3.5 Judgment Day

Unfinished Business, Second Coming

Fulfillment of Daniel 7

Glory

Judge

Resurrection of all

Kingdom of God

When will Jesus return?

Paul expected Jesus to return in his lifetime

The earliest gospels interpret the failed Jewish revolt against Rome (66-74) and destruction of temple in Jerusalem (70) as signs of return

Roman persecution of Christianity as a cult interpreted as stirring Christ to vengeance

Different responses to delay

The Simpsons, season 16 episode 19 “Thank God It’s Doomsday” is based partly on the Millerites’ attempt to calculate the second coming. It also reflects popular ideas about the rapture and heaven as a cloud place to which one goes after death.

Close read of Revelation 13

Then I saw a beast come out of the sea with ten horns and seven heads; on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads blasphemous name[s]. The beast I saw was like a leopard, but it had feet like a bear’s, and its mouth was like the mouth of a lion. To it the dragon gave its own power and throne, along with great authority. I saw that one of its heads seemed to have been mortally wounded, but this mortal wound was healed. Fascinated, the whole world followed after the beast. They worshiped the dragon because it gave its authority to the beast; they also worshiped the beast and said, “Who can compare with the beast or who can fight against it?”
The beast was given a mouth uttering proud boasts and blasphemies, and it was given authority to act for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling and those who dwell in heaven. It was also allowed to wage war against the holy ones and conquer them, and it was granted authority over every tribe, people, tongue, and nation. All the inhabitants of the earth will worship it, all whose names were not written from the foundation of the world in the book of life, which belongs to the Lamb who was slain. Whoever has ears ought to hear these words. Anyone destined for captivity goes into captivity. Anyone destined to be slain by the sword shall be slain by the sword. Such is the faithful endurance of the holy ones.