A SUMMARY CHART TO COMPARE AND CONTRAST REALIZED ESCHATOLOGY WITH
BIBLICAL ESCHATOLOGY
by Ong Kok Bin

REALIZED ESCHATOLOGY

BIBLICAL ESCHATOLOGY

1. Basic Teaching

All end-time prophecies, including the judgement, resurrection, the Second Coming of Christ and the consummation of the end of the world promises were fulfilled in A.D. 70 in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

End-time prophecies qualified by 'already-and-not-yet'; 'already' the kingdom of God (church) has broken into the world; salvation is present; 'not yet' (i.e., still in the future) are the resurrection, the Second Coming and the consummation of the end of the world promises.

2. Method of Interpreting Scripture

The spiritual method of interpretation is the only method to interpret end-time prophecies.

The literal method is to be employed normally; but other methods can be employed when necessary.

3. Abraham's Covenant

The bifurcation of God's promises to Abraham (or, the Abrahamic covenant), viz., land, seed, nations, into physical and spiritual aspects forms a key component of realized eschatology.

Abraham's covenant forms a significant part of biblical history and Paul does apply or spiritualize aspects of it, e.g., faith-righteousness (Rom. 4); seed-is-Christ (Gal. 3); slave woman-(Hagar)-free-woman-(Sarah) imagery (Gal. 4).

4. The Covenant of Christ

Christ's covenant fulfilled the spiritual aspects of Abraham's covenant; the covenant of Christ took some 40 years in the making - from his death on the cross to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70; the Ishmael-Isaac imagery (both coexisted in Abraham's household until Ishmael left) was used to illustrate (prove?) the transitory period in the complete establishment of the covenant of Christ.

Christ's work of redemption, which culminated in his covenant, is 'before the creation of the world' (Eph. 1:3-14); the establishment of the covenant of Christ was accomplished when he died on the cross; Christ's covenant replaced the Mosaic covenant (Heb. 7-9; cf. Col. 2:13-15); no transitory period in the making of Christ's covenant.

5. The Second Coming of Christ

The Second Coming of Christ happened in A.D. 70 with the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

The Second Coming is still in the future; it will come like 'a thief in the night' (Mt. 24:36-44; 1 Thes. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10).

6. The Destruction of Jerusalem/'End of the Ages'

The destruction of Jerusalem corresponds to the death of the Jewish commonwealth, or, the Jewish system of religion, the end of the age(s), and the passing of the 'present heavens and earth'.

The Jerusalem destruction in A.D. 70 is a 'coming of Christ' in judgement of Israel for her unbelief; the Jewish system of religion continues to today (albeit without the Temple); the 'present heavens and earth' are reserved for destruction by fire and it is still to happen (2 Pet. 3:3f.)

7. The Resurrection/Dawn of 'a New Heaven and a New Earth'

The resurrection is the resurrection of a cause - that of the church or the Christian system of belief (on the demise of the Jewish system) and this resurrection is fully accomplished in A.D. 70 when Christ fully and completely established his covenant. It is also the fulfilment of the promise of 'a new heaven and a new earth' or the 'age to come'.
The resurrection of individual believers occurs upon their immediate death.

The resurrection is the resurrection of individual believers and this will happen at Christ's Second Coming. Those who are dead will rise up from the graves, those who are still alive will be transformed, and both the resurrected dead and the transformed living will rise up in the air to meet the Lord when he comes (1 Thes. 4:13-18). The 'new heaven and new earth' comprises a new and spiritual order of existence in which the righteous will live eternally with God (Rev. 21-22; cf. 1 Cor. 15:50).

8. The Day of Judgement

It transpired in A.D. 70 when God brought judgement upon Israel.

It is still in the future; 'hand-in-glove' with the Second Coming of Christ.

9. The Book of Revelation

The book of Revelation was written before A.D. 70 and the prophecies in it were mainly about God's judgment against Jerusalem/Israel.

Most commentators believe that Revelation was written between A.D. 90-95(6) and that it is mainly about God's judgement upon Rome.