Now I've been telling you for a number of months that we were going to get in to the subject of eschatology, the doctrine of last things. We've been working our way through doctrinal emphases in Scripture, doctrinal themes. And we have covered a lot of ground, but we now come to the doctrines that relate to the end times. And in line with that, I want to try at least in the next couple of Sunday nights to establish a foundation for our understanding.
Now talking about eschatology is not without controversy. There are a number of viewpoints of what the Bible means when it speaks of future events. We understand that when you have a prophecy in the Bible that has not yet come to pass, not everything will be clear. In 1 Peter chapter 1 you remember Peter says that the prophets who wrote concerning Christ, concerning the things to come wondered what person and what time. That is to say that while they understood that someone would come, they understood whatever it was that had been revealed to them, the timing was not clear and the precise personages were not clear. We can take prophetic Scripture at face value. We can interpret it the way we interpret any other passage of Scripture with the same use of the normal, natural means of interpreting language. And we should. And it will yield for us as clear an understanding of the future as the Lord wants us to have. It's not nearly as difficult as some people make it if you just take Scripture at face value.
Now to affix our thinking to one great future event which seems to be the most controversial...
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“ Helpful ” A good introduction to the premil view. I'm looking forward to hearing more from Dr. MacArthur on this topic.
Eliza Beth (9/26/2014)
“ Great Sermon! ” Thank you! This is a great blessing as our world is engulfed w/islam. Loved that long sentence around minute 14. God bless
Kathryn (6/2/2011)
from NC
“ Great Sermon! ” I am a member of the Reform Church and am so glad this sermon came out. I have been coverted for only a few years, yet when I heard the Reform ideas on the end times I was very alarmed. My brother-in-Christ stood in Sunday school and actually in an almost joking voice ridiculed the idea that the book of Revelation should be taken in any instance literally. We as a group are missing on so many blessings and are missing the excitement of Christ's earthly reign with his chosen people, Israel, not the elect church. When Calvin and Luther held these views, the nation of Israel was scattered and was not a people as a group. I feel sure that if both were alive today, they would not ignore what is going on in Israel today. What a joy!
Shane hokanson (5/1/2011)
from Valdez , Alaska
“ Great Sermon! ” Excellent message Dr. MacArthur! For years now I have felt like the "Black Sheep" in the Calvinist/Reformed fold. Many Pastors/Profs. will spend hours giving a sermon on one word they like such as "sovereign" or "grace" or "election" , yet will ignore or change (or fib about) the very words of scripture when it comes to eschatology. The "Amill" point-of-view is held by so many smart authors/teachers that it makes a person that disagrees seem like the "odd-man-out". Like you mentioned in the lesson: If you do not believe in the Premill. promise-plan , then much of the Old Testament has no actual meaning. Our God is an exact God who says what He means ! Our Lord Jesus Himself spoke the Prophecies in The Olivet discourse. Not Scofield or Larken or Darby. The Lord Jesus , and Paul , and John , and Peter and Luke wrote about eschatology for our benefit. Words have meanings , and just as Gen.1:1 is true and not to be debated , so also the words of Revelation specifically say there will be a Millenium. John The Apostle was told to write down what he saw and heard. I trust that God's written word is true , and not to be deleted or changed so that our eschatology fits our favorite soteriology. Thanks Dr. MacArthur for this message. I'll listen to the rest of the series.
Widely known for his thorough, candid approach to teaching God’s Word, John MacArthur is a fifth-generation pastor, a popular author and conference speaker, and has served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969. John and his wife,...
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