Equip: Eschatology

Usually when we think of eschatology most, if not all people of different faiths seem to immediately jump to the debatable issues of life after death or the end of the world.  For Christians the issues of the second coming, the resurrection of the dead, or the final judgment. After I was asked if I would write on this topic I immediately asked the question to myself “why would God leave so many questions up for debate? What does the end of things impact us or how should it affect us now and how we are to live as Christians?

While I do believe the questions that surround eschatology are valid and legitimate to ask in order to know God better, as well as, what He is trying to communicate to mankind about His future plans, the destiny of Christians and non-Christians alike.  I think in debating those issues the question I posed earlier of why God leaves questions is the type of question that gets lost in the weeds. I will hopefully address that concern.

Once I stopped thinking about the debates that come up I did start to think about being at Home, in Heaven with Jesus.  This led me to ask the question why do I not think about Heaven and the implications of Jesus' resurrection more than I do?  When I was approached about writing this blog the person was curious as to my view on the resurrection and what that means for me given that I am disabled.  I found that very interesting because, sadly, I do not think about it much more beyond the implications of salvation for people. The only other times I think of having another home is when I am hearing a song like "Do Lord" or "I'll fly way."  The only other times I think of the resurrection and having another home is when I read a passages in the Bible like John 14:1 - 3 or 1 Peter 2 2:4 - 25, which remind me that this place is not for us and that we have another home. I tend to think in very temporal ways with relationships, my wants, and what will my life look like in a year or two, but the fact is that I am not so Heavenly minded that I am of no Earthly good.

The fact is that as Christians we are to be Heavenly minded.  I say that not because this place is horrible, even though it is in comparison of eternity with God. However, I say it because for the Christian being Heavenly minded to me infers recalling the Resurrection and its implications just as much as we recall Christ death.  It reminds me of 1 Corinthians 15 verses 12 to the end of the chapter. There Paul makes the argument that Christ did resurrect from the dead.  He makes the argument that if Christ did not rise the preaching the gospel is dead.  Not only that, but if He did not rise then a Christian's faith is futile and we all are still in sin.  However, He did raise, therefore, as believers we are made alive.  The fact that He has resurrected me means I need to be Heavenly minded.  This is because by being Heavenly minded means that I will declare the gospel in Word and in deed, which is what Jesus calls us to when He essentially tells the disciples to go unto all the world and them declaring the gospel.  Reminding myself of how Jesus resurrected and what that means for my eternal security if truly grasped it seems to me it would cause me to let go of all this world has to offer and totally be sold out for Christ in word and in deed regardless of the consequences.  

Can you imagine what it would look look like if Christians were sold out for out for Christ in America?   Can you imagine the mockery Christians would face if unbelievers felt Christians expressing the expectation that they really do believe that there will be an end to this place and that will be at a better place?  Sure we would be mocked and teased if we actually lived that in our lives daily, but imagine what it would look like. I have a funny feeling that the Church would resemble much more to those Christians who were living in Acts 2:42 - 48 who automatically fulfill people's needs in the Church and proclaiming the gospel to those around them regardless of the consequences because Christ's love compels as well as because they know this is not their home.  I am not saying to guilt myself or others because it is not being lived out now by many, but I think it would be increased because our minds would be that that we have a future hope and home Jeremiah 29:11 and so we would not continually be trying to score points here. Instead we would do things for an eternal purpose in mind Matt. 6:19 - 21. So, I do not us want to merely look at Eschatology as a topic that merely causes discussions and debates in the Church, but a study of the hope finally being fulfilled because we will be will be whole with God due to  Jesus death and resurrection. The lion will lay down with the lamb, there will be no more sin, and He will have wiped away every tear from His saints' eyes.

The fact is this; as believers, once we are in Heaven we will be clothed with heavenly tents.  We will have heavenly bodies. It is crazy that I do not have an emotional reaction this. Many if not all of you who are reading this know I have Cerebral Palsy, which has put me in this chair and made my experiences different than most of you.  I need help with most if not all of the most basic daily tasks that we all need to do to make our lives function such as getting into and out of bed, using the restroom, cooking, cleaning, etc. I have dealt with it very much with the attitude that this is the way life is for me, but there have been many times where tears have flowed.  Oddly many of them have not come from the disability itself, but how my disability affects my relationships with people either because I can not just visit them or I wonder if they treat me a certain due to the disability. So, in my minds eye I will be able to do everything for myself in which case I view my relationships with people being different because the disability will not be with me.  I will be able to go places without wondering if I have someone to help me use the restroom, or I need a clothing protector, or if people treat me different because what they see. What issues do you face that will be gone in your heavenly body? We will finally be fully known in Christ. What a glorious day that will be!

Equip: Eschatology – The Man of Sin

"Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 ESV

Eschatology can be defined as a belief concerning death, the end of the world, or the ultimate destiny of humankind; specifically any of various Christian doctrines concerning the Second Coming, the resurrection of the dead, or the Last Judgment. Over time and on-going our God by the Holy Spirit teaches us directly and by others from the Scriptures. In the text before us, Paul went as far as to appeal to the church in Thessalonica to “stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter” as to what he said about eschatology. Of course as most would point to, we all should follow the example of those noble brethren in Berea who received the word with all eagerness from Paul but they examined the Scriptures daily to see if what Paul had to say were actually so (Acts 17). Something I like to do along the way in my life is not to try to understand everything but to focus on one idea or teaching. All one has to do is look at the Scriptures, observe life and history while looking to the Holy Spirit our teacher. It’s for sure okay to read books or listen to teachers but always after such endeavors to then be like the noble Bereans. Little by little my Eschatology comes into focus from Him.

So let’s see what the Scriptures say about one particular event. I place this topic under the category of Eschatology because most views teach that it is yet a future event for us today but for sure it was a future event for the Thessalonians Paul was writing to. First I’ll write a question and then let various Scriptures present answers. Then after that I’ll make some observations and a little history.

QUESTION

Is there a man coming who will:
enter the temple at Jerusalem,
go into the holy of holies,
and declare himself to be God?

…the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,  4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God… from 2 Thess 2:1-11

…So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), from Matt 24:15-28

…But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), from Mark 13:14-23

…And on the wing of abominations shall come one who makes desolate… from Dan 9:24-27

…Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate… from Dan 11:29-35

…and the abomination that makes desolate is set up… from Dan 12:5-13

and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Rev 13:14-16

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. 1 John 2:18

OBSERVATIONS

A popular view is that the abomination of desolation already took place in 70 A.D. when the Romans destroyed the temple. It’s hard for me to match up what the Scriptures say with what happened there in history. I think what I’d point to is that John wrote his letters and the Book of revelation 10-30 years after 70 A.D. meaning that John was writing about a future event. That’s too much to overcome for me by itself and when I add-in that the historical facts that took place in 70 A.D don’t exactly match the Scriptures then I take a pass on that view. I always keep in mind the prophecies of the first coming of Jesus. Without question all those prophesies were fulfilled exactly in the view of historical facts. Therefore, I live in the principle that in the same way biblical prophecies concerning the second coming of Jesus too will be fulfilled exactly in the view of history future. Also, here’s something interesting as well historically. The Pulpit Commentary discusses that many of the early church fathers spoke of and taught about a coming man of sin yet future.

THE external evidence in favor of the authenticity of the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians is even stronger than that in favor of the First Epistle. In consequence of the prediction of the "man of sin," contained in the second chapter, which prediction made a great impression on the early Church, it is more frequently referred to and quoted by the Christian Fathers. The testimonies of Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clemens of Alexandria, and Tertullian may all be appealed to. Justin Martyr (A.D. 140) unquestionably alludes to this Epistle when he says, "When also the man of apostasy, who speaketh great things against the Most High, shall dare to commit unlawful deeds against us Christians" ('Dial. cum Tryph.,' c. 110). And the following direct quotations are found in the writings of Irenaeus (A.D. 178): "And again in the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, speaking of antichrist, Paul says, 'And then shall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the spirit of his mouth, and destroy with the presence of his coming' (2 Thess 2:8)" ('Adv. Haeres.,' 3:7, 2). And again: "Concerning whom the apostle in the Epistle which is the Second to the Thessalonians thus speaks: 'Except a falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition: who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped' (2 Thess 2:3,4)" ('Adv. Haeres.,' 5:25, 1). (from The Pulpit Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Something else I observe, is that Paul taught the Thessalonians when he was there in person and again later in his letters to them about the end of days and a man who would come who “takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” In fact Paul was only with them for weeks in person and he made sure to teach on these matters. I encourage all to include all of the Scriptures into our thinking and theology. But in particular, I give personal attention to any topic that Jesus spoke about, Paul taught about and in this case John the Apostle discussed along with Daniel in the Old Testament. This topic about this man of sin must be important for all believers to know about and learn about. Therefore, my fellow “Bereans” I suggest over time we include all of the topics of Eschatology along with all of the Scriptures into our growing understanding of what we believe the Scriptures speak about and teach us.