Introduction: What Are End Time Events All About
Overview
What Are End Time Events All About
What Does End Time Events Mean?
The study of end-time events (called Eschatology) is the study of those events surrounding the second coming of Jesus Christ. When studying end time events and Bible Prophecy it's very important that we do not assert opinion beyond what Scripture tells us about the details of what is yet to take place. It's also important not to read anything into the scripture passages; we should let scripture speak for its self. We must allow scripture to interpret scripture, looking at the context of the book, context of the chapter and surrounding verses, taking into the consideration cultural and historical perspectives as well in order to better our understanding of end-time events.
How Does the Christian View Differ from the Secular View
Depending on their view of Bible prophecy scholars can differ on their interpretations, where some see it as literal prophecy regarding future events, others look at Bible prophecy as a symbolic language meant to warn or guide us. And still others may blend both the literal and symbolic approaches. And to complicate matters the Bible contains prophetic visions that represent literal events e.g. Daniel's prophecy of the Seventy Weeks, which is where we get our seven year tribulation period. Evangelical Christians as well as the first century church have considered Bible Prophecies as literal events where the context of the text leads us to do so. Most liberal or secular scholars consider Bible Prophecies as symbolic or figurative describing the moral battle between good and evil within the nature of mankind; peoples views tend to vary depending on their worldview of miracles and the nature of God.
Despite worldviews approximately one fourth of the Bible is prophetic in nature and half of those prophecies have been fulfilled literally. And the notion that Bible Prophecy should be taken non-literally or allegorically has no basis scripturally and most confusion or “Bible Difficulties” stem from non-literal interpretations of scripture. In addition when figurative language is used scripturally the Bible seldom leaves the interpretation up to the reader; but rather the figurative section of scripture is followed by an interpretation within scripture itself.
Bible Prophecy can be broken into three major areas which include prophecies concerning nature, prophecies concerning the church and prophecies concerning the nation of Israel.
What is the Purpose of End-Time Events
Jesus Christ is the central figure of prophecy, just as He is the central figure of the entire Bible. The Old Testament show's us the need for a Savior and glimpses of Jesus which is fulfilled in the New Testament.
The Rapture of the living saints is the first phase of what is commonly called the Second Coming. This event is the blessed hope Paul mentions in Titus 2:13. At this time, Christ comes and snatches away His church without actually setting foot on the earth. The rapture of the saints is best described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17, and 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52.
This is followed by what is best known as the Tribulation period which will be full of frightening events. Christians will be spared from suffering some of them by being snatched away in the Rapture (those who accepted and believed in Jesus before the Rapture). But we will not escape them all (those who come to faith in Jesus after the rapture). Jesus gave warning and instruction on how to live in the last days and what the signs of His coming would be, this part of scripture found in Matthew 24:4-46, is called the Olivet Discourse.