The Promise of the Future
Weight | 0.81 kg |
---|---|
Dimensions | 22.3 × 14.3 × 3.6 cm |
ISBN | 9780851517933 |
Topic | The End Times |
Format | Book |
Original Pub Date | 2000 |
Banner Pub Date | Nov 1, 2000 |
Binding | Cloth-bound |
Page Count | 560 |
Scripture | Whole Bible |
Endorsement
‘I believe that you will find the study on which you are about to embark both intellectually satisfying and spiritually enriching. It will certainly inform you; more than that, it will help you to see what a glorious thing it is to be a Christian.’– SINCLAIR B. FERGUSON
Book Description
Though we can never, in our time-bound state, know the future in detail, God in his mercy has not left us in complete ignorance of what is to come. His revelation in Holy Scripture has cast a flood of light on what would otherwise remain an impenetrable mystery.
Even among those who accept the Bible’s authority, however, there has never been complete agreement on what Scripture teaches in this area.
This major new examination of biblical teaching on the future of the individual, of the church and of the universe as a whole will be useful both to theological students and to informed non-specialists. Ranging over the whole field, it interacts extensively with recent literature on disputed issues, such as the nature of the intermediate state, the millennium of Revelation 20 and the doctrine of eternal punishment, always seeking to answer the fundamental question: ‘What do the Scriptures clearly teach?’ The Christ centred nature of biblical teaching on the future is emphasized, as is the importance of the church’s historic confessions for an understanding of eschatology. The chief note sounded is one of hope: ‘God’s people eagerly await Christ’s return because it promises the completion of God’ work of redemption…The future is bright because it is full of promise, the promise of God’s Word.’
Table of Contents Expand ↓
Foreword | ix | |
Preface | xiii | |
PART ONE: THE FUTURE IS NOW | ||
1. | Hope Nurtured by the Word | 3 |
Staying within the Boundaries of God’s Word | 5 | |
Christ, the Lord of History | 6 | |
Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained | 9 | |
A Living and Certain Hope | 10 | |
2. | The First Coming of the Lord | 12 |
Preparing the Way in the Old Testament | 13 | |
‘In the Fullness of Time’ – the New Testament | 23 | |
PART TWO: THE FUTURE BETWEEN DEATH AND RESURRECTION | ||
3. | The Intermediate State | 35 |
Two Biblical Themes | 36 | |
Unbiblical Views of the Intermediate State | 43 | |
The Intermediate State in Scripture | 52 | |
What about Purgatory? | 63 | |
PART THREE: THE FUTURE OF CHRIST | ||
4. | The Second Coming of Christ | 79 |
The Centrepiece of Biblical Expectation | 79 | |
A Consummating Event | 87 | |
Whose Time No One Knows | 95 | |
PART FOUR: THE FUTURE MARKED BY THE ‘SIGNS OF THE TIMES’ | ||
5. | Signs of God’s Grace | 113 |
Introducing the Signs of the Times | 113 | |
Preaching to All the Nations | 120 | |
The Salvation of All Israel | 127 | |
7. | Signs of Opposition and Judgement – I | 140 |
General References | 141 | |
Tribulation in the Olivet Discourse | 142 | |
Some Observations about Tribulation | 146 | |
The Great Tribulation | 150 | |
Signs of Opposition and Judgement – II | 159 | |
Apostasy | 160 | |
The Antichrist | 167 | |
Signs of God’s Judgement | 178 | |
PART FIVE: THE FUTURE OF THE KINGDOM | ||
8. | Premillennial Views | 189 |
Introducing the Millennial Views | 190 | |
Historic Premillennialism | 194 | |
Dispensational Premillennialism | 205 | |
9. | Postmillennial Views | |
A Comment about Terminology | 219 | |
A Brief Historical Overview | 221 | |
The Main Features of Postmillennialism | 223 | |
The Biblical Case for Postmillennialism | 229 | |
Amillennialism | 233 | |
10. | Evaluating Premillennialism | |
The Problem with Premillennialism | 245 | |
Christ’s Return and the Rapture | 251 | |
Israel and the Church | 261 | |
The Hermeneutic of Literalism | 277 | |
11. | What About Revelation 20? | 296 |
The Premillennialist Case | 298 | |
The Millennium Is Now | 304 | |
The Binding of Satan | 315 | |
The Believer’s Reign with Christ | 327 | |
12. | Evaluating Postmillennialism | 340 |
Defining Golden-Age Postmillennialism | 341 | |
Two Qualifiers | 358 | |
PART SIX: THE FUTURE OF ALL THINGS | ||
13. | The Resurrection of the Body | 363 |
Biblical Themes regarding the Resurrection | 364 | |
The Nature of the Resurrection Body | 370 | |
The Resurrection/Renewal of All Things | 376 | |
A Recent Debate | 378 | |
Pastoral Questions regarding the Resurrection Body | 384 | |
14. | The Final Judgement | |
Questions regarding the Final Judgement | 392 | |
Degrees of Reward in the Kingdom of Heaven? | 405 | |
15. | The Doctrine of Eternal Punishment | 420 |
The Problem of the Doctrine | 420 | |
Answering the Objections | 428 | |
16. | The New Heavens and New Earth | 454 |
All New Things? Or All Things Made New? | 456 | |
Life in the Renewed Creation | 469 | |
To Enjoy God Forever | 482 | |
Selected Bibliography | 489 | |
Glossary of Terms | 501 | |
Index of Persons | 513 | |
Index of Selected Subjects | 517 | |
Index of Scripture References | 525 | |
References to the Apocrypha | 538 |
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Description
A major study of what the Bible teaches about the future, with the chief note sounded being one of hope. 560pp.
Description
A major study of what the Bible teaches about the future, with the chief note sounded being one of hope. 560pp.
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