James Cagle 

The Bible says, “And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world”? (Mt.24:3).

Eschatology means the theology of last things. Eschatology has to do with the study of the last things that take place on planet earth, of how God in fulfillment of His Word (KJV) will wrap things up and finalize everything, and put an end to sin (Dan. 9:24).

Eschatology teaches that the next thing on God’s plan is the rapture of the church. The church, which is made up of born-again believers in Jesus Christ, could leave this world in mass at any moment (1 Cor.15:51-58; 1 Thess.4:13-18).

After the rapture, things begin to unroll and unravel very quickly.

Eschatology has to do with the future of nations in the end time. It teaches that there will be a one world government headed by Satan’s man, the antichrist (Rev. 13:7) and a one- world religion (Rev. 17:1; 18:24).

Eschatology teaches that there will be a seven- year tribulation period of which the last three and a half years will be so horrific they will be called the Great Tribulation (Mat. 24:21). That these seven years will be years when Satan will be allowed to have his way and will be worshiped by man (2 Thess.2:3,4). That these years will be filled with suffering and hardships and disasters for the inhabitants of the earth as God pours out His judgment on unrepentant sinners, and unrepentant Israel (Rev. 6-19).

Eschatology teaches that the worse days as well as the best days for Israel are yet future. She will be attacked by the armies of antichrist in a war that will be a literal blood-bath (Rev.14:20), in which Israel is delivered and saved by Jesus in response to their repentant hearts and prayers (Zech.12, 14:1-11, Rev.19:11-16).

The remnant that remains of Israel at the end of the tribulation period go into the millennial reign of Christ (Ez.20:33-44).

Nations are then judged by Christ (Mt.24) and those nations that treated Israel well are given a place in Christ’s millennial reign and those that didn’t are cast into hell.

Satan is bound throughout the millennial reign of Christ, to be released for a season in the end when the last war between God and His enemies is fought, in which God prevails (Rev. 20).

Eschatology teaches there is a final judgment called the Great White Throne judgment, where all the wicked, unrepentant, lost sinners are judged to determine their degree of suffering in the eternal flames of the lake of fire (Rev. 20:11-15, 21:8).

Eschatology teaches there will be global warming that will be greater than anyone has ever imagined. That this planet on which we now live will one day catch fire and everything on it will be burned into nothing (2 Pet. 3:10-13).

Finally, eschatology teaches there will be a new heaven and a new earth created by God where the redeemed will dwell with God, their Creator, and Savior, throughout all eternity (Rev. 21).

Eschatology teaches the best is yet to come for the saved, and the worse is yet to come for the lost.

One day this temporal world and life ends and eternity begins. Where will you be a million years from now?

James H. Cagle is a resident of Ray City.