The noun “eschatology” comes from the Greek word “eschatos”, meaning “last or farthest”; thus, eschatology is a branch of theology (study of God), concerning the world’s and humanity’s final events.
Early Israelites saw “the King of Glory” coming to establish His kingdom, but they did not see their King as Bethlehem’s Baby, or Calvary’s sin-sacrifice, and a few eschatologist do not see the King with “the firstfruits” in Matthew 27:50-53, “the bulk of the harvest” in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, or “the gleanings” in Romans 11:25-26, but honest, true eschatologist make Jesus, the resurrected Christ, the central focus of everything in this life and in the life to come; regardless of how this life ends and when—they simply state biblical facts and leave it there, without persuasive argument. These truly are God’s faithful eschatologist.
When Jesus, in Acts 1:1-14, assembled with the disciples at the Mount of Olives, and was asked when He would restore the kingdom to Israel, told them this information was not for them to know, but only to remain in Jerusalem until they received Holy Spirit power to witness about Him, and while He talked with them, a cloud received Him out of their sight; a man in white apparel told them Jesus would return the same way He had left; thus, the focus is on Jesus and not when He will return to earth—He will return to earth the same way He went into heaven.
What difference will it make when Jesus returns if we refuse to believe God’s word, repent of our sins, know God has forgiven our sins (Romans 8:12-17), know we are obeying God’s word, and being conformed into the image of Jesus Christ, God’s Son (Romans 8:18-39)?
Jesus, in Luke 18:1-8, clarifies the necessity of crying out (worshiping, praying) to Him day and night, for when He returns as He went away, He will be searching every human heart looking for faith (Luke 5:20); therefore, having faith in God (Mark 11:22), to keep His word, His way, at His time, will be most important to Christ Jesus when He returns.
Eschatology is an important biblical study, but it must be balanced with a study on “Theology” the study of God, “Christology” the study of Christ, and “Pneumatology” the study of the Holy Spirit or Breath of God (Genesis 2:7; Psalm 104:29-30; Acts 2:1-4), for God, through Christ Jesus, by the Holy Spirit is the central theme of final events of the world and humanity.
The first three verses of Revelation, the Bible’s last book are, 1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, 2 who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things he saw. 3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.
Since the entire last biblical book is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”; then we must study it as God revealing His Son, Jesus Christ, and not who the physical people are, described in “The Revelation of Jesus Christ”, and all the details surrounding Jesus Christ, but focus on Jesus.
Eschatology is a beautiful and joyous study when the Godhead is center and everything else revolves around Him and not around “Scotland Yard’s” search for every tiny detail to prove who this is, what this means, where this is going, and when this will finalize—focus on Jesus Christ.
When we focus all our attention on God, through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, and let Him fill us with all His fullness (Ephesians 3:14-21), and faith (Hebrews 12:2), so when He returns, He will already know our mind stays focused on Him, because we trust Him (Isaiah 26:3).
We, then, have nothing else to do but read God’s word, believe it, obey it, and fill our days with praise, thanks, and worship to God, through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit, for we can praise and worship ourselves through all the deception the enemy uses trying to destroy us.
Jim Nabors
