    I. Immortality
         1. Already – II Tim. 1:10
         2. Not yet – I Cor. 15:53,54
    J. Resurrection
         1. Already – Rom. 6:4,5; Eph. 2:6; Col. 2:12; 3:1
         2. Not yet – Jn. 11:24; I Cor. 15:42-44; II Cor. 5:4; I Thess. 4:16
    K. Hope
         1. Already – Eph. 1:8; Col. 1:27; I Tim. 1:1
         2. Not yet – Rom. 8:24,25; Col. 1:5; Titus 2:13
    L. Judgment
         1. Already – Jn. 3:19; 12:31
         2. Not yet – Rom. 14:10; II Cor. 5:10; Heb. 9:27
    M. Heaven
         1. Already – Eph. 1:3; 2:6; Phil. 3:20
         2. Not yet – Col. 1:5; I Pet. 1:4

IV. The Christological reality of “last things”    

A. Biblical eschatology must be Christocentric
         1. Jesus Christ is the eschatos of God. God’s last word for man.
              a. Last Adam – I Cor. 15:45
              b. First and the Last – Rev. 1:17; 2:8,19; 22:13
         2. Jesus is the culminating consummation of God’s intent for man.
         3. Jesus is the ontological dynamic of God’s “last thing”
    B. One’s eschatological understanding will provide a perspective and a grid for the interpretation
           of all Scripture.
         1. Is God’s “last thing” an event, a time period, a social entity, or a program of physical
              promises to be fulfilled?
         2. Or is God’s “last thing” fulfilled in His Son, Jesus Christ?