What is the concept of “already but not yet”?
The theological concept of “already but not yet” holds that believers are actively taking part in the kingdom of God, although the kingdom will not reach its full expression until sometime in the future. We are “already” in the kingdom, but we do “not yet” see it in its glory. The “already but not yet”…
What is realized eschatology?
Realized eschatology is a theory holding that the prophetic passages in the New Testament do not refer to the future; rather, they refer to the ministry of Jesus and His lasting “legacy” in the church. According to realized eschatology, all the Bible’s prophecies about the kingdom were fulfilled during Jesus’ lifetime. When Jesus said, “The…
Does Bible prophecy predict that there will be a World War 3 before the end times?
There is no doubt that world war will be a part of the future. Christ plainly taught that there would be war prior to His return (Matthew 24:4-31). Some hold that He spoke generally of the Church age in verses 4-14 and spoke of the tribulation period starting at its mid-point in verses 15-31. Others…
What is Christian Eschatology?
Eschatology is the study of what the Bible says is going to happen in the end times. Many treat Eschatology as an area of theology to be avoided. Of course, Eschatology is not as crucial as Christology or Soteriology. That does not mean, though, that it is unimportant to a Biblical worldview. How we understand…
Why is apocalyptic literature so strange?
Apocalyptic literature is a specific form of prophecy, largely involving symbols and imagery and predicting disaster and destruction. Apocalyptic literature frequently contains strange descriptions and bizarre imagery: the terrible, iron-toothed beast of Daniel 7, the long-haired locusts with men’s faces of Revelation 9, the four-faced creatures of Ezekiel 1. Apocalyptic literature involves descriptions of the…
What is the day of the Lord?
The phrase “day of the Lord” usually identifies events that take place at the end of history (Isaiah 7:18-25) and is often closely associated with the phrase “that day.” One key to understanding these phrases is to note that they always identify a span of time during which God personally intervenes in history, directly or…
Was Jesus’ statement that “some who are standing here will not taste death” in Luke 9:27 (also Matthew 16:28; Mark 9:1) incorrect?
Luke 9:27 says, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” See also Matthew 16:28 and Mark 9:1 for the parallel quotes. In each of the synoptic Gospels, the next event immediately after this promise from Jesus is the transfiguration. Rather than…
What is going to happen according to end times prophecy?
The Bible has a lot to say about the end times. Nearly every book of the Bible contains prophecy regarding the end times. Taking all of these prophecies and organizing them can be difficult. Following is a very brief summary of what the Bible declares will happen in the end times. Christ will remove all…
What is historicism?
In philosophy, historicism is an approach to history that assigns a particular meaning to an event according to that event’s context within the arc of history. In some cases, this results in viewing historical change as a power in and of itself. Historicism can be as extreme as claiming that certain changes are “historically inevitable,”…
What is the preterist view of the end times?
According to preterism, all prophecy in the Bible is really history. The preterist interpretation of Scripture regards the book of Revelation as a symbolic picture of first-century conflicts, not a description of what will occur in the end times. The term preterism comes from the Latin praeter, meaning “past.” Thus, preterism is the view that…