Eschatology

Before we begin I must commend all of you on completing the EQUIP course!

You have accomplished an incredible task and should be proud of all that you have done.

Equip is not for the faint of heart so great job Bible Scholars on completing this school year!

Intro

Eschatology comes from the Greek word eschatos

eschatos = last

eschatology simply is the study of the last things

It is important to note that although unbelievers like to make predictions about what is to come or how this world will come to an end human history has shown us that humans will never have certain knowledge of future events

Only God knows the future for certain and in the Bible He has shown us the major events that have yet to come.

Tonight we will be covering multiple topics regarding the last things such as...

Heaven and Hell

The Return of Christ

The Millennium

What does Jesus say about His return

These are known as General Eschatology

Or things that will affect the universe as a whole

It differs from personal eschatology that deals with things like (death, the intermediate state, and glorification)

Which for the sake of time we will not be covering tonight

One bit of encouragement before we jump into our final teaching tonight is that eschatology is not meant to bring you anxiety thinking about the state of our world, or depression thinking about everything coming to an end.

Revelation was not written to the 1st century church to cause them to lose hope but rather to bring hope to a hurting Church.

So as we go through tonights lesson just know that the last things to come are God’s final acts of justice and redemption in this fallen and broken world and the result will be God creating all things new and welcoming us into rest with Him forever.

PRAY

Heaven

After the final judgement believers will enter into the full enjoyment of life in the presence of God forever.

Before we begin our discussion on Heaven I would like for you to spend a few minutes discussing what you think heaven will be like.

What do you think heaven will be like? (5 Minutes)

We often talk about living with God forever in heaven which is correct, we will go to be with God eternally however the Bible clearly explains to us that there will be a new heaven and a new earth and entirely renewed creation and we will go to live with God there.

2 Peter 3:13 ESV

13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Revelation 21:1–3 ESV

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.