Eschatology (Last Things)

Eschatology ( Last Things)

Physical death involves no loss of our immaterial consciousness, there is a separation of soul
and body. The soul of the redeemed passes immediately into the presense of Christ. For the
redeemed, such separation will continue until the rapture which initiates the first resurrection,
when our soul and body will be reunited to be glorified forever with our Lord. Until that time,
the souls of the redeemed in Christ remain in joyful fellowship with our Lord Yeshua, (Jesus Christ).
The bodily resurrection of all men is truth, the saved to eternal life and the unsaved to judgement
and everlasting punishment. The souls of the unsaved at death are kept under punishment until
the final resurrection, when the soul and the resurrection body will be united. They shall then
appear at the Great White Throne Judgement and shall be cast into hell, the lake of fire, cut
off from the life of God forever. The Rapture, the personal, bodily return of our Lord Jesus Christ
 before the seven-year tribulation to translate his Church from this earth and between this event and
His glorious return with His saints, to reward believers according to their works. The Tribulation,
immediately following the removal of the church from the earth, the righteous judgements of God will
be poured out upon an unbelieving world, and these judgements will be climaxed by the return of
Christ in glory to the earth. At that time the Old Testament and tribulation saints will be raised and
 the living will be judged. The period includes the 17th week of Daniel's prophecy. After the
tribulation, Christ will come to earth to occupy the throne of David and establish His messianic
kingdom for a thousand years on earth. During this time the resurrected saints will reign with Him
over Israel and all the nations of the earth. This reign will be preceded by the overthrow of the
Antichrist and the false prophet, and by the removal of Satan from the world. The kingdom itself
will be the fullfillment of God's promise to Israel to restore them to the land which they forfeited
through their disobedience. The result of their disobedience was that Israel was temporarily set
aside but will again be awakened through repentance to enter into the land of blessing. This time
the Lord's reign will be characterized by harmony, justice, peace, righteousness, and long
life, and will be brought to an end with the release of Satan. Following the release of Satan
after the thousand year reign of Christ, Satan will deceive the nations of the earth and gather
them to battle against the saints and the beloved city, at which time Satan and his army
will be devoured by fire from heaven. Following this, Satan will be thrown into the lake of
fire and brimstone whereupon Christ, who is the judge of all men will resurrect and judge
the great and the small at the Great White Throne Judgement. This resurrection of the
unsaved dead to judgement will be a physical resurrection, whereupon receiving their
judgement, they will be committed to an eternal conscious punishment in the lake of
fire. After the closing of the Millennium, the temporary release of Satan, and the judgement
of unbelievers, the saved will enter the eternal state of glory with God, after which the
elements of this earth are to be dissolved and replaced with a new earth wherein only
righteousness dwells. Following this, the heavenly city will come down out of heaven
and will be the dwelling place of the saints, where they will enjoy forever fellowship with
God and one another. Our Lord Jesus Christ, having fullfilled his redemptive mission, will
then deliver up the kingdom to God the Father that in all spheres the triune God may reign
forever and ever.
Source: MacArthur Study Bible