旧约研究6——他赐给我们先知 HGP——第八课   末世的呈现

• 目录

• 一、引言

• 二、摩西的末世论

• 约的循环

• 约的高潮

• 三、早期先知的末世论

• 与摩西相似的部分

• 比摩西增加的部分

• 君王

• 圣殿

• 外邦人

• 四、后期先知的末世论

• 耶利米的期望

• 但以理的看见

• 最后的结论

• 最初的盼望

• 最终的盼望

• 五、新约的末世论

• 术语

• 福音

• 国度

• 以后或末后的日子

• 结构

• 施洗约翰

• 耶稣

• 主题

• 被掳

• 复兴

• 六、总结

一、引言

小时候我全家常常开车去渡假，我们总会到达目的地，因为开车前我们知道目的地在那里。沿路会有各样事情发生，呈现出整体的计划来。我们也许会留在一个地方比预期的长一点，又或者车胎瘪了，诸如此类的事情总会发生。

旧约预言中也有类似的情况出现。神掌握著人类历史计划的主权，这个计划有一天会终结。当中的每一阶段都是神所计划的；神拥有计划的主权。同时我们知道神在看顾，他观察人对预言所作的回应，当人作出某一种回应，神就按照这回应作出他的回应，当人作出另一种回应的时候，神又以另一种方式去回应，这样我们看见天命或末世在《圣经》中展现。随著《圣经》的进展，神一步一步地展示他要为他子民所成就的事。

我们称这一课为末世的展现，因为我们要去看末世的先知预言、或者说是末世论在预言中呈现的每个阶段。我们要看末世呈现的四个主要阶段。我们必须记住这四个段阶：第一是摩西的末世论；第二是早期的预言末世论；第三我们要看后期的预言末世论；最后，我们要去看新约的末世论。让我们先看摩西角度。

二、摩西的末世论

你曾经经历过极为艰苦的时间吗？唯一支持你继续下去的信念，是这段艰苦时期有一天终会完结。在多方面看来，摩西给以色列同样的角度。他告诉以色列艰苦的时期要来临，他们甚至要被掳离开应许地，但是，他又给他们盼望，末世的盼望，叫他们知道有一天一切都会变好的。为要了解摩西的角度，我们必定要去看先前的课中一些约的基本动力：第一是约的循环；第二是约的高峰。

约的循环

你还记得摩西明白到神要试验他子民的忠心，可是，他的子民经不起考验，时常失败。于是，摩西教导以色列人，神和他子民的关系将会是审判和祝福的循环。当神的子民公然地背叛神的时候，他们就经历战争和大自然的审判。当神的子民对神忠心，他们就会从战争和大自然中领受祝福。祝福和审判的循环约章形式在旧约中出现了好多次。

约的高潮

摩西作品中的末世论是按照祝福和审判这个基本形式发展出来的。摩西认为审判和约章祝福不会永无终结、毫无目的、永无休止也循环下去。相反地，摩西看见将来是有明确的终点的，那就是末世的出现。要了解摩西怎么教导约中生活的高峰，或称为末世，我们需要看摩西以哪三个元素去看历史：第一个元素是被掳；第二是悔改和赦免；第三是被掳后归回。

摩西预期当以色列渐渐地远离神的时候，审判就会加剧。审判的最高潮是以色列从应许地被掳去的时期。神的子民在战争遭到失败，应许地中大自然的和谐会变得（腐败）败坏。神的子民被赶散在万国之中，并且应许地也会变为荒场。听听摩西在申命记第4章第25至28节中怎么说：

你们在那地住久了，生子生孙，就雕刻偶像，彷佛甚么形像，败坏自己，行耶和华眼中看为恶的事，惹他发怒。我今日呼天唤地向你们作证，你们必在过约旦河得为业的地上速速灭尽！耶和华必使你们分散在万民中，在他所领你们到的万国里，你们剩下的人数稀少。在那里你们必待奉人手所造的神，就是用木石造成，不能看、不能听、不能吃、不能闻的神。（申命记第4章25-28节）

我们在这里看见摩西预言会有可怕的被掳事件发生，被掳这件事看起来虽然十分可怕，但是这并不是神与以色列立约历史的终结。悔改和赦免有可能叫被掳的情况改变。就如摩西在第4章29节里说的：

但你们在那里必寻求耶和华你的神，你尽心尽性寻求他的时候，就必寻见。（申命记第4章29节）

被掳一旦发生了之后，人民终于醒悟过来，他们悔改和寻求神的赦免。

悔改和赦免的结果是什么呢？那就是从被掳中归回。摩西教导说神对他的子民是有怜悯的，并将会领他们回到应许地去享受难以想像的永久恩约的祝福。听听摩西在申命记第4章30到31节里怎样描述恩约祝福的高峰：

日后你遭遇一切患难的时候，你必归回耶和华你的神，听从他的话。耶和华你神原是有怜悯的神，他总不撇下你、不灭绝你，也不忘记他起誓与你列祖所立的约。（申命记第4章30-31节）

在第4章30节里，摩西为最后的复兴时期创作了一个用语。他说以色列被掳后的复兴要发生在「日后」。希伯来语的用语是 b ah rit hayyamim 。一般来说这用语在许多情况下简单地指「未来」，并不是指一个特定的时间。但是在申命记4章30节里，我们发现「日后」或者「历史的高潮」这个专门术语。这个专门术语出现在先知书许多个地方，包括以赛亚书第2章第2节、弥迦书第4章第1节和何西阿书第3章第5节。在新约中，同样的用途出现在使徒行传第2章17节、希伯来书第1章第2节，和雅各书第5章第3节里。实际上，「末世论」这神学用词是来自这个用法的，指的是后来的事件或者最后的事件的研究。

我们可以这样总结摩西的末世论。摩西知道以色列要陷于深重的罪中，并且要被掳离开应许地去。但是一旦子民被掳之后，他们就悔改了他们的罪，神也赦免了他们。然后，在后来的日子、在末世，他们要被带领回到应许地，领受莫大的祝福。摩西的基本观点为先知期望的整个历史提供了背景。

看过了摩西非常简单的末世论之后，我们现在就有基础去看旧约早期先知的末世论。被掳到巴比伦之前，先知对末后高峰期的历史活动有什么看法呢？

三、早期先知的末世论

当我们在这一课中讲到早期的先知期望的时候，我们所谈到的先知包括所有直到但以理时期的先知。这段时间中的先知都有一个基本的末世论角度。我们将要从两个方面去看早期先知末世论：第一，与摩西的看法相似的地方；第二，在摩西的看法之上新增加的地方。让我们先看早期先知末世论与摩西早前建立的基本模式相似的地方。

与摩西相似的部分

摩西提供的模式先是全国性的审判，然后是被掳、悔改，随之而来的是大复兴。旧约先知花了大量的时间对将要来的被掳发出警告。在但以理以前服侍的先知跟随摩西的看法，他们从来没有放弃盼望，他们认为在被掳期间要有悔改和赦免的事情发生。事实上，先知相信神要超自然地在被掳期间更新他的余民、赦免他们。就如以赛亚在以赛亚书第10章20节里所说的：

到那日，以色列所剩下的和雅各家所逃脱的，不再倚靠那击打他们的，却要诚实倚靠耶和华以色列的圣者。（以赛亚书第10章20节）

当耶利米宣告神的子民要被掳，并且要领受新心，要对神忠心和遵从神的法律，耶利米也以相似的话表达他的看法。在耶利米书31章33节里，我们看到这些有关被掳的话：

「我要将我的律法放在他们里面，写在他们心上。我要作他们的神，他们要作我的子民。」（耶利米书第31章33节）

早期先知期待被掳的人会回心转意。

第三，旧约早期的先知同时也肯定，悔改了的余民要被召回到以色列地，大复兴要发生。以赛亚的话再次指出了这一点。在以赛亚书第44章21到22节里，我们看到这样的话：

「雅各、以色列啊，你是我的仆人，要记念这些事。以色列啊，你是我的仆人，我造就你，必不忘记你。我涂抹了你的过犯，像厚云消散；我涂抹你的罪恶，如薄云灭没。你当归向我，因我救赎了你。」（以赛亚书第44章21-22节）

早期的先知清楚地讲明了摩西的基本末世论是真实的。以色列要被掳、悔改和被赦免，致使后来归回应许地的大复兴。但是早期的先知在摩西的模式之上增加了一些特徵。

比摩西增加的部分

简单地说，在摩西和早期先知之间的时间发生了一次主要约章事件，这里所说的约当然是指神与大卫王所立的约。早期先知在摩西所描绘的早期末世论之上加了三个焦点。第一个焦点是王权；第二个焦点是圣殿；第三个焦点是外邦。让我们先去看早期先知怎样关注到王权。

君王

一方面来看，早期先知不像摩西那样，单单讲到以色列国要遭受到战败和自然灾害的审判。由于大卫家的王权成为了神子民生活的焦点，在这些先知看来，神的审判包括了大卫家王权的废弃。例如我们从以赛亚书39章5到7节里，看到以赛亚斥责希西家王，这是对大卫家王权的审判。

以赛亚对希西家说，「你要听万军之耶和华的话：日子必到，凡你家里所有的，并你列祖积畜到如今的，都要被掳到巴比伦去，不留下一样。这是耶和华说的。并且从你本身所生的众子，其中必有被掳去，在巴比伦王宫里当太监的。」（以赛亚书第39章5-7节）

大卫家王权的废弃是神子民被掳历史中的一个高潮。

尽管大卫家的王权遭到悲惨的审判，先知同时也向以色列保证神没有完全放弃大卫家的王位。先知反而预言说以色列被掳后的复兴，是包括了大卫王位的荣耀大复兴。听听耶利米在耶利米书23章第5节和第6节如何描述大卫家的王权复兴。

「耶和华说：「日子将到，我要给大卫兴起一个公义的苗裔；他必掌王权，行事有智慧，在地上施行公平和公义。在他的日子，犹大必得救，以色列也安然居住。他的名必称为：耶和华我们的义。」」（耶利米书第23章5-6节）

大卫家要有一个公义的后裔，这应许成为了后来复兴日子的主要图像。

早期先知不仅仅关心大卫家的王权，他们也把注意力集中于大卫的儿子所罗门修造的圣殿。

圣殿

许多以色列人错误地相信耶路撒冷神的圣殿是不可能被毁的。先知必须大胆地谈论耶路撒冷神的圣殿将要被毁这个事实。耶利米强烈地与假先知和祭司对抗，因为他们坚定的相信圣殿不可能被毁。在耶利米书第7章里，先知警告人民不要相信虚假的教导。在第4节里我们读到这样的话：

你们不要倚靠虚谎的话，说：「这些是耶和华的殿，是耶和华的殿，是耶和华的殿。」（耶利米书第7章4节）

耶和华的真先知一致宣告神的圣殿要在被掳的时候被毁。

当时先知们也应许在被掳后要出现复兴时期，他们要重建一座华丽的圣殿。先知以西结集中谈论在复兴时期重建圣殿这件事，他谈的比其他先知都多。在以西结书第40章到48章中，他集中在这个主题上。神给以西结一个特别的异象，是重建圣殿和命令人民修造圣殿的异象。听听神在以西结书43章第10到11节里对以西结所说的话：

「人子啊，你要将这殿指示以色列家，使他们因自己的罪孽惭愧，也要他们量殿的尺寸。他们若因自己所行的一切事惭愧，你就将殿的设计….在他们眼前写上，使他们遵照殿的一切规模典章去做。」（以西结书第43章10-11节）

早期的先知除了关注到大卫的王权和圣殿之外，还有别的关注点。这一点摩西没有表达得很清楚，那就是早期先知也关注到外邦。

外邦人

先知首先非常清楚的看见以色列的被掳意味了外邦战胜了神的子民。我们知道他们宣告了亚述人和巴比伦人要征服以色列，而且要恶待神的子民。

当以色列被掳的时候外邦是得胜了，但是早期先知却清楚地宣告外邦霸权不会永远持续下去。在被掳后的复兴时期，神要通过复兴大卫家的王权来击打恶待他子民的外邦人。神要击打外邦，叫以色列在与外邦人的战争中大大得胜。这个主题在先知书中以许多方式出现，最戏剧性的方式是在「耶和华的日子」这一个专门用语上。在希伯来语中「耶和华的日子」是yom Yahweh。这个用语的基本意思是，耶和华能够在一天之内毁灭他所有的敌人。因此，「耶和华的日子」是属于神的。就是在今天，凯旋的战士在进入战场的时候会说：「今天是我们的！」

这个用语特别强而有力的表达了以色列的被掳和复兴。最好的例子是去看先知约珥如何使用「耶和华的日子」这个用语。这句话出现在约珥书第1章第15节、第2章第1节、11节、31节和3章14节里。头三个引用「耶和华的日子」的地方指出神要击败犹大。由于约中子民犯罪的原故，他们成了神的敌人，「耶和华的日子」就是当神毁坏他们、使他们被掳的时候。

但是约珥在书中的第二部份转移了他使用这句话的方式。他以「耶和华的日子」来描述另一件事件。这一次「耶和华的日子」将要在以色列被掳后复兴的时期出现。这次神要击败所有压迫神子民的国家。例如，在约珥书第2章31节里，我们看到这些话：

日头要变为黑暗，月亮要变为血，这都耶和华大而可畏的日子未到之前。到那时候，凡求告耶和华的名的就必得救；因为照耶和华所说的，在锡安山，耶路撒冷必有逃脱的人，在剩下的人中必有耶和华所召的。（约珥书第2章31节）

我们看见了约珥所指的「耶和华的日子」不仅仅指神对他子民的审判，同时，也指神子民归回到应许地的时候要发生的一场大战争。

在我们离开以色列末世论中的外邦这个主题之前，我们要谈谈最后一个元素，那就是在以色列扩展过程中外邦人的输入。在「耶和华的日子」审判外邦、以色列被复兴之后，不是所有外邦人都要被毁。相反地，在战争过后，许多外邦人要来到神子民那里，与他们一起敬拜唯一的永生真神。就如先知以赛亚在以赛亚书第2章2到3节里说的：

末后的日子，耶和华殿的山必坚立，超乎诸山，高举过于万岭，万民都要流归这山。必有许多国的民前往，说：「来吧！我们登耶和华的山，奔雅各神的殿；主必将他的道教训我们，我们也要行他的路。」（以赛亚书第2章2-3节）

这段经文和其他经文点出了早期旧约预言对末世盼望的高峰。神的祝福要倾注在以色列身上，这些祝福包括了大量的外邦人把他们的信仰植根到真理上去，这样，神的恩约子民就要遍满全地。这个广阔的新天新地是一个满有神的知识的世界。世上要有平安，所有剩下来的人都要敬拜真实的永生神。

早期先知仿效摩西所设定的基本形式。他们相信被掳将要发生，可是，悔改和赦免要带来末世的大复兴。先知在这个基本形式之上加添了几个重要的主题：第一是大卫王权的集中性；第二是圣殿的重要性；第三是外邦在以色列被掳和神子民大复兴时期所扮演的特别角色。

我们看过了摩西末世论的基础，又看到早期先知末世论与摩西末世论相似的地方和修改了的地方。现在我们要来探索晚期先知末世论的发展。

四、后期先知的末世论

在其它的课程中，我们看见干预性历史偶发事件可以大大地影响神应验先知预言的方式。在多方面看来，在晚期的先知中，我们看到发生了一个旧约中最大的干预性历史偶发事件。我们将会发现神子民的回应对于末来的日子或末世的展现起了重大影响。

当我们探究这个问题的时候，我们要触及三个主题：第一是耶利米的期望；第二是但以理的看法；最后是旧约先知的最终观点。让我们先看耶利米对以色列的复兴所提出的特殊期望。

耶利米的期望

在多方面来看，耶利米仿效早期《圣经》预言的形式，然而，在两段经文中，耶利米加上了先前没有提及到的两点。第一，他预言说被掳的时间将会是70年之久。在25章11和12节中，我们读到这样的话：

「这全地必然荒凉，令人惊骇，这些国民要服侍巴比伦王七十年。七十年满了之后，我必刑罚巴比伦王和那国民。」（耶利米书第25章11-12节）

同样地，在耶利米书第29章10节中有这样的适：

「『为巴比伦所定的七十年满了以后，我要眷顾你们，向你们成就我的恩言，使你们仍回此地。』耶和华说：『我知道我向你们所怀的意念，是赐平安的意念，不是降灾祸的意念，要叫你们末后有指望。』」（耶利米书第29章10节）

我们看到耶利米预言被掳要在70年后结束。

事实上，根据历代志下36章21到22节的记载，第一批人在所罗巴伯的领导之下在公元前539年回到应许地，这个预言就应验了。同时，撒迦利亚在撒迦利亚书第1章12节和第7章第5节中证实了这个日期。我们看到耶利米预言被掳时期要持续70年，从某些角度来看，事情正是这样发生的。在公元前539年，波斯皇古列宣告以色列人将要回到应许地去重建他们的圣殿。

当我们看过了耶利米所预期的70年被掳时期，我们就做好了解但以理对末世论的新看法的准备。

但以理的看见

也许但以理对预言最重要的贡献是，他在但以理书第9章中70个星期的异象。这段经文是但以理在公元前539年前后所领受的异象的自传，那就是当古列王下令叫以色列人归回应许地的时候。

但以理书第9章第1节到3节作为开场白。但以理在这里报告他在读耶利米书中有关70年被掳的预言。在第2节中，我们读到这些话：

我但以理从书上得知耶和华的话临到先知耶利米，论耶路撒冷荒凉的年数，七十年为满。（但以理书第9章2节）

但以理知道耶利米说被掳时期要持续70年，可是但以理不像我们预期中的满有喜乐，他反而在第3节中这样做：

我便禁食，披麻蒙灰，定意向主神祈祷恳求。（但以理书第9章3节）

虽然我们预期但以理会因为70年被掳时期的结束而喜乐，可是，他反而转向耶和华披麻蒙灰，寻求神的恩典。

从第4到19节，我们看见但以理祷告的一个概述。在祷告中但以理处理一个非常严肃的问题。耶利米所说的70年完结了，但是子民却没有悔改他们的罪。就如他在13节和14节中说的：

「这一切灾祸临到我们身上，我们却没有求耶和华我们神的恩典，使我们回头离开罪孽，明白你的真理...我们并没有听从他的话。」（但以理书第9章13-14节）

但以理明白到我们早前在这一课中所看过的。摩西宣告只有当神的子民悔改他们的罪的时候，才有可能逆转他们被掳的事实。但是在这里出现了一次意想不到的干预性历史偶发事件。以色列人被掳了，可是，他们仍然没有悔改他们的罪。结果大大的影响了神启示末世的方式。

但以理在结束祷告时向神恳求恩典。由于子民还没有悔改他们的叛逆态度，但以理只要求神为他自己荣耀的原故转向他的子民。让我们读第17节和18节：

「我们的神啊，为自己使脸光照你荒凉的圣所。我的神啊，求你侧耳而听，睁眼而看，眷顾我们荒凉之地和称为你名下的城。我们在你面前恳求，原不是因自己的义，乃因你的大怜悯。」（但以理书第9章17-18节）

尽管神的子民没有悔改他们的罪，但以理在绝望中仍然盼望神会复兴他的子民。

但以理书第9章余下的部份，第20节和27节中包括了神对但以理祷告的回应。天使加百列带来神的讯息。他在9章24节中告诉但以理说：

「为你本国之民和你圣城，已经定了七十个七，要止住罪过，除净罪恶，赎尽罪孽，引进永义，封住异象和预言，并膏至圣者。」（但以理书第9章24节）

简单地说，加百列说被掳的时间从耶和米所说的70年延长到70个7年，也就是490年。由于子民拒绝悔改，神决定把被掳的时间增加七倍。就如神在利未记26章18节中所说的：

「你们因这事若还不听从我，我就要为你们的罪加七倍惩罚你们。」（利未记第26章18节）

神延迟了以色列的复兴，并且把应许地的控制权放在一个又一个外邦国家的手中，直到神的国透过基督临到世上为止。

我们看过了耶利米预言70年的被掳，又看见但以理知道被掳的时间要增加七倍至490年，我们现在要看旧约预言末世论的最后阶段。

最后的结论

旧约预言的最后阶段发生在复兴时期，那时部份的以色列人已经从被掳中得释放，回到应许地去。要了解旧约末世论的最后阶段，我们要考虑两个主题：第一是早期的复兴盼望；第二是晚期的复兴盼望。让我们首先看先知原有的盼望，这些先知是在第一批以色列人从巴比伦回到应许地以后作先知的。

最初的盼望

在这里我们要集中看公元前539年到515年这段时间，这是复兴的初期。在这段期间里，一小群色列人回到了应许地，他们盼望可以很快地看见神把祝福大大的倾倒在复兴的子民身上。在很多方面看来，他们盼望以忠诚的悔改和忠心侍奉耶和华来缩短但以理所说的490年复兴的延迟。哈该和撒迦利亚集中于四个末世的盼望：第一是大卫家王位的复兴、第二是战胜外邦，第三是圣殿的复兴，最后是大自然的更新。哈该和撒迦利亚对神的子民存有很大的盼望。他们盼望这时候神子民的忠诚会为刚复兴的国家带来许多的祝福。

虽然当以色列返回应许地早期，他们对所罗巴伯和圣殿存有极高的期望，但是这个情况没有持续下去。相反地，我们发现复兴后期的盼望出现了另一个转变。所罗巴伯按照哈该和撒迦利亚的指示建成了圣殿，但是，我们从撒迦利亚书下半部、以斯拉记、尼希米记和玛拉基书中发现，以色列民对神的旨意的顺服只是外在的顺服。在一个世代里，以色列民与外邦女子通婚和背叛信仰的情况十分普遍。结果，以色列被掳回归早期得大祝福的盼望就变得遥不可及了。

最终的盼望

玛拉基集中谈论遥远的盼望，比其他后期的先知要多。他尖锐地斥责住在耶路撒冷的人，警告他们有一天审判和祝福要临到他们身上。例如，在玛拉基书第3章1节里，我们读到这些话：

「万军之耶和华说：「我要差遣我的使者在我前面预备道路。你们所寻求的主，必忽然进入他的殿；立约的使者，就是你们所仰慕的，快要来到。」」（玛拉基书第3章1节）

然后在第4章1到2节里，玛拉基最后谈到在将来伟大的日子中要发生什么事：

「万军之耶和华说：「那日临近，势如烧着的火炉，凡狂傲的和行恶的必如碎，在那日必被烧尽…..。但你们敬畏我名的人，必有公义的日头出现，其光线有医治之能。你必出来像跳的肥犊。」」（玛拉基书第4章1-2节）

当旧约结束的时候，明显地这救赎不会很快来临。神的子民必须等候完全的复兴。

我们看见了旧约末世论从摩西开始，并且早期先知以王位和圣殿这些主题为末世论加插了许多角度。我们从旧约最后的先知但以理的话中看到被掳时期要被延长。只有在那时候神超然的干预才会发生，带来神子民的复兴。这带我们来到《圣经》末世的最后阶段，那就是新约的末世论。

新约的末世论

作为基督徒，每当我们读旧约预言的时候，我们必须跟随新约作者的角度。新约作者了解旧约末世论的发展，同时，他们也加入了耶稣的事工。耶稣来到世界上，改变了末世论呈现的方式，我们作为基督徒，必须跟随新约给我们的角度。要掌握新约末世论的描述，我们要考虑三个主题：第一是新约中的一些主要用语；第二是新约末世论的基本结构；第三是出现在新约中的主要末世题材。让我们先来看新约中几个重要的用语，这些用语给我们取向，叫我们知道如何去看新约的末世角度。

术语

我们要集中看三个特别重要的用语上：第一是「福音」；然后是「天国」；最后是「末日」。

福音

每个信徒对「福音」这个名词都十分熟悉。这个名词是从希腊语euangelion而来的，是「好消息」的意思。新约一次又一次地告诉我们，耶稣和他的门徒传讲「福音」或「好消息」。新约作者讲到基督徒所传有关基督的讯息为福音或者好消息，其中超过100次。我们要知道新约作者没有发明「福音」这个词语，这是十分重要的。相反地，新约作者采用了旧约先知所用的词语。

旧约先知经常在好几段经文中使用希伯来语basar一词，这个名词经常被翻译为好消息或佳音。他们心目中所想的好消息是什么呢？总的来说，先知宣布的好消息，就是被掳的结束和神子民复兴的来临。听听先知以赛亚在以赛亚书第52章5到7节里以这个方式说话。在第5节和第6节中，我们读到这些话：

「我的百姓既被无价地掳去，辖制他们的人呼叫…。所以，我的百姓必知道我的名，说这话的就是我。看哪，是我！」（以赛亚书第52章5-6节）

神宣告他的百姓要看到他大能的彰显，他们也要明白他预言了被掳后复兴的出现。以赛亚在思想复兴这应许的时候，在第7节这样说：

那报佳音、传平安、报好信、传救恩的，对锡安说：「你的神作王了！」（以赛亚书第52章7节）

以赛亚宣告有好些使者的出现，那是极为美好的。他们是怎么样的使者呢？他们就是带好讯息或福音的使者。

先知背景中对福音这个名词的描述，帮助我们了解为什么耶稣和他的门徒宣告基督的福音。耶稣叫被掳的得复兴。在路加福音第4章18节到19节里，耶稣引述以赛亚书61章第1节和2节，并且引用到他自己的生命上：

「主的灵在我身上，因为他用膏膏我，叫我传福音给贫穷人；差遣我报告被掳的得释放，瞎眼的得看见，叫那受压制的得自由，报告神悦纳人的禧年。」（路加福音第4章18-19节）

这段经文清楚地表示，耶稣看他自己为那位为神子民从被掳中带来复兴的使者。

第二个重要的用语在新约中显露了同样的观点。这是用语就是「天国」。

国度

新约中经常总结新约时期为「天国的时期」。为什么这个用语在新约中那么突出呢？天国这个词语是新约中另一个确认耶稣应验被掳后复兴盼望的方式。让我们再次听听以赛亚有关被掳后复兴的预言，我们来读以赛亚书52章第7节，在这里，他是这样把神的国和福音连起来的：

那报佳音、传平安、报好信、传救恩的，对锡安说：「你的神作王了！」（以赛亚书第52章7节）

最后这句话「你的神作王了！」宣告了神子民的复兴和他们胜过世界这事实。这个公告为我们对耶稣天国的教导提供了背景。耶稣宣布复兴要从他而来，因为神的国已经在世上建立起来了。

第三个用语也能够帮助我们了解新约对末世的看法，这用语就是「末日」。

以后或末后的日子

你一定还记得旧约先知曾经用后来的日子来描述被掳后的一段时间。新约作者曾经使用同样的词语来描述新约时期。例如，我们在使徒行传第2章16节和17节里读到这句话：

「神说：在末后的日子，我要将我的灵浇灌凡有血气的。」（使徒行传第2章16-17节）

新约作者一次又一次地指出整个新约时期是末世或者末后的日子。他们这样做是因为他们引用了旧约先知的用语。新约时期对他们来说，是先知盼望的高峰，就是神子民的复兴。新约中这些重要的用语显露了新约作者看他们的身处的时期为旧约末世盼望的应验。总的来说，人类历史的最后阶段是透过基督而来的。

结构

新约末世论的取向叫我们看到新约中所显露的复兴天国的基本结构。要审查末世论的新角度，我们要看新约中所描述的两个期望。首先，施洗约翰的期望，然后是耶稣的期望。让我们先考虑施洗约翰的观点。

施洗约翰

施洗约翰对当时非常普遍的神的天国抱有期望。透过读旧约，约翰相信当弥赛亚来临的时候，他要同时带来天国。听听约翰怎样在路加福音第3章16节到17节中谈论弥赛亚：

「但有一位能力比我更大的要来，…..他要用圣灵与火给你们施洗。他手里拿著簸箕，要扬净他的场，把麦子收在仓里，把糠用不灭的火烧尽了。」（路加福音第3章16-17节）

就象旧约先知那样，约翰相信当以色列复兴的时候，那就是直接祝福和审判的时期。

耶稣

由于旧约中预期要有突然而来的最后审判和祝福，耶稣大部份的事工是向跟随他的人解释末世不会象约翰和其他人所期盼的那样来临。反而，神决意要慢慢地带来复兴，要延展好一段时间。耶稣对末世最清楚的启示或许出现在马太福音13章31节到35节的两个比喻里。耶稣以小小的芥菜种长成了树的比喻和酵发起面团的比喻来比作天国。这两个比喻的意思，是天国的复兴不会一下子与审判和祝福一起来到，而是要经过成长的过程或者是分阶段出现的。

耶稣和他的门徒所教导的新约末世论角度被称为「已启奠的末世论」。已启奠的末世论可以用许多方式去描述，让我们以三重的结构去了解它。首先，基督的来临开启了天国。基督的生命、死亡、复活、升天、五旬节的降临和使徒的职份的形成了末世的基础和起点。根据新约来看，复兴的第二个阶段可以称为天国的延续，那就是我们今天活著的日子，是耶稣第一次来临之后和他再来的日子之前的阶段。复兴的第三个阶段可以被称为天国的实现。当基督再来的时候，他要带来很久以前先知所应许那完全的复兴。新约整体都与已启奠末世论的基本结构相契合。

主题

看过了这些关键的用语和新约的基本结构角度之后，我们现在要转去看出现在旧约和新约中的末世论主题。让我们去看两个主题。那就是被掳和复兴。

被掳

我们首先去看被掳这个主题。你还记得，被掳旧约主题基本上是神通过战争中和大自然里的严厉审判去威胁他的子民。被掳的主题在新约中被调整了，溶入了启奠、延续和成就这些结构。首先，当基督在地上开启他的天国的时候， 他经常谈到对约中子民的审判。

被掳的主题与天国的延续是有关的。一方面，从神的属灵祝福中被掳的审判依然持续出现在亚伯拉罕肉身后裔身上，因为他们拒绝服侍他们的弥赛亚，他们与神国的祝福无份。另一方面，在有形教会中的外邦人也处在同样的情况中。新约中一次又一次地清楚讲到教会的纪律，甚至达到逐出教会的地步，教会纪律就是当教会中犹太人和外邦人背叛神的时候要接受的审判。

最后，新约中也教导天国的成就要叫永恒的被掳出现。当基督回来的时候，他要审判背叛神的人，并且要把他们送到永恒的审判里，远远的离开新天新地的祝福。这样我们看见被掳的主题在新约中被应验了，但是这应验是按照启奠、延续和成就这些阶段出现的。

当然新约不单单地只谈到被掳这个主题。新约中也坦白地教导由于神子民在基督里，复兴的祝福就要临到。

复兴

旧约先知教导在末后的日子，神要在战争和大自然里大大的祝福他的子民，这祝福是不可衡量的。新约教导复兴的祝福要以三个阶段在基督的国中出现。

首先，在天国的启奠期间，我们发现基督的事工中出现许多复兴的主题。旧约先知说大卫的王位要重新被建立，耶稣被称为大卫的后裔，他就是王。旧约先知说圣殿在末后的日子要被重建，耶稣是神的殿。先知预言了以色列要胜过邪恶的外邦国家和他们的神，耶稣开始了胜利的过程，因为他为了他子民的原故而战胜了撒旦和死亡的压制。旧约先知预言了神的子民要继承极大的祝福，耶稣差遣圣灵来作我们所继承的首期款。先知说在大自然中要有大祝福，耶稣在世的时候施行了不计其数的治病神迹。新约教导耶稣第一次来临是走向神赐下的最后大复兴的起点。

第二，天国的延续也有复兴的主题，那就是基督第一次来临和基督再来之间的时间。耶稣继续在世上作王，就如先知预言大卫的子孙要作的那样。基督的身体是旧约中末世神的圣殿的异象。教会现在被称为神的殿。教会有胜利的时候，也有与罪争战的时候，先知说神的子民要胜过世界。圣灵继续在教会里作为我们完全遗产的首期款。而且，基督徒会经常看见神在他子民身上的祝福，这些祝福可以是肉身上的医治，又或者是神赐下其它特别的供应。在这些方面和许多其它方式看来，新约清楚地讲到复兴这大应许要在基督天国的延续的时期成就。

第三方面，新约不仅教导基督启奠了和延续复兴的祝福，同时，天国的成就是要带来旧约所应许的复兴的高潮。当耶稣再来的时候，他的王权要延伸到地极，就如先知预言大卫的子孙要管治世界那样。当耶稣再来的时候，圣殿更新这应许要应验，在这最后的阶段，神的子民要完全地胜过罪恶。神的子民要领受新天新地中的完全遗产。当然，大自然要变成天堂，充分地在救赎的荣耀中更新了。这样，当基督叫他的国成就的时候，复兴的预言就要完全地被应验。

总结

在这一课中，当我们展开末世论的时候，我们看见了历史终结的期望怎样从摩西经过早期先知开始，一路延伸到后期先知和到新约里。沿路上每一步我们看见神遂步遂步地为这个世界的高潮展露了他的计划。

每当我们读旧约先知谈到被掳的审判的时候，我们必须从新约的角度去看。在启奠的天国、延续的天国和成就了的天国中，背约者要陷于被掳中。每当我们读旧约先知讲到末来的复兴祝福的时候，我们必须始终记得，这些祝福是从基督天国的启奠、延续和成就中而来的。如果我们记住这些角度，我们就能够从新约作者的角度和耶稣的角度去看旧约的预言。

He Gave Us Prophets: Unfolding Eschatology

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INTRODUCTION

When I was growing up, my family would always go on vacations in the car, and we would have a clear destination in mind, and we'd reach that destination. But along the way, different things would happen that would unfold the plan. We'd stay in one place a little longer than expected, or we'd have a flat tire, something like that.

Well, similar things happen with Old Testament prophecy. God has a sovereign plan for all of human history, and that plan will reach its end, and every step along the way has been sovereignly planned by God. But at the same time we know that in his providence God watches to see how human beings will react to prophecy, and when they react one way he will respond in one way; when they react in another way he will respond in another way. And so what we find is that the destiny, or the eschaton, unfolds throughout the Bible. God reveals more and more of what he's going to do for his people as the Bible progresses.

We've entitled this lesson "Unfolding Eschatology" because we will see how the prophetic vision of the end of time, or of eschatology, developed through the various stages of prophecy. We'll look at four major steps in the unfolding disclosure of eschatology which we must always remember: first, Moses' eschatology; second, early prophetic eschatology; third, we'll take a look at later prophetic eschatology; and then fourth, we'll take a look at New Testament eschatology. Let's look first at the perspectives that come from Moses himself.

MOSAIC ESCHATOLOGY

Have you ever been in really hard times and the only thing that got you through was the belief that one day the hard times would be over? Well, in many respects, Moses gave that kind of perspective to Israel. He told Israel that hard times were coming, even in exile from the Land of Promise, but he also gave them the hope, an eschatological hope, that one day things would be much better. In order to understand Moses' perspectives, we've got to take a look at some of the basic dynamics of covenant that we've already seen in previous lessons: first, covenant cycles; and second, covenant culmination.

Covenant Cycles

You will recall that Moses understood that God would test the loyalty of his people and that his people would often fail. As a result, Moses taught that cycles of judgment and blessing would characterize the relationship between God and his people. When God's people flagrantly rebelled against him, they experienced his judgment in war and in nature. When God's people were faithful to him, they experienced his blessing in war and in nature. This cyclical covenant pattern between blessing and judgment appears many times throughout the whole Old Testament.

Covenant Culmination

Now eschatology in Moses' writings develops out of this basic pattern of blessing and judgment. According to Moses, the judgments and the blessings of the covenant would not continue in an eternal circle, never going anywhere or toward any goal. On the contrary, Moses saw a definite end, or eschaton, in the future. To understand how Moses taught a culmination to the covenant life, or an eschaton, we need to see three elements in his outlook on history: first, exile; second, repentance and forgiveness; and third, restoration from exile.

In the first place, Moses expected that judgments would increase as Israel went further and further away from God. This increase in judgment would culminate in the exile of Israel from the Promised Land. The people of God would suffer defeat in war, and the harmony of nature in the Promised Land would turn into the corruption of nature. The people of God would be scattered among the nations, and the Land of Promise would lie in ruins. Listen to the way Moses puts it in Deuteronomy 4:25-28:

After you have had children and grandchildren and have lived in the land a long time — if you then become corrupt and make any kind of idol, doing evil in the eyes of the Lord your God and provoking him to anger, I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you this day that you will quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. You will not live there long but will certainly be destroyed. The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the Lord will drive you. There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell (Deuteronomy 4:25-28).

We see here that Moses predicted that a terrible exile would take place, but as horrible as this exile would be, it was not the end of the history of God's covenant with Israel. Repentance and forgiveness could change the situation of exile. As Moses put it in 4:29:

But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul (Deuteronomy 4:29).

Once exile had occurred, the people of God could come to their senses, repent and then find forgiveness from God.

What would be the result of this repentance and forgiveness? In a word, it would be restoration from exile. Moses taught that God would have mercy on his people and bring them back to the land to enjoy a permanent state of unimaginable covenant blessings. Listen to the way Moses described the culmination of covenant blessing in Deuteronomy 4:30-31:

When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in latter days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath (Deuteronomy 4:30-31).

In 4:30, Moses coined a technical term for this period of final restoration. He said that the restoration of Israel after the exile would take place in the "latter days." The Hebrew behind this expression is b'ahrit hayyamim. In most cases this kind of terminology simply meant "the future" of some indefinite sort. But here, in Deuteronomy 4:30 we find the technical use of the terminology "the last days" or "the culmination of history." This technical use appears in many places in the prophets, including Isaiah 2:2; Micah 4:1; and Hosea 3:5. In the New Testament, the same expression occurs in Acts 2:17; Hebrews 1:2; and James 5:3. In fact, it is this expression from which we get our theological term "eschatology" — the study of last things or last events.

We can summarize Moses' eschatology in this way. Moses knew that Israel was going to fall into serious sin and receive an exile from the land. But once the people were out of the land and they repented of their sins, they would be forgiven by God. And then, in the latter days, or the eschaton, they would be brought back to the Land of Promise and receive tremendous blessings. This basic outlook of Moses provides a background for the entire history of prophetic expectations.

With Moses' very simple eschatology in view, we're now ready to see the eschatology of the early prophets of the Old Testament. How did the prophets before the exile to Babylon view the movement of history towards its culmination in the latter days?

EARLY PROPHETIC ESCHATOLOGY

Now in this lesson, when we speak of early prophetic expectations, we have in mind those prophets who ministered up to the time of Daniel. The prophets up to the time of Daniel had a basic eschatological perspective that looked very much like Moses' own perspective. We will look at two aspects of early prophetic eschatology: first, the similarities to Moses; and second, the additions to Moses. Let's look first at the similarities that early prophetic eschatology had with the basic patterns established by Moses.

Similarities to Moses

Moses presented a pattern of a national judgment leading to exile which would be followed by repentance leading to a great restoration. Old Testament prophets spent much of their time warning of the coming exile. Again, following Moses, the prophets before Daniel never gave up hope that repentance and forgiveness would take place in the exile. In fact, the prophets believed that God would supernaturally renew the remnant of his people in exile and give them forgiveness. As Isaiah puts it in Isaiah 10:20:

In that day the remnant of Israel, the survivors of the house of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 10:20).

Jeremiah spoke similarly when he announced that the people who would be taken into exile would receive a new heart of faithfulness and obedience to God's law. In Jeremiah 31:33 we read these words about the exiles:

I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people (Jeremiah 31:33).

The early prophets expected a change of heart in those who were taken into exile.

But third, early Old Testament prophets also affirmed that the repentant remnant would be gathered back to the land of Israel for a great restoration. The words of Isaiah are to the point once again. In Isaiah 44:21-22 we read these words:

Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you (Isaiah 44:21-22).

The early prophets made it very clear that the basic Mosaic eschatology was true. Israel was going into exile and repentance and forgiveness would lead to a restoration to the land. But the early prophets also added some special features to this basic Mosaic pattern.

Additions to Moses

Put simply, a major covenant event took place between Moses and the early prophets, and this covenant was, of course, the royal covenant made with David. As a result, the early prophets made three major additions to Moses' portrait of early eschatology, or end times. First, they had a focus on kingship; second, a focus on the temple; and third, a focus on Gentile nations. Let's look first at the way the early prophets concerned themselves with kingship.

Kingship

One the one hand, unlike Moses, the early prophets did not merely say that the nation would suffer defeat and natural disasters. Because David's throne had become the centerpiece of the life of God's people, according to these prophets, the judgment of God would include a desertion of the throne of David. For instance, we read about the judgment against David's throne when Isaiah rebuked king Hezekiah in Isaiah 39:5-7.

Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, "Hear the word of the Lord Almighty: The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon" (Isaiah 39:5-7).

The desertion of David's throne was one aspect of the exile that culminated the history of God's people.

Despite the tragedy of judgment against David's throne, the prophets also assured Israel that God was not finished with the throne of David. Instead, the prophets predicted that the restoration of Israel after the exile would include a restoration of the throne of David to great glory. Listen to the way Jeremiah described the restoration of David's throne in Jeremiah 23:5-6:

"The days are coming," declares the Lord, "when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days, Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: 'The Lord Our Righteousness'" (Jeremiah 23:5-6).

The promise of a righteous son of David became an essential ingredient in the portrait of the latter days of the restoration.

Not only did the early prophets concern themselves with David's throne, they also focused on the temple built by David's son, Solomon.

Temple

Many Israelites had wrongly believed that the temple of God in Jerusalem was inviolable. The prophets had to speak boldly about the temple of God in Jerusalem being destroyed. For instance, Jeremiah spoke strongly against the false prophets and priests who insisted that the temple would never be destroyed. In Jeremiah 7, the prophet warned the people not to believe this false teaching. In verse 4 we read these words:

Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!" (Jeremiah 7:4).

The true prophets of Yahweh uniformly announced that the temple of God would be destroyed at the time of exile.

Yet the prophets also promised that in the restoration period after the exile a glorious temple would be rebuilt. More than any other prophet Ezekiel focused on the rebuilding of this glorious temple in the restoration period. Chapters 40–48 of his book concentrate on this theme. God gave Ezekiel a special picture of the restoration temple and ordered the people to build it. Listen to the words of God to Ezekiel in Ezekiel 43:10-11:

Son of man, describe the temple to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their sins. Let them consider the plan, and if they are ashamed of all they have done, make known to them the design of the temple… Write these down before them so that they may be faithful to its design and follow all its regulations (Ezekiel 43:10-11).

Early prophets added a concern for David's throne and the temple. But they also added a third concern which Moses did not address very clearly — they were concerned with the Gentile nations.

Gentiles

In the first place, the prophets saw very clearly that Israel's exile would mean victory for certain Gentile nations over the people of God. As we know, they predicted that the Assyrians and the Babylonians would conquer Israel and severely mistreat the people of God.

While victory was given to the Gentiles during Israel's exile, the early prophets also spelled out that this Gentile supremacy would not last forever. In the restoration from exile, God would strike out against the Gentiles who mistreated his people through the restored throne of David. God would defeat the Gentiles and give Israel great victory in a battle against the Gentiles. This theme appears in many ways throughout the prophets, but one of the most dramatic ways it comes to the foreground is in the technical expression the "day of the Lord," in Hebrew, yom Yahweh. The basic idea behind this phrase was that Yahweh was able to destroy all of his enemies in a single day, and for this reason, the "day of the Lord" was said to belong to him, much like victorious soldiers say even today as they go into battle, "The day is ours!"

This terminology is particularly powerful in the way it sets up a contrast between Israel's exile and Israel's restoration. Perhaps the best way to see this is to look at the way the prophet Joel uses the expression the "day of the Lord." The expression appears in Joel 1:15, 2:1, 2:11, 2:31, and 3:14. The first three references to the "day of the Lord" refer to God defeating Judah. The people of the covenant had become God's enemies because of their sins, and the Lord's "Day" was the time when he would destroy them and send them into exile.

But Joel also shifted the way he used this terminology in the second half of his book. He described another event as the "day of the Lord." This "day of the Lord" will take place when Israel is restored from exile. It will be God's defeat of the nations who oppressed the people of God. For example, in Joel 2:31-32 we read these words:

The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the survivors whom the Lord calls (Joel 2:31-32).

So we see that for Joel the "day of the Lord" not only referred to judgment against the people of God, but it also referred to a great battle that would take place as the people of God were restored to the land.

Before we leave the theme of Gentiles in Israel's eschatology, we should mention one final element—the expansion of Israel through the ingrafting of Gentiles. When the "day of the Lord" comes against the Gentiles when Israel is restored, not all Gentiles will be destroyed. On the contrary, after the battle, many Gentiles will come to the people of God and join them in the worship of the one true and living God. As the prophet Isaiah put it in Isaiah 2:2-3:

In the last days the mountain of the Lord's temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Many peoples will come and say, "Come let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths" (Isaiah 2:2-3).

This passage and a number of others point to the culmination of eschatological hopes in early Old Testament prophecy. The blessings of God would pour out on Israel, but these blessings would include the ingrafting of countless Gentiles into the true faith so that God's covenant people will expand to cover the entire earth. This grand new heavens and new earth would be a world filled with the knowledge of God. Peace would come to the earth and all the peoples who remain will worship the true and living God.

So we see that the early prophets followed the basic pattern that Moses set forth. They believed that an exile was coming, but repentance and forgiveness would lead to the eschaton, or the great restoration. Now, to this basic pattern the prophets added several important themes: first, the centrality of David's throne; second, the importance of the temple; and third, the very special role that Gentiles would play both in the exile of Israel and in the great restoration of God's people.

We have seen the foundation of Mosaic eschatology and the similarities and modifications of early prophetic eschatology. Now we're in a position to explore the developments of later prophetic eschatology.

LATER PROPHETIC ESCHATOLOGY

In other lessons, we have seen that intervening historical contingencies can have significant effects on the ways God fulfills the predictions of his prophets. Well, in many respects, in the later prophets we come upon one of the greatest intervening historical contingencies in the Old Testament. We'll discover that the reactions of God's people had a tremendous effect on the ways that the latter days, or the eschaton, would unfold.

As we look into this matter, we will touch on three subjects: first, Jeremiah's expectation; second, Daniel's insight; and finally, the final outlooks of the Old Testament prophets. First, let's look at the particular expectation Jeremiah raised about the restoration of Israel.

Jeremiah's Expectation

In most respects, Jeremiah followed the pattern of early biblical prophecy. In two passages, however, Jeremiah added something not known before. He predicted that the time of exile would be seventy years. In 25:11-12 we read these words:

This whole country will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. But when the seventy years are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation (Jeremiah 25:11-12).

In a similar way, Jeremiah 29:10-11 says this:

"When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:10-11).

We see then that Jeremiah predicted that the exile would be over in seventy years.

In fact, according to 2 Chronicles 36:21-22, this prophecy was fulfilled when the first returnees came back to the land in 539 B.C. under the leadership of Zerubbabel. Zechariah also confirmed this dating in Zechariah 1:12 and in Zechariah 7:5. So we see that Jeremiah predicted that the exile would last seventy years and, in some respects, it did just that. In 539, Cyrus, the Persian emperor, announced that the Israelites were to go back to the land and rebuild their temple.

With Jeremiah's expectation of seventy years in mind, we're prepared to understand Daniel's new insight into eschatology.

Daniel's Insight

Perhaps Daniel's most important contribution to prophecy was his famous vision of the seventy weeks of years in Daniel 9. This passage is an autobiographical account of an insight Daniel received around the year 539 when Cyrus gave his edict for the Israelites to return to the Land of Promise.

Daniel 9 begins with an introduction in verses 1-3. There Daniel reports that he was reading the prophecy of Jeremiah about the seventy years of exile. In verse 2 we read these words:

I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years (Daniel 9:2).

Now Daniel knew that Jeremiah said that the exile would last only seventy years, but instead of rejoicing, as we might expect Daniel to do, verse 3 tells us that Daniel did something quite different:

So I turned to the Lord and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes (Daniel 9:3).

Even though we might have expected Daniel to be happy that the seventy years of Jeremiah were over, instead he turned to the Lord in sackcloth and ashes seeking the favor of God.

In verses 4-19 we find a summary of Daniel's prayer. In this prayer, he deals with a very serious problem. Jeremiah's seventy years are complete, but the people have not repented of their sins. As he says in verses 13 and 14:

All this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the Lord our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth… we have not obeyed him (Daniel 9:13-14).

Daniel understood what we have already seen earlier in this lesson. Moses announced that exile would be reversed only when the people of God repented from their sins, but there was an unexpected intervening historical contingency here. The Israelites had gone into exile, but they still had not repented of their sins, and as a result, significant changes occurred in the ways that God would unfold the eschaton.

Daniel closed his prayer with a plea for mercy. Because the people had not repented of their rebellion, Daniel asked God simply to return the people just for his own glory. We read in verses 17 and 18:

For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy (Daniel 9:17-18).

Daniel hoped against all hope that God would restore his people, despite the fact that they had not repented of their sins.

The remainder of Daniel 9:20-27 consists of God's response to Daniel's prayer. The angel Gabriel comes from God with a message. He tells Daniel this in 9:24:

Seventy "sevens" are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy (Daniel 9:24).

Put simply, Gabriel says that the exile had been extended from seventy years, according to Jeremiah, to seventy "sevens" of years, or about 490 years. Because the people had refused to repent, God decided to multiply the length of the exile seven times over. As God said in Leviticus 26:18:

If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over (Leviticus 26:18).

God delayed the restoration of Israel, and control of the Land of Promise was passed from one Gentile empire to another and to another and to another, until the kingdom of God came in Christ.

Now that we've seen Jeremiah's prediction of seventy years of exile and how Daniel learned that it would be multiplied seven times to some 490 years, we are in a position to look at the final stages of Old Testament prophetic eschatology.

Final Outlooks

The last stages of Old Testament prophecy took place during the restoration period after a number of Israelites were released from captivity and returned to the Promised Land. To understand how Old Testament eschatology looked in this final stage, we will consider two items: first, early restoration hopes; and second, later restoration hopes. Let's first consider the initial hopes of the prophets who served in the early years after the first groups of Israelites returned to the land from Babylon.

Initial Hopes

At this point, we're focusing on the initial period of restoration from 539 to 515 B.C. During this time, small groups of Israelites returned to the land with the hope of seeing the great blessings from God poured out quickly on the restored people of God. In many respects, they hoped to shorten Daniel's 490-year delay by repenting and serving the Lord faithfully. Haggai and Zechariah focused on four eschatological hopes: the restoration of David's throne, victory over Gentile nations, the restoration of the temple, and the renewal of nature. Haggai and Zechariah had great hopes for the people of God. They hoped that the faithfulness of God's people at this time would bring many blessings to the newly formed nation.

Although hopes in Zerubbabel and the temple were very high in the early years after Israel returned to the land, this situation did not last long. Instead, we come to discover that the hopes of the later restoration period took a different turn. Zerubbabel completed the temple as Haggai and Zechariah had instructed him, but as we learn from the second half of Zechariah, the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Malachi, the people of Israel had little more than outward conformity to the will of God. Within one generation, there was widespread intermarriage with Gentile women, and widespread apostasy resulted. Consequently, the hopes of great blessings for Israel in the early post-exilic period were cast into the distant future.

Final Hopes

Malachi focused on this distant hope more than any other late prophet. He sharply rebuked those living in Jerusalem and warned them that a day of judgment and blessing was coming in the future. For instance, in Malachi 3:1 we read these words:

"See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the Lord Almighty (Malachi 3:1).

And in his last words in 4:1-2, Malachi speaks of what will happen in that great future day:

"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the Lord Almighty… "But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall" (Malachi 4:1-2).

As the Old Testament closed, it became apparent that this salvation was not coming quickly. The people of God would have to wait for the full restoration.

We've seen that eschatology in the Old Testament began with Moses and that the early prophets opened many insights into these matters by adding royal and temple themes. Now, we've seen that Daniel and the last prophets of the Old Testament learned that the exile would be extended for a long time. Only then would the great divine intervention take place and bring restoration to God's people. This brings us then to the last stage in biblical eschatology, the eschatology of the New Testament.

NEW TESTAMENT ESCHATOLOGY

Whenever we read Old Testament prophecy as Christians, we must follow the perspectives of New Testament writers. New Testament writers understood the developments of eschatology within the Old Testament, but they added to this the reality of Jesus' ministry. Jesus came to this earth and caused a shift in the ways that eschatology would unfold, and as Christians, we must follow this perspective that's given to us in the New Testament. The New Testament picture of eschatology can be grasped as we consider three subjects: first, some central terminology in the New Testament; second, the basic structure of New Testament eschatology; and third, major eschatological themes that appear in New Testament. Let's look first at several important terms in the New Testament that give us an orientation to New Testament outlooks on the end of time.

Terminology

We'll focus on three particularly important expressions: first, the word "gospel"; then the term "kingdom"; and finally the expression "latter days."

Gospel

The word "gospel" is familiar to every believer. It derives from the Greek word euangelion, which means "good news." Time and again, the New Testament tells us that Jesus and his apostles preached the "gospel" or the "good news." More than one hundred times New Testament writers speak of the Christian message about Christ as the gospel or good news. It's very important to realize that the New Testament did not invent this word "gospel." Instead, New Testament writers picked up the term "gospel" from the Old Testament prophets.

Old Testament prophets used the Hebrew word basar which is often translated "good news" or "glad tidings" on a number of occasions. What good news did they have in mind? Well, in a word, the good news announced by the prophets was the good news that the exile was over and that the restoration of God's people was coming. For example, listen to the way the prophet Isaiah spoke in Isaiah 52:5-7. In verses 5 and 6 we read these words:

For my people have been taken away for nothing, and those who rule them mock… Therefore my people will know my name … that it is I who foretold it. Yes, it is I (Isaiah 52:5-6).

God announces that his people will see a great display of his power, and they will know that he foretold the restoration from exile. Then, reflecting on this assurance of restoration, Isaiah says this in verse 7:

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" (Isaiah 52:7).

Isaiah announced that the appearance of certain messengers would be absolutely beautiful to behold. What kinds of messengers? Those who brought good news, or "gospel."

Now, this prophetic background to the word "gospel" helps us understand why Jesus and his apostles came announcing the gospel of Christ. Jesus brought the restoration from exile. In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus quoted Isaiah 61:1-2, and he applied it to his life:

The Spirit of the Lord in on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor (Luke 4:18-19).

As this passage makes clear, Jesus saw himself as the one who brought the restoration from exile to the people of God.

A second important term in the New Testament reveals the same perspective. This is the term "kingdom."

Kingdom

The New Testament frequently summarized the New Testament age as the age of the kingdom. Why was this terminology so prominent in the New Testament? The term kingdom was another way in which the New Testament acknowledged that Jesus had fulfilled the hopes of restoration after exile. Listen once again to Isaiah's prophecy about the coming restoration from exile in Isaiah 52:7. There he related the gospel to the reign of God in this way:

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" (Isaiah 52:7).

These last words, "your God reigns," announces the restoration of God's people, and their victory over the world, and this announcement provides us with a background to the teachings of Jesus on the kingdom of God. Jesus announced the restoration had come in him because God's reign over the earth was being established.

A third expression also helps us understand the New Testament perspectives on the end of time, the term "latter days."

Latter Days

You will recall that the Old Testament prophets used the term latter days to describe the period after exile. New Testament writers used the same expression to describe the New Testament period. For example, we read these words in Acts 2:17:

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people (Acts 2:17).

Time and again, New Testament writers refer to the whole New Testament period as the eschaton, or latter days. They did this because they were relying on Old Testament prophetic terminology. They saw the New Testament age as the culmination of prophetic expectations, the restoration of God's people. These important terms in the New Testament reveal the New Testament writers looked at their age as the fulfillment of Old Testament eschatological hopes. In a word, the final stage of human history came through Christ.

Structure

This orientation toward New Testament eschatology puts us in a position to see the basic structure that the New Testament reveals for the restoration kingdom. To examine this new outlook on eschatology, we will look at two expectations described in the New Testament: first, the expectations of John the Baptist, and second the expectations of Jesus. Consider first the outlook of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist

John the Baptist had an expectation for the kingdom of God that was very common in his day. By reading the Old Testament, John believed that when the Messiah came he would bring the kingdom all at once. Listen to how John spoke of the Messiah in Luke 3:16-17:

One more powerful than I will come … He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire (Luke 3:16-17).

John believed, like Old Testament prophets, that when the restoration of Israel took place it would be a time of immediate blessing and judgment.

Jesus

Because of these Old Testament expectations of sudden final judgment and blessing, Jesus spent much of his ministry explaining to his followers that the eschaton was not coming as John and others expected. Instead, God had decided to bring the restoration slowly, stretching it out over time. Perhaps the clearest expression of Jesus' new revelation about the eschaton occurs in two parables in Matthew 13:31-35. There, Jesus likened the kingdom of God to a small mustard seed that grows into a large plant. He also likened the Kingdom of God to yeast that gradually leavens a loaf. The point of both of these parables is that the restoration kingdom was not coming all at once with judgment and blessing. Instead, it was coming through growth, or in stages.

The New Testament perspective on eschatology taught by Jesus and his disciples has come to be known as inaugurated eschatology. This inaugurated eschatology has been described in many ways, but it helps to view it as a three-fold structure. First, the coming of Christ was the inauguration of the kingdom. Christ's life, death, resurrection, ascension, Pentecost, and the ministries of the apostles formed the foundation, or the beginning, of the eschaton. The second stage of the restoration, according to the New Testament, may be called the continuation of the kingdom. This is the time in which we live today — after the first coming of Christ, but before his second coming. The third stage of the restoration may be described as the consummation of the kingdom. When Christ returns, he will bring the full measure of the restoration promised so long ago by the prophets. The whole of the New Testament fits within this basic structure of inaugurated eschatology.

Themes

Having seen some key terminology and the basic structure of New Testament outlooks, we now should turn to some themes of eschatology which appear in the Old Testament, but then also appear in the New Testament. It will be useful to look at two main themes: the theme of exile and the theme of restoration.

Exile

First, consider the theme of exile. You will recall that the Old Testament motif of exile basically amounted to the fact that God threatened his people with severe judgment in war and in nature. These themes of exile are adjusted in the New Testament to the structure of inauguration, continuation, and consummation. In the first place, when Christ inaugurated his kingdom during his earthly ministry, he often spoke words of judgment against the covenant people.

The theme of exile is also related to the continuation of the kingdom. On the one hand, the judgment of spiritual exile from God's blessing continues for the physical children of Abraham who refuse to serve their Messiah. They are excluded from the blessings of God's kingdom. On the other hand, the same is also true for Gentiles who have come into the visible church. The New Testament makes it clear time and again that church discipline, climaxing in excommunication, was the way Gentiles and Jews in the church are exiled under judgment when they rebel against God.

Finally, the New Testament also teaches that in the consummation of the kingdom an eternal exile will take place. When Christ returns, he will sit in judgment over apostates and send them to everlasting judgment away from the blessings of the new heavens and the new earth. In these ways, we see that the motif of exile is fulfilled in the New Testament. But this fulfillment is shaped according to the stages of inauguration, continuation, and consummation.

Now, of course, the New Testament does not speak simply of the theme of exile. It also teaches plainly that the blessings of restoration for God's people have come in Christ.

Restoration

Old Testament prophets taught that in the latter days God would bless his people beyond measure in warfare and in nature. The New Testament teaches that these blessings of restoration also come in the three stages of Christ's kingdom.

In the first place, during the inauguration of the kingdom, we find many restoration themes characterizing the ministry of Christ. Just as the Old Testament prophets said David's throne would be reestablished, Jesus is called the "son of David," "the king." Just as the prophets of the Old Testament said the temple would be rebuilt during the latter days, Jesus is the temple of God. Just as the prophets predicted great victory over evil, pagan nations and their gods, Jesus began victory for his people by defeating Satan and the power of death. Just as the Old Testament prophets predicted a great inheritance for God's people, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit who is the down payment of our inheritance. And, of course, just as the prophets spoke of great blessings in nature, Jesus performed countless physical healings in his ministry. The New Testament teaches that Jesus' first coming was the beginning of the great final restoration to God's blessings.

In the second place, these themes of restoration also characterize the continuation of the kingdom — our time between the first and the second comings of Christ. Jesus continues to reign as king over the world, just as the prophets predicted for the son of David. The body of Christ is the fulfillment of Old Testament visions of the end-time temple of God. The church is now called the temple of God. The church has victories and spiritual battles against evil just as the prophets said God's people would have victory over the world. The Holy Spirit continues in the church as the down payment of our full inheritance. Moreover, Christians often see God's blessing on his people with physical healings and other special acts of providence. In these and many other ways, the New Testament makes it clear that the great promises of restoration find fulfillment in the continuation of the kingdom of Christ.

In the third place, the New Testament not only teaches that Christ inaugurated and continues restoration blessings, it also teaches that the consummation of the kingdom will bring the climax of all restoration promises from the Old Testament. When Jesus returns, his kingship will extend to all the world just as the prophets said David's son would reign over all the nations. When Jesus returns, the promise of a renewed temple will be fulfilled as God reshapes the whole new creation into one temple of God. At the end of this age, there will be a total victory over evil for God's people. The people of God will receive their full inheritance of the new creation. And, of course, nature will break forth into a paradise, fully renewed in the glory of salvation. In these ways and more, the prophecies of restoration will be fulfilled when Christ brings his kingdom to its consummation.

CONCLUSION

In this lesson on unfolding eschatology we've seen how the expectations for the finale of history developed from Moses, through the early prophets, to the later prophets, and then to the New Testament. Each step along the way we have seen that God revealed more and more of his plan for the culmination of the world.

Whenever we read Old Testament prophets speaking of the judgment of exile, we must look at this from the perspective of the New Testament. There is exile for covenant breakers in the inauguration of the kingdom, the continuation of the kingdom, and the culmination, or consummation, of the kingdom. And whenever we read Old Testament prophets speaking of the future blessings of restoration, we must always remember that these blessings come in the inauguration, continuation, and consummation of Christ's kingdom. If we keep these perspectives in mind, we'll be able to look at Old Testament prophesies with the eyes of New Testament writers and of Jesus himself.

Dr. Richard L. Pratt, Jr. (Host) is Co-Founder and President of Third Millennium Ministries. He served as Professor of Old Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary for more than 20 years and was chair of the Old Testament department. An ordained minister, Dr. Pratt travels extensively to evangelize and teach. He studied at Westminster Theological Seminary, received his M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary, and earned his Th.D. in Old Testament Studies from Harvard University. Dr. Pratt is the general editor of the NIV Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible and a translator for the New Living Translation. He has also authored numerous articles and books, including Pray with Your Eyes Open, Every Thought Captive, Designed for Dignity, He Gave Us Stories, Commentary on 1 & 2 Chronicles and Commentary on 1 & 2 Corinthians.