Why study eschatology?

For three Sunday evenings we spent some time searching and expounding the Scriptures on heaven!  Some would say that we shouldn’t devote much emphasis to considering our eternal destiny and especially studying eschatology–the doctrine of last things.  We discussed this as a congregation before I opened God’s Word on Sunday night.  There were several excellent answers as to why we should study eschatology.  Here are David Murray’s six reasons to do so–most of which were mentioned by our congregation that evening.

1. Eschatology helps us to teach the church
2. Eschatology helps us to worship God
3. Eschatology helps us to serve with zeal
4. Eschatology helps us prepare for judgment
5. Eschatology helps us to hope in the midst of trouble
6. Eschatology helps us to look forward to heaven.

Read Murray’s brief synopsis of each point above.

What are some other helpful reasons you can think of for studying eschatology? Leave a comment.

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Praying today for the “already” and the “not yet”

Mike Riccardi explains what it means for us to pray, “Thy Kingdom Come.”

Here’s just a brief quote from Martyn Lloyd-Jones that summarizes what Mike is teaching about praying for the “already” aspect of the kingdom and the “not yet” phase of it–the latter which we are longing for.

“When we pray, ‘Thy kingdom come’, we are praying for the success of the gospel, its sway and power’ we are praying for the conversion of men and women; we are praying that the kingdom of God may come today…everywhere in the world. … But it goes even further than that. It is a prayer which indicates that we are ‘Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God’ (2 Pet. 3:21). It means that we should be anticipating the day when all sin and evil and wrong and everything that is opposed to God shall finally have been routed.”

Read “A Cry for Those Who Long for His Appearing.”

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Is the nation of Israel in God’s future plans?

Matt Waymeyer writes:

Does the Bible teach that the nation of Israel has a distinct role in the future plan of God?

Many Christians deny that it does. According to Bruce K. Waltke, “no clear passage [of Scripture] teaches the restoration of national Israel” because “the Jewish nation no longer has a place as the special people of God.” In the words of Herman Ridderbos, “The church . . . as the people of the New Covenant has taken the place of Israel, and national Israel is nothing other than the empty shell from which the pearl has been removed and which has lost its function in the history of redemption.” The words of Waltke and Ridderbos represent well the belief of many—no future for Israel.

One of the passages that pose a problem for this view that God has no distinct role for Israel in the future is in Acts 1:6-7.

Matt does a good job explaining the best interpretation of Acts 1:6-7.  Also the comment threads add interesting discussion points on this issue.  Well worth the read here.

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John MacArthur’s newest book

To be released next week (yeah, and all who are going to Shepherds Conference will probably get it for free!  Does watching on the livestream qualify?)

Here’s a sneak peek at the book!

I hope this will be an important contribution to the important doctrine of eschatology [the end times].

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Worth reading on web

Dr. Mohler comments on an article I mentioned in my Sunday morning message about why eschatology is important to the Christian message. He contrasts Ian McEwan’s musings with that of historic Christianity

Ian McEwan fears belief in eschatology. We should be far more fearful of living among those who fear no judgment to come. History cries out for judgment, and so does the human heart. Atheism offers no final hope, and no hope of moral satisfaction.

The Bible ends with just such a hope, and this confident hope frames the Christian worldview in the end as much as the belief in divine creation frames the beginning. Even so, Lord come quickly.

Tim Challies writes, “Here’s an interesting look at the difference between living and surviving. “Just because medicine can sustain the body for awhile longer, that doesn’t mean it should always do so. Life is more than a beating heart.” Interesting read! The author, a cancer patient writes,

Medical care is usually about maximizing time itself, about keeping the patient’s heart beating as long as possible. But time isn’t what I want to maximize. Longevity is fine, but life is what matters. And those two words are definitely not synonyms.

And John Piper talks about “Idiotic Perseverance” . Another great short story!

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