Topical Encyclopedia The concept of the "End of the World" in Christian theology is often associated with eschatology, the study of the last things or the final events in the history of the world as described in the Bible. This topic encompasses the return of Jesus Christ, the final judgment, the resurrection of the dead, and the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth.Biblical References 1. Second Coming of Christ: The New Testament frequently speaks of the return of Jesus Christ as a pivotal event in the end times. In Matthew 24:30-31 , Jesus describes His return: "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And He will send out His angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other." 2. Final Judgment: The Bible teaches that the end of the world will include a final judgment where all individuals will be held accountable for their actions. Revelation 20:11-12 states, "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found 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 their deeds, as recorded in the books." 3. Resurrection of the Dead: The resurrection is a key component of the end times, where both the righteous and the wicked will be raised. In John 5:28-29 , Jesus declares, "Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment." 4. New Heaven and New Earth: The culmination of the end times is the creation of a new heaven and a new earth, where God will dwell with His people. Revelation 21:1-4 describes this vision: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.'" Theological Perspectives The end of the world is a subject of significant theological reflection and debate. Various interpretations exist regarding the sequence and nature of end-time events, including premillennialism, amillennialism, and postmillennialism. These views differ on the timing and nature of Christ's millennial reign, the tribulation, and the rapture. Signs of the End Times The Bible provides several signs that are believed to precede the end of the world. In Matthew 24:6-8 , Jesus mentions wars, famines, and earthquakes as "the beginning of birth pains." Additionally, 2 Timothy 3:1-5 describes the moral and spiritual decline in the last days: "But understand this: In the last days, terrible times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power." Hope and Assurance For believers, the end of the world is not a cause for fear but a source of hope and assurance. The promise of eternal life and the presence of God provide comfort and motivation for holy living. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 , Paul encourages believers with these words: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be the first to rise. After that, we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words." International Standard Bible Encyclopedia End of the WorldEND OF THE WORLD See ESCHATOLOGY; WORLD, END OF THE. Greek 4930. sunteleia -- a joint payment (for public service), joint ... ... end, finish") is strictly "" but rather "" () that ushers in a new (Mt 13:39,40,49,24:3, 28:20). [The is misleading by rendering 4930 () as "the of the ... //strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4930.htm - 7k 165. aion -- a space of time, an age 4102. pistis -- faith, faithfulness 2673. katargeo -- to render inoperative, abolish Strong's Hebrew 5703. ad -- perpetuity... 1). eternity, everlasting, old, perpetually, world without end. From adah; properly, a (peremptory) terminus, ie (by implication) duration ... /hebrew/5703.htm - 6k 5769. olam -- long duration, antiquity, futurity Library The End of the World. On the End of the World. The End of the World. That the End of the World Comes Suddenly. Whether the Incarnation Ought to have Been Put Off Till the End of ... Whether the Time of Our Resurrection Should be Delayed Till the ... Whether the New Law Will Last Till the End of the World? The Passages in which the Saviour Declares that There Shall be a ... The Distinction to be Made Between the Righteous and the Wicked ... "But when we Questioned Him Concerning the End of the World... Resources What does it mean that there will be wars and rumors of wars before the end times? | GotQuestions.orgCould an EMP attack be a part of the end times? | GotQuestions.org What is Israel's role in the end times? | GotQuestions.org End: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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