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- [00:01]
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Why are people so obsessed with the end of the world? I suppose for one thing, it might be less anxiety inducing if we knew ahead of time exactly what was going to happen. Perhaps we could be better prepared for it or avoid it somehow. The end of the world is you don't need me to tell you a theme much beloved by artists, environmentalists, writers and filmmakers. Whether it's the earth being pelted with meteors, cooked or frozen to death by climate change, taken over by mutinous robots, or being scheduled for demolition by a race of bureaucratic aliens intent on building a hyperspace bypass, nothing focuses the mind or makes bank quite so reliably as portraying the end of the world. Apparently in the UK in 2015, 23% of the general public believed the end was likely to come come in their lifetime, the most likely cause being nuclear war. Only 3% of Britons thought the world would be brought to an end by the second coming of Christ, compared to 16% of Americans. All of which brings me to eschatology. The word eschatology comes from the two Greek words eschatos and logos, meaning last and word. So eschatology is a word about last things, or to put it another way, the study of things that will happen at the end. So we're doing eschatology when we talk about death and what comes after it, the second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment, the passing away of this present world and the establishment of the new heaven and new earth. You may also hear theologians talking about the eschaton, which is a way of describing the time when these things will happen. Jesus tells us that there are some aspects of eschatology that God has quite deliberately chosen not to disclose. When the disciples ask him when he plans to restore the kingdom to his people, Jesus replies, it is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. And when Jesus talks to them about his second coming, he makes this remarkable concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father. Only we know that the day is coming, but we don't know exactly when. So if someone claims they do know exactly when Jesus will return, as many have over the years, they are lying and claiming to know more than Jesus himself. That said, we are told a great deal about these last things, even if Christians historically have debated some of the finer details, especially since the late 19th century when dispensationalism began to arise. Check out the episodes on the Millennium and the Rapture for more on that Although Jesus warns us against being too prescriptive about the exact details, Scripture does does tell us a great deal in the realm of eschatology. In fact, when we talk about the last days, we're not merely restricting ourselves to the study of things yet to happen. According to the apostles, the last days began when Christ first entered the world. For example, Hebrews1 says that in these last days God has spoken to us by His Son. The assumption is clear. We're living in the last days right now, and have been since the New Testament was written. That doesn't mean that the Lord will return today or in our lifetime, although he might. But it does mean that we are consciously to live our lives in the knowledge that the Lord's return is not far off. For those who ignore God or who presume on God's forgiveness while living lives of impurity, that is a warning much more fearful than nuclear war or catastrophic climate change. But for faithful believers, especially believers who are suffering or under persecution, it is a precious thought to know that these days are the last days and that the Lord will return soon to gather his people into his arms. You've been listening to Simply Put with me, Barry Cooper. If you like this podcast from Ligonier Ministries, here's another one I think you might enjoy.
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If you could ask some of the most trusted theological minds any question you liked, what would it be? Ask Ligonier is a new podcast that allows you to do just that. Each week we take questions from you, our listeners, and put them in front of people like Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, W. Robert Godfrey, Stephen Nichols, Burke Parsons, Derek Thomas, and many other special guests. If you'd like to Ask Ligonier a theological question for inclusion on the podcast, leave us a voicemail by calling 1-800-607-9386 or record your question on a smartphone and email it to askligoniervmigonier.org I'm Nathan W. Bingham, and I hope you'll join me for Ask Ligonier.