The Coming of Christ's Kingdom: The End-Times and the Triumph of the Gospel
An Eschatology Bible Study By Mike Warren The picture above is a woodcut by Hans Burgkmair the elder (d.1531). It appeared in several editions of Martin Luther's New Testament printed in 1523 and 1524. It depicts the scene described in the Book of Revelation, chapter 19. In modern times this chapter has often been interpreted as a description of the Second Coming of Christ. For reasons given in the Bible Study (see Sect. III, here), this interpretation is mistaken. The cheesy speech bubbles contain quotes from Acts 2:37-39. The quotes illustrate my interpretation of Revelation 19, that it depicts the spread and triumph of the Gospel that began when Christ ascended to the right hand of the Father and that continues until the time of the Second Coming and Last Judgment. Copyright 2010 Michael H. Warren, Jr.
". . . [T]o the five billion people alive today who will perish for all eternity, one by one, over the next 80 years, unless: (1) the Holy Spirit makes an historically unprecedented positive move; and (2) the Church of Jesus Christ at long last begins to get its act together. The exponential curve of souls has now appeared. Either heaven starts to fill up in earnest or hell does."†
"What is the biggest problem facing the world today? Is it the weather? Are we facing a new ice age? (Oops. Sorry. Scratch that. That was the 1973's looming apocalypse. I meant global warming!) Is it that burning fossil fuels creates the greenhouse effect? . . . Is it the hole in the ozone layer? Is it acid rain? Is it the proliferation of nuclear weapons? Is it chemical and biological warfare? Is it international terrorism? Is it AIDS? Is it abortion?" ". . . The biggest problem facing the world is that the vast majority of the people in this world are headed straight to hell."†
† Gary North, Millennialism and Social Theory
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Table of Contents
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| Section I: Introduction to the Four Views The Interpretation of Scripture and Prophecy
Section II: The Victory Theme in Scripture The Promise of World-Wide Gospel Dominion Jesus has begun the New Creation Defeated 'Til Christ Comes? Why Amillennialism is Wrong
Section III: The Great Tribulation: Jerusalem A.D. 70 Historical Witness of God's Vengeance Against Israel The Man of Lawlessness: 2 Thessalonians 2 Prophecies of Daniel Diagramed - With No Gaps! Section IV: Legalism, Lawlessness, and Losers: Examining Dispensationalism's Divisions and Defeatism History of Dispensationalism and Its Effects on the Church
Appendix 1: Some Objections to Postmillennialism Answered Appendix 2: Some Objections to Authorship of Revelation During Nero's Reign Answered Appendix 3: A Short History of the End of the World
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Focus Questions
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