1. List the reason why one should study prophesy. A person should study prophesy because it is prominent in Scriptures, because of all the fulfilled prophesy, because it has been revealed by God, because others have distorted the truth, and because one profits by understanding biblical teachings of the future.
2. What are some dangers of studying prophesy? People can get too fixed on prophesy. They can start trying to fix dates or identify key figures and create difficulties for themself within the assembly. They can also focus so heavily on prophesy that they put Christ in the background of their worship.
3. What are the major schools of prophesy and what is the position of each?
4. What are the four different approaches taken by Christians to interpret the book of Revelation?
5. Define a dispensation. List the dispensations and explain the basics of obedience in each.
6. Give the arguments on both sides of the debate concerning signs before the Lord's return. Some theologians believe that Christ will return secretly in the clouds, so as to catch those who are not ready by surprise. Others say that the Bible has provided clues of events that will happen prior to the return of Christ. When one examines Scriptures, it is difficult to know if the signs which appear are totally objective. Some of the so-called signs have been around for years, even centuries, such as rumors of wars. Others, like earthquakes, are becoming more and more plentiful.
7. List the signs that are suggested by those who teach signs will precede the coming of Christ. There will be famines, earthquakes, and pestilences. Knowledge shall abound, people will be traveling to and fro, evil people will become worse and worse, there will be false Christs, and people will not endure sound doctrine. Scoffers will have no concern for the return of Jesus.
1. Define the word "rapture" and state the aspects that are needed to give a complete picture of the doctrine of the rapture. Rapture means to be caught up. It is a future event where Chrisians will meet Christ in the clouds. Some believe in a partial rapture where not everyone will go Others think of multiple raptures where Christians will be raptured at different times. The Bible does not seem to support either of these.
2. Give the strengths and weaknesses of the Post-Tribulation rapture position. The historical argument emphasizes that the early church believed in a Post-Tribulation rapture, but this is because they thought that they were in the Tribulation. Some theologians do not believe that the rapture will be imminent. Some believe that the church should suffer through the Tribulation. Some argue that the 70th week of Daniel's prophesy has already happened.
3. Why has the Mid-Tribulation rapture position not gathered much of a following? This view tries to break up the Tribulation to only be half a time of troubles. It also assigns the Rapture to the last trumpet blown in the Book of Revelation, and there is not any evidence to support either of these two thoughts.
4. What are the dispensational presuppositions of the Pre-Tribulational rapture? The dispensation of grace must end before the Rapture. People will be in a state of rejection towards God.
5. What are the arguments for a Pre-Tribulational rapture? This view is consistent with a literal interpretation of Scripture. There seems to be a clear distinction between the rapture and the revelation, which necessitates an interval between the two. The current world has a restrainer in the form of the Holy Spirit. The Church and Israel are not the same. The Tribulation is a time when God will deal with Israel, not the church.
1. What is the Tribulation? Why does God send it? Who are the recipients of the Tribulation? The Tribulation is a time of wrath, when God will deal with Israel.
2. List the events of the Tribulation. There will be the seven Seal judgments, the 144,000 people from the 12 tribes of Israel, the two witnesses (probably Enoch and Elijah), the blowing of the seven Trumpets, the battle of Gog and Magog, the seven Bowl judgments, and the Battle of Armageddon.
3. Describe the Antichrist and tell his function during the last time. The Antichrist will be revealed when the Restrainer is removed, hence after the church is raptured out. He will be opposed to Christ. He will also try to pass himself off as the substitute Christ. Initially, he will establish a covenant of peace with Israel. But then, he will default on that agreement and align the nations together against them. As he leads the attack against Israel, Jesus will return and defeat him in the Battle of Armageddon.
4. How does the False Prophet assist the Antichrist? He will be the religious leader during the Tribulation, and he will lead the counterfeit church. He will promote the worship of the Antichrist, and he will succeed in deceiving the unbelieving world. He will have the power of death over those who refuse to worship the Beast, and he will have authority to control commerce and trade.
5. List the judgments, tell who is judged and what is the basis of each judgment.
6. Describe the millennial kingdom. Why is heaven not a reward after the Tribulation? Why will God usher in a millennial kingdom? During the Millennium, the Temple will be rebuilt, Israel will be regathered and cleansed, the Jews will recognize their Messiah, Christ will reign with a rod of iron, David will assist Christ as vice-regent, there will be universal peace, physical death will be swallowed up in victory, man's knowledge about God will be greatly increased, and Christ will be the Good Shepherd. Satan will be restrained and righteousness will be the rule of the day. Heaven will not be a reward after the Tribulation because those going to Heaven will not, for the most part, be in the Tribulation. After the Tribulation, God will use the one thousand-year time to reward the saints of all time, and He will fulfill the Abrahamic, the Davidic, and the New Covenants. The Millennium will also complete the reign of Christ.
7. How will the kingdom be ruled? Christ will rule the kingdom with a rod of iron, and David will serve as vice-regent. After David will be the Disciples of Christ, followed by a divinely appointed Judge and regional Lords over groups of cities.
8. What will happen during the millennial kingdom? Satan will be restrained, there will be universal king, the Temple will be rebuilt, Christ will rule with a rod of iron from Jerusalem, righteousness will be the order of the day, and all the biblical desires that have been expressed towards it will be satisfied.
1. Survey the historical attitudes toward the doctrine of hell.
2. What are the alternate theories concerning an explanation of punishment/life after the grave for the unsaved?
3. Why have people been unwilling to accept the Biblical teaching concerning hell and eternal punishment? For some, it creates a intellectual conflict. These people cannot understand why sin has such a tremendous price. They cannot understand why a moral person might die lost.
4. Try to list as many of the words that you can remember that describe hell and eternal punishment. Summarize your impression of the Biblical description of hell. Sheol, Hades, Tartaros, Gehenna, Retribution, Chains, Stripes, Weeping and gnashing of teeth, bottomless pit, outer darkness, detruction, torments, worm dieth not, fire, second death, wrath of God, and eternity. Hell is a place of eternal separation from God, a place where the unsaved will suffer the agonizing pains of fire and destruction. But those who are there will not be able to die. Hell will be a very bad place, and Christians need to be at work trying to steer people towards Jesus.
5. What is heaven and where is it located? Heaven is the eternal abode of the saved. The first heave is the atmosphere. The second is outer space. The third is the dwelling place of God. Possibly, a fourth heaven will take the place of these three.
6. Who are the inhabitants of heaven? Those whose name is found in the Book of Life will live in heaven.
7. What are the activities of the inhabitants of heaven? In heaven, those who are in Christ will learn, sing, worship, serve, grow, fellowship, and eat.
Tom of Spotswood "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
Index to Selected Essays And Book Reviews
GLA 1 - Critique of "Things To Come - A Study In Biblical Eschatology"
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