An Introduction to the End Times

“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Be on guard, keep awake.  For you do not know when the time will come.” – Mark 13:32-33 

I have elected to address this topic in light of the current state of the world.  There is a lot going on that is cause for concern, but I want to be clear as I begin this series of posts…I do not intend to exegete the culture or current global events for the purpose of attempting to discern when Christ is returning.  As Jesus said in the above verse, we don’t know precisely when He is coming, and we won’t know precisely until He does. I don’t intend to be prophetic or to do any fearmongering here. If that’s what you’re after, you can find plenty of that on YouTube or social media in general.  My aim here is the same as in all of my posts, to educate you and point you to Jesus. This is, I believe, the purpose of the biblical teaching on the entire subject of the end times. 

Like many theological subjects, this is an internal debate.  There are varying views as it relates to the return of Christ and the ensuing eternal state.  I will present these views, which I believe have biblical merit, and in some cases, cite the same passages.  As an internal debate, it must be held with civility, grace, and humility.  In the end, the purpose is the exaltation of Christ as King and Ruler of this world.  Though the subject matter is weighty and may cause concern, please bear in mind as you read the Scriptures on the subject that Christ is Lord even over the storm, and your salvation is secure no matter what happens on this side of eternity.  As with all things, read the Scripture with your eyes on Christ. He’s always the center of the text.  With this said, let’s jump in.

Varying Views

First, let’s break this into several parts that we will go into more over the next few weeks.  In essence, you have:

1. Signs of the Return of Christ

2. The Physical Return of Christ

3. The Reign of Christ

These are the three major categories.  Within these major categories are what I will call subcategories…

1. Signs of the Return of Christ: Signs in Both Nature and in Humanity

2. The Physical Return of Christ: The Timing of the Removal of the Church From the Earth: Will this be Pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, or post-tribulation?

3. The Reign of Christ: Will Christ’s return be Premillennial, Amillennial, or Postmillennial?

I will address these topics in this order throughout this series, dedicating a post to each subcategory.  I will offer the biblical justifications for each view which, as I stated before, we will see that many of the same passages are cited.  This means that people have interpreted these texts differently and come to different conclusions.  Since we are discussing a debatable topic and not a salvation doctrine (Justification, for example) or a clear teaching of Scripture (male eldership, for example) this is acceptable.  I will offer the strengths and weaknesses of each view, including the one I hold, and share the names of some prominent theologians who hold each view.  Getting through all of this material while keeping it understandable and brief will be challenging.  As always, I encourage you to do your own biblical research on the subject.

What’s the Point of Apocalyptic Literature?

As a work of literature, Scripture can be divided into literary genres.  Some of these are history (think Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, Chronicles, Kings, etc.), poetry (Psalms, Song of Solomon), wisdom (Proverbs), etc.  One such genre is apocalyptic literature.  Apocalyptic literature deals with the events surrounding the end of this age.  It uses primarily metaphoric language to describe the coming end of the age and paints a grim picture of the events on this earth while simultaneously painting a hopeful picture of the future in eternity.  It is found within the prophetic books, most notably Daniel, and in some of the New Testament epistles, most notably Revelation. 

Apocalyptic literature, particularly in Scripture, has become a sort of fascination of both Christians and non-Christians. Many Christians have foolishly claimed to have interpreted the times and the Scriptures in such a way as to know when exactly Jesus is coming. Many of us can recall Harold Camping, who predicted Christ would return on May 21st, 2011.  Well, to no one’s surprise, he was wrong, but for many, it raises a good question…if we have the apocalyptic writings in Scripture and they aren’t meant to show us when exactly Christ is returning, what is the point of them?  I offer three answers.

• So We Can Know What to Look For

In His grace, God has given us a window into what He is doing, while keeping the details to Himself for His purposes.  Note then, that we do not have these writings so we know when exactly when Christ will return, but so we can know when the time is drawing near.  This and many other reasons should motivate us to preach the gospel.  While we don’t have to fear the coming end, it will be a chaotic time in human history the likes of which have not been seen (Matthew 24:21).  We need to be prepared to stand firm in the faith, and God has given us a means of knowing that the time is drawing near.

• So We can be Comforted by God’s Sovereignty

By showing us what to look for and explaining how it all plays out, God has demonstrated to His people that He is in complete and total control.  This should comfort you, regardless of your position.  If God were not in control, He could not know how it would end, and He could not explain it to us in any detail whatsoever. Yet He has, so we can know that everything is going according to His plan and purpose.  No matter how insane our world gets, our God is still in control, and His Son is still on the throne. 

• So We Can Know that Jesus Wins

This brings me to my last reason for apocalyptic literature… Jesus wins.  God determined in eternity past how everything in world history would play out, including its end, and because of the cross and the empty tomb, Jesus wins.  Revelation 5:9-10:

“And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” 

Jesus is worthy because He defeated sin by His death, and defeated death by His resurrection.  What that means for us is that evil will be completely defeated, sin will be no more, death will be abolished, and our great enemy will be eternally cast into the fire of God’s judgment.  The one who is for you has already won the victory, we are simply awaiting the day of its consummation. No matter what happens, the end is assured…Jesus wins.

Summary

This was meant to be an introduction to a weighty topic, and I hope that it has brought some clarity to why we have these writings dealing with the end times.  In my next article, I will address the signs of the end.  But bear in mind, and this is not the last time you’ll hear me say this, we do not do this to determine the exact time of Christ’s return.  We do it so we know what to look for and rejoice that the time of eternal glory is close at hand.

Soli Deo Gloria