A Brief Sketch On The Holy Of Old Testament Saints

Consequently it is fair to say that to the Jewish people of Jesus’ time the term ‘Kingdom of God’ was interpreted as a time when God’s rule would be restored through a descendant of David and things would be good again. Macquarrie sums their view precisely when he states, “The coming of the Kingdom would mean the judgement of the existing order, the overthrow of all evil and demonic powers and a new order in which God’s perfect reign would be manifested.”

Throughout the Bible, there are many parallels weaved and interlaced among each other, each pointing to Jesus and the story of His redemption. In Genesis, the Book of Beginnings, and the Revelation, the Book of the Completion, there are differences; however, there are a surprising amount of similarities. Differences can be identified, and will be delved into, as well as the different steps and similarities that lead to and point to God’s redemptive story. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” (Ephesians 1:7)

In chapter 5 of the Book of Revelation, we see Christ enter John’s vision in the form of the slain lamb, a picture of Christ sacrifice (Rev 5:6). In the ‘new song’ of the saints, the lamb is said to have “ransom[ed] for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation’ (5:9) and, later in the chapter, that “…every creature in heaven and on earth…” now sings praise to the lamb (5:13). These verses speak of God’s victory already having been fulfilled in Christ’s sacrifice in a way that leaves the reader with a vision of the eschatological hope of the Christian faith as being both fulfilled, but yet to be completed, a conception which falls within an inaugurated understanding of eschatology. As such, the ‘end of the world’ in Revelation can be considered as having already occurred in Christ’s death as evil was defeated and the New Creation initiated, while simultaneously not complete as the forces of Satan; the beast, the false prophet, and the harlot, still function in the cosmology of the First Creation. This understanding of the eschatological reality is an important aspect of John’s text, as it is through this that he is able to identify the dangers to the Church as well as encourage and strengthen its faith.

Harnack understands the Kingdom of God in Jesus’ teachings to have two basic aspects. First is the traditional view as a future event, establishing God’s rule on earth. The roots of this view come from the historic elements of Jewish apocalypticism and in the teachings of John the Baptist. Jesus accepted and supported but also surpassed the teachings of John the Baptist. However, Jesus presented an idea of the Kingdom of God that was in contrast with the traditional understanding of the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ understanding of the Kingdom is a present and internal event which happens in the hearts of those of faith. According to Harnack Jesus would have seen the two aspects as complimenting one another wherein those of a present perspective would see a tension between the two. Harnack says that it is the second aspect of God’s Kingdom that held as the most important in Jesus’ teachings. The Kingdom of God then should be understood as “coming to the individual, by entering into his soul and laying hold of it. ” It is then that the Kingdom of God fills the Christian with the life of God. Looking at the Kingdom of God in this way makes it the rule of God “in the hearts of individuals.

The essential problem Wright identifies in the introduction can be documented most clearly in six ordinary, but unsatisfactory responses often provided by the church to the query "What are the Gospels all about?, ” which are: 1) teaching people how to go to Heaven, 2) recording Jesus's exclusive ethical teaching, 3) depicting Jesus as a moral prototype for the people, 4) exhibiting Jesus as the perfect sacrifice, 5) telling stories with which humans can recognize and then find direction, and 6) signifying Jesus's spirituality. While each of these answers contains a portion of truth, Wright contends they all fail to hold the heart of the Gospel accounts. According to Wright, “the gospels tell of Jesus who embodied the living God of Israel and whose cross and resurrection really did unveil and initiate the Kingdom of God.” Wright then claims that the kingdom is apart of a greater eschatological theology, which is concerned with what is believed to be the final events of history, or the definitive destiny of humanity.

“A kingdom is a human political reality”, which is both earthly and physical. (pg 176) People see it as a negative impersonal political institution but rather it should positively flipped into community based. This includes individuals under one common influence. The power that kingdom has over politics transformed the power God has on earth through the churches until the day when He finally makes all things new (Rev 21:5). Together, the term kingdom politics is metaphor to what we should be basing our lives onto, the kingdom above under the political allegiance of God. As Christians, we must build this kingdom before God within the community of those living for the

The heavens opened and a voice of God announced the words of coronation psalm of Davidic and his sons “this is the one.” The type of Davidic king is fulfilled with the coming of Jesus. The kingdom of Heaven is different than what we expected in that, with Jesus’ entry into the world, the kingdom is already here, and with Jesus’ second coming all will be restored. We live in the “already”, but the hope of our lives is the “not yet”.

The Kingdom may exist in the individual human heart, in groups, in institutions, and in nature. The Kingdom of God is as broad and as overarching as the presence of God which renews and transforms and recreates everything touched by it.

In the first sense, the kingdom of God has already been created when Christ died on the cross for our sins, but in the second sense, the world had not yet been united under God’s banner. I am also reminded by Karl Barth that the kingdom of God “escapes all intellectual systematizing” (McKim, 1988, pg. 164). The true glory of the Kingdom of God will never be understood until the day it

Jesus Christ established a kingdom and through the Holy Spirit working in Christ’s Church, we bear witness to this kingdom. It is not a kingdom based upon retaliation, smashing the competition, arrogance, or, even militarily defeating the enemy; rather, Jesus established a kingdom based upon humility, truth, kindness, compassion, forgiveness, and love. It was a type of kingdom no one

In N. T. Wright’s salient and apologetic book, Surprised By Hope, he addresses two main points of contention for the Christian religion surrounding the idea of eschatology. Eschatology is the doctrine of the last things, or study of the “end times”. Each religion has their own idea of eschatology. Theology surrounding the “final judgement” can be paradoxically personal, especially when the very theme of eschatology describes what will happen when there is nothing left. The Christian form of divinity is focused narrowly on the Parousia - royal presence- the resurrection, final judgment, state of heaven and hell, and is very concerned with teleological end of Christianity - a very broad, cosmic perspective about the surprise of christian eschatology.

One of the major themes of the book of Zechariah is Old Testament Eschatology. Eschatology is the doctrine of end times, or the study of last things. Zechariah’s message is divided into three main sections. The first section, chapters 1-8, is considered apocalyptic and is filled with eight visions succeeding one another in one night.The second section, chapters 7-8, delivered two years later, are an answer to the question whether the days of fasting and mourning for the destruction of the city should be kept any longer, and an assurance to the people of God 's presence and blessing. The third and final section, chapters 9-14, consists of two oracles. The first oracle (9-11) addresses God 's dealings with His people. The second oracle (12–14) points out the final conflict and triumph of God 's kingdom.

Realized Eschatology is a Christian eschatological theory popularized by C. H. Dodd (1884–1973) that holds that the eschatological passages in the New Testament do not refer to the future, but instead refer to the ministry of Jesus and his lasting legacy. Eschatology is therefore not the end of the world but its rebirth instituted by Jesus and continued by his disciples, a historical (rather than transhistorical) phenomenon. Those holding this view generally dismiss end times theories, believing them to be irrelevant. They hold that what Jesus said and did, and told his disciples to do likewise, are of greater significance than anymessianic expectations. (Wikipedia)

Hoekema is the author of the final chapter of this book. It is devoted to four specific topics that relate to amillennialism. First, he focused on interpreting the book of Revelation to show "the background for the amillennial view of the millennium." Then, Hoekema discussed his interpretation of Revelation 20:1-6 and also "two OT passages commonly viewed as predicting an earthly millennial kingdom." A brief sketch of amillennial eschatology followed. The "sketch cover[ed] two areas: first, what amillennial eschatology teaches with regard to [four topics relating to] inaugurated eschatology, and, second, what it teaches with reference to [seven subjects relating to] future eschatology." This chapter ends with four implications of amillennial eschatology for the theological understanding of Christians.

Pannenberg’s theology is shaped wholly by the message and resurrection of Jesus and His eschatological history. Mostert states that “he understands Jesus’ message of the kingdom of God and his resurrection from the dead in the closest relation to the second Temple Jewish apocalyptic thought.” Alongside Ernst Käsemann, Pannenberg believes that the fullness of Jesus