Eschatology is a Christian term for the study of the end of history from a religious perspective. Probably more obscure theological text has been written on this topic than on any other belief in Christendom.
The Bible contains many prophecies about the future. The Christian Scriptures (New Testament) in particular talks extensively about the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. This is usually called his "second coming," or "parousia." The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 24, is devoted to this topic, as is much of the book of Revelation, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.
Unfortunately, these and various other Biblical passages predicting the future are ambiguous. The events themselves are open to many interpretations. There is no clear indication of either their timing or sequence. Some Christians believe that "millennium" does not mean a time interval of exactly 1,000 years. Rather it refers to a long interval of time. Some Christians interpret events mentioned in the Christian Scriptures as descriptions of real happenings in our future; others interpret them symbolically and/or as events that have already occurred mostly during the first century.
A lot of denominational strife has resulted from disagreements about end time prophecy. For example, the Millennium, described in Revelation as an important interval lasting for 1000 years when Christ rules, is fractured into many variations based on who is doing the interpretation.
You have... Historical Premillennialism; Dispensational Premillennialism; Amillennialism; Postmillennialism; Preterism; No Millennialism; Pre-Tribulation Rapture; Post-tribulation Rapture; Mid-Tribulation Rapture; Pre-wrath Rapture; Partial Rapture; and probably more if you search around. Are you confused? Why would God cause such confusion about something so important in the future for His followers? Seems illogical that God would be the cauee of such disharmony (1 Corinthians 14:33). However man is very capable of clouding simple truth with complex and convoluted theories based on ideas not even found in Scripture. Everyone who loves the Lord, is affected by what they are taught to believe about Christ’s second coming. Maybe life’s most compelling question... What will happen when Christ returns? You cannot be a Christian, a lover of truth without being concerned about future events surrounding Christ’s return and the ominous period known as Judgement.
Growing up, immersed in the study of God’s Word, I was deeply troubled by the concept of God’s Judgement time. Fearful to say the least. I felt like the deck was stacked against mankind and every little thing you did, intentional and unintentional sins and one’s faithful living, would be recorded – your life in shades of good, bad and works of faith. You would be judged accordingly. Your life poured onto a giant scale and weighed to determine your reward of eternal life or something far less appealing. I thought for a very long time that even knowing the love and mercy of God would not be enough to outweigh the rules of right and wrong, and His righteousness and justice would prevail, and many would be cast into everlasting punishment.
I also thought as many Christians do today, that one by one, billions of souls will be brought before the throne of God. There, the scales of His righteousness and justice would reveal the judgment to be passed on each individual based on a record of one’s life.
However, as I matured in my faith, and succeeded in clearing my head of the many interpretations of the End Times, I realized the Bible paints quite a different picture of this fearful period of time, we know as Judgement Day. I strongly believe God’s Word portrays it, not as a terrifying time, but as a time of extraordinary hope and restoration. Let me explain, because a comprehensive portrait of what Judgement Day will be, is also a revelation of when it will happen.
At Revelation 20:11-12 we read the apostle John’s description of Judgment Day: “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.” Who the Judge described herein, is an important aspect of framing the Day as one that brings hope and restoration.
Almighty God, The Father, is the ultimate Judge of mankind. However, he delegates the actual work of judging. According to Acts 17:31, the apostle Paul said that God “he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” This appointed Judge is the King Jesus Christ. (John 5:22)
So to the specific question on every Christians mind... When, does Judgment Day begin? If you ask that question you also need to ask how long will the “Day” lasts?
I see in the book of Revelation, that Judgment Day begins after the war of Armageddon, when Satan’s system on this earth is destroyed and he and his demonic hoards are restrained in an abyss for a thousand years. (Rev.16:14,16; 19:19–20:3)
I do not see Judgment Day as some hurried event lasting say 24 hours, 6 months or even 1 year. I believe it will last a thousand years.
During that thousand-year period, Jesus Christ will “judge the living and the dead.” (2 Tim. 4:1) “The living” will be the survives of the cataclysmic events of His return and the cleansing of earth... Armageddon. (Rev. 7:9-17) The apostle John also saw “the dead . . . standing before the throne” of judgment. As Jesus promised, “those in the memorial tombs will hear [Christ’s] voice and come out” by means of a resurrection. (John 5:28,29; Acts 24:15) An important question raised earlier... on what basis will everyone be judged?
According to the apostle John’s vision, “scrolls were opened,” and “the dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds.” (Rev. 20:12) Are these scrolls the record of people’s past deeds? No, I do not believe the past will entangle resurrected people restored to life on the New [cleansed] Earth.
The judgment will not focus on what people did before they died. Is that a defendable assertion? I think it is. The Bible says: “because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.” (Romans 6:7) Those resurrected come to life with a clean slate, so to speak. The scrolls must therefore represent God’s further requirements.
To live forever, both Armageddon survivors and resurrected ones will have to obey God’s commandments, including whatever new requirements God might reveal during the thousand years. Thus, individuals will be judged on the basis of what they do during the Judgment Day [period].
We must remember, God never had the opportunity to work with humankind to develop in them the essentials for everlasting eternal life. I know that sounds a bit odd, but when you build creation with “freedom of choice” you must then offer humanity a sustained period of time to develop the capacity to evaluate situations and determine to make perfect choices. Adam and Eve cut that process short by their sin. Therefore, its seems logical and reasonable that during the 1,000 years of earthly peace, without sin and Satan’s influences, all mankind will be able to grow in spiritual strength and fortitude to withstand any threat to their fully developed capacity to make perfect choices. There is a huge difference between human perfection and making perfect choices that are always in line with God. Adam and Eve were perfect and never had to die... but they "skipped class lectures” and didn’t learn the lessons of obedience which always leads to perfect choices.
If any theological interpretation of God, His Word and His plan to redeem mankind does not recognize the above mentioned necessity, then said theology presents God as a master puppeteer, manipulating mankind into pre-determined and predestined outcomes.
Judgment Day will give billions of people their first opportunity to learn about God’s will and to conform to it. This means that a large-scale educational work will need to take place. Prophetic of this time period, Isaiah said... ‘the people of the world will learn righteousness.’ (Isaiah 26:9) However, not everyone will be willing to conform to God’s will. Isaiah 26:10 also says: But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the LORD. These people who are rightly viewed as “wicked” will be terminated [permanently] during the long Judgment [Day] Time.
By the end of Judgment Day, surviving humans will have “come fully to life” as perfect humans. Judgment Day will see the restoration of mankind to its original perfect state. (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) Then a final test will take place. Seems unfair that humanity would have to endure another go-round with the Devil.
Satan will be released from his imprisonment and allowed to try to mislead mankind one last time. It will be the same test set before Adam and Eve… who will be your God… who will you serve? Unlike Adam and Eve, we will know all there is to know… good and evil…. and know the true power structure of the universe. It feels like God has set this up so its almost impossible to fail. (Revelation 20:3, 7-10) Yet even then, many will make the wrong choice! In the grand finale... those who resist Satan will enjoy the complete fulfillment of the Bible’s promise: “The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it.” (Psalm 37:29)
