Latest / HBCWestminster / 3.20.24 Foundations Week 10 Brendan Bollinger

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3.20.24 Foundations Week 10 Brendan Bollinger · HBCWestminster

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Good evening. As always, it's a great joy and pleasure and privilege to be here and to
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round us all out. It's a huge honor to conclude. I've really gained a lot from this study and from
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these weeks studying the different topics of systematic theology, and it really is a privilege
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to round us out. Now, I got to talk about eschatology, which is, of course, a notoriously
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difficult and divisive doctrine. So thanks, Sam. It really is an honor to be here.
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I am, though, legitimately excited because I love studying theology, as Sam said. I got my
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bachelor's degree in it, and I do enjoy eschatology. I love studying it. I do like talking about it,
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and I'm looking forward to studying it with you all tonight. Before we get going, though,
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I have three things that I want to do to kind of lay the groundwork. The first is I want to
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offer a clarification.
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I want to offer a caution, and then I want to offer an invitation, okay? The clarification
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has to do with the definition of eschatology. So when we talk about eschatology, the first thing
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that typically comes to people's mind is end times, right? So like Great Tribulation, Antichrist,
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all of that, and that is a key part of it, but eschatology is actually a lot broader. Eschatology
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is literally the study of last things.
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So it includes end times, but it also includes what happens at the end of the end times. It includes
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Christ's return, and then the resurrection of the dead, and the judgment, and what happens after
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that, what the final destination of humanity is. It also includes things like what happens to each
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of us individually when we die. All of that is under the umbrella of eschatology. So because of
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that, tonight is not primarily going to be focused on end times. We are going to be talking about that,
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of course, because that's a key part of it,
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that's not going to be the main focus. Like we're not going to be parsing different timelines and
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talking about that. We're going to be going a lot broader, and because it's so broad and because
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there's so much to cover, there's a lot that's going to be left unsaid. So if there's one thing
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that you're like, man, I really hope he talks about this, and then I give two seconds to it,
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or don't talk about it at all, don't take it personally, it's just because I didn't have time.
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So that's the clarification. Next is the caution.
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If you have spent any amount of time
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with the human race, you know that we are a people prone to extremes in all things, right?
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We do not, like we're constantly swinging from one extreme to another, and we have a hard time
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sometimes attaining sort of a healthy middle balanced ground, right? And that's true in all
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of life. It's especially true in eschatology, right? Like there, I don't know why, but for
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whatever reason, either people are really into eschatology, like it's their thing,
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or they're not at all. And there just doesn't tend to be a lot of middle ground. So my caution
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for us going into this is for us to approach eschatology in a way that is humble and mature
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and balanced, and to not be too quick to jump to extremes. Because there are some within the church,
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right, well-meaning believers who have taken it upon themselves to try and fill in
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some of the blanks, right, and then parade their theories as gospel truth. And that's
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not healthy. And then there are others who look at that and go, well, I don't want any part of that.
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This whole eschatology thing seems weird. I'm just not going to think about it at all. And that's not
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healthy either. We need to kind of aim for the middle. And then my invitation. I have no doubt
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that many of us in here right now already have really strong opinions on what the end of the
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world will be like, and on what eschatology means, and what the timeline is, and all that, right?
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And I also will be willing to bet that,
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many of us have very different opinions, if not wildly different opinions. So my invitation
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to all of us, including myself, is to come into this study with
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a sharp mind and a soft heart, right? A willingness to think through things, and not necessarily to
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let go of our convictions, but to also hear out opinions that differ from ours, and that we might
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not agree with.
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Right? We're not going to talk a whole ton on things that are super contentious. We're going
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to focus mainly on things that we can know for certain. But there are going to be parts of this,
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undoubtedly, that you're like, oh, I don't really know if I agree with it. So just hear it out,
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study the Bible, come to your own conclusion. We're not prescribing any one timeline or anything
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like that. So just my invitation is to approach this humbly, sharp mind, soft heart. So that's my
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invitation.
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Now, I'm going to pray for us real quick. Lord knows we need it. And then we're going to get
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right into the study. Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for this opportunity to come to your
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word and consider the wonderful works of you, our great God. And to think through, God, something
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which is so fascinating and so necessary, God. It's so necessary that we think of these things.
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And God, I pray for me and for all of us in here that I will approach this, that we will approach
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this in a way that is honoring to you. That is humble, God, but not lacking in confidence. Because
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there is so much that you've told us that we can know for certain about these things. And I pray
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that we will major on the majors and minor on the minors and bring you glory in all things. In Jesus'
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name, amen. So, eschatology, study of last things can be
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conveniently broken into two different headings. The first is individual eschatology, and the
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second is general eschatology. We're going to define both of those as we get to them, but that's
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going to be how we break up this study. So, we'll start with individual, then we'll move to general.
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But first, I want to offer a brief apologetic for why eschatology is important, right? I mentioned
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just a minute ago,
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that there are many in the church who have chosen to ignore eschatology entirely, right? There are
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whole churches where eschatology is never even brought up. And that's not healthy. We do ourselves
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a disservice by doing that. But if eschatology is divisive, if it is difficult, if it's mysterious,
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why would we study it all? So, I have three reasons up here. Obviously, there probably are more if you
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look, but this is meant to be just a brief apologetic. The first reason is that Jesus,
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spoke about it a lot. He was constantly talking about subjects pertaining to eschatology,
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including things like heaven, and hell, and the last days, and the tribulation, and his great
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return, and the resurrection from the dead. And if he dedicated so much time to talking about it,
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it's probably something we should pay attention to as well. That's just a good rule of thumb.
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Secondly, the entire Bible points to it. We tend to think of eschatology in terms of,
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the book of Revelation, right? Or maybe some parts of the book of Daniel, first and second
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Thessalonians, the big books that have to deal with it. But actually, if you consider the Bible
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holistically, and you look at the big picture, you'll see that eschatology is a thread that
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runs through the whole thing. From the very beginning of creation, Genesis 1-1, the whole
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Bible is pointing forward to the end of all things, and the final goal,
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of all things. And I don't know about you, but if I don't know the end of a story,
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I don't really understand the story. If we don't understand the end of the biblical narrative,
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we don't really understand the biblical narrative. So that's the second reason.
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The third reason, it is the logical and final conclusion of both the biblical narrative and
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of theology in general. What do I mean by this? Well, obviously, we just talked about how it's
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the conclusion of the biblical narrative, but it's also the conclusion of theology. I'm going to pull
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up a quote here in a second. I'm not going to read it just because we're tight on time tonight,
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but it's also in your notes, if you got it, by Louis Brookhoff, where he is basically describing
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how eschatology ties up the loose ends of all the doctrines that we've studied so far. Like,
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every single doctrine that we've studied in this series has some unanswered questions that
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eschatology needs to tie up to. And so, I'm going to pull up a quote here in a second. And I'm going to
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up, such as the question of how does God work out all things to his glory? How does he come out on
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top, right? That's answered in eschatology. How is Christ's work completed? How is he ultimately
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glorified? That's answered in eschatology. What is the final end of our salvation? How are we
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perfected? That is explained by eschatology. So unless we have an understanding of eschatology,
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we cannot understand the Bible, and we cannot understand any other theological doctrine. Not
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completely. So this isn't just something that's helpful or beneficial. This is something that's
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necessary. If we want to be people of God's word, if we want to be people who are theologically
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robust and orthodox, we need to have some working knowledge of eschatology. It's a necessary and good
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thing. So now let's start talking about individual eschatology. This is going to be
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the first part of this. Let's start talking about individual eschatology.
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first heading. And again, there's a lot that we're covering tonight. You've probably already noticed
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that your notes are packed to the gills. We're going to be going a mile wide, an inch deep, just
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because there's so much to cover. But individual eschatology refers to, and there's the quote I was
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telling you about, individual eschatology refers to the study of the end of individual persons.
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Persons. So this is the final goal, the final destination of everyone of us. This falls under
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eschatology. Now, in order to talk about this, we need to discuss death, because that is, it's not
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the end for us, but it is our step into the end. And this is uncomfortable. It's something we don't
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like talking about, but we need to, because it's going to happen to all of us. So let's discuss
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what death is according to the biblical
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data. Death is, first of all, universal, meaning that it comes for all people.
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Every single one of us in here is right now in the process of dying, and has been since birth,
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right? It's coming for all of us. And it's a sobering thought, right, that in the next
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70 years, odds are pretty good that most, if not all of us, will be gone, right?
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We will not,
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live forever. All men
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die.
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Secondly, death is the result
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of sin. It's a
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punishment, which
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is why we all have to die, because we're
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all sinners. They came into the world with Adam and Eve
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after their sin, and we,
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their children who inherited their sin, inherited
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their punishment as well.
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Thirdly, death is the separation
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of the soul and the body.
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This fundamentally
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is the
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definition of death. It's when the
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the immaterial component of who you are
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and the material component of who you are,
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which were always meant to exist together,
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are separated.
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So at death,
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while your physical body remains here on earth
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and decomposes and decays
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and doesn't function anymore,
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your spirit goes elsewhere.
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It's sent to one of two final locations.
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Well, intermediate locations for the time being,
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but final locations eventually.
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Fourthly, and this is so important,
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this might be the most important point in this list,
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death is defeated.
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We live in a culture that is so afraid of dying,
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but do we need to fear it?
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Nope.
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We have a Lord who's overcome death.
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We literally serve a God who's broken death.
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That's pretty darn cool.
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So we don't need to fear it.
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It's just another doorway we all must go through.
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So after death,
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the soul goes to one of two intermediate states.
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Heaven or hell.
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The reason these are called intermediate states
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is because they are not actually
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the permanent abode of the soul.
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Nobody's soul is going to stay permanently
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in heaven or hell.
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That is not heretical.
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Okay?
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I will explain why.
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It will make sense eventually.
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But it's sent to one of two final locations,
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which we're actually going to park on
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for the next little bit.
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Because for whatever reason,
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the evil,
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the evangelical church in America
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does not speak enough about heaven and hell.
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Right?
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I mean, we just,
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we don't talk about it as often as we should.
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And partly it's because of that fear of death.
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And partly it's the fear of,
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you know, offending someone or driving them away.
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But we need to think about it.
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Again, because Jesus talked about it a lot.
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But also, I mean,
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if you look through church history,
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which if you haven't already signed up,
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please do.
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Dr. Morgan is amazing.
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But if you study church history,
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you'll see
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all of,
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all of the people
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who had the biggest impact
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for the kingdom of God in this earth
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were people who thought a lot about heaven and hell
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and had a pretty high view of it,
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of both.
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Jonathan Edwards famously, right,
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who wrote so much
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and did so much for the kingdom,
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had a list of resolutions
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in which he wrote,
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I am resolved to always live
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to earn as great a reward
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as I possibly can in heaven.
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I am resolved to live to live.
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I am resolved to always live
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as though I am about to go
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and meet my maker.
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I am resolved to live
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as though Jesus were to return right now.
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And we have to be that way too.
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We ought to be resolved, right,
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to live in light of
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these final destinations.
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So let's talk first about hell.
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Hell is described by a variety of terms
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in the Bible,
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including the lake of fire,
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the void, the pit,
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the fiery furnace,
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and the second death,
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among others.
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It's an unpleasant place,
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just based on,
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based on the name.
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It is a real place.
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It is not a state of mind.
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It is not imaginary.
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Hell is a very real location
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where real people really are right now.
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It is a place of unending punishment
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where the souls of those
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who were not in Christ
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are tormented day and night,
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unceasing.
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And one of the main sources
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of their torment
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is the fact that hell
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is fundamentally,
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and above all else,
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a state of total separation from God.
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This is the real source
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of hell's torment.
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You might remember,
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you probably don't remember,
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I don't expect you to remember,
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but weeks ago we talked about
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angels and demons.
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And we talked about the fact
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that as a culture
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we have a lot of images
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that we associate with
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both angels and demons
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which tend to distract
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from the point, right?
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Like wings and halos
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and horns and pitchforks
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and stuff like that,
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which is not helpful.
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And the same can be said
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for hellishness,
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hell and heaven, right?
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We have images culturally
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that we associate with both
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which are not helpful, right?
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Like for hell,
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we think of something
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like the far side comic strip, right?
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Where it's just fire
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and people walking around
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with horns and pitchforks
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and nobody seems terribly bothered
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by the fact that
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they're surrounded by fire.
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But that's not helpful.
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When we're thinking about hell,
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we're thinking about a place
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where you are totally
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separated from God
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and know
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that you are totally
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separated from God
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with no hope
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of ever making it right.
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That is the primary source of pain.
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Not the fire,
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not the torch,
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like that,
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that is the torture,
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is the fact that you are
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totally separated from God.
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And because you're separated from God,
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you are separated
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from every good thing.
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There are many who have
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this weird misconception
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that hell is the fun place
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and heaven is the boring place, right?
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I think of Billy Joel
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in the song
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Only the Good Die Young, right?
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He'd rather,
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laugh with the sinners
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than cry with the saints.
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There is no laughter in hell.
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Every good and perfect gift
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comes from God.
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So that means
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everything that's good here
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is ultimately a gift from God.
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And the fact that we all enjoy it
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is just another sign
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of God's grace, right?
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That even those
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who don't believe in God
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can enjoy these things.
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In hell, that is not the case.
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There is no such thing
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as happiness in hell.
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There is no such thing
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as a pleasure,
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a pleasure in hell.
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There is no such thing
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as joy or peace in hell.
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Nothing that makes life
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worth living here
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will be there in hell.
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Because if you separate yourself
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from God,
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if you are separated from God,
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you are separated
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from all of the blessings
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and benefits
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that come from God.
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And what makes this so horrible
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is that hell
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is totally inescapable.
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There is no way out.
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The whole idea
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of purgatory, right,
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which the Catholic Church teaches
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is not scriptural.
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There's no biblical foundation
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for it, right?
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So there's no earning
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your way out.
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It's not like you're there
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for a certain amount of time
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and then you get out of jail free.
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It doesn't work that way.
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Once you are there,
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you are there.
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The chance is over.
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It's done.
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No, that's right.
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You don't.
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You don't.
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I think Billy Joel
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thinks you do,
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but you don't.
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You're there forever,
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which means,
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I mean,
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just what this puts on my heart
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is like,
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I need to tell people now
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so that they can make the choice now
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while they still have the ability to, right?
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Like if they can't escape hell
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once they're there,
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I need to make sure
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that they know about it
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so that they can avoid it.
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Now, this is where we all belong, right?
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Because we're all sinners.
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But in Christ,
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we have the hope
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of a far better place.
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We have the hope of heaven.
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Now, what does the Bible say about heaven?
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Heaven, likewise, is a real place.
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It's not imaginary.
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It's not a state of mind.
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And it is the very dwelling place of God.
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I mean, just get a load of that.
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When you go to heaven,
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you are literally living in God's house, right?
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Like he's right there.
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He's visible.
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You can go to the very throne room of God
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and see his glory fully
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and not be consumed.
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You can see Jesus sitting at his right hand.
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If what makes hell so terrible
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is the fact that you are totally divorced from God,
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what makes heaven so wonderful
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is the fact that you never are apart from God.
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He is right there.
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His presence is close in a way
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it never has been before.
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And because it's the dwelling place of God,
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it is glorious, perfect, and untainted by sin.
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I don't know about you guys,
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but I'm pretty tired of living in a world
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that's tainted by sin.
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Where every day,
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you get up
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and the whole world
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is fundamentally opposed
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to everything that Jesus is and stands for.
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And you trying to follow Jesus
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is like a little salmon
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like trying to swim up the waterfall, you know?
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And it's just exhausting.
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How good will it be to live in a world
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where there is no sin?
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Where you're not struggling with the sin outside you.
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You're not struggling with the sin inside you.
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Where it is pure and perfect.
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And that leads us
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to our next point
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where heaven is perfect rest.
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Anyone else here want perfect rest?
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I do.
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I want it.
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I want perfect rest.
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But this is so good to remember, right?
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Like, because it's so hard to get rest here.
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We can't.
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Because even when we're not dealing with sin outside of us,
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we're sinners,
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so we're dealing with the sin inside us.
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Eventually, we will just be able to let all that go
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and just rest in Christ,
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which sounds so good.
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And lastly,
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heaven is a place of eternal reward
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where
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the good works that God's saints have done on earth
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are rewarded.
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And he expresses his approval
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and his appreciation, right?
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Well done, good and faithful servant.
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And I want to say on this real quick,
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I used to feel weird about the fact that
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this would happen.
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Because of course, we all,
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I hope we all know,
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our works do not earn our salvation, right?
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But I used to even feel weird about the fact
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that I don't really like the idea of
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there being rewards for works in heaven
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because then I'll just be working for the rewards.
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And not for what I should be working for.
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You know, and I felt guilty about
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wanting to work for the rewards that God has promised.
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Because he has promised rewards.
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But there's nothing wrong with that.
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There's nothing wrong with
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wanting the rewards that God promises.
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And there's nothing wrong even with
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doing the right thing
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with those rewards in mind.
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It's not an insult to God.
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Like if,
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just think of it this way,
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if a dad tells his son,
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son, I want you to go
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clean your room,
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right, go clean it,
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and then once you do that,
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I want to take you out to ice cream.
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If the son is like,
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okay dad, I'll go clean my room.
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But then afterwards says,
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no dad, don't take me to ice cream.
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And don't show your approval.
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Don't smile at me.
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I don't want any of that.
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I just want,
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I just want to do the right thing.
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How's the dad gonna feel?
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Like, what?
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We're going to ice cream, you know?
22:09
God delights to give gifts to us.
22:12
We don't need to feel ashamed of that.
22:14
It's his way of showing he loves us.
22:16
And part of the way we can show we love him
22:18
is by,
22:18
by delighting in the gifts that he gives
22:21
and working for it.
22:23
There's nothing wrong with that.
22:24
Nothing wrong at all.
22:27
So,
22:28
intermediate state.
22:29
Next comes the resurrection.
22:31
So I said that this is not the permanent home
22:33
and this is the reason why.
22:35
Because eventually,
22:36
when Christ returns,
22:38
everyone,
22:39
both those in heaven and those in hell,
22:41
will be raised from the dead
22:42
and reunited with their bodies.
22:46
The saints, right,
22:48
those who are,
22:48
in Christ,
22:48
will be reunited with new,
22:51
perfected,
22:52
holy bodies.
22:54
Sinners will not.
22:56
But they will still be resurrected.
22:58
And then,
22:59
once they're resurrected,
23:00
will come the judgment,
23:01
which we'll talk about later.
23:02
And after the judgment,
23:03
Christ will send them to their
23:04
true final destinations.
23:06
Okay?
23:08
Which, again,
23:09
we'll talk about these in more length
23:11
in general eschatology.
23:14
But,
23:15
it will, I think,
23:16
suffice to say,
23:19
that the first location is hell.
23:21
So the sinners who are condemned
23:23
at the judgment
23:24
will again be thrown into hell.
23:26
And you might be wondering,
23:28
well, why would God take them out
23:29
just to judge them
23:29
and then throw them back in?
23:30
Well, this time,
23:31
it will be worse.
23:32
Because now,
23:33
instead of just being tormented
23:34
in soul, in spirit,
23:36
you'll be tormented in spirit and body.
23:38
So in addition to the spiritual agony
23:41
of knowing I'm separated from God,
23:42
I'm separated from every good thing,
23:44
there will be physical torture
23:45
and torment added to that.
23:47
Which is not good.
23:48
And that will truly be unending.
23:50
That is the final destination.
23:51
And then the final destination
23:53
of the saints
23:54
is the new heavens
23:55
and the new earth.
23:58
More in a minute.
24:00
Next, let's talk about
24:01
general eschatology.
24:02
So general eschatology
24:04
is the second branch.
24:04
This is what most people
24:05
tend to think of
24:06
when they think of eschatology.
24:08
It refers to the study
24:09
of the end of creation.
24:11
So, like, kind of,
24:12
where is this crazy train going?
24:14
You know, where is
24:15
all of creation
24:16
heading?
24:17
What is going to be
24:18
the end for it?
24:20
Now,
24:23
just, again,
24:25
clarification,
24:26
just so there's
24:27
no misunderstanding.
24:29
I'm going to talk about
24:30
the different components
24:32
of general eschatology.
24:34
So these are big ideas,
24:36
big events that will occur,
24:39
which are prophesied.
24:41
We are not going to talk
24:43
about how those are ordered.
24:46
Both because
24:48
the Bible does not make it
24:50
sufficiently clear for me
24:51
to feel comfortable
24:52
prescribing one way,
24:54
right?
24:54
Because I think there's room
24:55
for interpretation.
24:57
But also because
25:00
I just, I don't think
25:01
it would be terribly beneficial.
25:04
And if I can be honest,
25:06
it always has confused me
25:07
a little bit that eschatology
25:08
is one of the most divisive doctrines.
25:10
Because when the New Testament
25:11
speaks of eschatology,
25:12
it speaks of it
25:13
as one of the things
25:14
that's meant to unite us
25:16
in a hope, right?
25:17
Like we're called
25:18
to encourage one another
25:20
with the knowledge
25:21
that Christ is coming again,
25:22
general eschatology.
25:24
Not to debate over
25:25
how exactly it's going to look
25:26
when he comes again.
25:27
So we're going to talk
25:28
about these big things.
25:29
I haven't arranged them
25:30
in the way that I think
25:32
they'll happen, okay?
25:33
So I'm not being
25:33
passive aggressive.
25:34
I just,
25:37
I just,
25:38
I just literally
25:39
threw them in there
25:40
because, I don't know,
25:42
I felt like it made sense
25:43
thematically.
25:44
So first, let's talk about
25:46
the last days.
25:47
So the last days
25:51
actually is a pretty broad term.
25:53
Biblically, the last days
25:54
lasted from the time
25:56
immediately before Jesus' birth
25:57
until the end of the world.
25:59
So those are the last days.
26:02
And that's just
26:03
how the Bible uses it.
26:04
So technically, yes,
26:04
we are in the last days,
26:05
but so have the previous
26:06
2,000 years of history.
26:08
When most people talk
26:10
about the last days,
26:11
what they really mean
26:11
are the end days
26:12
or the end of the age.
26:14
This is a unique period
26:16
within,
26:17
the last days,
26:18
immediately preceding
26:21
Christ's coming again
26:23
and the resurrection
26:23
of the dead
26:24
and the judgment
26:24
and all of that.
26:25
Now, when Christ was on earth,
26:26
he foretold certain signs.
26:30
Yeah, there we go.
26:32
He spoke of certain signs
26:34
that would indicate
26:36
that we have entered
26:37
the end of the last days
26:39
or the end days.
26:40
And we'll talk about
26:41
each of these.
26:42
I'm gonna rattle through them
26:43
super quick,
26:44
but then we're gonna stop
26:45
and talk about a few of them
26:46
at length.
26:46
So don't,
26:47
hurt yourself
26:48
trying to write super fast.
26:49
The first is wars
26:50
and rumors of wars,
26:53
famines and earthquakes,
26:55
incredible natural disasters
26:56
and signs in the heavens,
26:59
widespread lawlessness,
27:00
the gospel will be preached
27:02
to all the nations,
27:03
the great apostasy,
27:06
the antichrist,
27:08
and the great tribulation.
27:09
These are the major signs
27:11
that Jesus
27:12
and other parts of the Bible
27:13
have identified
27:14
as indicating
27:15
the end draws near.
27:17
And of course,
27:17
some of these
27:17
have been happening
27:18
from time immemorial.
27:20
What will make this unique
27:22
is that they're all coinciding
27:23
at once
27:24
and in greater degree
27:25
and intensity
27:26
than in ever before.
27:28
So some of these
27:29
are pretty straightforward.
27:29
We know what wars and rumors
27:30
of wars mean,
27:31
famines, earthquakes.
27:32
So I'm gonna focus
27:32
on the last four.
27:36
The gospel preached
27:37
to all the nations
27:37
until the great tribulation
27:38
because those
27:39
could be a little more confusing.
27:41
So what does it mean
27:42
to say that the gospel
27:43
will be preached
27:43
to all the nations?
27:45
In one sense,
27:46
it's pretty,
27:47
pretty straightforward.
27:47
All the nations
27:48
will have the gospel
27:49
preached to them.
27:51
What's unclear
27:51
is whether this means
27:53
every individual
27:54
within those nations
27:55
will have heard
27:56
the gospel preached,
27:57
whether it's just
27:58
the leadership
27:59
of that nation
28:00
or just sort of
28:01
the nation in general.
28:03
It's also not clear
28:04
if this means
28:04
all the nations
28:05
will believe
28:06
because you'll notice
28:07
it says preached.
28:08
The nations will have
28:09
the gospel preached to them.
28:10
It doesn't necessarily say
28:11
that they'll believe in it.
28:13
So parts of this
28:14
are a little fuzzy.
28:15
We don't know exactly
28:17
what this means.
28:19
I debated telling this story
28:21
or not because it's
28:21
a poor reflection on me
28:22
but I'm going to tell it anyway
28:23
because why not?
28:24
I used to be terrified
28:26
of eschatology.
28:27
Like it just freaked me out
28:28
because I only ever thought
28:29
of the great tribulation.
28:30
I was like,
28:31
I don't want,
28:33
I don't want that.
28:34
I want to prevent it.
28:34
So when I read
28:35
the prophecy that said
28:37
the gospel will be preached
28:38
to all nations
28:39
and then the end will come,
28:40
part of me thought,
28:41
oh, this means
28:42
we all just need to agree
28:43
on one nation
28:44
that we don't share
28:45
the gospel with.
28:47
Until,
28:48
until we're ready, right?
28:49
Like we dug our bunkers,
28:50
we're ready for the tribulation.
28:52
We can buckle in,
28:53
we'll send one missionary out there,
28:54
he'll, you know,
28:55
proselytize that one nation
28:57
and then we'll be good.
28:58
It's not how it works.
28:59
Don't get any ideas.
29:01
I was a heretic
29:02
and I have converted.
29:03
I am, I'm good now.
29:06
Hopefully.
29:07
Some of you are thinking,
29:08
no, he's not.
29:09
Well, I hope so.
29:10
So anyway,
29:11
unclear exactly what that means
29:13
but general gist of it,
29:14
all the nations
29:15
will have access to the gospel.
29:17
The next thing,
29:18
the great apostasy.
29:19
So apostasy refers
29:21
to falling away.
29:22
It refers to those
29:24
who at one point believed
29:25
and then after that
29:27
left the faith
29:28
and abandoned it.
29:29
And this has always happened.
29:31
I mean, it happened
29:31
in the early church, right?
29:32
One of Paul's best friends,
29:34
Demas,
29:35
left him for the world
29:36
and he was an apostate.
29:39
But the Bible speaks
29:40
very clearly
29:41
of a sort of mass exodus
29:43
from the church
29:44
which will occur in the end.
29:46
When many,
29:47
many will leave
29:48
the fold.
29:49
Many will leave
29:50
the church
29:51
who were at one point in it.
29:54
Now just to be clear,
29:55
this does not necessarily mean
29:58
that there will be fewer people
30:00
in the end
30:00
who identify as Christians.
30:02
This also does not necessarily mean
30:04
that there will be fewer people
30:05
going to churches.
30:07
See the air quotes?
30:08
I'm being very subtle.
30:09
But it does mean that
30:12
that there will be many
30:14
who leave the true church.
30:16
So there will be many
30:17
who do not hold
30:19
to the scriptures
30:20
as the final authority.
30:21
There will be many
30:22
who do not hold to Christ
30:24
as the one and only
30:24
Lord and Savior.
30:25
There might be many church goers.
30:27
There might be many people
30:28
who claim to be Christian, right?
30:32
But there will not be
30:33
many true Christians.
30:34
Hence, I think,
30:35
Jesus' question
30:36
when he was still on earth,
30:37
when I return,
30:38
will I even find faith
30:39
on the earth?
30:40
I think this might be part of it.
30:42
And how terrifying.
30:44
Because if it was just that
30:45
there were less people
30:46
identifying as Christian,
30:47
that would actually make
30:48
our lives a little easier, right?
30:49
Because it would be more clear
30:50
who's in and who's out.
30:51
How terrifying if
30:53
it's not necessarily that.
30:54
It's more deceptive
30:57
than that.
31:01
Yeah.
31:02
Or who do understand
31:03
and have rejected it anyway.
31:04
Exactly.
31:06
So,
31:07
that's the great apostasy.
31:08
Next, the Antichrist.
31:09
We could do a whole
31:11
series on this guy
31:12
because he's fun.
31:14
But we're not.
31:15
We're going to keep it pretty brief.
31:16
So, the Antichrist,
31:17
just to summarize,
31:19
is an individual
31:20
who will be revealed
31:21
in the last days.
31:22
Who will rule the world,
31:24
quite literally.
31:25
He will institute
31:25
a one-world government
31:27
supported by a one-world religion.
31:30
And he will be the one
31:32
who runs the Great Tribulation.
31:33
He'll be the one who
31:35
institutes the Mark of the Beast,
31:37
right?
31:37
Without which you cannot buy or sell.
31:39
He will set himself up
31:41
as God
31:42
in the temple
31:43
in Jerusalem
31:44
after he's broken
31:45
his peace treaty
31:46
which he will make
31:46
with the Jews.
31:48
And he will
31:50
eventually lead
31:50
the armies of the earth
31:51
in open rebellion
31:52
against God.
31:55
Now,
31:56
do we know exactly
31:57
who this guy is going to be?
31:58
Nope.
31:58
I mean, there are people
31:59
who will tell you
32:00
they know exactly who it is
32:01
but they don't know.
32:03
They don't know.
32:04
But,
32:05
he will come
32:06
and the Bible makes it clear
32:07
that he needs to be revealed
32:08
prior to Christ's return.
32:13
And again,
32:14
what makes this scary
32:15
is that we
32:17
might think
32:17
oh, the Antichrist
32:18
will be so obvious
32:19
because he'll be so
32:19
just blatantly evil.
32:20
He'll be like a super villain
32:22
that we can all
32:22
just easily identify as
32:24
oh, that's a bad guy.
32:25
That's not the case.
32:27
Whoever this is
32:28
will be someone
32:29
who's capable
32:30
of making
32:31
the whole world
32:34
believe him.
32:36
He'll be someone
32:36
so charismatic,
32:38
so convincing
32:42
that everyone loves him.
32:44
Right?
32:45
We will not
32:46
recognize
32:46
his evil
32:49
until it's too late.
32:52
He will be a deceiver.
32:53
Hence, Antichrist.
32:54
It's not just that he's opposed
32:55
to everything Christ is.
32:56
It's he's trying to set himself up
32:57
to become a Messiah.
32:58
Right?
32:59
Like, I am the answer
33:00
to all your hopes and dreams.
33:03
And it says in the Bible
33:05
that so great
33:06
will that delusion be
33:07
that if possible
33:07
even the saints
33:08
would fall for it.
33:09
Right?
33:09
But thankfully,
33:10
if we have the Holy Spirit
33:11
and we're looking
33:12
and we're paying attention,
33:13
we won't.
33:13
Right?
33:14
If there's ever a man
33:14
who proclaims himself
33:15
leader of the world,
33:16
we'll know,
33:16
okay,
33:17
this is the Antichrist.
33:19
Next,
33:20
the Great Tribulation.
33:21
Sorry,
33:22
I skipped ahead.
33:23
Oh, boy.
33:29
Yeah.
33:30
Tell me about it.
33:31
This is the sign
33:32
of the end.
33:33
But,
33:34
the Great Tribulation,
33:35
this is where we tend
33:36
to get,
33:37
this is where I tended
33:38
to get caught up
33:39
when I was thinking
33:40
of eschatology growing up.
33:41
Right?
33:41
Because the Bible says
33:42
there will be a period
33:43
for the end
33:45
of unparalleled persecution.
33:47
Right?
33:48
Right?
33:48
Right?
33:48
Right?
33:48
Right?
33:48
The likes of which
33:49
we have never seen.
33:50
Which is super scary
33:52
if you've studied history
33:53
and you know the things
33:54
that we have seen
33:55
because they're pretty bad.
33:56
Like people getting
33:57
stuffed in logs
33:57
and sawn in two
33:58
and boiled in oil
33:59
and lit on fire
34:00
as lamps for garden parties
34:02
and being crucified
34:03
and being crucified
34:03
upside down
34:04
and being crucified sideways
34:05
and being boiled alive
34:07
in giant metal bowls.
34:09
Like,
34:09
there's so many
34:10
horrible things
34:11
that have happened
34:11
that the idea
34:12
of something worse happening
34:13
is kind of terrifying.
34:15
But here's the thing.
34:18
It's only overwhelming
34:20
if we only focus on that.
34:25
If we forget
34:26
that it's actually
34:27
just the sign
34:27
of something better
34:29
that's coming after.
34:30
If we only look
34:32
at the tribulation
34:32
and we forget
34:33
the second coming of Christ,
34:35
of course we're gonna be terrified.
34:38
Right?
34:38
Of course we're gonna be overwhelmed.
34:40
Because that's pretty bleak.
34:42
It is so,
34:44
so important
34:45
that yes,
34:46
we be aware
34:47
of the great tribulation,
34:47
will come.
34:48
And that we be aware
34:50
it's not gonna be easy.
34:52
But that we also be aware
34:53
it's not the end.
34:56
Right?
34:57
There's more that comes after it
34:58
that is way,
34:59
way better.
35:00
You can even think of
35:00
the example of Christ, right?
35:02
He, for the joy
35:02
that was set before him,
35:04
endured the shame
35:05
despising the cross.
35:06
He didn't just look at the cross
35:07
and go,
35:08
I'm gonna white knuckle
35:09
my way through.
35:10
He looked ahead
35:10
to the joy coming after.
35:12
And that was how he got through.
35:13
We need to do the same.
35:15
So those are
35:16
the end days.
35:18
Next,
35:18
the millennium.
35:19
The millennium.
35:19
This is,
35:23
thanks Sam.
35:23
Thank you for giving me this.
35:25
The millennium is tricky.
35:27
Okay?
35:27
It is so tricky
35:29
for a variety of reasons.
35:30
I will summarize
35:32
what the Bible says about it.
35:34
And then I will explain
35:35
why it is difficult.
35:36
Because if you just read this,
35:37
it seems pretty straightforward.
35:38
So,
35:38
the millennium is
35:39
a thousand year period
35:40
in which Satan is bound
35:40
and locked away
35:41
and the saints are resurrected
35:42
to rule with Christ.
35:44
At the end of the thousand years,
35:45
Satan is released
35:47
and allowed to deceive
35:48
the nations
35:49
one more time
35:49
and lead them
35:50
in rebellion
35:51
against the people of God.
35:53
They will seem to
35:54
be winning for a time
35:55
and then God will vanquish them
35:56
and cast Satan
35:57
into hell
35:58
forever.
36:00
Pretty straightforward, right?
36:02
Wrong!
36:03
There is actually
36:04
some tricky stuff
36:05
with this.
36:06
So,
36:06
the first thing
36:08
is that
36:08
there is only
36:10
one
36:10
direct reference
36:11
to this
36:12
in the entire Bible.
36:14
Just one direct.
36:15
Now, there are some who argue
36:16
that there are
36:17
indirect references.
36:18
I am not saying
36:18
that is not true,
36:19
but there is only
36:20
one direct,
36:20
direct reference.
36:21
Okay?
36:23
And it happens
36:23
in Revelation 20,
36:24
1 through 10.
36:26
Which means
36:27
it occurs
36:27
in the most symbolic
36:28
and difficult Bible
36:29
in the entire,
36:30
a book in the entire Bible.
36:32
Right?
36:32
John Calvin famously
36:34
wrote a commentary
36:35
on every single book
36:35
of the Bible
36:36
except for Revelation
36:37
because it was too difficult.
36:39
And,
36:40
that means
36:41
that
36:42
there is a really
36:43
good chance
36:45
this is not literal.
36:47
It could be literal,
36:48
but it could also
36:48
be figurative.
36:49
Because there are
36:50
other examples
36:51
both in Revelation itself
36:52
and in the rest
36:53
of the Bible
36:54
where a certain
36:55
time frame
36:57
is actually used
36:58
to symbolically refer
36:59
to a shorter
37:00
or longer period of time.
37:01
Or even an indefinite
37:02
period of time.
37:04
Right?
37:04
Think of the 70 weeks
37:05
in Daniel.
37:06
It is not necessarily
37:07
literally 70 weeks.
37:08
It is probably referring
37:10
to a much longer
37:11
period of time
37:11
or a much shorter
37:12
period of time.
37:13
So the 1,000 years
37:15
could symbolically refer
37:16
to a far longer
37:16
or shorter amount of time.
37:17
And finally,
37:18
it is unclear
37:19
when exactly
37:20
in the scheme
37:20
of eschatology
37:21
this fits.
37:23
So does it happen
37:24
before Christ comes
37:25
or after Christ comes?
37:26
Does it happen
37:26
before the tribulation
37:27
or after the tribulation?
37:29
Does it not happen
37:29
at all?
37:30
We just,
37:31
we don't know.
37:31
There is a lot of unknowns.
37:33
But here is what we know
37:33
for certain.
37:35
It is going to happen.
37:37
And we will just
37:37
kind of figure it out
37:38
when it does.
37:39
Right?
37:39
Like if God wanted us
37:40
to know exactly
37:41
what it was going to be
37:41
beforehand,
37:42
he would have made it clear.
37:43
So we don't need
37:44
to really worry about that.
37:45
But that is the millennium.
37:46
Next,
37:47
the return of Christ
37:47
and the rapture.
37:49
So we know,
37:50
for certain,
37:50
that at the end of all days,
37:51
Christ will return.
37:53
Amen.
37:53
Hallelujah.
37:54
Lord hasten the day.
37:55
And when he returns,
37:56
the Bible speaks of him
37:59
gathering all of the saints,
38:01
both those who are dead
38:02
and alive,
38:03
and gathering them up
38:04
to him in the air.
38:05
This is often called
38:06
the rapture,
38:07
which is not actually
38:08
a biblical term.
38:09
It doesn't occur in the Bible,
38:10
but it is kind of like
38:11
the word trinity,
38:11
like just a convenient way
38:12
to describe this event.
38:15
Now,
38:16
while this is preceded
38:17
by certain signs,
38:18
which we just talked about,
38:19
the,
38:20
the exact timing
38:21
and nature of this
38:23
is unclear.
38:24
It's shrouded by mystery.
38:25
The Bible speaks of it
38:26
being like a thief in the night
38:27
or like lightning, right,
38:28
flashing across the sky.
38:30
It'll be sudden
38:31
and in some measure,
38:32
unexpected,
38:33
which is why we always need
38:34
to be prepared
38:35
for it to happen.
38:38
And now we're gonna do
38:40
something
38:40
a little different.
38:43
We're gonna take a minute
38:45
to define some terms.
38:46
So we've talked about
38:47
some of the major components
38:47
of eschatology.
38:49
Now I'm gonna talk about
38:51
some,
38:51
some big words
38:54
that if,
38:55
not if,
38:55
when you continue
38:56
studying eschatology
38:57
on your own
38:58
after this is over,
38:59
you are inevitably
39:00
gonna bump into.
39:01
So I just wanted
39:03
to find these,
39:03
get these out here.
39:04
These all are,
39:05
these all are ways
39:06
of describing different theories
39:07
of when Christ will return
39:08
relative to either
39:09
the tribulation
39:10
or the millennium, okay?
39:12
And I wanna point out
39:13
beforehand,
39:14
just so we're clear,
39:15
none of these
39:17
except for the very,
39:18
very last one
39:19
are actually heretical.
39:21
Meaning,
39:21
you can be a Christian
39:24
and be a pre-millennial
39:28
and recognize
39:29
that a post-millennial
39:31
is also fully Christian,
39:32
right?
39:33
Like there,
39:33
there is room
39:35
for interpretation,
39:35
there's room for difference.
39:37
So pre-trib rapture,
39:39
pre-tribulation rapture,
39:40
this is the theory
39:41
that Christ will return
39:43
and draw his people to him
39:44
before the tribulation.
39:45
He will then return
39:46
a second time
39:46
at the end of the tribulation
39:47
to judge and set
39:48
all things right.
39:50
Post-tribulation rapture,
39:51
Christ will return
39:52
once at the end
39:53
of the tribulation
39:54
and that's when he will
39:55
gather all people to him
39:56
and will also
39:56
set all things right.
39:58
And there is variety,
39:59
by the way,
39:59
within all of these camps.
40:00
I am way oversimplifying
40:02
for sake of time.
40:05
Pre-millennialism,
40:06
so this is Christ's return
40:07
relative to the millennium,
40:08
the first two were
40:09
Christ's return relative
40:10
to the tribulation.
40:11
Christ returns
40:11
before the millennium.
40:13
So he returns
40:13
prior to the millennium
40:14
and then is here
40:16
to rule
40:17
throughout the millennium.
40:20
Post-millennialism,
40:21
on the other hand,
40:21
says that Christ returns
40:22
after the millennium.
40:25
So he's not necessarily
40:26
here to rule himself
40:28
while the millennium
40:29
is happening,
40:30
but he instead
40:30
has his saints
40:32
rule for him.
40:33
Okay,
40:34
sort of his representatives
40:35
on earth.
40:36
A-millennialism
40:37
believes that the millennium
40:39
actually is a symbolic reference
40:41
to the church age.
40:43
So ever since
40:44
the beginning of the church,
40:45
whether that be
40:46
Christ's ascension
40:47
or Pentecost
40:48
or whatever,
40:49
whatever say you,
40:51
until the end
40:52
has been the church age
40:53
and that has been
40:55
the millennium
40:55
because,
40:56
and the thinking is
40:57
Christ's kingdom
40:59
is in a sense
41:00
here on earth
41:01
through his church.
41:03
Hence,
41:04
his saints reigning,
41:06
if you will,
41:07
in this time.
41:09
Now there are difficulties
41:10
with all of these.
41:11
There are strong
41:11
biblical arguments
41:12
for all of them.
41:14
I leave it up
41:15
to your best judgment.
41:16
Now the last one
41:17
is full preterism.
41:18
Again,
41:18
this is the only heresy
41:19
on the list.
41:20
Full preterism
41:21
believes that all
41:22
of the gospel,
41:23
all the biblical prophecies
41:25
have been fulfilled already.
41:28
I don't even need
41:29
to explain why
41:30
that's a heresy.
41:30
We should all know.
41:32
Paul wrote a whole book on it.
41:33
Second Thessalonians.
41:33
You should read it.
41:35
So here's what we know
41:36
for certain
41:36
about Christ's return
41:38
and the rapture
41:39
and all that.
41:41
Christ will return.
41:43
We can know that
41:44
beyond a shadow of a doubt.
41:46
He has promised
41:46
and I don't know about you,
41:47
he's never broken one on me.
41:49
He's never broken one on me.
41:50
He's never broken a promise yet
41:51
and I don't think
41:51
he's gonna break this one either.
41:53
Secondly,
41:54
his return will be sudden
41:55
and unexpected.
41:56
So we should be aware
41:58
and be prepared.
41:59
Third,
42:00
certain signs will tell us
42:01
that his return is near.
42:02
They won't tell us
42:02
the exact time
42:03
but they will tell us
42:04
it's near
42:04
and when he returns
42:06
he will make all things new.
42:08
More on that in a minute.
42:09
We're gonna kind of
42:10
speed run through this one.
42:11
So when Christ returns
42:12
he'll of course
42:13
raise the dead
42:14
and once he's raised the dead
42:16
then will come
42:16
what is typically called
42:17
the white throne judgment
42:19
or the great right
42:20
throne judgment
42:20
because in Revelation
42:22
it speaks of Christ
42:23
sitting on a great white throne
42:24
having the nations
42:25
come before him
42:26
and judging them.
42:27
Judging each individual person.
42:30
Now at this judgment
42:31
he will judge
42:34
every single person.
42:36
So everyone,
42:36
small and great,
42:38
saved and unsaved
42:39
will appear before God
42:41
and give full account
42:42
for everything.
42:43
Every word,
42:44
every thought,
42:45
every deed.
42:46
Everything.
42:47
And nothing
42:48
will remain hidden.
42:51
The Bible in Revelation
42:52
describes it as
42:53
God sitting on his throne
42:55
and books being brought before him
42:57
in which are written
42:57
all the things
42:58
that anyone has ever done
43:00
as well as the book of life
43:01
in which are written
43:02
the names of those
43:03
who are in Christ.
43:05
Now all sinners
43:06
and saved
43:07
will have to give account
43:08
and those books
43:09
with all that we've done
43:10
will be read before God
43:11
and we will give account
43:12
and then ultimately
43:14
our judgment
43:14
will be determined
43:15
by whether or not
43:16
our name is in the book of life.
43:18
Now I don't know about you.
43:20
There are things
43:21
on my record
43:22
I am not looking forward
43:23
to giving account to
43:24
before God
43:24
and I don't really want
43:27
to add any more.
43:30
And this,
43:31
we're going to talk more
43:32
about this at the end
43:33
but this is part of why
43:33
eschatology is so essential
43:35
because if we never think
43:37
about the fact
43:38
that we will literally
43:40
have to recount
43:41
every word
43:44
and the tone
43:45
in which that word
43:46
was spoken
43:47
and every thought
43:49
and every deed.
43:50
If we will have to give account
43:51
for all of that
43:52
before God.
43:52
If we don't think about that ever
43:55
we're probably going to be
43:56
a lot more lax.
43:58
Right?
43:58
We're going to be a lot more prone
43:59
to do it
44:00
because I mean
44:02
what do we care?
44:03
But if we think about that
44:04
and we recognize that
44:05
that we will give account
44:07
for everything.
44:10
Everything.
44:10
Before the judge
44:11
the perfect judge
44:12
of the universe
44:12
that should be sobering
44:13
and that should
44:14
I think shock us
44:17
enough to
44:18
try and live well.
44:20
And this is the most important thing.
44:21
The most terrifying part
44:22
is that in this day
44:23
many who thought
44:24
they believed
44:25
will be cast out
44:27
of God's presence.
44:29
They'll be banished.
44:30
You all might remember
44:31
the story that Jesus tells
44:33
in Matthew.
44:34
Right?
44:34
He says
44:35
speaking to his disciples
44:36
about the end
44:37
and he says
44:37
in that day
44:38
when I judge everyone
44:39
there will be many
44:40
who say to me
44:41
Lord, Lord
44:42
have we not prophesied
44:44
in your name?
44:46
Didn't we preach
44:47
about you in the streets?
44:48
Didn't we do miracles?
44:51
For you?
44:53
Didn't we do all these
44:54
great things for you?
44:54
What do you mean?
44:55
How can you not let us in?
44:57
I mean we've done
44:57
all these great things.
44:59
Everyone knows
45:00
we're with you.
45:02
And Jesus' response
45:03
will be
45:05
I never knew you.
45:08
Depart from me
45:09
workers of iniquity.
45:12
Go into the void.
45:13
There's wailing
45:14
and gnashing of teeth.
45:16
This is so terrifying
45:18
because it is possible
45:19
to do all the right things
45:21
to check all the boxes.
45:22
It is possible
45:22
to be a pastor
45:23
to be a theologian
45:25
to be a Bible teacher
45:27
to be on every missions trip
45:30
to be a missionary
45:32
to be recognized
45:35
by everyone
45:36
as the greatest Christian
45:37
of all time
45:39
and totally miss the point.
45:43
And what is the point?
45:44
Well Paul in 1 Corinthians
45:45
says the point is love.
45:46
If I have all these things
45:47
if I speak in the tongues of angels
45:48
if I have all this
45:48
and I do not have love
45:50
meaning
45:51
like partly
45:52
if I do not love God
45:53
I am nothing.
45:57
Obviously we do not need
45:58
to doubt the security
46:00
of Christ's work on the cross.
46:04
And if we're in him
46:05
we are good
46:05
and we should have confidence in that.
46:07
But the Bible does say
46:08
if you think you stand
46:09
take heed lest you fall.
46:12
Right?
46:13
We do not need to fear.
46:15
We do not need to doubt.
46:16
We do need to be circumspect
46:19
and self-aware.
46:21
And we need to be in community
46:23
with God.
46:23
We need to be where people
46:23
can call us out on things
46:24
that we might not see.
46:26
Right?
46:26
It is so, so important.
46:29
So finally
46:30
yes, I didn't go over time.
46:32
I was so afraid I would.
46:33
We get to talk about
46:34
the last thing
46:35
which are the final destinations
46:37
of humanity.
46:39
So once the judgment
46:40
has been completed
46:41
God will send all people
46:41
to one of two final locations.
46:43
Hell
46:44
which we've already spoken about
46:46
so we're not going to
46:47
talk about anymore.
46:49
Or
46:50
the new heavens
46:51
and the new earth.
46:53
This is amazing.
46:55
This is one of my favorite things
46:56
to study in the Bible
46:57
because it is so cool
46:58
and again
46:59
we do not talk about this enough.
47:01
But
47:02
in the end
47:03
after the judgment
47:04
after
47:05
after all that has been squared away
47:06
it says that God will destroy
47:09
this present creation
47:10
with fire.
47:12
So he
47:12
everything will burn.
47:13
Everything will be destroyed.
47:15
And then out of the ashes
47:17
of that previous creation
47:19
he will create
47:21
one more time.
47:22
And this time
47:23
it's going to be perfect.
47:25
It'll be the world
47:26
as it was always meant to be.
47:27
The new heavens
47:28
and the new earth.
47:29
Everything new.
47:31
Just imagine for a second.
47:33
Just imagine for a second.
47:35
First stepping on the grass
47:37
in that new world
47:38
where no other foot
47:39
has ever stepped.
47:41
And
47:42
breathing in
47:44
air
47:44
that no lungs
47:45
have ever breathed.
47:47
Right?
47:47
In your perfect body
47:49
that will never be sick
47:50
and will never be hurt
47:51
and will never be hurt.
47:52
And will never feel pain.
47:53
Will never die.
47:55
In a world
47:56
where there literally
47:58
has never been any sin.
48:01
Not just that
48:03
it's the old world
48:04
and now sin is defeat.
48:05
Like this is a new world
48:06
where there's never been sin
48:07
and will never be sin.
48:10
A world where death
48:12
has never come
48:13
and never will come.
48:17
A world that is everything
48:19
this world should have been
48:21
but more.
48:23
Oh, and it gets better.
48:24
It gets so much better
48:25
because it says that God will
48:27
literally
48:29
he's literally made a city
48:31
the new Jerusalem, right?
48:32
Which he will bring down
48:34
and that will be his dwelling place.
48:36
He will not dwell in heaven anymore.
48:38
He will dwell on earth
48:40
with his people
48:43
in that city,
48:44
the new Jerusalem.
48:45
And the description of it
48:46
is just gorgeous.
48:47
Go read it.
48:48
That is your homework.
48:48
Go read it in Revelation after this.
48:50
It is just amazing.
48:52
And
48:53
the best part is
48:54
like we can speculate
48:55
and we can think about it
48:56
and we can imagine
48:57
just how wonderful that it will be
48:59
but ultimately
49:00
eye has not seen
49:01
and ear has not heard
49:02
nor has entered into the heart of man
49:04
the things that God has prepared
49:05
for those who love him, right?
49:06
Like it is going to be
49:07
so much better
49:08
than we imagine.
49:11
I cannot resist
49:12
using this quote.
49:14
It is from one of my favorite books,
49:16
The Last Battle,
49:16
which is the final book
49:18
in the Narnia series.
49:22
I apologize.
49:23
I am going to literally
49:23
give the end of the whole thing.
49:25
But basically
49:27
in this end book,
49:28
like three-fourths of it,
49:30
the first three-fourths of it
49:31
are just terrible.
49:32
Like everything is going wrong.
49:34
Narnia is destroyed.
49:35
The bad guys come out on top
49:37
and literally all the good guys die.
49:41
But then,
49:42
I mean the last fourth of the book,
49:44
holy cow,
49:44
is just so good
49:45
because all the good guys
49:46
find themselves
49:47
in this land
49:49
that looks like Narnia
49:51
but different,
49:52
better.
49:53
Like all the colors
49:53
are more vibrant.
49:54
There is even colors
49:55
they have not seen before.
49:56
And it says like
49:57
every blade of grass
49:59
seems to have new weight
50:00
of meaning to it.
50:02
And the light is brighter
50:03
and the air is sweeter
50:04
and it just feels bigger
50:06
and more expansive.
50:06
Like you can finally breathe.
50:09
You know?
50:10
And they are wandering around
50:12
like what is going on?
50:13
And they discover
50:14
they can do all these things
50:15
they could never do before
50:15
and they cannot feel fear.
50:17
And eventually they meet Aslan
50:18
who is Christ
50:19
in the Narnia stories.
50:21
And they say,
50:23
Aslan, this is so wonderful
50:24
but we are afraid
50:25
you are going to send us back again.
50:26
And Aslan says,
50:27
don't you get it?
50:28
You are dead.
50:29
Like you are never going anywhere.
50:32
You are here with me forever
50:33
and ever.
50:34
Like you never have to go anywhere.
50:36
This is the next step.
50:40
This is your home.
50:41
You are here with me.
50:42
And this is how Lewis ends the book.
50:45
And for us, the readers,
50:47
this is the end of all the stories.
50:49
And we can most truly say
50:50
that they all lived
50:51
happily ever after.
50:53
But for them,
50:53
it was only the beginning
50:54
of the real story.
50:56
All their life in this world
50:57
and all their adventures in Narnia
50:59
had only been the cover
51:00
and the title page.
51:02
Now at last,
51:03
they were beginning chapter one
51:04
of the great story
51:05
which no one on earth has read,
51:08
which goes on forever,
51:10
in which every chapter
51:11
is better than the one before.
51:13
That will be our story someday
51:15
and that is going to be glorious.
51:21
It almost feels extraneous
51:24
to do theology to do doxology.
51:25
Like I don't know how you can help
51:26
but do doxology after this.
51:28
But we'll talk about it anyway.
51:30
So first of all,
51:31
the study of eschatology
51:32
should encourage us.
51:33
It should not terrify us.
51:35
When we keep in mind
51:36
the broader perspective,
51:38
the broad context of this
51:40
and the fact that we will
51:41
have eternal life, right?
51:43
And there is hope after this.
51:44
And the time spent in glory
51:46
will far outweigh
51:48
this small moment of pain.
51:52
When we keep that in mind,
51:53
it is a great,
51:54
great encouragement.
51:55
Secondly,
51:56
it helps us think
51:57
with an eternal perspective.
51:58
It is so easy.
51:59
At any stage of life, right?
52:02
At any stage of life
52:03
to just get caught up
52:04
in this tiny little moment
52:05
we call now.
52:07
And sometimes we think,
52:08
oh, once I get into the next stage, right?
52:10
Like once all the kids are moved out,
52:11
then I'll be able
52:12
to not think about this
52:13
and you find out
52:14
it doesn't work that way, right?
52:16
Oh, I just need to retire
52:17
and then I'll be able to,
52:18
no, it doesn't work that way, right?
52:19
Every stage,
52:20
that's just the way we work.
52:21
We fixate on this.
52:22
But when we think about this,
52:24
it helps give us
52:24
an eternal perspective.
52:25
And lastly,
52:28
studying eschatology
52:29
should drive us to live wisely
52:30
and purposefully
52:32
in these dark days, right?
52:34
We are,
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in some ways,
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the only hope the world has, right?
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Like we might be
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the only way
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that some people
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ever hear about Jesus Christ.
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We should take that seriously.
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We get one shot
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at this crazy thing called life.
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Let's make it count.
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It seems fitting
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to end
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with the last verses
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in the book of Revelation,
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which are the last verses
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in the Bible
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and not just to end this study
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but to end
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the whole study
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of systematic theology.
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This is what the final words,
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sort of the closing paragraph
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says in Revelation.
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The spirit and the bride say come.
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Let the one who hears say come.
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Let the one who is thirsty come.
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Let the one who desires
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take the water of life
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without price.
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I warn everyone
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who hears the words
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of the prophecy of this book.
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If anyone adds to them,
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God will add to him
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the plagues described in this book.
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And if anyone takes away
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from the words of the book
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of this prophecy,
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God will take away his share
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in the life of the tree,
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of the tree of life
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and in the holy city,
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which are described in this book.
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He who testifies to these things
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says surely I am coming soon.
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Amen.
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Come Lord Jesus.
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The grace of the Lord Jesus
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be with you all.
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Amen.
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And Heavenly Father,
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we pray this
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same thing.
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Lord, may you come quickly
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and may we be found ready
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for that day.
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In your name we pray this.
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Amen.