The End Of Time

eschatology n : the branch of theology that is concerned with such final things as death and judgment; heaven and hell; the end of the world. In the Christian world, there are four basic doctrines or teachings concerning the End Times. Below is a description of each.

The Amillennial brethren are the ones who consider the 1000 year reign of the Lord and Savior to be spiritual in nature and not literal and that the Church will be called out in the end of the world. They hold to the scriptures that say there is no accounting of time with God.

The Post Tribulational group believes the Seven Year Tribulation will take place and then the calling out (rapture) of the Church by the Lord Jesus Christ takes place followed by a literal 1000 year reign of Christ on this earth.

The Mid Tribulational brethren believe that the Seven Year Tribulation takes place with the calling out (rapture) of the Church by the Lord Jesus Christ after the first 3 1/2 years followed by a literal 1000 year reign of Christ on this earth.

Last and the newest school of eschatological thought is the Pre Millennial or Pre Tribulational brethren who believe the calling out (rapture) of the Church by the Lord Jesus Christ takes place first and then a Seven Year Tribulational Period followed by a literal 1000 year reign of Christ on this earth. These brethren are also know as dispensationalists.

As a young man, I was brought up in an Amillennial church where the belief was that the church would be taken out when God destroyed this earth to make a new Heaven and a new earth. I had agonized for years over the order of events that were to take place and after studying the scriptures could come to one conclusion. Christ will not leave his bride in the path of Gods wrath. (destruction) You see, the Lord told us there will be a great tribulation, (Matthew:24) such as the world has never seen and the question in my mind is would the church be here when this happened?

There is quite a bit of controversy surrounding the millennial doctrines. The Pre-Trib's arguing with the Posts, the Posts with the Mid's, and the Am's with the Pre's. During the 1970's and 1980's there were many a church split over these schools of thought. Why? Was it because people were using their own wisdom to divide the word of God? Not all of them can be right and the Holy Spirit didn't cause certain people to believe one thing and some another. God is not the author of confusion and the debate that should actually be a reasoning session continues to this day.

Tim Davis is the webmaster for “The Old Pathways” message board which has been newly opened on the web. The url is http://101info.org/oldpath/ and it’s purpose is to defend the faith and the scriptures for what they really are which I truly believe is the truth. If you feel strong enough in your beliefs to have them tested by Godly reason and the scriptures, please feel free to come, make an account, and discuss the matters. We welcome you and will treat you with kindness and respect there.