Eschatology

The book of Revelation is not the only apocalypse, but is also a part of the Jewish apocalyptic tradition, developed within Christian teaching. Revelation appeals to issues using methods and images that have already been formed in the Jewish tradition. There are references to the motif of the heavenly temple, contained also in Jewish apocalypses, throughout the book. The interest of this presentation is in understanding the place the heavenly temple occupies in the eschatological views of the Jewish apocalypses and in Revelation, and the distinctive features of the temple in Revelation. This comparison can help to realize the roots of John’s idea of the heavenly temple and to provide a better understanding of it.

While some may have the tendency to discern eschatological aspects of Christ’s priesthood, this presentation contends that His priesthood, as a whole, should be more broadly understood as eschatological, since this is the perspective indicated in Hebrews. This study systematically articulates an eschatological perspective of Christ’s priesthood in Hebrews, as this epistle is the only place in the New Testament where we find an explicit elaboration of priestly Christology. Considering its conceptual nature, this presentation attempts to accomplish its purpose by constructively building a theological reflection that privileges the discussion of framework of thought and concepts.

This presentation explores the correlation between Ellen G. White’s great controversy vision and health vision in the context of the Civil War. It argues that the prevailing social, political, and religious conditions within nineteen-century American society and the spiritual decline among Sabbatarian Adventists laid the ground for the injection of a new prophetic vision at a time of paradoxical crisis. Furthermore, it maintains that such visioning unfolded the visualization of God’s missional purpose for Christian life in the progressively changing world.

Theistic evolution, a widespread theory held by Catholic and non-Catholic believers, seeks to explain the origin of the universe. Among Roman Catholics it became official after Pope John Paul II’s affirmation before the Pontifical Academy of Sciences that there is no real conflict between Scripture (and theology) and the findings of science. Theistic evolution is a reigning paradigm among Protestant— even Evangelical—scholars, and Adventists are no longer the exception. The paper questions evolution in its theistic version by pointing out implications for Adventist eschatology, beginning with implications for key principles of eschatological interpretation and following with implications for ten key Adventist eschatological beliefs.

Traditional Adventist evangelistic presentations begin with the prophecies of the book of Daniel, depicting human history and leading to the second coming of Christ and the events preceding it. During the series, eschatology is presented as the end of a linear historical timeline, and most of the Scripture passages are interpreted with a Western linear and binary logic. However, Scripture was written in a Mediterranean culture, where the perception of time and space was different than the Western worldview. The Majority World, even today, shares non-Western values and worldviews. In most of Asia, time and history are perceived as cyclical, and biblical prophecy as presented by Adventist evangelists and pastors raises more questions than answers. This presentation looks at the basis of the Adventist understanding of eschatology and offers an alternative interpretation of key biblical passages that remains faithful to Scripture and at the same time speaks to the Eastern mind. Its purpose is to offer a hermeneutical basis for missionaries and evangelists working in Majority World countries to be able to build their biblical studies and public presentations on an Eastern rather than Western worldview.

This article will focus on the idea that, because the “Adventist” aspect sometimes separates the movement from this world, a mature Adventist missiology should be founded on a solid eschatological understanding not only about happenings of the future or the last days, but also the identity of the Adventist movement today. That will lead to the development of effective mission strategies for disciple-making (including its godliness, zeal, joy, and hope aspects), for new generations (including its understanding of the kingdom), and for world religions adherents (including its various eschatological views).

Eschatology is one of the major ways theology deals with the issue of theodicy, or the problem of evil. Issues specific to eschatology include the final fate of the wicked, the imperfect believer, the unevangelized pagan, the completeness of God’s victory over evil, and the prospect of evil's full elimination, or its possible re-emergence. Over time theologians have produced a range of eschatological responses to these issues. Some of these responses are outlined, analyzed, and compared with the comprehensive Seventh-day Adventist eschatological vision based in the pre-Advent and millennial judgments.

Introduction Adventist eschatology is an exploration and exposition of biblical apocalyptic eschatology. It announces a future characterized by a drastic discontinuity between the present order of things and a future one to be established by the Lord. It proclaims the consummation of the eschato...

Paul describes the revelations of God’s righteousness and wrath as two parallel but distinct phenomena. He argues that “the revelation of God’s righteousness” is “apart from the law,” raising the question of whether such a concept of God’s character does not cause His mercy to eclipse His justice. This presentation argues that Paul’s intention in Romans is to differentiate between God’s justice and His punitive justice. God’s wrath represents a special eschatological expression of His justice that seeks to deal with sin, but His wrath is not an intrinsic part of His justice or character—for if there were no sin, there would be no need for wrath. Faith also represents a special eschatological expression of God’s mercy to deal with the problem of sin. Its function is to meet the urgent need for forgiveness created by sin—for if there were no sin, there would be no need for forgiveness. This presentation, then, argues two obvious but crucial points: There will be neither the need for God’s wrath nor His forgiveness when sin has been forever eradicated from the universe. But until such time dawns, His wrath and His merciful provision of faith in Christ are His chosen methods of dealing with sin, even after the probation closes.

This presentation explores one of the most controversial themes of theology: theodicy. This theme poses a serious challenge to the defense of Christianity. In fact, there are many problems when we attempt to relate God to the origin and nature of evil. This presentation reflects on these issues from the perspective of the book of Revelation.