DEALING WITH "LAST THINGS" (1)

The Rapture, Second Coming, and Millennium

Eschatology is that aspect of biblical doctrine dealing with "last things" (from Greek eschatos "final"). In 1 John 2:18, John describes the times in which he wrote as "the last hour," evidencing that he lived in immediate anticipation of Christ’s Second Coming, just as have Christians in every generation.  He saw his era, as do many believers today, as one in which the present evidence seemed to argue that his was the concluding generation.  This is not an unhealthy attitude; Christ Jesus desires that His people expectantly anticipate His return, (Matt. 25. 1-13; 2 Tim. 4:8).

In his first epistle, John not only writes of the lateness of the hour of history as he views it; he also addresses the subject of Antichrist, a theme commonly discussed when eschatology is studied.  The spirit of antichrist, the rapture of the church, the great Tribulation, the restoration of national Israel, and the millennial reign of Christ on Earth are among the many subjects the Bible describes as "last things."  The Bible and in many cases it does not conclusively give the sequence or precise manner of the fulfillment of such events.

PREMILLENNIAL PRETRIBULATION VIEW

All believers are "raptured" before the Great Tribulation. The rapture and the second Coming are separate events. Tribulation and Millennium are literal 7-year and 1,000-year periods    Israel and church separate programs	Rapture (1 Thess. 4:15-18) Church in heaven 7-year tribulation on Earth	Second Coming (2 thess. 2:8) Earthly millennial kingdom followed by eternity.          (Rev. 20: 1-6)

Please know that I do not embrace any conclusive point of view concerning these popularly discussed subjects. Rather, I seek to share bring information, and help fellow Christians plainly understand one another’s viewpoints in order to assist dialogue and to dismiss bigotry.  It is probably not reasonable for one Christian to be divided from another on the interpretation of things yet future, things of which neither can know the exact outcome until their actual occurrence.

Both the Rapture of the church (including the Second Coming of Christ) and the Millennium (or the 1,000-year of Christ on  Earth) are centerpieces in the prophetic future.  Honestywithe these two events, which are absolutely certain in the Scriptures, shows they are absolutely not precise in designating either a specific time or a conclusive method of occurrence....to be cont'd

In Christ,

Playwright Janet Irene Thomas

Founder/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

www.biblestoriestheatre.org

info@biblestoriestheatre.org