Under Construction

Ok.  I admit it.  I got a ticket.  We had made a trip to Arkansas for a funeral in April.  On the return trip to South Carolina through Alabama, I got to see blue lights in my rear view mirror.  Before I could even get my registration and insurance cards, Mr. State Trooper was at my window.  I rolled down the window and told him I was still getting my other information, but he informed me that my driver’s license was enough.  With my driver’s license in hand, Mr. State Trooper returned (nearly at a gallop) to his vehicle.  In no time at all, he returned with my ticket, talked me through the specifics, and returned to his car.  While I was still getting stuff back in order, Mr. State Trooper pulled out and returned to his hiding spot.

Why Eschatology?

So, since I am team teaching through 1 Thessalonians on Wednesday nights at my church, it seems like a good time to pick up my blogs on Christ’s return.  Before I turn to the substance of the discussion proper, I want to examine the reasons why eschatology (the science of the last things) is important for us to study.

First, it is in the Bible.  God thought it was important enough to make sure that it is in the Bible.  The main places are Daniel, Matthew, 1 Corinthians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, and Revelation, but eschatology is found throughout the Bible.  As Millard Erickson says, if it is in the Bible, it is the Christian’s duty to read it, think about it, and meditate on it.

Second, our eschatology impacts our other doctrines.  If we have a misunderstanding about what happens in the end, we leave ourselves open to misunderstanding doctrines that pertain to the middle.