The Promise of the Future (Cornelis P. Venema)

Description

Though we can never, in our time-bound state, know the future in detail, God in his mercy has not left us in complete ignorance of what is to come. His revelation in Holy Scripture has cast a flood of light on what would otherwise remain an impenetrable mystery.

Even among those who accept the Bible’s authority, however, there has never been complete agreement on what Scripture teaches in this area.

This major new examination of biblical teaching on the future of the individual, of the church and of the universe as a whole will be useful both to theological students and to informed non-specialists. Ranging over the whole field, it interacts extensively with recent literature on disputed issues, such as the nature of the intermediate state, the millennium of Revelation 20 and the doctrine of eternal punishment, always seeking to answer the fundamental question: 'What do the Scriptures clearly teach?' The Christ centered nature of biblical teaching on the future is emphasized, as is the importance of the church's historic confessions for an understanding of eschatology. The chief note sounded is one of hope: 'God's people eagerly await Christ's return because it promises the completion of God' work of redemption…The future is bright because it is full of promise, the promise of God's Word.'

Endorsements

'I believe that you will find the study on which you are about to embark both intellectually satisfying and spiritually enriching. It will certainly inform you; more than that, it will help you to see what a glorious thing it is to be a Christian. ' — SINCLAIR B. FERGUSON

Table of Contents

Foreword ix

Preface xiii

PART ONE: THE FUTURE IS NOW

1. Hope Nurtured by the Word 3

Staying within the Boundaries of God’s Word 5

Christ, the Lord of History 6

Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained 9

A Living and Certain Hope 10

 2. The First Coming of the Lord 12

Preparing the Way in the Old Testament 13

‘In the Fullness of Time’ – the New Testament 23

PART TWO: THE FUTURE BETWEEN DEATH AND RESURRECTION

 3. The Intermediate State 35

Two Biblical Themes 36

Unbiblical Views of the Intermediate State 43

The Intermediate State in Scripture 52

What about Purgatory? 63

PART THREE: THE FUTURE OF CHRIST

 4. The Second Coming of Christ 79

The Centerpiece of Biblical Expectation 79

A Consummating Event 87

Whose Time No One Knows 95

PART FOUR: THE FUTURE MARKED BY THE ‘SIGNS OF THE TIMES’

 5. Signs of God’s Grace 113

Introducing the Signs of the Times 113

Preaching to All the Nations 120

The Salvation of All Israel 127

 7. Signs of Opposition and Judgment – I 140

General References 141

Tribulation in the Olivet Discourse 142

Some Observations about Tribulation 146

The Great Tribulation 150

Signs of Opposition and Judgment – II 159

Apostasy 160

The Antichrist 167

Signs of God’s Judgment 178

PART FIVE: THE FUTURE OF THE KINGDOM

 8. Premillennial Views 189

Introducing the Millennial Views 190

Historic Premillennialism 194

Dispensational Premillennialism 205

 9. Postmillennial Views

A Comment about Terminology 219

A Brief Historical Overview 221

The Main Features of Postmillennialism 223

The Biblical Case for Postmillennialism 229

Amillennialism 233

 10. Evaluating Premillennialism

The Problem with Premillennialism 245

Christ’s Return and the Rapture 251

Israel and the Church 261

The Hermeneutic of Literalism 277

11. What About Revelation 20? 296

The Premillennialist Case 298

The Millennium Is Now 304

The Binding of Satan 315

The Believer’s Reign with Christ 327

 12. Evaluating Postmillennialism 340

Defining Golden-Age Postmillennialism 341

Two Qualifiers 358

PART SIX: THE FUTURE OF ALL THINGS

13. The Resurrection of the Body 363

Biblical Themes regarding the Resurrection 364

The Nature of the Resurrection Body 370

The Resurrection/Renewal of All Things 376

A Recent Debate 378

Pastoral Questions regarding the Resurrection Body 384

 14. The Final Judgment

Questions regarding the Final Judgment 392

Degrees of Reward in the Kingdom of Heaven? 405

 15. The Doctrine of Eternal Punishment 420

The Problem of the Doctrine 420

Answering the Objections 428

 16. The New Heavens and New Earth 454

All New Things? Or All Things Made New? 456

Life in the Renewed Creation 469

To Enjoy God Forever 482

Selected Bibliography 489

Glossary of Terms 501

Index of Persons 513

Index of Selected Subjects 517

Index of Scripture References 525

References to the Apocrypha 538

Product Details

Title: The Promise of the Future  

Author: Cornelis P. Venema

Publisher: Banner of Truth

Pages: 560

Binding: Cloth-bound

Size: 22.3 x 14.6 x 3.5 cm

ISBN: 9780851517933